Yellowstone, the popular neo-Western drama series, made its network debut on CBS on Sunday, September 17. However, fans were less than impressed with the censored version of the show. The episodes, originally aired on Paramount+, were edited to meet network restrictions, resulting in the omission of explicit language and some scenes.
After the premiere of Season 1 on CBS, fans took to social media to express their frustrations. Some fans complained about the omission of funny scenes and the focus on legal drama. Others questioned why the show was being censored when children have access to music with explicit content.
CBS made several changes to the premiere episode, mostly involving the removal of profanity. One noticeable change was in a scene featuring Kelly Reilly’s character, Beth Dutton, and Rip Wheeler, played Cole Hauser. In the CBS version, the scene was digitally altered to keep her robe closed, but the subsequent sex scene remained, albeit reframed to avoid showing Reilly’s bare breasts.
Despite these edits, the rest of the episode, including the frequent violence, remained intact. The opening scene of Kevin Costner’s character, John Dutton, shooting his injured horse was also preserved.
A representative from CBS stated that the changes made were minor and aimed at meeting the network’s Broadcast Standards. The representative assured fans that the integrity of the original series would be preserved, and curse words would be muted rather than replaced with alternative dialogue.
As the writers’ and actors’ strikes continue, Part 2 of Yellowstone’s fifth and final season is currently on hold.
In summary, CBS aired a censored version of Yellowstone, which received criticism from fans on social media. The show underwent edits to remove explicit language and alter certain scenes. Despite these changes, CBS promised that the integrity of the original series would be maintained. However, fans expressed disappointment with the alterations made to the broadcast.
Definitions:
1. Neo-Western drama series: A fiction genre that combines elements of traditional Westerns with modern themes and settings.
2. Censored: The act of suppressing or removing content deemed inappropriate or offensive.
3. Paramount+: A streaming service that provides access to on-demand content from CBS and other ViacomCBS networks.
Sources:
– “Yellowstone Fans Express Frustration with Censored CBS Broadcast,” Country Living.
