I’d heard about this series for a while before dipping my toe in. Once I did, I was engaged. Taylor Sheridan is a master storyteller. Between this and 1883 he can certainly spin a yarn. Not at the level of Larry McMurtry with characters, but damn good plots.
There’s a worrisome edge to Yellowstone though. As noted in the title, is there anyone in this story who is redeemable? Is this a reflection of the “American dream”? Is so, it’s more a nightmare.
My favorite character is Beth Dutton. Good acting. But, as even her father says, she’s evil. They all have good reasons to go to the dark side, if that’s a justification, which it isn’t, but it is reality. Her backstory with Jaimie is horrifying. Also, you DO NOT want to be her assistant.
The body count is ridiculously high. Who knew there were raging gun battles with automatic weapons in the modern west? Having spent some time out there I am aware there is a very different spirit in that part of the country than elsewhere. The law is viewed as a secondary thing to people’s own “God-given” rights. It’s the spirit that ruthlessly conquered that country from the Native Americans and survived the brutal weather. Which leads me to the only possible redeemable people: the Native Americans.
