In the BTS promo for his new series, creator Taylor Sheridan stresses the epic nature of the show, comparing it to movies, and he wasn't boasting or kidding. Though his meteoric success in TV, arguably the biggest splash since producers Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy made the scene, has already drawn the inevitable detractors, this prequel to "Yellowstone" is the immediately gripping, sprawling saga fans want to see.
Having true superstars Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford is quite an asset, each bringing both skill and gravitas to their ancestral roles. This opening episode notably has shock effects bookending the show, from Mirren's introduction in full "don't mess with me" fighting stance to antihero Brandon Sklenar's violent cliffhanger finale in Kenya.
It was a pleasurable surprise to see Sheridan's daring inclusion of not only the Dark Continent subplot with Great White Hunter Sklenar's adventure but even a credible World War I flashback to broaden the story far beyond Montana. Sklenar especially impressed me, embodying a character actor type of leading man reminiscent of young Tommy Lee Jones. And the now-familiar voice of Isabel May from "1883" as narrator was a great idea.
I confess to being a Sheridan fan -I greatly enjoyed even his flop to date, Angelina Jolie and Finn Little in "Those Who Wish Me Dead". He's an unlikely Hollywood mogul, but let's all hope he manages "to keep up the good work".