Yellowstone started out as a single modern Western led by Kevin Costner. However, over the last eight years, it's flourished into quite the franchise of shows. So, with five series under the Yellowstone umbrella now, it only felt right to bring out my ranking hat and spurs.
Now, saddle up, folks, because we’re about to go on a journey that ranks these programs from worst to best, covers four generations of the Dutton family and features many A-listers cast by Taylor Sheridan.
5. Marshals
Marshals' biggest strength and weakness lie in the fact that it is so different from every other show in the Yellowstone universe. It’s a CBS crime procedural about Kayce Dutton and a team of marshals. So, I love that this format makes it very different from every other show under this Western umbrella. I also think it’s cool that it still ties in Yellowstone history. However, mixing these two things together has been a bit clunky so far, as the Luke Grimes-led series is still very much finding its footing.
However, Marshals has been renewed for Season 2, so I have hope for where it’s headed, even if it may not be heading higher up this list.
4. Dutton Ranch
As reviews pointed out, Dutton Ranch feels like Yellowstone 2.0. I’m here for the ways Rip and Beth’s spinoff is continuing the legacy of the flagship show, and I love the twist it has put on the original premise, as our leads are put in a position of less power as they go up against a legendary family in Texas. However, it’s still early days, and this show starring Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser is still figuring out its voice and place within this universe.
3. Yellowstone
Tragically, I think Yellowstone’s downfall came during Season 5 when Kevin Costner left over alleged rifts on set. For the first few seasons, this modern Western (which you can stream with a Peacock subscription) took the world by storm and brought us a thrilling tale about this iconic ranching family. However, its mojo got a bit lost toward the end; story arcs didn’t pan out the way I’d hoped, and therefore, it didn’t stay on top of this list.
2. 1923
I think 1923's greatest strength is that it takes the gritty nature of 1883 and mixes it with the melodramatics and star power of Yellowstone. Like 1883, this historical prequel centers around its characters battling the elements of the time period simply to survive. Like Yellowstone, there’s so much juicy drama and romance that heighten the story for the various siblings. Plus, you can’t go wrong with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren leading, and I’d be remiss not to mention how much I loved Brandon Sklenar’s performance as Spencer Dutton (who is the hero I’d been hoping for in this franchise).
1. 1883
1883 is a near-perfect season of television. I remember watching it for the first time and being so shocked by how it hit me differently from Yellowstone. That’s because the challenges in this show are significantly more grounded and realistic, and overall, it feels like the most down-to-earth Western saga of the bunch. Mix that with stunning performances from Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Isabel May, and you have a beautiful season of TV that tells the terribly tragic yet inspiring story of the Dutton family’s origins.
Overall, every Yellowstone show is solid, and each one has a unique strength that makes it worth watching. However, it’s hard to top the period dramas that came out of this iconic run of shows. So, now, with all that being said, if you’d like to go back, watch these series and determine which is the best of the best, you can stream them all (except Yellowstone) with a Paramount+ subscription.
