Taylor Sheridan Is Throwing a Yellowstone Tantrum

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As a longtime fan of Western dramas, I have to say that the current season of Yellowstone has left me quite disappointed. It seems like Taylor Sheridan has run out of ideas and is relying heavily on tired tropes and cheap plot devices.

From a cursory glance at the AI-generated synopsis of Yellowstone season five, it’s evident that there have been some tensions off-screen involving the show’s key figures. A more detailed account, penned by humans, might delve into the following points: Kevin Costner and Taylor Sheridan experienced a fallout in their professional relationship due to disagreements about Costner’s need for time away to work on his western series, Horizon: An American Saga. Specifically, there was contention over Costner having control over the scripts and Sheridan expressing frustration that Costner prioritized his own project over Yellowstone. In response, Costner suggested that the scripts were subpar, productions were running behind schedule (resulting in wasted filming days for him), and he felt that Sheridan was not flexible with his scheduling demands.

Everything that’s happened so far in Yellowstone‘s season five has led us to the second half. One could speculate that Sheridan might be relieved to get rid of his bothersome main character. He might even put in a lot of effort to reimagine the show so it can continue without Kevin Costner. Alternatively, he might write a series of episodes that are like a massive outburst, as if he no longer cares about the show or its characters. However, it’s also possible that he dislikes Kevin Costner and John Dutton, and if he can’t enjoy his macho-themed show, then nobody else can either.

It’s unclear what exactly is going on inside Sheridan’s large ham-headed-cowboy character, but the second half of season five seems to indicate a strong emotional revelation breaking through the storyline’s foundation. This emotional upheaval appears to be a sign that the showrunner might be experiencing a meltdown.

1.
The Story

In simpler terms, the TV show “Yellowstone” seems excessively fixated on the death of its main character, John Dutton. Rather than focusing on the aftermath of his death being a significant part of the story, as one might expect when a protagonist dies, it’s almost like the show is obsessed with showing us the events leading up to and following his death. The manner of John Dutton’s death is portrayed as unsatisfying, almost as if it was an afterthought or plot device to remove agency from the character. Initially, it seems John Dutton died by suicide, but in reality, it was his eldest son’s girlfriend who ordered a hitman to kill him after overhearing the son expressing a desire to do so once. This event takes up almost the entirety of the first three episodes, with little else happening in terms of plot development. The show briefly hints at Chief Rainwater trying to stop a pipeline, but this thread is quickly dropped and doesn’t progress for the next few episodes.

2.
The Dialogue

This series lacks the sophistication found in works by Shakespeare, Aaron Sorkin, or Young Sheldon. However, the dialogue has reached a new level of simplicity. As Piper Perabo (a character often portrayed as a liberal with a heart, though her name is rarely used and seems unknown to the other characters) departs, Beth Dutton expresses her relief. In a surprising exchange, Beth says, “I hope you donated your body to science so they can study how much of a villain you are.” To which Beth responds, “I didn’t.” The conversation ends there with no further response or clarification, suggesting Piper is not considered important enough to engage further.

In Yellowstone, characters often repeat certain words for emphasis. If one character says “we never discussed it”, you can expect that word to be used repeatedly in the following lines. This show is known for its intense dialogue, with phrases like “You don’t have the authority to authorize this!” being common. Additionally, when Beth Dutton orders a vodka soda, she specifically requests Tito’s, and the bartender shows a bottle of Four Sixes vodka (which is owned by Taylor Sheridan). After taking a sip, Beth expresses her appreciation with “Mmm. Wow. That is one impressive drink.” It’s rare to see a second draft needed when the first one is this well-crafted.

3.
The Repeats

Instead of constantly creating fresh scenes with new dialogues and plots, one method to maintain consistency is by reusing previously written ones. For example, in season five part two, Kayce Dutton and his wife Monica lack significant development beyond John Dutton’s death, but the show’s creator, Sheridan, needs to keep their storyline moving. So, he introduces a new living space for them (the third change of residence in this series), and has Monica express her longing for a permanent home again.

Instead of having John Dutton die only once, why not have him pass away twice? This way, we can explore his past through a flashback sequence before his final demise. Although new footage will be shown, the essence remains unchanged. And what’s more intriguing is that you get to see Kevin Costner’s character deceased multiple times. If you think you can create your own movie, I’d love to see a scene where a body double of yours lies lifeless on a bathroom floor. But here’s the catch, it’s not just about your death. It’s about the legacy you leave behind.

4.
The Montages

An alternative approach to creating plot or characters without relying on dialogue is by incorporating extended sequences depicting cowboys performing their daily tasks. While this method has been used before, it seems to have become excessively frequent in the current season. For instance, the first part showcased a great deal of footage during the calving season, including two minutes of loading cows onto trailers, with dust swirling and riders on horses gazing into the horizon. There were also scenes of cowboys roping calves for vaccination purposes. The series also featured lengthy, affectionate shots of wives and partners setting up camp to feed the exhausted cowboys. No dialogue was necessary! Or, when you find yourself unable to create more wordless montages, you could include a six-minute scene where Rip and his cowboy companions in Texas unknowingly set up camp above a rattlesnake den. They might utter lines like “Ah, a snake!” or “They’re everywhere!

5.
The Self-Insert

Nothing says “I definitely don’t care about this feud with Kevin Costner” quite like writing a whole scene where a Cool, Competent Cowboy minor character played by Taylor Sheridan himself gets to stare sadly at the most endearing, emotional young cowboy on the show and say, with gravity, “John Dutton passed away.”

Instead of the scene where Costner’s character dies for the first time appearing in the second half of season five’s first episode, or in the third episode when he meets his end for a second time, it actually unfolds in the fourth episode. Intriguingly, Taylor Sheridan himself has to confirm John Dutton’s death onscreen, making it clear that he is no more. And here’s the twist – Taylor Sheridan, still wearing his hat, is the one standing while John Dutton lies deceased. Take that, Kevin!

6.
Oh God, I Don’t Know, Just Kill Everyone Off

Expanding a narrative beyond “John Dutton died” can be challenging because it involves keeping tabs on multiple characters. However, these other characters seem to lack the charisma of Kevin Costner, making their thoughts and feelings less clear. Yet, they are integral to the show, needing actions and dialogue. Moreover, some of them are female characters, whose stories may be less explored or understood. The simplest approach might appear to be eliminating them swiftly, but that’s not ideal. Instead, it would be more engaging to delve deeper into their backgrounds and develop their stories further.

In my own words, I follow along with Piper Perabo as Sheridan swiftly drives her to the airport, giving her a heartfelt farewell. She departs peacefully without causing a stir since her role was rather limited in the grand scheme of things. However, you can’t constantly be driving people off like that, so Sheridan takes another route: he starts eliminating them instead. First, Jamie Dutton’s girlfriend meets an untimely end due to a sudden gunfire, tidying up those convoluted motivations and hitman subplots. Then, the amiable cowboy Colby falls victim to a vicious horse kick in the head. The reasons behind these deaths remain unclear, but at least it frees Sheridan from having to deal with them anymore, and it gives him an opportunity to reenact scenes where John Dutton and Jamie’s girlfriend meet their unfortunate ends, which involves lots of emotional phone calls and sadness among the characters.

The hit show “Yellowstone” is about to touch down again, and creator Taylor Sheridan is growing weary of the unnecessary complications. With a large cast still in place and numerous characters to manage, he’s finding it challenging – not to mention that you may have missed it, but John Dutton has sadly passed away.

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2024-12-04 21:54