Yellowstone

Greek Tragedy Under the Big Sky (but not Really)

"Leverage is knowing that if somebody had all the money in the world, this is what they'd buy." John Dutton (played by Kevin Costner) talking about Dutton Ranch on the Paramount show Yellowstone.

When we lived in Colorado, our family watched Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, as it was set in Colorado Springs, where we lived for 12 years. While a bit melodramatic, the show was fun for the girls (who were also a bit melodramatic, being 5 and under) when the characters talked about Pike's Peak and Garden of the Gods (we lived nine houses down from the latter in Pleasant Valley).

Now that we live in Montana, Megan Dunham and I thought we might check out Yellowstone, a series set in Paradise Valley, 20 miles east of Bozeman (the actual ranch used for the fictional Dutton Ranch is three hours west of Bozeman, with additional filming done in other parts of Montana and Utah). The outdoor scenery is as beautiful as what we're used to seeing here everyday, with downtown Bozeman itself (as well as the state capitol building in Helena) making some nice cameos.

But here's where the drama breaks from reality. Maybe we're just running with a different crowd here in Bozeman, but if anyone outside Montana was to watch Yellowstone, he or she might assume this "Greek tragedy under the Big Sky" is really the way it is. It's not (for the most part).

It's true that several things portrayed on the show matter: land and water rights are a huge deal for property ownership and ranching livestock; relations between whites and Native Americans can sometimes be prickly due to the West's tension-tinged history; the relationship between the public and the Bureau of Land Management is always interesting; and Bozeman's expansion as the fastest growing micropolitan (under 50,000 people) in the country for the past three years can certainly complicate things for the city as well as for families who have lived outside city limits for multiple generations, particularly when they feel that some moving to the Gallatin Valley don't appreciate it for what it is and has been.

But there really aren't that many bar brawls or hired hand brandings going on in these parts. Cattle rustling is rare, and there aren't many landowners who aren't aware of or respectful of the law in how they work their property. Yes, there are plenty of wealthy ranch owners around, but their wealth is tied up in their land (and I don't know too many who fly around town in their private helicopters or manipulate city or state leaders just because they can).

Though it's definitely growing, Bozeman is still a small town; I know and go to church with one of our U.S. senators every Sunday, know and occasionally see our lone U.S. representative, and inevitably run into folks I know when I'm downtown or wherever I go. People are generally (and genuinely) kind (except for California drivers, as stereotypical as it may sound).

So, if you watch Yellowstone (and be warned, it's not family-friendly fare like Dr. Quinn for reasons of language and “adult situations”), know that Montana is not quite as dramatic or dysfunctional as the show portrays. Enjoy the great scenery and the good acting (Costner and crew are at their best), but rest assured the Dunhams aren't joining a Montana mob anytime soon.