The response? Fans have expressed disappointment and frustration, as seen in the show’s plunging audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. With Yellowstone Season 5 now airing, Rotten Tomatoes shows it as the series’ lowest-rated season by fans—by a considerable margin. Here’s how the scores currently stand:

• Season 2: 90% audience score, 89% critic score
• Season 3: 87% audience score, 100% critic score
• Season 4: 82% audience score, 91% critic score
• Season 1: 83% audience score, 57% critic score
• Season 5: 40% audience score, 84% critic score

As these scores reveal, Yellowstone’s final season has left fans feeling deeply disappointed in the direction the show is heading in its final episodes. Despite an impressive 84% critic score, the audience score has plummeted to 40%, less than half of any prior season. For a show that has traditionally enjoyed high praise from its fanbase, these numbers highlight a noticeable disconnect, with longtime viewers unhappy with John Dutton’s off-screen exit and the show’s story choices. Indeed, it’s a complete 180 from the first season, where audiences immediately bought into the Dutton saga but critics didn’t quite see the appeal.