Kevin Costner might just be the smartest guy in the room for ditching Yellowstone when he did. Fans are losing it over the latest episode, calling it a straight-up middle finger to everything they loved about the show. Taylor Sheridan, the supposed king of Western drama, seems to be riding off the rails with a plot that feels more lost than a ranch hand in the city.

As Yellowstone keeps fumbling, you can’t help but think Costner saw this train wreck coming and got out while the getting was good. Maybe Sheridan should’ve quit while he was ahead too.

Yellowstone Fans Deserve Better: Taylor Sheridan’s Filler Episode Proves Kevin Costner Saw the Writing on the Wall

Yellowstone’s latest episode — Give The World Away — was a letdown, and fans aren’t sugarcoating it. One Redditor nailed the vibe, calling it a huge middle finger to all the fans. And honestly? They’re spot on. Kevin Costner walking away from the show feels less like drama and more like a power move. Per the Redditor,

I mean it already has, but man this episode specifically was such a huge middle finger to all the fans, second to last episode of the season and half of it was spent on Sheridan showing how “cool” he is.

The Duttons are in deep — Beth’s hustling to scrape together $30 million at the auction just to buy them a year of survival. Kayce hinted at a big plan to save the ranch — but of course, Taylor Sheridan’s holding that card for the finale.

Meanwhile, Beth and Jamie’s epic feud is stuck in neutral. Jamie’s threats? Same old. Beth’s revenge? Still waiting. And poor Rip? Reduced to a background character while Sheridan’s cowboy persona, Travis, steals the limelight in a pointless Texas subplot about selling horses. Lol, like who cares about that when the show has so much more stuff to do?

With John gone, the ranch on the edge, and characters like Rip barely involved, the finale has a mountain to climb. Sheridan spent half this episode flexing instead of tying up loose ends, leaving fans frustrated and unimpressed.

Costner? Yeah, he saw this coming and dipped. Smart move. Because if Yellowstone keeps fumbling this hard, the finale might be its final flop. Fans deserved WAY MORE than a penultimate episode that felt this empty.

Yellowstone Season 5 Finale: Can One Episode Solve All This Chaos?

Season 5, episode 13 of Yellowstone (Give the World Away) didn’t exactly bring the heat. Big moments were, like, barely there. Now, with just one episode left, the Duttons are drowning in drama, and the finale’s got a mountain to climb.

John Dutton’s gone. The Yellowstone Ranch is on the verge of slipping away. Colby Mayfield’s shocking death in episode 12 is still haunting. Beth and Jamie’s war is raging. Kayce’s future with Monica’s just a whisper of a tease.

Can the series finale really deliver the epic ending fans deserve? It’s got to wrap up battles, heartbreak, and a legacy in one go. Judging by the slow crawl of episode 13, though, don’t get your hopes too high. This goodbye might leave a few doors wide open.