I have to admit it. I avoided Yellowstone like the plague for its first five seasons. I saw trailers full of Kevin Costner in cowboy dad drag and a fanbase that seemed to be made up predominantly of midwestern, white republicans. It seemed very much like it must be MAGA propaganda, or at least, mushy Hallmark-level americana dreck. But it is, by far, the most popular program (despite being on the least popular Paramount Network) in the United States and has spawned not one, but two star-studded prequel series (1883 stars Sam Elliott and 1923 which is coming soon, will star Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.) And many smart and insightful critics, like Mark Harris, love the program and so I thought “what am I missing?”

I decided to give it a shot.

The Mary Sue