Determined to protect his land and legacy at any cost, John Dutton (Kevin Costner, two-time Academy Award®, Golden Globe® and Emmy® winner) takes his fight to the halls of government in the most explosive season of Yellowstone yet. But with greater power comes further scrutiny…of his family, his land, and the morally questionable measures he’s taken to protect them both. As new threats emerge and old enemies return, John, Beth, Kayce, Rip, and Jamie learn that power has a price. Head back to the ranch and dive into the first 8 episodes of Season 5 along with never-before-seen bonuses that include exclusive interviews with cast and crew. In these featurettes, we explore the relationships between fan-favorite couples Rip & Beth and Kayce & Monica, an in-depth look at the iconic music of Yellowstone, the process of bringing the Yellowstone world to life, and more!

For previous thoughts on Yellowstone, check out my reviews of Season 3 and Season 4.

For thoughts on Yellowstone: Season 5, Volume 1, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/xJzY33ZLWzM?t=4765]

Video Quality

Yellowstone: Season 5, Volume 1 arrives on Blu-Ray courtesy of Paramount Home Entertainment with a pretty great AVC encoded 1080p transfer. This presentation is a step up from the streaming and broadcast versions of the show, which suffer slightly from being overly compressed. The series has a natural color palette that deftly captures the gorgeous locations showcasing this area of the country. There are some indelible instances of vibrant colors popping off the screen, especially in the deep green grass and blue open skies. Skin tones appear natural and consistent across the entire cast with the most discrete facial details on display.

The depth of detail in this presentation pushes the format to its limits, as all of the subtle aspects of the costumes and production design are impeccably defined. Black levels are very deep and give way to a nice amount of detail in shadows. Highlights do not fall victim to any blooming in this presentation. There are no obvious instances of aliasing or compression artifacts detectable here. This Blu-Ray delivers on all fronts for this well crafted series.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with an enveloping Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless track that represents this series very nicely. Dialogue radiates out clearly without being overshadowed by the evocative score or any sound effects. The music from Brian Tyler and Breton Vivian continues to set the appropriate tone for the story. All instances of music are presented with formidable fidelity within the mix.

This is not an action-forward series in the traditional sense, but kinetic moments are given the appropriate power in the mix when the story calls for it. There are some standout moments throughout the season that present a powerful showing in the low end. Environmental sounds are a natural aspect of this track as it shows off the sounds of the world such as the blowing wind or noises from animals. These ambient sounds are precisely placed in the surround channels. You could not ask for much more from this excellent audio presentation.

Special Features

Behind the Story: Every episode is given an accompanying in-depth featurette which amounts to over 50 minutes of material all together. Through these videos you get a closer look at certain characters, an analysis of plot developments, highlights from the episodes and more. These are fun additions that are worthwhile for fans.

- One Hundred Years Is Nothing (4:52)

- The Sting Of Wisdom (6:02)

- Tall Drink Of Water (7:02)

- Horses In Heaven (6:02)

- Watch ‘Em Ride Away (6:02)

- Cigarettes, Whiskey, A Meadow and You (7:22)

- The Dream Is Not Me (7:37)

- A Knife and No Coin (7:30)

Undeniable Passion – Beth & Rip/Monica & Kayce: An 18-minute featurette in which the performers discuss their characters, the dynamics they have with one another, the journeys that their characters are on, their futures and more.

Musical Crosscurrents with Composers Brian Tyler & Breton Vivian: A nearly 14-minute featurette which takes a look at the creation of the wonderful score for the series, their work with Taylor Sheridan, the ways in which the series has expanded their creative arsenal and much more.

Giving Everything To This Land – Yellowstone Returns: A 36-minute look at the narrative arc of the season, evolving character dynamics, the camaraderie on set, the future of the show and more. This is surprisingly meaty and worth checking out as a supplement to the show..

Inside Yellowstone Season 5: A three-minute piece that examines how this season is an evolution from the previous seasons, new additions to the cast, big revelations and more.

Yellowstone – Inside The Phenomenon: A 22-minute special which previews this season and gives you a pretty decent look behind the scenes of the series with interviews with the cast and creative team.

Inside The Real Yellowstone Ranch: A four-minute interview with the family that owns the ranch that is used for filming the series about their experiences providing the location for the show.

Yellowstone – Stories from the Bunkhouse: A collection of eight behind-the-scenes discussions with various cast members including Denim Richards and Ian Bohen that offer an amusing take on each episode. All of these videos together total over 40 minutes of fun content that will keep you entertained.