Quentin Tarantino: Movies Still Reign Over TV Shows Like ‘Yellowstone’

Quentin Tarantino is one of the most famous filmmakers in the industry, but his opinions on the state of the movies and Hollywood in general are often controversial, and often put him in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Recently, the filmmaker was attacked due to liking ‘Joker 2’ he was bothered enough to answer his critics, which stirred another wave of backlash. Now the filmmaker decided to comment on the state of TV shows in general and he took ‘Yellowstone,’ a popular TV drama series that follows the Dutton family, as an example of movies still being vastly superior.

Tarantino acknowledged that TV has improved over the years but still prefers movies over TV shows. He explained that while he enjoys shows like ‘Yellowstone,’ he still sees them as TV and not quite on the same level as films. Tarantino praised the show and Kevin Costner’s performance but emphasized that movies remain his top choice.

Everyone talks about how great television is now, and it’s pretty good, I gotta say. It’s pretty good. But it’s still television to me. I’ll use an example of a show: Yellowstone. I didn’t get around to watching it the first three years or so and then I watched the first season and I thought, ‘Wow, this is f—ing great. I’ve always been a Kevin Costner fan and he is wonderful in this,’ and I got caught up in the show and all of a sudden I’m having a good time.

I end up watching like three seasons of it, and then I even watch that [spin-off] 1883, and I was like, ‘Oh, this is a good Western show. I like Westerns! While I’m watching it, I am compelled. I’m caught up in it. But at the end of the day, it’s all just a soap opera.

Tarantino explained that while shows like ‘The Edge of Night’ might captivate viewers in the moment, they don’t leave a lasting impact. He believes TV often focuses on small details that don’t stick with people long-term, unlike movies that tend to have more lasting significance.

If you watch [long-cancelled soap opera] The Edge of Night Monday-Friday, you get caught up in the dramas of the family and everything, but you don’t remember it five years from now. You’re caught up in the minutia of it at the moment.

I’ll see a good Western movie, and I’ll remember it for the rest of my life. I’ll remember the story, this scene or that scene. It built to an emotional climax of some degree. The story is good. It’s not just about the interpersonal relationships. The story is good itself, but there’s a payoff to it. There is not a payoff on this stuff. It’s just more interconnected drama. While I am watching it, that is good enough. But when it’s over, I couldn’t tell you [anything about it].

I don’t remember any of the bad guys for [Yellowstone] season 2 or season 3. It’s out of my head. It’s just completely gone! But Red River, I remember for the rest of my life.

Some people might disagree with Tarantino’s view, especially since TV storytelling has become much more advanced in the past 20 years. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!