When the OG "Yellowstone" finished its run on December 15, 2024 (there are still miniseries and spinoffs either continuing or yet to debut), there was a vigorous discussion among fans about whether creator Taylor Sheridan did justice to the Dutton saga he told with little-to-no help in the department for writing over five seasons. That this Yellowstone staple was his model train to construct, expand and, if he so chose, destroy doesn't seem to worry longtime viewers of the show. Sure, they followed the drama off-screen and weren't terribly thrilled when Kevin Costner's main character was killed off, but for the most part, they just wanted to see an ultra-suddy yarn, convincingly put, brought to a satisfying conclusion. And they believed that, above all, that's what Sheridan wanted too.

To his credit, Sheridan seemed to know what his fan base wanted. Just look at the IMDb ratings and the fact that the Yellowstone franchise looks as strong as ever. They may not have gotten exactly what they wanted all the time, but, to quote the Rolling Stones, they generally got what they needed. Did he ever lose them? He came closer. And judging by those IMDb numbers, it came out when the reception was good (and leaving many questions unanswered).

According to IMDb, the "worst" episode of Yellowstone was season 5, episode 13, episode "Give the World." This was the episode when the character Sheridan wrote for himself, Travis Wheatley, gained attention and became the angry and hardworking savior of the Dutton family. And while /Filmmaker Kieran Fisher denigrated Sheridan's onanist spectaclethe episode still rates a respectable seven out of 10 on IMDb. (There are Best Picture winners with a lower score than that.)

What's wrong with Give the World? According to some discriminating "Yellowstone" viewers, it serves as a ridiculous ego-boost for Sheridan. Wheatley occasionally shoots topless and, in one hilarious instance, is seen playing strip poker with supermodels (including frequent sidekick Bella Hadid). He also gets to show off his bull riding expertise, which even impresses the tough Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly).

In the future, Sheridan could well understand that even his most die-hard fans would like him to stick to writing. Is it encouraging for people of a certain age to see 54-year-old Sheridan walking around like a 20-year-old stub? It has its appeal, yes. But for those of us who lack access to a home gym and certain fancy routines, we wish the screenwriter who gave us "Sicario" and "Hell or High Water" would go back to the brutal basics. because this is beyond ridiculous.