One Year Later, the Biggest Problem With ‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 Wasn’t Kevin Costner’s Exit

Although Taylor Sheridan is seemingly set to bid farewell to Paramount once his contract expires in 2028, there’s no denying the lasting legacy of the network’s hit Western melodrama Yellowstone. The series not only put Sheridan and Paramount+ on the TV map but also spawned numerous spin-offs that are still in development. And yet, due to the ugly dispute between Sheridan and Kevin Costner that led to the latter’s sudden departure in Season 5, bittersweet feelings persist regarding Yellowstone’s conclusion.

However, a year after the dust settled on Yellowstone’s final season, there’s an even more galling moment that’s more problematic than Costner’s exit. In what can only be described as a vanity episode, Sheridan devotes far too much time and energy to his own supporting character, the ultra-cool cowboy Travis, in the penultimate episode meant to set up the series finale. A year later, it’s time to assess what the heck Sheridan was thinking about with Yellowstone Season 5, Episode 13, “Give the World Away.”