Quentin Tarantino was recently a guest “The Joe Rogan Experience” and spent a lot of time thinking about the current relationship between television and film. He argued that even a TV show he enjoys watching, like “Yellowstone,” hardly compares to the power of a good movie. In Tarantino’s eyes, “Yellowstone” is just a soap opera with no real emotional payoff.
“Everyone talks about what television is like now. It’s pretty good, I must say. It’s pretty good now. But for me it’s still television,” Tarantino said. “And what is the difference between television and a good movie? Because much of TV now has the patina of a good movie. Cinematic language is used to immerse you in it.”
“I’ll use an example from a show. ‘Yellowstone.’ I didn’t get around to watching it for the first three years, and then I watched the first season and thought, ‘Wow, this is fucking amazing. “I’ve always been a fan of Kevin Costner and he’s great in this,” he continued. “I was completely absorbed in the show and had a great time. The first season is like a big movie. The man who writes it is a good writer. There are snappy monologues and stuff. I end up watching three seasons of it and I even watch ‘1883.’ It’s a good western show.”
Tarantino said that when he watches “Yellowstone,” he “gets into it and gets wrapped up in it, but at the end of the day it’s all just a soap opera. They introduced you to a number of characters. You know their backstories and connections to everyone else. But like any soap opera, “You won’t remember it in five years.” You’re just dealing with the details of it right now.”
“The difference is that I see a good Western movie and I will remember it for the rest of my life,” Tarantino said. “I will remember the story, this scene and that scene. It built to an emotional climax to some extent. The story is good. It’s not just about interpersonal relationships. But there is a reward. There’s no payout on TV stuff. It’s more interconnected drama. As I watch, that’s good enough. But when it’s over, I can’t tell you [what happened].”
Tarantino explained that while he can remember who the villain was in the first season of “Yellowstone” because he is a fan of actor Danny Huston, he “doesn’t remember any other details about it.”
“I don’t remember the villains from season 2 or season 3. It’s out of my mind. It’s completely gone,” Tarantino said. “With ‘1883,’ the only thing I remembered about it was Sam Elliot when it was done. But I’ll remember ‘Red River’ for the rest of my life.
However, not all television shows are created equal. Tarantino called the first season of Showtime’s “Homeland” one that had the emotional payoff of a movie. But that show ended up lasting seven more seasons.
Tarantino’s comments about “Yellowstone” came just ahead of the series’ fifth season finale, which also appears to be the flagship drama’s finale. Not that “Yellowstone” is going anywhere. Variety reported earlier this month that cast members Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser will be bringing their characters Beth and Rip to a new “Yellowstone” spinoff series.
Listen to Tarantino’s full interview on the “The Joe Rogan Experience” here.