Yellowstone

Ha nincs egy családi látogató, aki imádja Costner-t, akkor mivel nem vagyok a sorozatok rajongója, nem jutottam volna hozzá. Ami nagy kár lenne. Ez nem western a szó szoros értelmében, csak egy jelenlegi farmon játszódik, ahol mindenki lovagol és kalapot visel. A minőségi forgatókönyv rögtön az elején tápláló Pilótával indul, rátekeredő nyitott végkifejlettel, a további epizódok felosztódnak a politikával és a nagyvállalkozói machinációkkal foglalkozó részekre (nálam ***) és a farmon élő emberekkel foglalkozó részekre - miért olyanok amilyenek, miért és milyen kapcsolatok vannak közöttük (nálam ****). Minden szereplő kiválóan van megformálva, megírva és eljátszva, és karakterével egy összetett kollektív konstellációba illeszkedik, amiben az egyik sorscsapás követi a másikat. És a főcímdal - nagyszerű. Az Eastwood Nincs bocsánat filmjéből származó zenei motívumnak, amellyel az első évad 6. epizódja kezdődik, itt helyén van. A Yellowstone minden, csak nem romantika egy szép természeti helyen Costner-rel. Van itt gyilkosság, dugás, lopás, csalás. Minden, amire a néző vágyik. (2019.11.26)

Taylor Sheridan is simply a master! I love his distinctive style wholeheartedly! I had been gearing up for Yellowstone for a long time. And now, finally, it’s time to evaluate all four seasons at once. The show thrives on three main elements. First, I’d mention the perfectly depicted characters, whom you’ll either fall in love with or intensely hate. Kevin Costner rules the acting scene, but the others are not far behind (especially the duo Beth and Rip become endearing). Next, the saga is elevated to a very high level by the beautiful Montana landscape (one enjoys the real landscape shots... after all those CGI efforts in recent years, it's simply a refreshing change). And last but not least, I must mention the brilliant script. A show that is so smartly written and skillfully directed is not something you often see these days. We’ll see what the fifth season brings. It looks like it will be a real bloodbath! And definitely, bring on Sheridan’s next project, the series Tulsa King. A mob-themed drama with Stallone in the lead role? Yes, please, keep it coming! For now, Yellowstone scores a strong 8.5/10. (2022.09.12)

“I don’t regret one sin I’ve committed.” A neo-western Dallas with the ever-charismatic Kevin Costner in an Underwood-like role as an opportunistic douchebag, the "godfather" of the Dutton clan in Montana, where according to them "my land, my rules, and even if it's not my land, my rules still apply no matter how much the neighbours and the state don't like it". He is the kind of amoral, principled figure who does not hesitate to go over dead bodies – figuratively and literally – in the name of his own interests. From the beginning it fits into the line of shows like House of Cards, Boss, Succession, Billions, etc, but those are mostly focused on high politics or big city business, not on prairie landowners and their squabbles with reservations, silt, modern times, and cattle. Sheridan can make raggedy, small-talking characters replete with harsh landscapes (doubly true of the supporting duo John Dutton and Thomas Rainwater), and there can hardly be any doubt than he can create tension based on the actions of flawed characters. It's well acted by all, has a likeably slow (not to be confused with boring) pace, and so the only problem is that the two main storylines (the political backstabbing with neighbors, city council, police, reservation, well, just about everyone, and the personal "what it's like to live and do business in a rough landscape") are strictly separated by lines and episodes, and that there are maybe too many characters trying to follow too many lines. And unfortunately, not all of the directors fully understood the central and essential role of Montana's landscape and nature, full of endless stretches of rolling pastures and snow-capped mountains on the horizon. Some understand that this is one of the main characters, and they know how to sell it properly. Others, however, seem to have missed it. The result is a series with tremendous potential, especially if the creators realize that it must be one cohesive whole and not a patchwork of brilliant sub-elements. | S1: 3/5 | S2: 3/5 | (2020.11.23)

Game of Thrones of the Wild West, mixed with the best of Dallas. A neo-western that actually has almost everything: great family drama, political scheming, wit, charm, and of course an emphasis on the cowboy lifestyle, portrayed in a just-right entertaining yet information-rich way, where the viewer gets a peek under the hood of this complex microcosm with its own rules while getting a taste of the idyllic flavour of untamed nature. The peak is on the cusp of seasons two and three, when the whole thing takes off like a runaway train, but even though the latter episodes slow down considerably and instead of a rich plot it's more like a Marlboro commercial, it's still easily the most likeable western world in a long time. I'd venture to consider Costner and Hauser as absolute gods on whom this stands and falls, regardless of how the ending turn out in the fifth season. (2023.11.05)