Paramount Network’s shutdown Yellowstone was, for many, the most blatant “Snub” from the July 12 Emmy Nominations Announcement. The neo-western Montana set created by Taylor Sheridan (who, in addition to writing the episodes occasionally directs and appears as a supporting character) was a huge ratings hit from the start, especially domestically, but went unseen. as a serious contender for the first three seasons, earning just one Emmy nom for production design in 2021.
But during the COVID lockdown, many in the entertainment industry and the media reporting about it began to catch up with the Kevin Costner starrer and appreciate that it was very well done. And when the show’s fourth season—the finale of which drew more than 11 million viewers before it was streamed—in early 2022, it was nominated for the top SAG and PGA awards, and the supporters began an aggressive campaign, it seemed. that Emmy fortunes can turn quickly. But at the end of the day, Sheridan’s prequel 1883streamed on Paramount+ and featuring country superstars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, eventually received three noms (two for cinematography, one for music), three more than Yellowstone.
After the blunt, the Daily mail described Yellowstone as “anti-awake”, which is just as superficial as its other descriptor: “red state” succession.” There are certainly similarities between the dramas – the HBO series sees the grown children of a Rupert Murdoch-esque media mogul vying for control of his empire amid seismic shifts in the industry, while Yellowstone shows a similar family dynamic fueled by real estate ownership and an ever-increasing modernity that threatens the characters’ status quo. One seems to grab the attention of dressed-up city viewers who recognize the Murdoch influence on the storylines, while the other is a violent melodrama set in a setting more familiar to those living far from the coast.
But “anti-wake”? That culture war buzzword would apply just as much to: succession — and it’s inaccurate, even if the images of modern cowboys conjure up a sense of “the real America” in the flyover states. Yellowstone‘s portrayal of land use politics in the western US – particularly their effect on Native American characters – is a Trojan horse, a political subtext hiding in melodrama. That tactic is what TV does best; other examples this season were Netflix 14-time nominee squid game, in which deadly competition is a thinly veiled critique of capitalism; HBOs The white lotus (20 noms), which satirized (such as succession) the ultra-rich and their cringey, neoliberal sensibilities; and Apple TV+s severance pay (14 noms), a puzzle box mystery about the lack of humanity at the center of corporate culture.
Which sets? Yellowstone other than that and other nominated series is that it doesn’t get endless attention on pop culture websites (Sheridan’s media restraint didn’t help), unlike Weird stuff and Euphoria with their Gen-Z audiences generating memes in real time. (Even finding the show is a challenge: some Yellowstone seasons live on Paramount Network, not Paramount+, and others on Peacock.) It bears similarities to the New Mexico and Missouri set You better call Saul and Ozarkrespectively, to prove that the locations shouldn’t knock out Emmy voters.
With so much choice — FX’s annual tally of streaming, cable and broadcast shows identified a record 559 English-language series in 2021 — the TV landscape has been shattered. Streamers’ algorithmic design, which causes many viewers to watch linear shows, rewards viewers with content similar to what they’ve already consumed. That makes Yellowstone such a miracle: Each show that can draw more than 10 million viewers seems to be an outlier. (To compare Yellowstoneseason finale with succession‘s: HBO says its December 21, third season conclusion was the most watched yet, with 1.7 million viewers across all platforms on the same day, just a fraction of Yellowstonenumbers.)
TV is no longer a monocultural medium. Gone are the days when Maude’s abortion and Ellen’s coming out pushed the boundaries of what could be seen and discussed on the air. The politically polarized debates about Everything in the family can be found on Twitter 24/7, where anyone can join. The “very special episode” trope that used to bring hot-button topics to the masses is no more—and even if there were water coolers to collect around in this never-ending pandemic, good luck with it. find someone else in the office watching what you’re watching.
Yellowstone‘s perceived “anti-wokeness” may simply be a misunderstanding of its nuance. The audience is probably more ideologically diverse than most of the shows that the Television Academy will be honoring in September.
Yellowstone (now in production for season five) and its expanding universe (Sheridan is working on another prequel, 1923, starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren) will continue to attract new viewers. Paramount Network will continue to seriously focus on the TV Academy (the day after the Emmy noms, Yellowstone production company 101 Studios has announced the appointment of price specialist Dani Weinstein as new PR chief). And just like a handful of other unconventional shows for it, including: Breaking Bad and Schitt’s Creek, YellowstoneThe best days at the Emmys can span several seasons.
This story first appeared in the July 15 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.