Yellowstone (2023): Ranching Family Fights To Save Land

Yellowstone is a Western drama series. It is a sequel to the 1883 and 1923 series created by the writer Taylor Sheridan. This 21st-century show narrates the lives of the Dutton family in Montana state of the USA.

The Dutton family led by patriarch John Dutton control the largest contiguous ranch in the country. So, as a ranching family, they must fight back against the constant attacks by the land developers with deep pockets, regular clashes with the people living in Indian reservation territories, and at odds with America’s first national park. In other words, this particular series narrates an age-old conflict between the modern ways versus the traditional ways of living.


The whole world’s a test, son. Don’t let them ever trick you into thinking differently.

John Dutton (Kevin Costner)


Yellowstone Series:- a brief review

This series depicts the violent world of the Duttons, a ranching family in Montana, USA. This Western show delves into the world of the lesser-known world of America – the ranchers, the cowboys, country folks and not to forget the less visible Native American communities of the USA, I loved their compelling stories. In not so distant future, the piece of land used to be the most important asset for the people. Nowadays, the value of land has gone down slightly.

Still, for the Dutton Family, here shown as one of the biggest private landowners in America, their big piece of land holdings is the most precious property in their hands. Come what may, the Dutton family led by patriarch John Dutton (played by Kevin Costner) will not let go of an inch of his family’s land. And in his endeavour, he is backed by his family and ranch workers. This is an engrossing drama packed with good star casts. It is unlike any other series, hence herein lies its charm and popularity.


Yellowstone Series:- details

GenreDrama, Western
Age-restrictionsA (18+)
CreatorsJohn Linson, Taylor Sheridan
Seasons & EpisodesSeason 1 – Nine (9) Episodes – 2018
Season 2 – Ten (10) Episodes – 2019
Season 3 – Ten (10) Episodes – 2020
Season 4 – Tens (10) Episodes – 2021
Season 5 P1 – Eight (8) Episodes – 2022
CastKevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, etc.
AwardsWestern Heritage Awards 2019, 2020 & 2021 – Winner – Bronze Wrangler – Fictional Drama – Kevin Costner (starring) & Taylor Sheridan (directed and written by)
Academy of Country Music Awards 2022 – Winner – Tex Ritter Film Award
Golden Globes, USA 2023 – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama – Kevin Costner
Critics Choice Super Awards 2023 – Winner – CCA Super Award – Best Actor in an Action Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie – Kevin Costner
About – Yellowstone.

Yellowstone (Seasons – 1, 2 & 3) Series

Yellowstone (S 1, 2 & 3) Series:- synopsis

In the first three seasons of this series, this modern-day western follows the Duttons, who own the largest ranch in Montana and employ a ruthless mix of business, politics and violence to hold on to the precious land at the heart of their family empire. The Dutton family is led by the towering presence of the patriarch John Dutton, played admirably by Kevin Costner in this series.

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Yellowstone (S 1, 2 & 3) Series:- posters

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Yellowstone (S 1, 2 & 3) Series:- ratings

SeasonsFM’s ratingIMDb rating as of the dateRotten Tomatoes ratings as of the date
S1 (2018)4.15/58.20/1056% Tomatometer & 83% Audience Score
S2 (2019)4.25/58.54 /1089% Tomatometer & 91% Audience Score
S3 (2020)4.20/58.42/10100% Tomatometer & 87% Audience Score
FM, IMDb & Rotten Tomatoes ratings – Yellowstone (S 1, 2 & 3)

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Yellowstone (S 1, 2 & 3) Series:- trailers

Season 1 (2018)
Season 2 (2019)
Season 3 (2020)

Yellowstone {Seasons – 4 & 5 (Part-1} Series

Yellowstone {S 4 & S 5-P1} Series:- synopsis

In the next two seasons (4 & 5 – P1) of this series, the Dutton family fights to defend their ranch and way of life from an Indian reservation and land developers. Medical issues and family secrets put a strain on the Duttons, and political aspirations and outside partnerships threaten their future. So, now the treats to the Dutton family come from both inside as well as outside the family circle.

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Yellowstone {S 4 & S 5} Series:- posters

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Yellowstone {S 4 & S 5-P1} Series:- ratings

SeasonsFM’s ratingIMDb rating as of the dateRotten Tomatoes ratings as of the date
4 (2021)4.10/58.23/1091% Tomatometer & 82% Audience Score
5-P1 (2022)4.05/57.88/1084% Tomatometer & 34% Audience Score
FM, IMDb & Rotten Tomatoes ratings – Yellowstone (S 4 & S 5-P1).

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Yellowstone {S 4 & S 5} Series:- trailers

Season 4 (2021)
Season 5 (2022)

Focus:- {Spoilers Alert} Native American stories in Yellowstone

This video shared on YouTube simply stated, “Our first fight is against being ignored.” Unfortunately, stories of missing indigenous women are not just plotlines. It’s an all-too-common occurrence in the USA.

Sharing Native American Stories in this series | YouTube.

While reading about this series, I also learned that “American Doctors began sterilizing indigenous women in the 1930s and grew at a faster rate in the 1970s when Congress passed the Family Planning Services Act, which subsidized said sterilizations for Medicaid and Indian Health Service patients. The rationale for these procedures was centred around fears of global overpopulation and increases in welfare spending which would put an undue strain on the budget of the local community and the Federal Treasury.”

As a result of this legislation, during the 1970s, the U.S. Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) funded 90 percent of the annual sterilization costs for poor people. Sterilization for women increased 350 percent between 1970 and 1975 and about one million American women were sterilized each year. Sterilizations of Native and Puerto Rican women increased following the Family Planning Services and Population Research Act of 1970.

NIWRC.org

This information sheds new light on the plight of Native Americans in the United States of America.

Please note:- The “Yellowstone” franchise has been both lauded and criticized for its portrayal of Native culture by the people belonging to the indigenous community of America.

Focus:- Taylor Sheridan created 1883, 1923 & Yellowstone

In case, you wish to read about its prequel 1883 and 1923, you can read about these by clicking their links. These TV series – 1883 (19th century), 1923 (20th century) and Yellowstone (21st century) were created by screenwriter and director Taylor Sheridan. So, these shows are cut from the same cloth. They narrate the story of the Dutton family in different eras; with each period having its own set of problems.

In addition, if you want more dive deeper into this universe created by Taylor Sheridan, then go ahead and check out the official channel named Yellowstone on YouTube for behind-the-scenes informative videos.

Featured & Other Images: Yellowstone | Paramount +.