1883’s Sam Elliott shares his thoughts on Yellowstone, criticizing the show and comparing it to a soap opera. Yellowstone premiered in 2018 and has since run for four critically acclaimed seasons on Paramount Network. The show follows the Dutton family, led by Kevin Costner’s John, as they fight to protect their ranch from encroaching parties on its borders. Paramount has officially ordered Yellowstone season 5, the first part of which is expected to release at some point this summer.
The world of Yellowstone was recently expanded with the release of the ten-part prequel 1883. That series, which has been similarly praised by critics, tells the story of how the Dutton family came to control their land in what was then uncolonized America. Elliott, who plays Pinkerton Agent Shea Brennan in the show, recently made headlines for his disparaging comments about The Power of the Dog and what he perceived to be the movie’s butchering of the myth of the American West.
In the same interview in which he criticizes The Power of the Dog, on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast (via Decider), Elliott takes aim at Yellowstone. While he compares it to Dallas, a Western soap opera that ran from 1978 to 1991, Elliott does praise Costner and the rest of the cast. Check out Elliott’s full comment below:
I’m not a Yellowstone fan. I don’t watch Yellowstone. I love Costner. There’s a lot of good people on the cast, a few of them I’ve worked with before — nothing against any of them — but it’s just too much like f—ing Dallas or something for me.
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In some ways, Yellowstone and Dallas aren’t actually that different. Dallas tells the story of a wealthy Texas oil baron J.R. Ewing, who manipulates those around him to achieve his ambitious goals. Like Dallas, Yellowstone features shifting alliances, family drama, and patriarchs trying to control their empires. One of the main areas where the shows differ, of course, is in tone. Where Dallas was a light and easy-to-watch evening soap opera, Yellowstone is a serious drama, featuring strong language, graphic violence, and just generally mature subject matter that is intended for adults.
When it comes to Westerns, Elliott certainly seems like a difficult man to please. His comments about Yellowstone are especially surprising given the fact he stars in a spinoff of that very show. While Elliott is, of course, free to like and dislike what he pleases, it’s rare to see an actor speak so negatively about contemporaries operating within the same creative space. Jane Campion, who directed The Power of the Dog, certainly had some choice words for Elliott in response to his criticism. However, it remains to be seen whether anyone involved with Yellowstone will take issue with the 1883 star likening the show to a corny soap opera.