TV-MA | 1h 32min | Drama, Western | 2018
With the exception of a few titles, great Western dramas are mainly in my cinematic rearview mirror—cherished artifacts of a bygone era. So, it came as a surprise when I learned of the new Western TV series “Yellowstone,” which takes an unflinching look at ranch life in the 21st century.
I got hooked from the opening scenes and after binge-watching the entire first season and had to process what I’d witnessed over several days. There’s a lot to unpack in the series. After all, each episode is long and much of the acting and directing is nuanced.
The Main Characters
Kevin Costner stars in a role that seems tailor-made for him: He’s stoic land baron John Dutton, who owns the largest ranch in Montana and has degrees of complexity that let Costner’s magnificent acting chops shine.
Although physically falling apart, the Dutton family patriarch is a rich amalgam of different Western characters we’ve all seen before—just not all in the same person. Sometimes Dutton seems sensitive and caring, other times gruff and aloof, and still others coldly calculating and ruthless—and every shade in-between.
His offspring and associates are likewise multidimensional characters that surprise at every turn. Perhaps one of the most striking examples is Dutton’s daughter Beth (Kelly Reilly), whom we quickly learn is a ruthless businesswoman who takes over companies through shrewd machinations. She’s also a little nutty and has substance abuse issues she deals with, yet the character is deeper than it might initially seem.
Dutton’s son Kayce (Luke Grimes) is a horse tamer and former Navy SEAL, who happens to be married to the daughter of the neighboring Native American reservation’s tribal chief. Since John Dutton has an ongoing land ownership dispute with the chief and his people, Kayce has conflicting loyalties whenever conflicts arise between the two sides.
Life on the Ranch
The Dutton family is wealthy, sometimes dysfunctional (like most families), and deals with the various challenges and realities of living in a modern-day version of the Old West. It’s an interesting lens into complex family dynamics and into an older way of life that is gradually disappearing. And wonderfully, its writing and acting performances transcend soap-operatic clichés and hackneyed plotlines.Standout acting performances go to the aforementioned Costner as the oft-contradictory John Dutton, as well as Kelly Reilly, an outstanding English actress (with a convincing American accent) who delivers a fascinating portrait of a troubled soul.
There’s plenty to enjoy in the debut season of “Yellowstone,” not the least of which is the gorgeous scenery of Big Sky Country as it’s filmed on location in Montana. In fact, one of the things that impressed me most about the debut season is that there are not only political intrigues, family and neighbor squabbles, and multifaceted characters, but also great depictions of daily ranch life: getting up at the break of dawn, horse tending, livestock herding, and so on.
The moving parts and characters may be hard to decipher, but fortunately, the many episodes provide viewers chances to investigate all of their constituent details. Each episode thickens the various storylines and adds delicious layers to delve into.
Anyone who enjoys Westerns or realistic portrayals of familial drama (or both) may just want to check it out. Be aware, though, that there is some violence, mature language, and sexual content that isn’t appropriate for younger audiences.
