2022 is the year of ‘Yellowstone’ after stunning 4th season shattered hearts, broke records
Mark my words. 2022 is the year of “Yellowstone.” Yes, in this age of Peak TV, with an abundance of breathtaking award-worthy drama series vying for attention, like “Succession,” “Squid Game,” “The Good Fight,” “Evil” and “This Is Us,” Paramount Network’s blockbuster neo-Western keeps breaking ratings records and is finally an awards player after its superb fourth season has been met with widespread praise worldwide. And now it’s been picked up for Season 5.
If you have been living under a rock and have not seen or even heard of “Yellowstone,” it was created by Oscar nominee Taylor Sheridan (“Hell or High Water”), centering on a powerful Montana ranching family under constant threat by politicians, developers and the neighboring Native American reservation.
SEE Exclusive Video Interview: Kevin Costner (‘Yellowstone’)
Oscar, Emmy and SAG Award winner Kevin Costner (“Dances With Wolves,” “Hatfields & McCoys”) stars as family patriarch John Dutton, a tough-as-nails father keeping his family’s legacy alive by any means necessary. British actress Kelly Reilly co-stars as his take-no-prisoners daughter Beth, alongside a sprawling cast including Luke Grimes as dutiful brother Kayce, Wes Bentley as estranged brother Jamie, Cole Hauser as John’s right hand man and Beth’s lover Rip, and Gil Birmingham as the chief of the nearby reservation.
“Yellowstone” became a massive hit for Paramount Network in 2020, as viewership for Season 3 surged 214.8%, concluding with 5.16 million live viewers, making it the most-watched scripted cable series of 2020, up from the 2.8 million that tuned in for its sophomore finale in 2019 (which was still impressive as the show only trailed “The Walking Dead” as the second most-viewed cable series of that year). “Yellowstone” then broke ratings records when it finally returned for its fourth season in November last year, with its premiere watched by a staggering 8.38 million live viewers, making it cable’s most watched episode of any series since 2018. Given how ecstatic Paramount Network must be about its success, it’s no surprise the show was just picked up for a fifth season, alongside “1883” and “6666,” the two spin-offs its has spawned in recent months.
Just like its viewership, the critical response to the show has also built steadily over the years, with its fourth season garnering an impressive 86% “fresh” rating at Rotten Tomatoes. However, despite its impressive commercial and critical success, “Yellowstone” has inexplicably sailed under the radar with awards groups, with only a handful of accolades to speak of, like two noms from the Hollywood Critics Association (which nominated the show for drama series and Reilly for drama supporting actress), and production designer Cary White snagging the show’s one and only Emmy nomination to date last year.
SEE Why ‘overlooked gem’ ‘Yellowstone’ could be a stealth awards contender
But suddenly, on the heels of an explosive fourth season, “Yellowstone” has claimed nominations so far this year from the producers guild, the cinema audio society, and perhaps most impressively, a SAG Award nomination for Best Drama Ensemble alongside “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Morning Show,” “Squid Game” and “Succession.” The show is finally on the awards radar, which bodes well for its chances at upcoming TV awards, especially the Emmys, which announces its nominations on July 12.
“Yellowstone” is a rare breed. The vast, gorgeously rendered Montana landscape belies the harsh, violent world that the Duttons operate within. It’s like “The Sopranos” meets “Lonesome Dove,” exploring similar themes and evoking that same Wild West spirit last seen in TV Western award-magnets like “Deadwood,” “Justified” and “Westworld.” Alongside its epic storylines focusing on family legacy, loyalty, honor and vengeance, the show boasts elaborate sets, breathtaking music and stunning cinematography, costumes, makeup, editing, sound and stunts, which might get it some attention from the TV academy’s below-the-line branches. The Western might also be aided by a relatively open field among drama series this year, with Emmy heavyweights like “The Crown,” “Lovecraft Country” and “The Mandalorian” out of action, as their most recent seasons aired in 2020.
But perhaps most importantly, now that its cast has scored a rare ensemble bid from SAG voters, its actors should also be in the conversation for Emmy love later this year, particularly for high profile actors like Costner, Reilly, Hauser, Grimes and Bentley and potentially even Piper Perabo, who joined the cast in Season 4 as an environmentalist that connects with John in more ways than one. A guest actress bid for Jacki Weaver is also not out of the question, as the two-time Oscar nominee made an impact during her stint in Season 4 as the formidable CEO of a powerful investment company circling the Yellowstone ranch.
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