Yellowstone – “Pilot” Spoiler Free Advance Review. Cowboys, Indians, and Politics. Premieres June 20 on Paramount Network.

Season 1, Episode 1
Air Date: June 20, 2018, 9:00 ET/PT on Paramount Network
Rating: ★★★★★

“Everyone’s forgotten who runs this valley.” – John Dutton

<i>Yellowstone</i> – “Pilot” Spoiler Free Advance Review. Cowboys, Indians, and Politics. Premieres June 20 on Paramount Network. 1

Kevin Costner as John Dutton. Photo ©Paramount Network.

John Dutton (Kevin Costner) is a tough as nails rancher and patriarch of the powerful Dutton family that controls Yellowstone, the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. According to John, “Nothing we do is for today. Ranching is the only business where the goal is to break even.” As land developers, an Indian reservation, and others set their sights on Yellowstone’s land and its water rights, John embarks on a journey to remind everyone, by any means necessary, of the strength of Yellowstone and the Dutton name. With tensions quickly escalating, it doesn’t take much for the valley to find itself engulfed in an all out war.

Created, written, produced, and directed by Taylor Sheridan, Yellowstone wastes no time drawing viewers in, especially in an opening scene that will leave many speechless. My only previous knowledge of Sheridan’s work was as David Hale in Sons of Anarchy but after screening Yellowstone, I’m eager to check out his other work.

Despite the jaw-dropping opening, Sheridan takes his time setting things up. Several different storylines are introduced yet the audience is only given a few pieces of the puzzle. It isn’t until midway through the “Pilot” that a clearer picture begins to take shape as allegiances are revealed. This approach allows the audience a chance to get to know a character, form an opinion about them, and only then learn which side they fall on – and in a few cases, learn their last name.

<i>Yellowstone</i> – “Pilot” Spoiler Free Advance Review. Cowboys, Indians, and Politics. Premieres June 20 on Paramount Network. 2

Pictured: Kevin Costner as John Dutton. Photo ©Paramount Network.

Cowboys verses Indians is nothing new to Hollywood but all too often, the story is one-sided. Sheridan does a masterful job weaving together a compelling drama allowing viewers to see both sides of the story, positive and negative. I was captivated while watching the “Pilot” as Sheridan explores the cowboy/Dutton perspective. Although I could see the cowboys’ point of view, I soon started questioning things after being shown the Indian side of things. This approach works on many levels because instead of things being black and white, good and bad, or cowboys vs. Indians, there’s a lot of grey, creating some intense drama.

Costner’s performance is simply phenomenal, making you feel the weight of the world on John’s shoulders. Some might view casting Costner in this role as too predictable, but they would be wrong. Despite being a major movie star, it doesn’t take long for Costner to disappear from screen leaving only John Dutton. Is it too soon to talk Emmy? Not after this performance.

<i>Yellowstone</i> – “Pilot” Spoiler Free Advance Review. Cowboys, Indians, and Politics. Premieres June 20 on Paramount Network. 3

Pictured (l-r) Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) and Monica Long (Kelsey Asbille). Photo ©Paramount Network.

While the Dutton name carries significant weight, not all in the family views it as a positive. This sets up a powerful Romeo and Juliet-esque storyline that’s fascinating to watch. Keeping things spoiler free, this plot point appears for now to be the heart of Yellowstone and I can’t wait to see where things go.

Rounding out the cast is Wes Bentley as Jamie, a lawyer with an eye for politics; Cole Hauser as Rip, a no-nonsense wrangler; Gil Birmingham as Thomas, a Chief in an Indian Nation; and Luke Grimes as Cory, a seemingly introverted ex-Navy SEAL who is looking to make a better life for his wife Monica (Kelsey Chow) and son Tate (Brecken Merrill).

In a series full of men and testosterone, Kelly Reilly’s performance as Beth really stands out. She plays a powerful woman who is called in when problems need to be fixed. Beth knows all too well she isn’t ‘one of the boys’ but instead of viewing it as a weakness, she sees it as a strength. I doubt I’m the only one left with their mouth agape following most of Beth’s scenes.

As talented as the Yellowstone cast is, it’s Rudy Ramos’ outstanding performance as Monica’s father Felix that leaves a lasting impression. While his scenes are few and far between, they carry a huge amount of weight as Felix is often the sole voice of reason. Part of me loves how sparingly Sheridan uses this character while the other part desperately wants more of him for the sake of all parties involved.

While you won’t find it listed on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), the landscapes of Montana and Utah have a major role in the series. With cinematography by Ben Richardson, Yellowstone’s sweeping panoramic views have the look of a major film. I love how basically every transition shot starts from a distance before panning in, allowing audiences to admire the stunning views.

<i>Yellowstone</i> – “Pilot” Spoiler Free Advance Review. Cowboys, Indians, and Politics. Premieres June 20 on Paramount Network. 4

John Dutton (center – Kevin Costner), owner of the Dutton Ranch is surrounded by his team (pictured L-R) Walker (Ryan Bingham), Lloyd (Forrie Smith), Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), Jimmy (Jefferson White), Colby (Denim Richards), and Fred (Luke Peckinpah). Photo ©Paramount Network.

Yellowstone reminds me of the AMC series The Son. Both are sweeping family sagas where the patriarch of the family faces losing everything their families have built as outside forces close in. Violence becomes a necessary evil as good natured men are pushed to their limits. The biggest difference, other than the periods in which the series are set, is The Son’s use of flashbacks to shed some light on what drives some of the characters. As much as I love Yellowstone, there are a couple of times I wish Sheridan would have taken a page from The Son by perhaps using a flashback to provide additional insight into what drives some of the characters. Hopefully, we will learn more about these characters as the series progresses.

Set in the present day, Yellowstone has the look and feel of a classic, epic western. There’s a beauty to the series even during some of its more violent moments that is stunning to view. Sheridan has created an amazing series premiere and I can’t wait to see what happens next — or for that matter, who’s left standing.

Tweet me @staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about theYellowstone “Pilot.”

For more on the show, go to http://www.paramountnetwork.com/shows/yellowstone.
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Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.