As far as TV in the 2020s goes, it’s hard to find a show that has had a larger impact than “Yellowstone.” What started as a somewhat

inconspicuous Western TV series on an upper-tier cable channel turned into the biggest hit on television. It also transformed its creator

into one of Hollywood’s golden boys, with Taylor Sheridan having since developed an entire universe of “Yellowstone” TV shows (not to

 

 

mention his other series, like “Tulsa King” and “Landman”). But when did the show that started it all hit its peak? What was the best of the best of “Yellowstone?”

The show, broadly speaking, centers on John Dutton (Kevin Coster), a sixth-generation homesteader who controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. His world is one of corrupt politicians and corporations, while the Dutton’s ranch itself is in a constant state of conflict with its surrounding areas, including an expanding town, an Indigenous American reservation, and a national park.

“Yellowstone” premiered in 2018 and, though it may be hard to believe now, season 1 is actually “rotten” on Rotten Tomatoes with a 58% critical approval rating. In fact, “Yellowstone” was almost canceled after season 2, which is also hard to believe in retrospect. But it didn’t take long for Sheridan to showcase his worth and for the show to prove its value, as season 3 changed the game.

With high highs and the saga of the Duttons really hitting its stride, “Yellowstone” season 3 carries a perfect 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The series called it quits after a somewhat rocky season 5, which had to contend with Costner’s departure as John Dutton, but it was season that cemented the show’s place in the broader cultural conversation. It was the water mark that would never be surpassed, critically speaking.

Notably, while season 3 is broadly considered the best overall season, it led into the “Yellowstone” season 4 premiere, “Half the Money,” which is the highest-rated single episode of the show overall. It probably helped that season 3 aired in 2020 when the pandemic forced a lot of people to stay home and watch TV more than usual, which led to its viewership greatly expanding.

From that point on, though, it was a downhill ride for “Yellowstone.” Every great show has a peak, and every great show has a valley. It’s the nature of the beast. It probably didn’t help that Sheridan had become extremely busy developing spin-offs such as “1883” and “1923,” as well as other series like “Mayor of “Kingstown.” His attention was pulled in many different directions. When season 3 was in the works, Sheridan was able to give it much more of his focus.

As for the future, this universe is still going strong. There are multiple different “Yellowstone” spin-offs, sequels, and prequels in the works. Some of those will stream on Paramount+, while “Y: Marshalls,” starring Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton, will be airing on CBS. Whether or not any of these shows will be able to match the high water mark set by “Yellowstone” season 3 remains to be seen.

Long-time Paramount hit-making machine Taylor Sheridan will eventually make the move to NBCUniversal, where he’ll no doubt churn out more beloved shows such as “Yellowstone,” “Landman,” “Lioness,” “Tulsa King,” and “Mayor of Kingstown.” Of course, television isn’t the only space Sheridan has occupied. Some of his best stories have been on the big screen instead of the small.

Before we even knew who John Dutton was and what it meant to be “taken to the train station,” Taylor Sheridan was making a name for himself writing movies before really having a go at directing them. As with his television output, there have been some weak misses and some massive hits among the movies, and some you might be surprised he even played a part in helping create. Here’s the ranking of every Taylor Sheridan movie project to which he has a writing or directing credit attached, beginning with his first time behind the camera when he dared to dabble in the horror genre.

Every director has to begin somewhere, and for Taylor Sheridan, it was in a genre miles away from where he’d eventually find his footing. “Vile” is his only dip into horror, and we should be thankful for that. A ropey watch from beginning to end, this “Saw” replica cuts like a rolling pin as a group of friends finds themselves trapped in a house with six other strangers and are forced to torture each other to survive. Trust us when we say you, the viewer, are the only one who’ll genuinely suffer.