From the fan’s standpoint, it’s a no-brainer. We hate to see our shows end, even if a spinoff (or ten) is in the works. From a business standpoint, it’s a little harder to navigate.
It’s Been a Long Time Since We’ve Been to Yellowstone
This is a unique situation, as we haven’t seen a new episode of Yellowstone on TV since January 1, 2023.
At the time, we thought it was a midseason finale and that the story would pick back up later in the year. But then the industry melted down, and a series of strikes turned everything upside down.
Oh, and Yellowstone’s star, Kevin Costner, decided he wanted to spend more time focusing on his vanity project, the four-part Horizon movie series.
The first installment of the series fizzled at the box office. But the bridges that Costner burned as he was leaving the Dutton Ranch remain in cinders.
There Is Light On the Horizon
We’ll never know exactly why or how things fell apart so dramatically behind the scenes, but the result is an almost two-year wait for the second half of Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2.
Far more significant than the long wait was the unexpected (yet somewhat expected) cancelation of cable’s biggest show.
Since Yellowstone had been billed as Costner’s starring vehicle, continuing the show without the star might have seemed problematic. What if Costner fans departed along with him?
There was a lot of back-and-forth and will-he-won’t-he speculation about whether Costner would return and whether the show should continue as is without him at the helm.
But then Horizon dropped, and Yellowstone fans didn’t rush to theaters. Horizon was a three-hour meandering bust, likened to the beginning of a TV series rather than a sprawling theatrical epic fans wanted to devour.
We’ll never know why Horizon bombed, but it seems the love for Yellowstone, at least for now, outweighs the love that Coster fans feel for the actor. Who would’ve guessed?
The Story Works for Uncanceling Yellowstone
Storywise, Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 8 finished with a perfect transition into a Yellowstone without its star, as Jamie (Wes Bentley) grew ever closer to offing his adoptive father, just like he had offed his birth father on Yellowstone Season 4 Episode 10.
Things have always been heated between Jamie and Beth, thanks to the grave error in judgment he made when he took her to a reservation doctor for an abortion.
The repercussions of that action have been boiling between the two siblings for five seasons, and eventually, a resolution will come. Uncanceling Yellowstone isn’t a requirement for the story to continue, but there is plenty of material remaining to play with.
Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip (Cole Hauser) have become the defacto leads of Yellowstone.
They’re fan favorites, and viewers cannot get enough of them. They could quite easily front a new series, but they could also carry on the Yellowstone legacy as is.
Beth has never been all that fond of keeping the Yellowstone, but it’s in Rip’s blood. It was his first actual home and delivered him the love of his life. If John goes down, Rip and Beth would have no problem stepping into his shoes.
While it might make sense for Jamie’s ride to t he train station to be imminent if he managed to kill John Dutton and Rip got wind of what he did to Beth, another season that focused on his continued downfall and gave Beth and Rip a starting point would certainly be worth watching.
Kayce (Luke Grimes) has been on the periphery of this story as his family situation takes precidence. But one thing you can say about the Duttons is that when the going gets tough, they cling together like moss to a stone.
Practically Speaking, Uncanceling Yellowstone Makes Sense for Fans and Maybe Even Paramount
When the cancelation was announced, it made sense from a practical standpoint. Paramount airs the show, and you know they’d like to reap the rewards by dropping it the next day on Paramount+.
Taylor Sheridan’s work has done very well for the streamer, so much so that he’s the top producer for Paramount+ with no signs of slowing down. It’s almost criminal that Peacock gets to reap the rewards of repeat views.
But Yellowstone fans have been yanked around quite a bit already.
Since the show airs on Paramount, the corporation is well compensated for the series through advertising on TV’s biggest show. Would it help or hurt to pull viewers away from Peacock?
Prices are rising all the time, and it’s impossible to subscribe to every service just for a handful of shows. Goodwill might demand that Yellowstone continue as is, even if Paramount+ doesn’t benefit from the flagship series.
Name recognition alone suggests that it’s a good idea to keep Yellowstone on the map. Even if 1883, 1923, and The Madison are all in the same universe, they don’t carry the brand in the title.
Plus, the Duttons are not the only characters involved with Yellowstone.
I’m highly invested in the reservation and Thomas Rainwater’s leadership. The Rainwater family also exists on 1923, and if Yellowstone is uncanceled, there could be less reason to keep many of the peripheral characters around.
More Yellowstone Is Still In Demand
Let’s face it. The stars could demand significant salary increases for a new series. They’re negotiating now. Frankly, they deserve raises. Yellowstone has dominated the conversation in the industry for years. People hang on every word. Where else do you see that kind of attention these days?
It’s not as if this is the first time a series has lost its lead.
But it might be the first time that viewer investment was so undeniably high in other characters on the show. Personally, I know I tune in for Beth Dutton, her antics, and her fiery, all-encompassing love with Rip. They have become Yellowstone.
As we’ve covered previously, TV shows should make stars, not depend on them. Reilly and Hauser were successful in their own right before Yellowstone, but what they’ve created with Beth and Rip transcends their accomplishments. Now, they’re stars.
If uncanceling Yellowstone is on the way, this fan is all for it. Something tells me you’re on board, too.