The Season 5 finale of “Yellowstone,” which is said to hint at a possible impending spin-off, had many netizens feeling that the program could have ended better.
Viewers of “Yellowstone” are venting their frustrations with the Season 5 conclusion, which aired on Sunday, December 15, and featured the Duttons bidding farewell to their family patriarch, John Dutton (played by Kevin Costner).
The show’s official Facebook page posted a teaser of the finale, showing an emotional Beth Dutton (played by Kelly Reilly) placing a last white rose on her father’s coffin and then bending closer to the coffin to inform him that she intends to exact revenge.
After the funeral, Beth visits her brother Jamie Dutton, who is portrayed by Wes Bentley. The siblings brawl violently once they arrive. Cole Hauser’s character, Beth’s husband Rip Wheeler, saves her just before Jamie is ready to kill his sister.
The sibling conflict reaches its conclusion with Rip allowing Beth to deliver a final blow, resulting in her fatally stabbing the brother she deeply resented.
With help from Lloyd Pierce (played by Forrie J. Smith), Rip disposes of Jamie’s body at the train station, while Beth contacts the police to report her late brother’s role in their father’s death.
Regarding the family’s land, Kayce Dutton (portrayed by Luke Grimes) announces his decision to keep the East Camp for his family and their 300 cows.
He sells the remaining land to Thomas Rainwater (played by Gil Birmingham) for $1.25 per acre, totaling $1.1 million, according to Entertainment Weekly’s episode summary. Kayce’s condition for the sale is that Thomas must refrain from developing the land or selling it, to which Thomas agrees.
Following the finale, “Yellowstone” fans did not hesitate to share their dissatisfaction with the episode. “That was a terrible ending!” one Facebook user remarked.
Another viewer agreed, saying, “Season finale was lackluster. Deserved a much better ending.” Someone else added, “Trash season. What a waste of such a great saga.”
A frustrated fan wrote, “This season felt extremely rushed, too much fluff added and the parts that needed time didn’t get time. The longer the series went on, the worst [sic] it got! A disappointing ending to a series that started out so hot!”
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One viewer commented, “Such a predictable ending. Weak. Was hoping for a surprise at the end. After what everyone knew that was bound to happen, the rest was boring.”
Another Instagram user shared their frustration, saying, “Nope, the writing was all over the place. This series deserved a better ‘ending.'” Meanwhile, someone else claimed, “Horrible ending, so rushed, I feel robbed from this series. ‘Yellowstone’ was amazing up to this season. Very disappointed.”
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Another Instagram user added, “Terrible ending. Hastily written. Seemed so rushed and cheesy. Sheridan ruined a great show.”
In contrast, some viewers appreciated how “Yellowstone” concluded. “Great finale! Was hoping they didn’t blow it. Everyone went on their separate ways and the natives got their land,” one fan praised.
Another viewer expressed, “This ended exactly as it should. Just a hard show to say goodbye too [sic]. It was an amazing series. Everyone did an exceptional role as actors and actresses.” Meanwhile, a netizen commented, “Wrapped up nicely. Hope it ends there for good..”
One fan enthusiastically shared, “Kelly Reilly was amazing in tonight’s episode. This was the most fitting end for Beth or should I say the end of Jaime. I love how happy they all were in the end.”
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Some viewers became quite emotional about the finale, with one person commenting, “Gosh. Yep. Cried again tonight. It was rough. But let out a little cheer when she maxed and stabbed Jamie.”
Another fan praised the episode, saying, “Great episode. I laughed, I cried, I cheered. Very satisfying that Jamie got taken to the train station. Loved that Ryan found Abby and loved seeing Rip and Beth at their new place.” Contributing to the conversation, someone else shared, “Tonight’s episode had me in tears.”
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The stars of the show also shared their own posts about the finale. One particularly heartfelt and lengthy post came from Reilly, who posted the same finale teaser as the show and network.
While revealing that she is currently working on a new project in the U.K., the actress shared, “Whatever the future holds this is the ending of the show we have been making for the past 7 years. Words cannot convey how I feel about the people I got to work and create with over the seasons.”
Reilly shared her thoughts, saying, “I have made true life long friends. The support from the crew and the trust and dedication of the cast. The words I got to say and the woman I got to inhabit. It changed me. It lit me up. It challenged me in every way possible and I will forever be grateful for it.”
She also took a moment to acknowledge “Yellowstone’s” creator, Taylor Sheridan, expressing that he took a chance on her and crafted her character in a way that brought her to life as an actress.
After showing her appreciation to Sheridan and the audience, Reilly wrapped up with, “We really cared about making something special for you all …Enjoy tonight, get your tissues and your.”
Joining Reilly in bidding farewell to the show, Grimes shared a photo of himself sitting shirtless with his head bowed by a raging fire pit. “End of an era. Goodbye Kayce. You are a better man than I. To my ‘yellowstone’ family, thank you for the experience of a lifetime,” wrote the “True Blood” actor.
Asbille also wrote a message on her Instagram page regarding the “Yellowstone” conclusion, similar to what Grimes and Reilly did. She posted a picture of herself and Grimes, as their fictional characters, standing against a wooden fence and gazing off into the distance. “One episode left,” she wrote in her caption. Over the past seven years, it has been an absolute dream to share the screen with Luke.
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Even though “Yellowstone” is over, recent rumors indicate that Reilly and Hauser’s characters could soon be the subject of a new spinoff series. Both performers have signed contracts for the spinoff series, for which Sheridan has been working on the concept, according to Deadline.
Although Hauser and Reilly are anticipated to serve as the show’s leaders and the spinoff will take place in the present, there are rumors that other “Yellowstone” cast members will accompany them.
