As it approaches the end of its six-year journey, fans have become skeptical of whether Taylor Sheridan’s Western drama Yellowstone will be able to deliver the same level of quality as when it first premiered in 2018, especially given the significant disappointment with Season 5.

Despite its visually stunning cinematography, Season 5 of the show, which premiered almost two years ago, has failed to garner fans’ appreciation, as it became the season with the lowest audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. As the show gears up for its finale, fans have expressed their disappointment with its progression while describing the plot as a drag.

Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone Sees a Huge Drop in Quality

Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone has constantly received fans’ support and appreciation. This was despite the first season’s lukewarm critical reception, which was thanks to the allure of the Dutton family and their Western lifestyle. However, it took a downturn with Season 5 which was released nearly two years ago.

Season 5 Part 1 follows John Dutton assuming the role of Governor of Montana, with Beth and Jamie navigating personal and professional challenges. As the Dutton family grapples with external threats and internal strife, they must make tough decisions to protect their legacy and preserve the Montana landscape they hold dear.

Fans have expressed disappointment over how the show progressed throughout Season 5, as they share that instead of advancing the storyline, the show has become stagnant and lacks the excitement it once had. “It feels like a drag now,” one fan noted, questioning, “Does it get any better?”

Others attributed the decline in the quality to the showrunner, adding that it seems that Sheridan has lost his way for the plot of the show. Many also noted that the reason behind such a notable drop in its quality could be attributed to Sheridan’s involvement with several projects simultaneously.

The Yellowstone creator’s heavy workload, not only includes the Western drama and its spin-off but also numerous ongoing shows, including Mayor of Kingstown and Tulsa King along with the upcoming Paramount+ drama, Landman.

“Sheridan writes all of this himself, and he’s involved with 827 other projects, so he’s stretched a little thin,” one Reddit user noted. And the fans expressing skepticism do not seem too favorable towards the series finale (Season 5 Part 2), which is already grappling with the loss of its lead star, Kevin Costner.

Kevin Costner’s Return to Yellowstone Remains Uncertain

Kevin Costner, who took on the role of John Dutton in the Western drama, left the show to pursue his upcoming passion project Horizon: An American Saga. While the actor has remained enthusiastic about returning to the series finale, it remains uncertain.

In a recent appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast, Costner praised the series, admiring Sheridan’s vision for Yellowstone and fondness for his time on the show. “Yellowstone was just a really great script. I just believed in the world,” he said, via Collider.

“I had a lot of fun with it. It was really good, I recognized that, so I did it the best I could possibly do it,” he added, sharing his experience working on the show. And despite the drama surrounding his exit from the series, he has said that he is open to reprising his role for the series finale.

“I think it’s possible,” Costner told Empire in a recent interview before adding, “I would love to come back and do it, but it really depends.” However, despite his enthusiasm, there has been no definitive update regarding his involvement in the series finale.