Why Yellowstone is just Succession for cowboys

❘ Published: 2023-12-29T11:00:00

The cast of Yellowstone and Kevin Costner in Succession

HBO/Paramount

You might think the cowboy kingdom of the Dutton family and the cutthroat corporate landscape of Waystar Royco are worlds apart, but you’d be wrong. In fact, Yellowstone and Succession are eerily similar in a multitude of ways; from the overarching themes addressed in both shows, right down to character traits and family dynamics.

While Yellowstone is regarded as something of a soap opera masquerading as a serious drama series, Succession is deservedly placed upon a pedestal as one of the very best TV series of the modern era, if not ever. That’s not to detract from the Taylor Sheridan TV show, though. Yellowstone may be a little more cheesy and theatrical at times, but it still packs a punch and keeps you on the edge of your seat, delivering just the right level of thrills and chaos to get you absolutely hooked on the escapades of the Duttons.

What Yellowstone may lack in nuance, it more than makes up for in its endearing and authentic characters, which is testament to Sheridan’s work as a writer. Succession, on the other hand, is made up of quite frankly the most horrible people imaginable: let’s face it, the Roy family wouldn’t spit on you if you were on fire. And yet, we can’t help but be enthralled by the tangle of their ludicrously lavish lives.

With the Succession finale bringing the show to a blistering end back in May 2023, I was left with a huge hole in my life. I needed a new multi-season show to throw myself into, and Yellowstone was the perfect replacement. I never quite expected a series about cowboys to be my next big obsession, but here we are, and I think a large part of my affinity with Yellowstone is down to the fact it’s such a brilliant companion piece to Succession.

Yellowstone and Succession revolve around rich families and their enemies

First of all, the general conceit of both shows is pretty much exactly the same. In a nutshell, both Yellowstone and Succession revolve around a very rich family who will stop at nothing to protect what they love the most: their empire. It doesn’t matter that one of those empires is a huge ranch in the heart of Montana, while the other is a multi-billion dollar media conglomerate in New York City.

Throughout five seasons of Yellowstone we’ve witnessed a bunch of different enemies – from venture capitalists to rogue cowboys – looking to strip the Duttons of their land, cattle, and influence. So far, they have all failed, but we haven’t reached the end of the road in that story just yet, and there’s still plenty of time for a Succession-esque capitulation.

Succession was much the same, with other corporations, entrepreneurs, and even the FBI threatening to pull the rug from underneath the Roy family. Ultimately, it was (rather fittingly) the dysfunctional, power-hungry Roy siblings who caused their own downfall. Still, they did get a fairly attractive buyout for their troubles, proving the rich and powerful never really lose.

These two shows don’t just share common ground with regard to their narratives, though. No, it turns out the best Yellowstone characters are also carbon copies of the main players in Jesse Armstrong’s corporate comedy series. Accents and attire aside, these similarities are so uncanny that I think we should check whether Sheridan had been hiding in the Succession writers’ room all along.

The patriarchs of both families are exceptionally grumpy guys, the kind you wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of – though John Dutton is slightly warmer than Logan Roy, and yet arguably more dangerous. They’re also both incredibly powerful and pragmatic men, who have the authority and charisma needed to convince anyone to follow them. As hardened traditionalists, both John and Logan carry very strong values and a staunch refusal to compromise, but can often be too stubborn for their own good.

I wouldn’t put either of these men up for Parent of the Year awards, either. Let’s face it, Logan is absolutely abhorrent; the way he manipulates Kendall, Shiv, and Roman is tantamount to abuse, and I honestly don’t know if he ever even loved his offspring at all. John isn’t quite as bad – he definitely adores Beth, and has a great level of respect for Kayce – but his treatment of Jamie is cruel, to say the least.

The Duttons are just like the Roys… almost

Kevin Costner and the main cast of Yellowstone

Speaking of daddy issues, both Logan and John have raised almost identical children, too. Jamie Dutton, for example, follows a similar trajectory to Kendall Roy. Both commit their life to following in their father’s footsteps, doing everything they are told to do, but it’s never good enough.

Jamie becomes a lawyer at his father’s behest, but John then resents his adoptive son for the path he takes – talk about unfair treatment. Kendall, meanwhile, tries his best to be a beast of business just like Logan, but ends up being belittled by Logan every time he attempts any kind of power play. Ultimately, both Kendall and Jamie become hellbent on overthrowing their father and destroying their respective empires.

It’s impossible not to compare Beth Dutton with Shiv Roy, too. Both are strong-willed, shrewd, and intimidating women who, though initially positioned outside of the family businesses, become embroiled in the heart of the chaos. Hell, Beth even has her own Tom Wambsgans in the form of Rip Wheeler – men who marry into the family and rise through the ranks to positions of power.

There is an exception to this rule, though. In no way, shape, or form, are Kayce Dutton and Roman Roy alike. Kayce is compassionate, has a strong sense of morals, and has the absolute affections of his father. Roman, on the other hand, is a sexual deviant and a sycophant, deemed a joke of a human being by Logan.

Yellowstone and Succession even share a similar visual flair. While Alexander Voros, the cinematographer on the former, captures a more rustic and natural landscape, the documentarian-esque lens of Succession brings something animalistic and raw to the screen which wouldn’t look out of place in the mountains of Montana. Both shows hinge on decadent vistas; they just find them in very different places.

If there is one thing that all of these comparisons prove, it’s that we as audiences crave stories about betrayal, greed, and most importantly, complex familial relationships, regardless of the setting.

These narratives resonate with us because we all know how difficult it can be to be part of a family, and in some ways, seeing the messy lives of the Duttons and the Roys reminds us it could always be worse, too. The betrayal and the greed? Well, that’s just damn good entertainment, and any writer worth their salt knows they can get us hooked with a few back stabbings and power plays.

You can also check out our other Yellowstone coverage below: