Yellowstone has never had trouble pulling in viewers -- it's one of Paramount's biggest hits and has already led to multiple spinoff series. Season 5 of the hit series doesn't change the formula too much but continues to give viewers the dramatic Western they tune in for -- with the high production value that Tyler Sheridan shows are known for.
Season 5 picks up some months after the shocking announcements at the end of Season 4. John Dutton (Kevin Costner) has won the race and is inaugurated as Montana's governor in the premiere. He's intent on using the position to protect his ranch, however -- taxing non-residents into the ground and putting a stop to all development on the nearby land. Beth (Kelly Reilly) is by his side, but Jamie (Wes Bentley) is worried about what his dad's policies might mean from a political standpoint. Monica (Kelsey Asbille) is now deep into her pregnancy, and Kayce (Luke Grimes) is back as Livestock Commissioner despite his dire premonitions at the end of last season. The premiere sets the stage for the changing dynamics that seem in store for the Dutton family, along with deeper problems that confront a ranch in the 2020s.
Yellowstone excels at spectacle, and the premiere episode shows that Season 5 continues to uphold that tradition. From epic horse and human action scenes, with dozens of men and animals wrangled across wide swathes of land, to fun moments of lasso tricks, the show delivers on the Western culture that initially drew fans in. Creator and Director Taylor Sheridan knows what grabs fans' attention and leans into it.
The narrative arc of Season 5, Episode 1 also shows the traditional care for drama and the nuanced writing that keeps audiences coming back. Through the premiere, characters allude to the 100 years in the episode's title, tying various narrative threads together and making the episode feel cohesive. Cinematographer Christina Alexandra Voros has an eye for juxtaposing the sweeping Yellowstone landscape with intimate character interactions, setting the stage for the drama in a way that highlights why this family is fighting so hard to preserve this land. Some scenes are set up a little strangely, with one particular moment between Beth and Rip (Cole Hauser) that requires gesticulation framed in a way that's hard to read. Overall, however, Yellowstone Season 5 continues to be a joy to look at.
Costner brings the hardened gravitas to now Governor John Dutton that the role needs, but in the premiere episode, it's Reilly who truly shines as Beth. This complex woman continues to command these spaces that are dominated -- in real life and in the fictional show -- by men. She's thriving after a victorious campaign and continues to be vulnerable in her relationship with Rip. Brecken Merrill and Finn Little are almost unrecognizable as the kids Tate and Carter, but it will be good to see the now older actors take on more in the coming episodes.
Where this season of Yellowstone comes up a little short is novelty. The governor plot line is new, but Yellowstone's always engaged in Montana politics. Otherwise, the family drama with Jamie, the turmoil over making sure the ranch can continue, and the relationship issues between Kayce and Monica have all been done before. The Season 5 premiere is good television but doesn't feel like it's treading new ground for the series. It also continues to really sideline its women characters, with Monica tangential at best and Beth used mainly as a foil to the men around her. With so much working well for the series this season, the tired plotlines don't hold Yellowstone back but do indicate room for growth.
The Yellowstone Season 5 premiere builds on everything the series does best: stunning cinematography, compelling drama, and the type of horse work viewers won't get anywhere else. Not much seems ready to change this season, with similar stakes and drama rooted in the same land and family issues that previous seasons have covered. Ultimately, that's not an issue for the show.
Yellowstone returns to television with Season 5 on Nov. 13 at 8 pm ET/PT on Paramount Network.