It’s been over a year since the surprising announcement that Kevin Costner, the two-time Oscar winner best known for Dances With Wolves, would be leaving the hit Western series Yellowstone. The split came amid reported creative clashes between Costner and series creator Taylor Sheridan, as well as the actor’s desire to focus on his passion project, Horizon: An American Saga. Despite being one of the decade’s most popular shows, and with Costner as a marquee star, the partnership came to an abrupt end.

Interestingly, the premiere episode without Costner turned out to be the most-watched episode in the show’s history—though the Field of Dreams star admitted he wasn’t even aware it had aired. What once seemed like a strong collaboration has since felt anything but amicable. In a recent interview, Costner opened up about his decision to leave and shared his candid reasons for stepping away from the show’s final chapters.

“I’m willing to do anything where I feel like what I’m doing is for myself,” Costner explained. “It doesn’t have to be a Western; it could be something else. But when something is no longer interesting to me, or when there’s another reason I need to move on, I’m willing to do that.”

He went on to share a deeper philosophy about his work and creativity:
“I think you can write a short story and it can live forever. You can write a novel and it can live forever. You can make a short movie and it can live forever. It’s about how you’re telling it, and whether other people can relate to it and be moved by it. That’s why certain books continue to live with us, passed down through generations. My hope is to stay relevant—not just to myself but to those who find my work. I can’t create something specifically to find them; I can only create from what I’m feeling and my own sensibility. And hopefully, when they do find it, it moves them.”

What Is the Highest-Rated Season of Yellowstone?

Though Yellowstone has become one of the most acclaimed shows of the past decade, it’s surprising to note that its initial reception was mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a modest 58% critic score, though audiences clearly connected from the start, giving it a strong 83% approval rating.

So which season is the highest-rated? By critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, Season 3 stands out as the best, boasting a flawless 100% critic score. In contrast, the final season didn’t fare as well, especially with audiences, ranking among the lowest-rated installments in the series.