Deadline reported in August that the show’s creators, MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios, had been in negotiations with Reilly and Hauser for months, which sparked rumors about the possible spinoff.
Following Costner’s character’s passing, it was then implied that the two would continue the series as the main stars of “Yellowstone’s” sixth season.
The way the Paramount Network advertised the Season 5 finale served to support this even more. They referred to the most recent episode as the season’s finale rather than the series’ overall conclusion.
Reilly discussed the possibility of the show’s continuation in an interview with Entertainment Weekly months before to Deadline’s most recent story. Reports of her negotiations with Hauser had already surfaced at this point.
“Nothing is set in stone. But if Taylor wants to write it, I would want to do it. That’s it. Because he’s the one that’s written every single line I’ve ever said. She came from his imagination,” revealed Reilly in September.
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The Eden Lake actress clarified that if the spinoff does happen, both she and Sheridan agree that there must be a change in the storyline. “‘Yellowstone’ as we know it is ending, but if there is more story to tell with some of the characters, it’s going to be a little different,” Reilly revealed.
As reported by Entertainment Weekly, discussions about extending Yellowstone began after Paramount Network confirmed the arrival of a new series titled 2024. This followed earlier announcements that Yellowstone would conclude with Season 5.
Since then, Yellowstone’s first modern-day spinoff, initially named 2024, underwent a title revision and is now called The Madison. To date, none of the original Yellowstone actors have been added to the cast. The new show does, however, feature prominent names such as Michelle Pfeiffer, Patrick J. Adams, and Matthew Fox.
In addition to The Madison and the possible project featuring Reilly and Hauser, Yellowstone has also expanded its universe through other spinoffs. One example is 1883, which began in 2021 and wrapped up in 2022.
The IMDb synopsis describes the limited series as following “the post-Civil war generation of the Dutton family” as they make their way to Texas and join “a wagon train undertaking the arduous journey west to Oregon, before settling in Montana to establish what would eventually become the Yellowstone Ranch.”
Following 1883, Sheridan created another series, 1923, which serves as an origin story for Yellowstone. Set in the early 20th century, 1923 explores the Dutton family’s struggles with major historical events like the Great Depression, Prohibition, and the rise of Western Expansion. The series features Hollywood icons Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.
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Recalling the plot of “1923’s” sequel, the latest criticism of the Season 5 finale is not the first time people have voiced their dissatisfaction with “Yellowstone.”
The unexpected debut of supermodel Bella Hadid left netizens unhappy after watching the episode before to the finale (Episode 13).
In the December 8, 2024, episode “Give The World Away,” Reilly’s character goes to Texas to see Sheridan’s character, Travis Wheatley.
When she gets to his house, she meets his girlfriend Sadie, who is portrayed by supermodel Hadid. Hadid’s real-life boyfriend, Adan Banuelos, also makes a brief appearance in the episode.
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Viewers were taken aback by Hadid’s casting, with many questioning its purpose and criticizing the writers for moving away from the show’s core themes. One viewer expressed their frustration, calling it the “Worst episode in ‘Yellowstone’ history.” Another viewer echoed the sentiment, stating, “This part of the episode was very unnecessary…”
Another user shared their disappointment, writing, “Worst episode ever, just wasted my hour watching nonsense. Hopefully next episode is better.” A different individual criticized the performance, saying, “A spoiled brat actor ruined it,” while someone else bluntly declared, “‘Yellowstone’ TRASH, tonight’s episode! So disappointing and left off with so many unanswered questions [sic].”
Some viewers focused on the surprising nature of the supermodel’s appearance, with one commenter remarking, “This is the most random cameo on tv ,” and another asking, “What is Bella Hadid doing here?”
An Instagram user shared their frustration over the cameo, writing, “This was unnecessary, no point to ‘Yellowstone’! Just someone showing how much money they have and wanted to show it off! Very disappointed, when your [sic] the writer, you can do what ya want!”
Likewise, another viewer remarked, “Ugh was this necessary? We want to see the OGs, not some random model posted in the 2nd to last episode.”
At the same time, someone with mixed feelings shared, “I really love Bella but this was unnecessary from my point of view. Now you’re going to think I’m watching ‘Yellowstone’ just because she appears.”
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On the performance front, one person didn’t hold back, stating, “Zero talent,” while another joked, “Bella Hadid on ‘Yellowstone’ is crazy work.” A frustrated viewer chimed in, saying, “Gotta be honest, when I saw Bella Hadid, kinda rolled my eyes. Awful casting, bring back Abby! #Yellowstone.”
Some critics speculated that questionable plotlines and casting decisions could explain Kevin Costner’s exit from the series. One viewer remarked, “I see why Kevin had enough and left. These episodes are stupid.”
Another commenter was equally blunt, writing, “Can do without this episode! No wonder Costner quit.” Someone else with strong opinions declared, “Tonight’s episode of ‘Yellowstone’ was the worst in it’s [sic] series history, nauseating to even watch. Team Kevin even more than before if that’s even possible.”
Other viewers had more targeted complaints about the casting, with one jokingly observing, “I know this man Taylor Sheridan didn’t just write Bella Hadid into ‘Yellowstone’ and made her his girlfriend.”
Finally, one viewer captured the general mood, stating, “‘Yellowstone’ has gotten so random Bella Hadid! The gross scene with the women in their undies. The writers are phoning it in for the last season.”
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In contrast to the internet criticism, the “Yellowstone” staff welcomed Bella Hadid with open arms, posting on Instagram, “Welcome to the Yellowstone family, @bellahadid! #YellowstoneTV.”
The penultimate episode, however, was panned by a series reviewer for wasting time with needless filler instead of progressing the season’s main plots. They were disappointed by the show, saying that viewers were left with a forgettable experience because it did not provide any thrilling moments.