As the Yellowstone franchise expands with Dutton Ranch’s official Paramount+ debut today, we’ve ranked all five of its shows (including the two prequels) from worst to best. The rankings are based on each Yellowstone shows’ approval ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. Dutton Ranch debuts more than a year after the main show ended its five-season run.
All 5 Yellowstone TV shows ranked by RT score
5) Marshals
Two months after its premiere, Marshals has garnered the franchise’s lowest ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. It currently holds a Rotten rating of 42%, which is uncommon for Yellowstone shows. Most critics believed that the sequel spin-off gets lost in its generic procedural format and doesn’t have the same intrigue and spark that viewers loved about the Yellowstone shows.
Paramount+’s first Yellowstone sequel is described as a police procedural drama starring franchise star Luke Grimes as he reprises his role as Kayce Dutton. After selling his family’s iconic ranch to Chief Rainwater and the Broken Rock Reservation at the end of Yellowstone, Kayce decides to join an elite unit of U.S. Marshals. It is created and executive-produced by Spencer Hudnut. Joining Grimes are Logan Marshall-Green, Arielle Kebbel, Ash Santos, Tatanka Means, and Brett Cullen. Despite the negative reviews, it still managed to score a Season 2 renewal from CBS.
4) Yellowstone
Surprisingly, series creator Taylor Sheridan’s flagship show, Yellowstone, isn’t one of the franchise’s highest-ranking shows. The neo-Western family drama series wrapped its five-season run with an average approval rating of 83%. It would have ranked higher if it weren’t for the mixed reviews it received from critics during Season 1. As the show progressed, critics and fans began to love its intriguing cinematography, family dynamics, and intense drama.
Yellowstone was created and executive-produced by Sheridan and John Linson. The story centered around the Dutton family, led by John Dutton, who controls the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States. The ensemble cast included Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille, Brecken Merrill, and more. Despite its popularity, it only lasted for five seasons from 2018 to 2024, following Costner’s controversial exit in Season 5.
3) Dutton Ranch
Dutton Ranch serves as the newest spin-off of the franchise. Early reviews for the show have been promising so far. It currently has a Fresh score of 86%, earning its top 3 spot on the list. Many critics are praising the new Yellowstone series as a worthy successor of the main show, noting that fans will be delighted with the main cast’s stellar performances.
Dutton Ranch is created and executive-produced by showrunner Chad Feehan. Starring Yellowstone fan-favorites Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, the spin-off centers around Beth and Rip’s new lives in Texas, where they have decided to own a small ranch of their own. However, things are never really simple if you’re a Dutton. They suddenly find themselves in conflict with a ruthless rival ranch that sees them as a threat to their empire. They are joined by Academy Award nominees Ed Harris and Annette Bening.
2) 1883
1883 is described as a Western miniseries. It was Sheridan’s first Yellowstone prequel following the success of the main show. The 2021 limited drama debuted with an impressive Fresh score of 89%. Critics were captivated by the prequel’s compelling and grittier Wild West story. They also loved the show’s terrific cast, including its A-list cameos.
The spin-off was led by Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sam Elliott, Isabel May, and LaMonica Garrett. They were joined by guest stars Billy Bob Thornton, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Graham Greene, and more. It explored the Dutton family’s journey from Texas to the Great Plains to seek a better future in Montana.
1) 1923
1923 is a two-season prequel drama led by Academy Award winners Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford. It is currently the franchise’s highest-rated installment with an average RT score of 94%. However, despite garnering an overwhelmingly positive reception from critics, the show wasn’t well-received by audiences. Compared to its high approval ratings, its Popcornmeter scores were significantly low (Season 1 – 58%, Season 2 – 51%).
The star-studded prequel is centered around a different generation of the Dutton family as they face a new set of challenges. The cast also included Brandon Sklenar, Julia Schlaepfer, Jerome Flynn, Darren Mann, Brian Geraghty, Aminah Nieves, Michelle Randolph, and Timothy Dalton.
