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Audience scores for Yellowstone season 5 trailed critic scores on both Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic when those pages were checked. The gap is real, but it comes from small, platform-specific rating pools and a handful of recurring complaints. It does not show why every viewer rated the season as they did.
The scores side by side
The figures below are the values displayed on each platform when the pages were checked. Both scores change as new ratings arrive, so treat them as a snapshot rather than current numbers.
| Platform | Critic score | Audience score | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes (season page) | 79% Tomatometer, from 62 critic reviews | 41% Popcornmeter, from more than 1,000 audience ratings | Both are percentage-based aggregator measures, not average star ratings. The page does not state a verdict label for either figure. |
| Metacritic (Season 5 page) | 63/100 Metascore, from 9 critic reviews; labeled “Generally Favorable” | 4.0/10 user score, from 29 user ratings; labeled “Mixed or Average” | The user sample is small enough that a few ratings can move the average considerably. |
On both sites, the audience number sat well below the critic number. Neither platform shows a survey of the full viewing audience, so the comparison describes the people who chose to rate the season on each site.
How to read the gap
Three points matter before drawing conclusions from these numbers.
#1 Best Overall
- The platforms measure differently. Rotten Tomatoes reports the share of positive ratings, while Metacritic averages scores on a 0 to 10 scale for users and a 0 to 100 scale for critics. A 41% Popcornmeter and a 4.0 user score are not the same kind of measurement, and they should not be averaged together.
- The Metacritic user sample is small. Its 29 ratings produced a distribution of 48% negative, 24% mixed, and 28% positive. Because so few people rated, one or two strong opinions can shift that breakdown.
- Critics and users were not reviewing the same way. Critic reviews are published, edited, and written to be read. User ratings are quick and often reflect a single episode or a single frustration.
The complaints that recur
The displayed review excerpts repeat a small set of reservations. These are themes from selected reviews and user comments, not a count of how many people held each view.
Repetition and a formula that may be going stale
The clearest critical line comes from USA Today critic Kelly Lawler, quoted on Metacritic: there was “the slightest hint that things are going stale in Season 5.” Her concern was that new characters and conflicts echoed earlier seasons. A Daily Beast excerpt, reproduced on the same page, describes the premiere’s familiar soap-opera approach as producing “considerable torpor.”
Pacing and filler
Several reviews describe slow pacing. A Metacritic user review from January 2023 complains about stretches of ranch activity that felt like filler and says that Kayce was barely present in the main story. That is one viewer’s reaction, and it reflects a particular complaint about the season’s balance rather than a measured pattern.
Too many characters
An IndieWire review displayed on Metacritic argues that the show “might be losing its focus with so many characters to juggle.” Another user review criticizes the writing and directing for characters other than John and Beth. Taken together, these comments point to a concern about how the season divided its attention among the ensemble.
What reviewers praised
The positive comments are consistent. The Oregonian notes the performances and scenery. Collider describes the show as compulsively watchable and praises its central cast. The Rotten Tomatoes season page also lists remarks praising the actors and scenery.
The same page quotes a critic describing the show as a “lusty, larger-than-life soap opera” with an idealized image of American independence. That description is a stylistic assessment rather than a verdict. Some reviewers treated the soap-opera format as a weakness; others treated it as the show’s appeal. Attribute any of these remarks to its named reviewer and outlet rather than presenting it as a neutral fact about the season.
Rank #3
- Genre: TV Drama
- Number of Discs: 4
- Number of Tracks: 0
- Playback Duration: 467
- Rating: NR
Why the season arrived late
The season’s first half debuted in November 2022. The final episodes were postponed until November 2024. The Associated Press, in a report dated November 2, 2023, attributed the production delay to the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes. TIME, in a report dated November 6, 2024, described scheduling conflicts and other drama around the hiatus, and noted that Kevin Costner would not appear in the closing episodes.
A long gap between halves can affect how viewers return to a story, which may shape how a season is judged. The reporting does not establish that the delay caused the low audience scores, so treat the timing as context rather than an explanation.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Audience size is not audience approval
The Associated Press reported that the Season 5 premiere drew 12.1 million viewers, more than any other scripted series airing at that time. That figure measures how many people watched. Rating scores measure how a smaller group judged what they saw. A show can draw a very large audience and still receive low marks from the people who choose to rate it online.
Rank #4
![Yellowstone (2018–2024) : The complete Series (53 Episodes / 5 Seasons) - [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61IxJENf3UL._SL160_.jpg)
- Region 1 NTSC
- Widescreen
- 1080p HD
- Dolby Digital
What the evidence can and cannot tell you
The available material establishes the platform scores, the recurring criticisms, the release timeline, and the premiere audience. It does not include a representative survey or a named statement explaining why viewers as a whole gave Season 5 its scores. The review excerpts are individual reactions, and they should not be stretched into a universal explanation.
The most accurate reading is narrower than “viewers hated it.” The season earned lower audience scores than critic scores on two review platforms, the complaints about repetition, pacing, and character overload are the most consistent themes in the excerpts, and the season still reached a very large premiere audience.
Quick Recap
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