Yellowstone just launched its fifth season, and it’s already clear that the neo-Western family drama still contains many of the elements that have made it such a success for Paramount+. With its skillful blending of the traditional conventions of the Western with the contours of the family melodrama, it manages to feel both old and new at the same time.
Though it has its own unique pleasures, it also shares a great deal in common with a number of other shows, both past and present. These similar series explore some of the same key themes, such as family and the nature of the west, embedded in Yellowstone’s narrative.
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Deadwood (2004-2006)
Streaming On HBO
For many, Deadwood is one of the best HBO series. Focusing on the titular town, it is something of a revisionist western, exploring the darker underside of the American myth of the west.
Like Yellowstone, it doesn’t pull its punches when it comes to its depiction of the west. This is a place filled with grime and grimness, and it is particularly creative when it comes to the use of profanity. More than anything else, it is about how the West went from a place of mining camps to one of established towns and cities.
Longmire (2012-2017)
Stream On Netflix
One of the extraordinary things about Westerns as a genre is how adaptable it is and how much it can take in other genres. Just as Yellowstone incorporates the family drama, Longmire brings in elements of the crime genre into its story.
In this case, the series focuses on a sheriff in Wyoming who investigates a number of cases. In addition to providing insight into its various characters, their lives, and their motivations, it is also a series that shows just how beautiful, and how rugged, the American West can be.
Gunsmoke (1955-1975)
Stream On Paramount+
Though it is very much about one family’s various struggles, Yellowstone is also about the nature of the American West. In this sense, it has a great deal in common with Gunsmoke, arguably one of the best television dramas of all time.
Set in Dodge City, the series ran for over two decades, thanks in large measure to the appeal of its central character, Matt Dillon, a US Marshal whose sense of honor and fair play were two of his most notable traits. It is a Western series that manages to be both of its time and yet also still remarkably enjoyable.
Succession (2018-Present)
Stream On HBO Max
Those who enjoy the family drama aspect of Yellowstone will definitely find much to delight them in Succession, one of the best series on HBO. Focusing on the Roy family – whose patriarch, media mogul Logan Roy, is trying to decide which of his children should inherit his company – it is at once a black comedy and a searing drama.
It also features some very dynamic performances from the likes of Brian Cox,Kieran Culkin, and others. It is a fascinating, and often very disturbing, look at the foibles of the powerful and the wealthy.
1883 (2021-2022)
Stream On Paramount+
One of the most extraordinary things about the series Yellowstone is the extent to which it has spawned its own television universe. For those who want to get a better look at this particular shared universe, they should definitely watch 1883, which is a prequel to Yellowstone.
In particular, the series focuses on James and Margaret Dutton, the great-grandparents of John Dutton III (the main character of the primary series). It has all of the elements one could want from a western of this sort, complete with a commanding performance from Sam Elliott, arguably one of the Hollywood stars most firmly associated with the genre.
Westworld (2016-2022)
Stream On HBO Max
Westworld is a fascinating take on the traditional tale of the western and, like Yellowstone, it is one of the clearest indications that this genre still has much to offer contemporary audiences. The first couple of seasons in particular are a rich exploration of the idea of the Western, as so much of the action takes place in a wild-west-themed park populated by androids.
Of course, the series is more than just an exploration of the Western genre. It is also one of those series that asks the tough questions about the nature of human consciousness, and it asks the viewer to consider just what it is that separates the human from the android.
Ozark (2017-2022)
Stream On Netflix
Those who enjoy the family business aspect of Yellowstone will also find much to savor in Ozark, one of the best series to have emerged from Netflix. Focusing on the Byrdes, Marty and Wendy, who flee to the Ozarks to begin working for a drug cartel, it details their slow efforts to ingratiate themselves into the local power structure, while also maintaining their loyalty to their cartel overlord.
Tightly woven and grimly filmed, it is the type of crime series that manages to make the viewer care about the characters, even as they do terrible things. And, what’s more, it also manages to have an ending that is both fulfilling and disquieting at the same time.
Hatfields & McCoys (2012)
Stream On The Roku Channel
Conflict is, of course, central to Yellowstone, both within its central family and with the others that inhabit the area. As its title suggests, Hatfields & McCoys is a series about one of the most famous interfamily conflicts in American history, which means that it is a perfect fit for those who enjoy Yellowstone.
In particular, the series features some powerful performances from its cast, and it is very successful at looking past the sensationalism to get at the human heart of these historical personages. What’s more, it doesn’t shy away from the violence, and there are times when the viewer truly does feel that they are bearing witness to the unfolding of history.
Rutherford Falls (2021-2022)
Stream On Peacock
Though it’s a sitcom, there is still much about Rutherford Falls that will make it appeal to fans of Yellowstone. Like the Western series, Rutherford Falls is about the conflicts between Native Americans and Whites, and it focuses in particular on the way that America’s colonial past continues to haunt the present.
This isn’t to say that the series isn’t funny, because it never loses sight of the fact that it is supposed to keep the audience entertained. It also features some strong performances from the likes of Ed Helms, Michael Greyeyes, and Jana Schmieding.
Under The Banner Of Heaven (2022)
Stream On Hulu
Under the Banner of Heaven is one of the best true crime series of 2022, and it features a dynamic performance from Andrew Garfield as Jeb Pyre, a Mormom detective who has to contend with the reality that members of his own faith were capable of committing a religiously-motivated (and somewhat ritualistic) murder.
Its American West setting makes this an ideal watch for fans of Yellowstone. Just as importantly, it also includes an exploration of the liminal space that those who belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have often occupied within the United States.