Every Yellowstone Show Ranked (Including Dutton Ranch)

When "Yellowstone" first premiered as Paramount Network's inaugural "prestige" drama, few likely had any idea the type of franchise it would become. But with the rise of streaming, the contemporary horse opera blew up and creator Taylor Sheridan quickly became a household name. Originally pitched to HBO as a drama starring Robert Redford, the concept was reworked by Sheridan with Kevin Costner as the lead for Paramount. Now, five series later, the results speak for themselves.

The complete Yellowstone universe is full of neo-Western soaps, riveting period dramas, contemporary cowboy stories, police procedurals, and classical Western epics. There's no shortage of material, with over 100 episodes of television to choose from across prequels, sequels, and everything in between. Of course, the question of which of these shows is the best is a bit more subjective, though we took a stab at ranking all five entries (including "Dutton Ranch") based on both critical and audience sensibilities.

Evaluating audience scores on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes as well as critical reviews of each Duttonverse entry, we've listed these shows from least worthy of a binge to best. (And no, before you ask, "The Madison" is not part of the franchise.) Our results may surprise you, but anyone who has spent any amount of quality time with the Duttons will understand. So, saddle up and strap on your holster, because here is the entire Yellowstone universe ranked.

• Created By: Spencer Hudnut
• Cast: Luke Grimes, Logan Marshall-Green, Gil Birmingham
• Episode Count: 13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 45%
• Where to Watch: Paramount+

The first post-"Yellowstone" production traded in the prestige and TV-MA ratings associated with Paramount Network for the tried-and-true procedural format by airing on CBS. "Marshals" follows Kayce Dutton (Grimes) in the aftermath of the death of his wife, Monica (Kelsey Asbille). Now a widower seeking to run his small ranch and raise his son, Tate (Brecken Merrill), Kayce is pulled into law enforcement to defend not only Paradise Valley, but the Broken Rock reservation as well.

"Marshals" finally gives Kayce something to do in a way that "Yellowstone" never could. In joining the U.S. Marshals — at the behest of his friend and former Navy SEAL commander Pete "Cal" Calvin (Marshall-Green) — he discovers a way to atone for his family's sins. Of course, that doesn't mean that he gets off easily. A visit to the Zone of Death – aka "the train station" — reminds Kayce that the past can still haunt you, and he does everything he can to keep his family secrets while living up to the badge.

"Yellowstone" cast members Gil Birmingham and Mo Brings Plenty return as Chairman Thomas Rainwater and Mo, respectively, and Kayce is joined by a new team that includes the mysterious Belle Skinner (Arielle Kebbel), Miles Kittle (Tatanka Means), and Andrea Cruz (Ash Santos). Though the show dives a bit more into Kayce's background as a former SEAL, it often gets stuck in the network television rut of being unable to make good on its complicated and half-baked character arcs.

• Created By: Taylor Sheridan, John Linson
• Cast: Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly
• Episode Count: 53
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
• Where to Watch: Peacock

The original Taylor Sheridan drama, "Yellowstone" is the series that started it all. Kevin Costner's breakout television triumph, the modern horse opera follows patriarch John Dutton as he battles all the encroaching forces that would strip him of his land and legacy. With children Kayce (Grimes), Beth (Reilly), and Jamie (Wes Bentley) by his side, he battles greedy land developers, Wall Street investors, and the local Native American tribes for possession of his Rhode Island-sized ranch.

In their fight to ensure the legacy of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, the estranged family members often battle one another, with John and Kayce often at odds and a historic hatred between Beth and Jamie. Foreman Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) is tasked with all the dirty work as long-time Yellowstone cowboys are branded with that infamous "Y" to prove their loyalty to the family and the land. While one could argue over the ways "Yellowstone" lies about Montana, the show has become more than simple entertainment: it's become a movement.

Whether you love "Yellowstone" for all its intense moments or just enjoy the visual splendor of the modern American West, five seasons and 53 episodes is quite the commitment for a show that has no trouble recycling the same plotlines and character arcs over and over. There's a reason many consider "Yellowstone" a soap opera akin to "Dallas" — and yet, that has never stopped the die-hards from watching.

