Kevin Costner's notorious exit from Yellowstone in the middle of season 5 marked a significant departure from the show's initial aim.
A combination of behind-the-scenes issues and disputes surrounding Yellowstone eventually led to the second half of the already-in-production season 5 continuing without the Academy Award winner,
who has starred in the show since 2018. However, the nature of the ending will contradict the show's initial objective.
Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan has expressed satisfaction with how the show concludes without Kevin Costner, and it's reasonable to ponder if season 5 is better off without John Dutton.
Season 5 will mark the end of the current edition of Yellowstone, however there are other spinoffs on the horizon.
No matter how the broader storyline concludes, without John Dutton at its heart, the drama would have deviated significantly from the path laid out in season 1.
As Costner stated in an interview with ABC News, he believed that the show's continuation beyond the season 1 arc was solely dependent on his involvement.
Without a question, Costner's presence contributed to the show's original popularity. An actor of his level, with a Western background, was an exciting potential for prestige drama television.