Saying goodbye to any show is tough, but saying goodbye to a show in its prime that had every intention of continuing is as piercing as Beth Dutton‘s words when you cross her or someone she cares about.
Yellowstone isn’t ending because Taylor Sheridan ran out of ideas or because viewers are fleeing one of the most talked about shows in the world.
Instead, it seems the series is concluding because of behind-the-scenes drama, Even worse, we won’t be getting a full season to say goodbye to the Duttons and the people in their orbit.
Whether we like it or not, we’re getting the second half of Yellowstone Season 5, and that’s it. Boo.
With the eleventh-hour decision to cancel the series, it’s hard to be excited about the final episodes.
Check out why we think the last-ever episodes won’t be as satisfying as you would expect for a show of Yellowstone’s caliber.
Kevin Costner Probably Won’t Have Much of a Presence
Despite being the initial draw to market the series, Kevin Costner has served as more of a supporting player over the last couple of seasons.
There have been several occasions the series could have written out John Dutton and been better for it.
The series has attained its hit status for years because of its narrative risks. For some reason, the creatives have held on to Costner like he’s the recipe for success.
After watching four and a half seasons, I can confidently say I’m far more enamored by characters like Beth, Rip, Kayce, and Monica. Sorry, not sorry.
That’s not to say John Dutton should disappear entirely. The series has kept him around because his actions are what drives everyone in his orbit, even if he doesn’t need to be on the screen.
Rumors earlier this year hinted that Costner wasn’t fond of committing to every episode of the second half of the season.
There’s a high chance then that Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 9 will kick off with a time jump of sorts to take Costner’s character off the screen for much of the final episodes.
For a man that’s cheated death several times, John dying now wouldn’t be satisfying. At all.
There’s no telling how the series will navigate this bump in the road. Whatever happens, there’s a high chance we won’t be happy.
Costner’s schedule may look considerably different by the time the last episodes are filmed, but we have to imagine the scripts might be written before his schedule clears up.
How do you bring the show to a close in a satisfying way after the show has teased us with John’s death countless times?
Given John’s political career, it’s hard to imagine him leaving the U.S. for any length of time, so the likeliest scenario is that he will find himself imprisoned and off-screen.
How else can the show navigate this bump in the road that is Costner’s availability?
Sheridan has surprised us in the past, but no matter what he crafts will probably be frowned upon by the show’s passionate fanbase.
The Series Was Supposed to Continue for Season 6
Yellowstone is the type of show where each season has a clear beginning, middle, and end.
When the first half of Yellowstone Season 5 wrapped earlier this year, we were promised the second half would be on the air this summer, and after the cliffhangers on Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 8, we need a payoff.
Obviously, that summer premiere date didn’t happen, and it’s probably a good thing. Could you imagine the final episodes were filmed, and Paramount Network made the decision to cancel after the fact? Sheesh.
It’s a worrying thought. Even so, if the show follows the initial order, we’re getting just six episodes.
Yellowstone features a huge cast, so there’s absolutely no chance saying goodbye to EVERYONE across six episodes would work.
Knowing the intent from the creatives was to continue into Yellowstone Season 6 means we aren’t getting the original ending planned.
Yes, things can be accelerated, but that comes down to talent availability, and there’s no telling what might happen here.
The Series is Prepping Another Spinoff
Ever since Costner’s exit was teased, there were rumors that the franchise would continue with a sequel series.
This time, though, Matthew McConaughey is said to be at the wheel to steer the franchise in a different direction.
When the show was initially announced, there were rumors some of Yellowstone’s most beloved stars would segue into the spinoff.
Unfortunately, recent reports have suggested that the next chapter would focus on a new cast of characters.
Adding salt into the wound: The final episodes of the flagship series will probably serve as a tease for the sequel.
Yellowstone has well over 10 million viewers, so it’s the perfect platform to tease the next chapter.
Character Arcs Will be Cut Short
If you watch Yellowstone online, you know every character has grown each season because there’s an endgame in mind for each of them.
That means we haven’t seen what the creatives envision for your favorite characters in their respective journies because this wasn’t supposed to be the end.
That’s the hardest part of this. Yes, there were some problems with some characters, but the people we’re invested in not getting to reach their full potential before the end is just sad.
What about you, Yellowstone fanatics?
What are your thoughts on the handling of the series since rumors that Costner wanted out went public?
Are you concerned the series won’t get a conclusion that does the show justice?
Don’t forget to bookmark our Everything We Know about Yellowstone Season 5B article for all of the latest news.
Hit the comments.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.