• Created By: Taylor Sheridan
• Cast: Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, Brandon Sklenar
• Episode Count: 16
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
• Where to Watch: Paramount+

The second prequel in the Yellowstone universe, "1923" takes place in the eponymous year as a Prohibition-era band of Duttons face the same struggles that would characterize their descendants' existence — only with arguably more violence. Jacob (Ford) and Cara Dutton (Mirren) have taken over the Yellowstone from the former's brother after his death, raising their children, John (James Badge Dale) and Spencer (Sklenar) — as well as John's son Jack (Darren Mann) — in their stead.

While technically still a neo-Western, "1923" takes place closer to the Old West period than the flagship Dutton drama, with plenty of horseplay, gunplay, and Western flair to keep things interesting. As Jacob, Cara, Jack, and Jack's wife Liz (Michelle Randolph) battle the likes of business mogul Donald Whitfield (Timothy Dalton), Spencer deals with PTSD from The Great War by hunting wild beasts in Africa, where he falls in love with British socialite Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer).

Aside from the Duttons themselves, "1923" also covers the plight of the Native Americans at the time, as Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves) flees an oppressive religious boarding school. The only Duttonverse series with two seasons apart from "Yellowstone" itself (though "Marshals" has already been renewed), "1923" is a historical drama that pulls no punches with the period and many of the injustices that were quite commonplace at the time. Though audiences everywhere ought to be warned, this show is very TV-MA.

• Created By: Chad Feehan
• Cast: Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, Annette Bening
• Episode Count: 9
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
• Where to Watch: Paramount+

The second post-"Yellowstone" drama, "Dutton Ranch" is in many respects the true successor to Sheridan's original series. After Beth (Reilly) and Rip (Hauser) leave Montana in the aftermath of a terrible wildfire, they relocate to Rio Paloma, Texas, with their adoptive son Carter (Finn Little) to start a new life. Unlike Kayce's spin-off, "Dutton Ranch" carries over that intense "Yellowstone" look and feel, especially as the new Dutton Ranch falls into some of the same troubles as the old one.

"Dutton Ranch" introduces Beth and Rip to local cattle tycoon Beulah Jackson (Bening), who becomes their latest adversary as she tries to usurp their small operation. Aside from this explosive rivalry, the pair must also deal with Carter's budding romance with Jackson's granddaughter Oreana (Natalie Alyn Lind), the troubled past of ranch hand Zachariah (Marc Menchaca), and the cultural differences between the Lone Star and Treasure States.

While creator-showrunner Chad Feehan was fired ahead of the first season, "Dutton Ranch" is going strong as a worthy sequel to the original series. Time will tell if it will remain high on this list, but from what we've seen thus far, there's more potential down in Texas than the franchise may have had in Montana — although "Marshals" may be setting up a crossover in the near future.

• Created By: Taylor Sheridan
• Cast: Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, Isabel May
• Episode Count: 10
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
• Where to Watch: Paramount+

Undoubtedly the best installment of the Duttonverse saga thus far is "1883." The original "Yellowstone" prequel, labeled "a 'Yellowstone' origin story," this Old West tale follows the original band of Duttons who forged the path to Montana. James (McGraw) and Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill) are joined by their teenage daughter Elsa (May) and their young son John (Audie Rick) on a wagon train led by former Union Army captain Shea Brennan (Elliott) and his companion Thomas (LaMonica Garrett). If you've ever wondered what the trail westward was like, "1883" will make it plain for you.

The travelers battle everything from enraged Indians and outlaws to roaring rivers and the thunderous elements. Every danger imaginable is found on the journey west, though the Duttons fight tooth-and-nail to make it there. Of course, rather than settling in Oregon, they plant themselves in Paradise Valley — with the heartbreaking death of Elsa Dutton as the catalyst — but this 10-part saga is a sobering reminder of the bravery and courage of those who made such attempts. Filled with plenty of historical characters and period-accurate details, "1883" is Taylor Sheridan's television masterpiece.

It was the success of "1883" that led Paramount to continue seeking "Yellowstone" prequels, spin-offs, and eventually sequels. The story of James and Margaret would continue during Season 4 of "Yellowstone," leading to the events that would be concluded in "1923." But don't let that fool you: "1883" is as complete a Western miniseries as you can get — and it's worth the watch even for those with no interest in the larger Dutton story.