Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone Just Broke An Impressive Record
Kevin Costner's Yellowstone continues to break records!
This article is more than 2 years old
Kevin Costner’s Paramount series Yellowstone continues to impress audiences. The modern Western has continued to pull in viewers with record breaking numbers. The season 4 premiere clocked in at around 8 million viewers. But even more impressive is the viewership that sat down to watch the Yellowstone season 4 finale. Ratings increased to 9.3 million viewers in the final episode of the season (via Deadline).
Yellowstone was relatively quiet before its fourth season, but the numbers seem to show no indication of slowing down at this point. Yellowstone continues to dominate on social media with fan reactions and there should be no surprise as to why. Not only does the show feature widely regarded Dances With Wolves actor Kevin Coster, but the series has another creative force that makes it shine. Creator and showrunner Taylor Sheridan knows how to weave together a compelling drama.
Though Sheridan first broke into the business as an actor, he had other aspirations. The writer-director first appeared on shows such as Veronica Mars and Sons of Anarchy. He then used his knowledge of the industry to segue into writing and eventually directing. Sheridan’s first feature writing credit was Sicario, the devastating and eye opening film about Mexican cartels. He pushed the envelope further in Hell or High Water. And he shed light on the epidemic of missing indigenous women in Wind River. Sheridan has proven time and time again how well he can tell stories featuring his own brand of Americana. Kevin Costner’s portrayal of John Dutton is just another feat.
Yellowstone tells the story of the Dutton family who has run a ranch for generations. The neo-noir discusses the topic of cattle ranching and how it is a way of life that is quickly disappearing. Kevin Costner appears as the patriarch of the family as he encounters conflicts such as corporations trying to eradicate his ranch. As much as the series continues to connect with audiences, it unfortunately won’t last forever. Sheridan has stated in the past that keeping a show going forever is unfeasible and he has an end in mind for Yellowstone. Knowing Sheridan’s previous work, this is for the best. The writer is known for his concise and thoughtful storytelling. And if he has an end in mind, it’s probably a good one.
Though audiences may lament seeing Kevin Costner as John Dutton for the last time at some point, it won’t be in the immediate future. Sheridan was vague on the subject, but at the very least implied the show will have a couple more seasons. And the Dutton family will not be down and out for the foreseeable future. Yellowstone is so popular that it has spawned a spin-off as well. The Yellowstone prequel 1883 premiered on Paramount Network with record breaking numbers, just like its predecessor.
The show follows the ancestors of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton. Portrayed by real life married couple and country music stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, 1883 is a big draw for the network. It capitalizes on the popularity of Yellowstone and adds a star studded cast with Western veterans such as Sam Elliott. The future of Yellowstone looks good, no matter how many more seasons are in store.
