When the first half of Yellowstone‘s fifth/final season came to a close, fans didn’t realize just how long they were going to have to wait for the conclusion—with writer strikes, and Kevin Costner causing a long delay. As those first 8 episodes came to a close, tensions were running high at the Dutton ranch. Jamie (Wes Bentley) was diligently working on an effort to get his father, Governor John Dutton (Kevin Costner), impeached in order to benefit from lucrative development deal. Jamie’s sister Beth (Kelly Reilly) learned about the family’s “train station” where the Duttons had been disposing of the bodies of their enemies for decades, and where Jamie dumped the body of his own biological father. Jamie also secretly inquired about hiring some professionals to take out John should the impeachment not have the desired effect. Meanwhile, with the ranch experiencing some financial trouble and worn down land, Rip (Cole Hauser) and some of the crew had taken the ranch’s herd of cattle to Texas to the Four Sixes ranch to graze for a year.

As this second half of the season opens, we quickly learn how series writer/creator Taylor Sheridan has decided to handle the fact that Kevin Costner wouldn’t be returning for the final episodes. Beth senses something is wrong, and arrives at the ranch in a panic. She sees the place swarming with flashing lights and police, and desperately tries to call her father, but the phone just keeps ringing. Soon her worst fears are confirmed. As her brother Kayce (Luke Grimes) arrives, they head inside to find John’s dead body in the bathroom. While the police are chalking it up as suicide, Beth knows better and suspects that her estranged brother Jamie was responsible, and she is determined to not only prove it also also get vengeance against those involved, especially Jamie.

This second half of the final season constantly jumps back and forth between the events that took place right after the first half of the season, leading up to John’s death, as well as the aftermath. The first couple of episodes primarily focus on Rip, Teeter (Jen Landon), Walker (Ryan Bingham) and some of the other cowboys as they find themselves in this unfamiliar environment in Texas, tending to the herd remotely. We get to see the tough and dangerous life of a cowboy, but also how these folks are like a family to one another. Much of this feels like Sheridan trying to hammer home that being a cowboy is a dying way of life.

In the present, Beth is dealing with the painful loss of father, and plotting her revenge. She threatens Jamie, telling him her face will be the last thing he sees before he dies. At the same time, Jamie knows the family’s dirty secrets and pushes back with his own threats. However, as he tries to fkex his political power, he also finds his carefully planned world starting to fall apart. Beth is determined to prove John’s death wasn’t suicide, and enlists Kayce’s help—not only does he have covert ops experience, but he also has connections with the local police to get the case reopened. Meanwhile, the ranch’s financial problems are even more severe now that inheritance tax is added to the already-mounting debt, and so Beth needs to make some tough decisions on how to deal with the impossible situation and what will need to be sacrificed. Kayce also struggles to figure out what the future holds for him, his wife Monica (Kelsey Asbille) and son Tate (Brecken Merrill). Kayce never really wanted to come back to the ranch in the first place, but is drawn to a remote cabin on the property, which may give him the chance for a new start and still do the things he enjoys about the ranch. The rest of the crew in the bunkhouse also start exploring their own separate paths as it looks like the the days of the Yellowstone Ranch may be numbered.

As I sat down to watch these final six episodes, I was worried that the series would feel like something was missing without the star power of Kevin Costner. However, I can’t say that I ever felt this way as I binged my way through the second half of the season. The presence of John Dutton and the effect he has had on the characters is still felt. There is still the action and intrigue with what’s going on between Beth and Jamie as they battle it out, and as both sides try to simultaneously hide and expose the true nature of John’s death. And then there’s just the beautiful exploration of the cowboy life, family, and how they all come together, which brings some of its own heart-wrenching twists and turns in these episodes. At the core of this second half of the season is this love story between Beth and Rip. We see how they are there for each other in moments of tragedy with no questions asked, no matter what the distance between them. There’s also this nice personal journey that Kayce goes on to not only figure out his own future, but to ensure that his son also has the future he wants, and not a future that’s forced upon him.

What I love about this show is the mixed tone. Darker and more emotional moments are balanced with some humor, making these characters feel real and grounded. There are some violent and action-packed moments, but the series also takes the time to slow down and showcase the beauty of the Montana (and this season, Texas) landscape and the hard life of being a cowboy. The series has a very cinematic look and feel. My only complaint is that they never put any kind of date reference on the screen, so sometimes it takes a bit to figure out when scenes are taking place as things jump back and force between the pre- and post- John Dutton material.

These final 6 episodes do an excellent job of taking the story that was started five seasons ago full circle, and even integrating elements from the prequel shows. The episodes provide satisfying closure for all of the characters, and definitely feels like a conclusion to the series. That said, I have complete faith that Sheridan could find a way to do spin-offs exploring the next or future chapters of the Dutton family. I would certainly watch!

