Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2 is set hit Australian screens in 2024. Yak Writer, Ben Collison explores how the critically acclaimed series dives into the raw issues afflicting the agricultural industry in our own backyard.

For many, our parent’s generation grew up on the heroic exploits of cowboys battling it out across the western pastures of America. Immortalised during the golden age of the silver screen with the likes of The Duke riding off into the sunset, the era of the cowboy sadly rode along with him and became the stuff of legends.

Cattle Herding outside Uralla, NSW. Image courtesy of BDPS Photography

Laying dormant for a generation with the sporadic remake of classics like True Grit and 3:10 To Yuma making a rare appearance; this nostalgic genre has seen a revitalisation of late through the award-winning series Yellowstone created by Taylor Sheridan. With its spin-offs, 1886 and 1923 and upcoming arc story, Yellowstone: 6666; the era of cowboys and cowgirls is firmly back in the saddle.

Penned as The Sopranos meets the wild frontier, Yellowstone has enthralled viewers worldwide with its gritty violence and House of Cards-styled thriller; the Duttons continue the generational fight of running and protecting their ranch.

Whilst Yellowstone gives a modern take on how the West was won; the battles between ranchers, outside interests, and tensions with Native Americans, Yellowstone showcases an interesting perspective on the life of a stockman and the battles that the agricultural sector faces daily. It also highlights the ongoing challenges that have afflicted Indigenous communities as they struggle to maintain a balance between their traditional customs and the rapidly evolving modern world.

But a common theme often lost within the series’ dramatic exploits are the traditional values and rugged life of those who make a living off the land. Upon reflection, viewers should appreciate this narrative with the same adoration as they do the well-developed character arcs.

Yellowstone showcases the tenacity and steadfast determination of the agricultural sector. Bringing one of the global economies’ most vital sectors to the forefront of viewers’ minds.

Thunderbolt Way NSW. Image courtesy of BDPS Photography

This is nothing new for many of the student cohort from the University of Newcastle who stem from regional New South Wales and know all too well the hardships that regional and rural Australia face daily. Life on the land is an ongoing battle. Yellowstone sheds away any romantic notion and presents a dramatised representation of cowboying in its rawest form.

Whilst climate change remains a pressing issue affecting farmers, in this writer’s opinion the conversation is being lost amid a flurry of political discourse. You will not find a more committed environmentalist than a farmer. The land is their lifeblood. It is the source of their essence to which their fortunes are tied.

The political discussion around climate change whilst well-intentioned lacks the balance to foster strong and more sustainable agricultural communities. It neglects the valuable input from those at the forefront of the effects of climate change in our agricultural industry. The conversation is being steered by those removed from these communities. Their intentions are good but place the prosperity, biosecurity, and wellbeing of millions of Australians at a significant disadvantage. Thinking locally will encourage authentic solutions to these problems.

Masterfully scripted, Yellowstone dives into this very topic through protagonist John Dutton’s political rise throughout the series. His approach to agrarian protectionism is often touted as the dream of farmers everywhere. And to be frank, maybe that is what we need in this country.

The series also explores the values of the West. A throwback to a time that I would describe as more wholesome, personified in Australia by John Williamsons’ classic ‘True Blue’. The traditional values of the West of helping a mate out, being part of the community and what it means to be a citizen are reinforced in their own unique way throughout the season.

Yellowstone also explores the generational attachment life on the land has. Protagonist and patriarch John Dutton portrayed by Kevin Costner, is a seventh generation rancher in the series. Something that is not too uncommon in the real world. Land is often passed from one generation to another however as represented in the series, younger generations often seek to pivot aw

Open sky country, Bretti NSW. Image courtesy of BDPS Photography

ay and explore new avenues. Kacey Dutton (portrayed by Luke Grimes) leaves the ranch to become a US Navy Seal and Jamie Dutton (portrayed by Wes Bentley) returns to the ranch after studying law at Harvard.  As the business of farming becomes tougher by the season, the future of our own agricultural sector grows thinner and the era of generational farming draws to an end.

Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 is set to return to the screen in late 2024 following a series of production delays (industrial action), viewers will have to get their fill by reliving every moment of this stellar series.

This extended break between parts serves as a unique opportunity for audiences to reflect on the subtleties Yellowstone explores, and the role of the audience in playing our part in fostering and protecting our agricultural industry.

Beneath the bullets, bull riding and brawls lies a timeless story that compliments the breathtaking setting of the Yellowstone. One that educates as much as it entertains.

Yellowstone has the power to enable audiences to connect directly with it’s aesthetic setting. One does not have to travel to the big sky state of Montana or the picturesque pastures of West Texas to get the Yellowstone experience.

The same iconic scenery is found all over this great state and country of ours. The Greater Hunter, Manning, Hastings, New England, and Northern Rivers regions are at our doorstep and are prime examples of how spectacular our farming heartland truly is.

Feature Image by BDPS Photography