When the OG “Yellowstone” ended its run on December 15, 2024 (there are still miniseries and spinoffs either continuing or yet to debut), there was a vigorous discussion amongst fans as to whether creator Taylor Sheridan had done justice to the Dutton saga he’d been telling with little-to-no assistance in the writing department over five seasons. That this main run of “Yellowstone” was his model train set to construct, expand and, if he so chose, destroy didn’t seem to worry longtime viewers of the series. Sure, they followed the off-screen drama, and weren’t terribly thrilled when Kevin Costner’s protagonist-to-a-point was assassinated, but for the most part they just wanted to see an ultra-sudsy yarn, compellingly told, brought to a satisfying conclusion. And they trusted that, above all, Sheridan wanted that, too.
To his credit, Sheridan seemed to know what his fanbase wanted. Just look at the IMDb ratings and the fact that the “Yellowstone” franchise seems as strong as ever. They might not have got precisely what they wanted all the time, but, to cite the Rolling Stones, they generally got what they needed. Did he ever lose them? He came close. And judging from those IMDb numbers, he got out when the getting was good (while leaving plenty of questions unanswered).
Yellowstone fans prefer off-screen Taylor Sheridan
According to IMDb, the “worst” episode of “Yellowstone” was the season 5, episode 13 installment “Give the World Away.” This was the episode when the character Sheridan wrote for himself, Travis Wheatley, seized the spotlight and became the Dutton family’s hunky, hard-partying savior. And while /Film’s Kieran Fisher vilified Sheridan’s onanistic spectacle, the episode still rates a respectable seven out of 10 at IMDb. (There are Best Picture winners with lower ratings than that.)
What’s wrong with “Give the World Away?” According to some discriminating “Yellowstone” viewers, it serves as a ludicrous ego-stroke for Sheridan. Wheatley’s occasionally shot bare-chested, and, in one amusing instance, is seen playing strip poker with supermodels (including frequent covergirl Bella Hadid). He also gets to show off his bull-riding expertise, which even impresses the tough-as-nails Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly).
Going forward, Sheridan might do well to understand that even his most hardcore fans would prefer he stick to writing. Is it heartening for folks of a certain age to see the 54-year-old Sheridan romping about like a 20-something stud? It has its appeal, yes. But for those of us who lack access to an in-home gym and certain prettifying procedures, we’d like the hot-s*** screenwriter who gave us “Sicario” and “Hell or High Water” to get back to brutal basics because this is beyond ridiculous.