Paramount/CBS Home Entertainment has released this second half of the fifth season of Yellowstone on Blu-ray and DVD (it is also available in 4K digitally via Fandango At Home). I was sent the Blu-ray for review, and the presentation looks and sounds amazing. The picture quality is near perfect, with clean, pristine video that captures all of the natural beauty of the Montana/Texas setting, and provides an excellent level of detail, especially in faces. The picture is excellent both in the sunny exteriors as well as the darker nighttime scenes. The audio track is also very impressive, providing clear dialogue throughout, and also fills the room with the show’s beautiful score, the country music soundtrack that often plays while following the cowboys, and the immersive sounds of the outdoor environment.

The six episodes are spread across 2 discs, which are placed on either side of a standard HD keepcase. A third disc, which is stacked under disc 2 contains all of the bonus material. Plastic-wrapped to the keepcase is an envelope containing 5 postcards. And this is placed inside a carboard slipcover. The bonus disc contains about 2.5 hours of bonus materialmdash;general behind the scenes featurettes with the cast and crew, along with episode-specific discussions.

What’s Included:

Episodes: (6:00:59)

• All 6 episodes of the second half of season 5:
  Disc 1 (2:41:04): “Desire Is All You Need”, “The Apocalypse of Change”, “Three Fifty-Three”
  Disc 2 (3:19:55): “Counting Coup”, “Give the World Away”, “Life Is a Promise”
• 1080p / Widescreen 2.00:1
• Audio: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1
• Subtitles: English SDH

Extras:
All bonus material can be found on Disc 3. Play All, or select from:

• Redemption: A Season of Change (32:59)
  The cast and crew discuss protecting the story for the audience, how things felt different this season, how the characters have evolved over the series, the stunts and fight scenes, their favorite scenes from the series, the relationships, and more. Includes clips, production photos, and interviews with executive producer David C. Glasser, director/director of photography/executive producer Christina Alexandra Voros, and stars Kelly Reilly (“Beth Dutton”), Cole Hauser (“Rip Wheeler”), Luke Grimes (“Kayce Dutton”), Jen Landon (“Teeter”), Denim Richards (“Colby”), Ian Bohen (“Ryan”), Dawn Olivieri (“Sarah Atwood”), Wendy Moniz (“Senator Perry”), Kelsey Asbille (“Monica Long”), Gil Birmingham (“Thomas Rainwater”), Mo Brings Plenty (“Mo”), Gabriel Guilbeau & Wes Bentley (“Jamie Dutton”).
  
  
  
• Moments in Time with Photographer Emerson Miller (8:10)
  Photographer Emerson Miller talks about his experiences as the on-set photographer and creating the promotional and key art for the series. The actors—Luke Grimes, Kelsey Asbille, Cole Hauser, Jen Landon, Denim Richards & Mo Brings Plenty—also talk about their friendship and working with “Paco”. Includes slideshows of the photography.
• The Heartbeat of Yellowstone: Chief Joseph Ranch (11:00)
  Shane Libel, the owner of the Chief Joseph Ranch that is used for the Dutton Ranch in the series, discusses the history of the property and how he was approached to use the ranch for the series. Includes interviews with executive producer David C. Glasser, director/director of photography/executive producer Christina Alexandra Voros, and actors Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, Wes Bentley, Jen Landon, Denim Richards & Ian Bohen.
• Stories from the Bunkhouse (1:30:13)
  Stars Denim Richards, Ian Bohen and Jefferson White (“Jimmy Hurdsrom”) sit down in the bunkhouse to discuss the events of each episode, and share some fun behind-the-scenes stories. Select from:
  • Desire Is All You Need (12:55)
    A look at Episode 9
  • The Apocalypse of Change (9:39)
    A look at Episode 10
  • Three Fifty-Three (11:17)
    A look at Episode 11
  • Counting Coup (11:31)
    A look at Episode 12
  • Give the World Away (8:27)
    A look at Episode 13
  • Life Is a Promise (20:16)
    A look at Episode 14
  • Ranch Retrospective (8:55)
    A look back at the series as a whole.
  • Wheeler of Misfortune (7:13)
    The guys play a trivia game looking back at some of the characters who met their misfortune.
• Collectible Cards
  Plastic-wrapped to the Blu-ray case, under the slipcover, is an envelope containing 5 postcards with prints from photographer Emerson Miller. The postcards feature photos of Beth Dutton, Rip Wheeler (x2), Kayce and Monica, & The Bunkhouse Crew on the front, as well as a related quote or saying on the back.

Final Thoughts:

In its final episodes, and despite losing star Kevin Costner, Yellowstone does an excellent job of sticking the landing and providing a satisfying conclusion for the characters and the series. Part 2 of the Fifth Season explores the compelling and exciting character drama of the Dutton family and the folks who work on the ranch, while also showcasing the beauty of Montana/Texas and the life of a cowboy. The disc release includes the final 6 episodes of the series as well as 2.5 hours of entertaining bonus material. The audio/video presentation is top notch and an easy recommendation for any fan of the series. While a new viewer could probably jump in and still enjoy these final episodes, this is a show that’s probably best enjoyed from the beginning.