‘Yellowstone’ Fans are Criticizing the Same Thing About Season 5

Season 5 of Yellowstone arrived with a bang on Paramount+, opening with the death of Kevin Coster’s John Dutton following the actor’s public and controversial departure from the series. However, that has not been the biggest complaint from viewers, who have some very specific backlash for the show’s divisive return. Fans have taken to social media to air their grievances over Taylor Sheridan’s flagship series’ increasingly forced use of product placement in the newest episode.

There are very few TV shows and movies that do not come with a big list of financially lucrative brands appearing on screen. Whether this is the four rings of an Audi pulling right up the camera as the protagonist screeches his vehicle to a halt, or someone tracking the bad guys on their Mac, product placement has been a big part of the industry for many decades – even going back to the 1950s when they had whole TV sketches built around them. However, Yellowstone’s heavy-handed approach to ensuring branded items get the required screen time has annoyed many, who have called it out as a distraction during tense and crucial moments in the show.

For a series like Yellowstone, the focus of audiences needs to remain on the characters, emotions, and atmosphere. However, the forefront being dominated by a random branded item has caused many to lose the moment, as was noted by many users on X/Twitter.

One moment that hammered home the issues for many was when Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) takes Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) to a hotel and in the bar a bottle of 6666’s Four Sixes Vodka seems to take a long time to leave the screen. With Sheridan being the owner of the 6666 Ranch and the drinks company 6666 Grit & Glory, which distributes vodka cocktails and beer, it has come across as incredibly self-serving. One X/Twitter user said:

Someone else noted: “So far, this season of #Yellowstone has a ridiculous amount of product placement, mostly Taylor Sheridan’s brands. It’s way too noticeable and forced.”

‘Yellowstone’s New Season Threatens the Legacy of the Franchise

Yellowstone has become one of the biggest franchises on TV right now, with several successful spinoffs ongoing, and more reportedly on the way. However, controversies around Kevin Costner’s departure from the show, and reviews for the new episodes being much more critical than previous seasons, have made it a struggle for Season 5B to really fire up its engines as it heads towards the series finale (for now).

For some fans, the increasing number of well-known brands such as Apple, Dell, and Sheridan’s own brands being forced into shot is just another reason to shoot down the show that has become a hugely popular, and therefore profitable, franchise. While the viewership of the series remains high, there is clearly a commercial side to the production of the show that is out to get the most out of these final episodes.

Naturally, with filming complete on these new episodes, this is a complaint that is likely to continue throughout the rest of Season 5. Whether it will be addressed in any of Sheridan’s new shows, including the upcoming spinoff, The Madison, will likely depend on how much the money talks. In the end, fans may complain about having branding thrust in their faces at every given opportunity, but, despite being an annoyance, it is not likely to force them to stop watching this or any future show set in one of Sheridan’s universes.

Release Date

June 20, 2018

Cast

Kevin Costner , Finn Little , Brecken Merrill , Gil Birmingham , Denim Richards , Ian Bohen , Danny Huston , Kelly Reilly , Forrie J. Smith , Cole Hauser , Kelsey Asbille , Wes Bentley , Jefferson White , Luke Grimes , Ryan Bingham

Seasons

5

Franchise

Story By

Taylor Sheridan

Network

Paramount

Streaming Service(s)

Paramount+ , Peacock

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