Yellowstone Is Great, But This 6-Season Western With 88% On Rotten Tomatoes Is Even Better

Yellowstone is one of the best examples of a modern Western TV show, but there’s another series that ran for six seasons that’s even better. Yellowstone is the most popular Western show since at least Deadwood and possibly even Gunsmoke, and deservedly so. It’s one of the best Western shows of the last decade, and it deserves all its flowers.

As good as Yellowstone and its spinoff shows are, however, there’s another show that beats it. Yellowstone has a few noticeable flaws, from its uneven pacing to its tendency to lean further into soap opera elements than Western mainstays. It’s still a tremendous show and franchise, but those flaws left room for a different Western series to beat Yellowstone.

Longmire Is A 6-Season Neo-Western That Aired On A&E

Longmire is one of the few Western shows that’s actually better than Yellowstone. Longmire ran for six seasons and follows Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor), the sheriff of a sparsely-populated county in Wyoming. Walt solves mysteries with little more than his common sense and knowledge of the land he’s sworn to protect.

Longmire is a neo-Western set in the modern day, but Walt is a “shoot first ask questions later” type of sheriff pulled straight from the golden age of Westerns. He’s constantly trying to find true justice and defend the little guy from the business interests, casinos, and land developers encroaching on his county. The bottom line is that Longmire is a tremendous Western show.

How Longmire Compares To Yellowstone

To be fair, Longmire and Yellowstone are very different shows. Longmire is a police procedural – not unlike Justified – that takes place in a Western setting, while Yellowstone is more of a family drama in a Western setting. Yellowstone also has a much bigger scope with a larger cast of characters, as it follows the Dutton family tree trying to maintain control of Montana.

Yellowstone and Longmire also have their similarities, though. Walt and John Dutton III (Kevin Costner) are essentially the same character, complete with stubborn traditionalism and gruff demeanors. They also both have to juggle their complex family history with the trials of their jobs. They also feature all the trappings of great Westerns, from soaring plains and mountains to horseback rides and shootouts.

Longmire Has An Even Higher Rotten Tomatoes Score Than Yellowstone

I’m not the only one who thinks Longmire is better than Yellowstone, either: critics on Rotten Tomatoes also agree. On average, Longmire scored 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, while Yellowstone has just 83%. Longmire was also much more consistent than Yellowstone, with not a single season dipping below 80% (Yellowstone‘s lowest is a rotten 58%). Audiences also agree: Longmire has 92% on the Popcornmeter, while Yellowstone has 76%.

Longmire and Yellowstone are, once again, very different shows. The fact remains, however, that Longmire was better received, more consistent, and more engaging overall. It may not have the same scope of Yellowstone, but Longmire knows what it is and how to craft a great mystery. If you’re looking for something to replace Yellowstone, you can’t go wrong with Longmire.