Two episodes in and there’s a lot to unpack in Yellowstone’s explosive final season.
Between past and present timelines fans witnessed the gut-wrenching fate of the show’s patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner).
But according to Yellowstone’s director Christina Voros, some fans have found those flashbacks “frustrating” – and now, she’s responded to the reviews.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter this week, Voros explained why those flashbacks are crucial to grief and vengeance that follows.
“I think the flashbacks are continuing to do their job at reminding us all how much is at stake,” she told the publication.
“Reminding us all how much there is to fight for, and reminding us all where our hearts lie as viewers: in these relationships with these characters embodied by these tremendous actors. So, it’s doing two things.”
Voros added that she’s read that people are frustrated with the flashbacks because they just want to solve the mystery surrounding John Dutton’s death.
“I think that’s part of the point, right? You are being forced to really internalise how high the stakes are moving forward,” she went on. “At the end of the day, yes, John Dutton is the patriarch. But the show has always been about the land.”
So while fans know what has happened to John, they’ve been left in the dark about what happens to everything else – and everyone who loved him.
The flashbacks immediately follow Season 5 Part 1. We know John had to ship the cattle to Texas, while Kayce, Monica and Tate were rebuilding a life on the far side of the ranch.
Voros said that creator Taylor Sheridan is going into these flashbacks to remind viewers how close we were to this idyllic version of the world.
She added that viewers should juxtapose that with life after John, as Beth and Kayce solve the mystery of what happened to their father.
Costner, 69, had announced he wouldn’t be returning for the show’s final instalment earlier this year, but just how he’d be written out remained a mystery until the mid-season premiere.
In between filming his passion project Horizon: An American Saga, a four-part Western franchise with the first chapter out now, Costner revealed his next big career move.
Taking to Instagram this week, the Hollywood star revealed his getting his band back together, Kevin Costner and Modern West.
“The band is getting together this week to get ready for our show on Friday!” they announced in a joint post.
“Can’t wait,” Kevin Costner personally added.
While Costner admitted he hadn’t seen the new season yet, Voros hoped that he will tune into the final episodes.
“We have built a story together over seven years of filming from start to finish. I would like to think that he would want to know what the resolution is, not just for him, but for everyone,” she said.