Piers Morgan just flat-out told Quentin Tarantino that his ‘Yellowstone’ takeaway is trash

When Piers Morgan has something to say, you know it’s going to cause a reaction. This time, his target isn’t a politician or a celebrity scandal — it’s none other than Quentin Tarantino. The outspoken host just gave a spirited response to the director’s less-than-flattering take on a beloved TV series.

What did Tarantino ever do to Morgan? Tarantino dared to call Yellowstone — yes, the wildly popular Western saga helmed by Kevin Costner — a mere “soap opera” that’s utterly forgettable once the credits roll. Well, Morgan wasn’t having it. He shot back on X, with a short, passionate retort to Tarantino’s critique: “Nonsense.”

The whole thing started when Tarantino appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience and turned his critical eye toward television, even singling out Yellowstone as an example of what he feels modern TV gets wrong. Sure, he admitted to enjoying the first season, even calling it “great” and praising Kevin Costner’s performance. But his compliments came with a backhand: “At the end of the day, it’s all just soap opera.” Did he really reduce the show’s intense power struggles, land disputes, and murder plots to daytime drama territory? Sure, it’s a high-stakes soap opera with breathtaking Montana scenery and monologues sharper than Beth Dutton’s tongue, but a soap opera nonetheless, according to the Pulp Fiction mastermind.

Tarantino didn’t stop there, though. He claimed that, unlike a good Western film, Yellowstone lacks an emotional payoff. “I don’t remember the bad guys for Season 2 or Season 3. It’s out of my head. It’s completely gone,” he declared, as though the series had evaporated from his memory the moment he clicked “next episode.” For Tarantino, a great Western is like a tattoo on the soul —forever vivid and impossible to forget. For Yellowstone, he argued, the ink just doesn’t stick.

Morgan, of course, wasn’t alone in his defense. Fans had their own takes, some backing the talk show host’s rebuttal and others… well, agreeing with Tarantino but staying safely out of Morgan’s crosshairs. For a show that’s started as much obsession as Yellowstone, the conversation is as intense as the Dutton family drama itself.

Yellowstone is a masterpiece, truly unforgettable.

— Cool Christian Engineer 💡 (@imcoolchristian) December 13, 2024

His comment reflects more on him than it does the show. Yellowstone is excellent television.

— Gene Poole (@DNAbler) December 13, 2024

I love Yellowstone but he has a point.

I also don't like how they handled Kevin Costners departure.

— Ant (@AntSpeaks) December 13, 2024

As much as we love Yellowstone, we have to give some context here. Tarantino wasn’t exactly saying that the show is bad. He was talking about the state of television, and he took Yellowstone as an example because he actually thinks it’s one of the best shows out there right now. His point is that, unlike movies, shows can go on for a long time, and that’s why they are forgettable. When directors have the comfort to spread out the plot in 7 hours, the show will eventually have some “soap opera” fluff. Also, it’s easy to forget what happened in Season 1 when you are waiting for Season 2 for a whole year.

Nah I disagree, the long breaks between production and seasons are detrimental to good tv shows. People forget things quickly these days.

— Life (@RealNatno47) December 13, 2024

In the end, the Yellowstone debate boils down to two things: whether you measure greatness by lasting emotional resonance or by sheer, in-the-moment entertainment. One thing’s for sure, though— Morgan’s not forgetting the show anytime soon, no matter what Tarantino says.