Yellowstone: Season 4 - Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Yellowstone: Season 4



Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:

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Movie
Kevin Costner IS one of the greatest western actors still acting today. While he’s not exactly as long lived as Sam Elliott, the man has had one of the most impressive careers in the Western sub genre and is up there with the greats like Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, Lee Marvin and many more. He’s made so much great content in that world that it’s a genuine treat whenever he’s in something even remotely “western”. Now grasp that Paramount’s little 10 episode modern western that started back in 2018 is a cultural phenomenon. You can’t help but go into a store and see a “Dutton Ranch” T-shirt, or hear about the show online from a myriad of different social media outlets. 10 years ago this just wouldn’t have happened, as Westerns were seen as a dying breed. But now we have 4 full seasons, and a prequel spinoff in the from of 1883 (which stars another legendary Western actor in the form of Sam Elliott).

Season 1 of the show was great, if not a bit bland. Season 2 kicked up a good bit, but started to go very heavily “soap operaish” in the third season. Something that ticked off a lot of fans of the first season, and threatened to tank the ratings. The series started to pull itself out of that quagmire near the end of Season 3 when the Dutton family is attacked, but fans are naturally a bit frustrated with the soap opera interpersonal elements of that year. Season 4 starts up pretty much where we left off, with Patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner) dying on the side of the road. However, after the clan rallies together the attack is eliminated, but the burning question still remains. Who tried to have the Duttons wiped out, and how exactly can said be person brought back to frontier justice?

The story follows John’s recovery from being shot, and his savage investigation into who did this to them. At first they seem to have a break when the Sheriff brings the perpetrator of the crime TO John himself, but that ends in nothing as the person behind the attack seems to be someone completely unrelated to the family with no ties to anyone. Bit by bit, person by person, stone by stone, things get uncovered until there’s a sickening realization that the knife in the back is from someone totally expected, but irrevocably heartbreaking to John himself.

The show’s personal growth elements seem to revolve around Jimmy and his desire to find himself an identity. Another cool addition to the show is some of the flashbacks to 1893, where the Dutton progenitors (played by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill) unveil some of the backstory and personal stakes that drove the Dutton ranch into existence. And, well, of course it’s a setup for 1883 to be spunoff. Beth and Rip (Cole Hauser) pick up a sort of new “son” in the form of Carter (Finn Little), and Beth naturally has ANOTHER enemy with beef (seriously, the woman can’t help but people off).

The show has it’s ups and downs, but feels more focused and tighter in the story telling this year. The soap opera elements are still there under the surface (and I did roll my eyes a few times), but it’s not nearly as prevalent as what happened in season 3. The show is nasty, vicious, and strangely intoxicating to watch. Kevin Costner is a master at his craft when it comes to the Western world, but what’s really surprising is how well Cole Hauser is as Rip (and holy cow, did he change from a skinny annoying actor to a hunka hunka burning love for the ladies just by putting on a stetson and growing that beard out. I swore I had to tie my wife back down to the couch are she was going to crawl drooling into the TV whenever he’s on screen). Rip is a fantastic character, and one of the biggest boons the show has. Wes Bentley is still one twisted, sympathetic, evil son of a gun the series has ever seen, and I’m actually curious to find out just how his character arc gets resolved as the show ends.




Rating:

Rated TV-MA by the MPAA




Video:

The first season of Yellowstone was a bit mediocre in the video department, but after that first season, the show has shown a distinct increase in visual clarity that has remained constant for the last 3 years. Colors are warm and bright, with wheat colored tones that compliment the dusty western area of the show’s location. The inner sanctum of the Dutton home is dark and rich with wood tones and lustrous green grass outside. I did notice a little bit of banding here and there in the darkest of shots, but overall it’s a fairly artifact free image. The show is sharp as a tack for the most part, with incredible facial details, loving imagery in the countryside, but an occasional soft shot and some weak CGI blood (to be more precise, VERY obviously CGI blood). Other than those few minor quirks, this is a great looking 2.00:1 framed AVC Blu-ray.









Audio:

Just like the video, the audio maintains the same solid, but never great, audio mixing in 5.1 Dolby TrueHD. As I’ve said in the past, the show doesn’t have a BAD audio mix, it’s just that there’s so much talking and quietness to the shows design that it never really gets a chance to truly stretch its legs. That being said, the dialog is always crisp and clean, located up in the center, and the twangy score fills out the rear end. HOWEVER, there are moments of action and explosion that really do cause the listening to sit back and take notice. The finalization of the gun battle in the first episode for one, as well as the moment where John Dutton gives the perpetrator of his family’s attack a chance for a “mano e mano” gun battle. Especially in the bass department.







Extras:

• Opening Pandora's Box: Making Yellowstone: Season Four
• Bloodline: Yellowstone Origins
• Season 4: Back to the Bunkhouse
• Working the Yellowstone: Making It All Happen
• Behind the Story for Every Episode
• Stories from the Bunkhouse for Every Episode
• Inside Yellowstone: Season 4

Final Score: ​

Yellowstone started out as one of the best new series of 2018 and 2019, then in 2020 it sort of fizzled a bit with the pandemic and the writing got sloppy. Luckily season 4 rights that particular ship for the most part, and while there is SOME cheesy parts, gets the show back on course where it should be. The Blu-ray looks and sounds great, and the 4 disc set has a very solid array of extras to enjoy (though a bit limited on audio and subtitle options). Good watch.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley
Created by: John Linson, Taylor Sheridan
Aspect Ratio: 2.00:1 AVC
Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH
Studio: Paramount
Rated: TV-MA
Runtime: 534 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: March 8th, 2022

Recommendation: Good Watch

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. I will have to check this series out now that it has survived 2 to 3 seasons. Typically, I wait to see how long a series last and if it survives with a minimum of 2 or 3 seasons, I think it is worth seeing