Many “Yellowstone” fans are not happy with Sunday night’s season premiere.

Nearly two years after the show’s final episode aired, Taylor Sheridan’s beloved western series finally returned to television for the season 5B premiere. While it was common knowledge that former star Kevin Costner would not appear, viewers were unsure how his absence would be handled.

The fate of Costner’s character, John Dutton, was quickly revealed – the episode opened with Kelly Reilly and Luke Grimes’ characters, Beth and Kayce Dutton, discovering that he has been shot and killed.

‘YELLOWSTONE’ STAR LUKE GRIMES ADMITS ‘NONE OF US SAW’ KEVIN COSTNER’S EXIT IS COMING

Kevin Costner’s “Yellowstone” character, John Dutton, died under mysterious circumstances during Sunday’s season premiere. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SCAD)

The death appeared to be suicide, but there seems to be suspicion that he was actually murdered.

Judging from the comments on social media, longtime fans of the series were unimpressed with the way the show handled Costner’s departure.

“Honestly the show creator missed the viewer mark on this one by a million miles,” someone wrote on X.

“Can I sue the producers of Yellowstone for permanent emotional damages after 30 seconds in this episode?”

— “Yellowstone” fan

Another person complained, “I don’t even want to finish the show anymore.”

Kevin Costner played John Dutton for the show’s first five seasons. (Getty Images/Paramount Network)

“John Dutton was a fantastic character, and despite the Kevin Costner drama, he deserved a better send-off than Yellowstone gave him,” one person posted, with another joke, “I may sue the producers of Yellowstone for permanent emotional damages 30 seconds into this episode ?”

“Yellowstone has its first episode without Kevin Costner and they blew it in the first five minutes,” read one criticism.

One person wrote: “John Dutton deserved to go out as a gladiator, not a victim. Completely undoes the series. I’m not a fan at all of the way #Yellowstone handled Costner’s departure.”

Kevin Costner shifted his focus to his ‘Horizon’ film series after leaving ‘Yellowstone’. (CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images)

When another person responded by asking what other options the show had, the same person responded, “I hear you. I’m not sure, but I don’t like this version. The shark jumped so much it reminded me of how they undid Game of Thrones.” Thrones with the final season.”

One particularly upset fan wrote, “I waited two years for a new episode just to watch three minutes and change the channel. F— you Taylor Sheridan, and f— you (Kevin Costner) because you have not resolved your differences.”

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Some fans blamed Sheridan alone, with one person saying he had ‘thrown the baby out with the bathwater’.

“He was so mad at Kevin Costner for quitting,” that person theorized. “He just threw his show away. He doesn’t even care. It’s bullshit and I don’t even see any reason to watch the rest of the season. We already know how it ends and we know who did it.”

Taylor Sheridan attends the black carpet at the Fort Worth Season 5 premiere of Yellowstone at Hotel Drover on November 13, 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Omar Vega/Getty Images)

Another person said: “Not happy with Taylor Sheridan’s ego. He won’t look at anything else he is involved in if this is the way he treats his fans who have invested so much in Yellowstone and John Dutton in particular.”

Meanwhile, some people blamed Costner for the way the story plays out.

One fan said bluntly, “I blame Kevin Costner for leaving the show and where the storyline is now. He can take his ‘Horizon’ and shove it in! Will that make me stop watching? No. I’m a loyal fan .To the show. Not to Kevin Costner.”

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Another He wanted to invest his fortune in his failed passion project. They couldn’t do much in a six episode arc. I’m excited to see (Sheridan’s) original treatment. I’m sure it was fantastic.”

Some fans believe Kevin Costner, center, will appear because the new season will feature flashbacks to the weeks before his death. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Paramount Network)

One message read: “I love Kevin Costner and I have no idea what happened between him and Taylor but it looks like Kevin just left right when they FINALLY started filming the new season. They didn’t offer one day, one hour, one scene to give closure to his character. I’m not mad at Taylor at all.”

Representatives for Sheridan and Costner did not return Fox News Digital’s immediate request for comment.

Originally, the current season, which will span six episodes, was going to be the last of the series. But lately, despite Costner’s departure as star of the show, there has been talk of a continuation of the story.

Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser could be the focus of additional ‘Yellowstone’ seasons. (Decisive)

Deadline reported in August that talks are underway to film a sixth season focusing on Reilly and Cole Hauser, who plays Rip Wheeler, the husband of Reilly’s character.

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Costner himself said in September that he believes there’s still more to explore, telling Entertainment Tonight: “That’s been a wonderful part of my life, you know, making ‘Yellowstone.’ And who knows, sometimes some things back. I didn’t see that trail of dust coming to me. But I always kept an open mind about what I was getting into is.”