Open Range one of my favorites, never watched LD or Y!

ADD

Pale Rider
High Planes Drifter.

To me, the two shows are not even comparable.

One is all actors, based on old west era, the other, a full series of modern day western ranches, with a combo of actors, featuring real deal Montana working cowboys, who are also actors , and world class working Quarter horses , who's offspring are sought after and being shown across the country now. The real deal.

NO comparison.

The intertwined stories of Yellowstone are not apparent at all until one watches each series. There are actually many stories unfolding along the way. Each character has their story, revealed to the viewer in understanding them as the shows progress. For example, it is impossible to know why Beth is the way she is until more shows in series one and two are observed. Until then, she does indeed come across as a "crazy", impulsive, mean individual. Though brilliant in intelligence.

Anyone not seeing more than a few shows of Yellowstone, does not in the least have the ability to comment . They have not even reviewed the "document " fairly.

Yellowstone is based on the main story unfolding, a real life theme, of the plight of modern day ranches , fighting for their land from big business, predatory out of state corps, who hate everything the open country and its people love about America. This story has been happening in real life to this day .

Most of the cowboys in the series, are real life cowboy hands, horse trainers, and ranch owners. Working men. The horses are the real deal too. I see them and their foals trained and up for sale often , all show ring winners , trained by the best. The horses ridden in Tombstone are just well-trained lower grade, mostly, not real life performance horses. Except for a few of the ones John Wayne rode.

Tombstone is not even close to all this. While a good show, it is not comparable to Yellowstone at all.

Just like Tombstone, and all movies, and most books, really, there is a lot of fiction , but that's ok, and entertaining , regardless. There's not a thing wrong with fiction entwined with reality. Makes for an interesting show, sometimes marveling at the producers or book authors in their ability to mix both in such an interesting fashion.

The last season, however, needs to be finished. The producers have upset a lot of folks in not finishing what could be a wonderful finale . Lots of things are left loose that can be included to the story of the ranch being saved from out of state big business buyers. And those horses playing the part of saving it, just as John D. mentioned . The reason he invested millions in the team and buying Metallic Cat. A lot of good stuff that needs to be produced yet to end the series. I keep hoping they will do that.

I have watched both TV series. (And pretty much every western movie ever made) I've been a fan of Costner , Duvall and Jones.
I've read Larry McMurty's books. Just as some of his books are as good, some of the movies aren't as enjoyable.
That being said: I no longer watch Yellowstone. It's too much a western mafia soap opera and the plot is no longer believable. I prefer the prequels. Perhaps Lonesome Dove would have ended up like Yellowstone if it were longer. But that series was believable and left me wanting more. Yellowstone is too much.

Movies are an entirely different category than TV. Open Range and Unforgiven are two of very best of all time.

I haven't watched either one.