Yellowstone (2018)

Even as "Yellowstone" remains the entertainment equivalent of a nice steak dinner – always good, always predictable, no real need to fuss with the formula – there is just the slightest hint that things are going stale in Season 5. New characters and conflicts are introduced, but they feel just a shade too repetitive of seasons past.

Luckily, all the regular nonsense that Yellowstone is known and celebrated for remains. ... Rip gets to do a lot of yelling at his employees, there are still many horses, and my eyes still glaze over whenever anyone from Market Equities yells about the airport. It's still Yellowstone, but John just wears a lot more ties, and I guess it's hard to complain about that.

The show does remain compulsively watchable in spite of its intensely varying stakes — there's as much weight placed on the battle for Montana real estate or corporate land pollution as there is the unexpected death of a horse. The central cast itself is as strong as they've ever been, but there are also hints of Sheridan pulling from at least one tired character archetype in Season 5 newcomer Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri).

The sleeper stars of this first episode of season five are obviously the actors who get to play younger versions of the show’s core characters. ... Season 5 of Yellowstone, its longest yet, has the future of the Duttons, their ranch, and the complexion of the state they call home in its steady rifle sights.

In the Season 5 premiere, Sheridan draws on his well-broken-in “Yellowstone” playbook, giving a variety of characters moments to be funny (the crew at the ranch bunkhouse), sassy (Beth’s withering putdowns of those who displease her) or warm (Rip’s sympathetic understanding of Beth). But Sheridan also indulges in a few too many speeches from John. ... If the Season 5 premiere of “Yellowstone” doesn’t exactly soar, it does serve up “Dallas”-style drama, juicy performances (particularly by Reilly) and gorgeous scenery.

While always bordering on too melodramatic, the series was always entertaining enough to forgive some of its perhaps too over-the-top and sensational writing conveniences and contrivances. But right now, it’s stagnating. The meal is edible, and perhaps for new audiences, it’ll still taste flavorful. But if you’ve been on the ride for five seasons and know all the way this colt bucks and lurches.

The premiere clocks in at 64 minutes and spends nearly 40 of them touching base with all the characters and indulging in moments with Yellowstone’s resident cowboy cutups before a shocking final sequence ends on a cliffhanger. ... “Yellowstone” might be losing its focus with so many characters to juggle.