35/13

A ranching family in Montana faces off against others encroaching on their land

Forrie J. Smith, who plays Lloyd, is an experienced hand in the world of Rodeo. John Dutton (Kevin Costner) frequently seems to "forget" his Montanan accent and drifts back into the SoCal speaking voice he normally uses..

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This series has been on since 2018 but now is the first time I have watched any of it. Last night I completed the first episode of the first season, it runs right near 90 minutes. As to introduce the Dutton family we see they have powerful influence in their valley but are fending off "attacks." One from developers who want to put up condos.

Another from the neighboring Native reservation looking to get some of their land back plus some livestock

To help deal with all that and the sprawling size of his ranch Dutton (played authentically by 60-something Kevin Costner) has several grown Cowboy sons and a helicopter with a dedicated pilot. The reason I watched episode one of season one (on Peacock streaming ) was to get the feeling for the Dutton family because I am currently watching the ten episodes of the more recent Taylor Sheridan program "1883" which is the prequel of sorts. It was (fictionally) in 1883 that the Dutton family from Tennessee joined a larger group to wagon train from Fort Worth Texas to "somewhere in the West".

With sons born about 1875, 1900, 1925, and the 1950s

They must have stopped when they reached Montana. Again it is all fiction but if we look at the ages of the men, and the fact that Costner was born in 1955, his character would probably be the great, great grandson of the Dutton patriarch ( played by Tim McGraw) in "1883". E.g.

It just ins't the kind of program I could get invested in and continue to watch

"Yellowstone" is a really fine series, the actors are all first-rate, the cinematography and sound are excellent. It is hard to find characters with redeeming qualities and I really don't long-term enjoy programs which constantly focus on arguments and fights, and often killing. Now in my 70s I prefer to spend time watching "pleasant" stories.NB - "1883" is a really fine and interesting series, how it authentically depicts the great hardship of pulling up roots and traveling through unknown territories to try to find a new life in a new place.