Yellowstone continues to move slowly, but purposefully, in its quiet era as the Dutton Family heirs find themselves still reeling from the supposed death by suicide of ranch family patriarch and Montana Governor John Dutton, formerly played by Kevin Costner.
In this time, we are learning how Dutton’s grown children, Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes), Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) and loved-him-like-son Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) respond to the black cloud now lingering desperately over their lives.
Episode 10 of the final season of the Taylor Sheridan-produced modern western drama, opens in the early morning hours as the Yellowstone ranch crew sent to work cattle in Texas awake from a hard days night sleeping on the equally hard western land in their pup tents. In scenes set against the backdrop of the hauntingly beautiful “Night Herding Song” by Colter Wall, the cowboys rustle themselves to life as fading stars give way to the dawn’s early light. When Teeter (Jennifer Landon) fails to emerge from her tent, cattle boss Rip goes in search, only to find her frozen on the ground, refusing to make eye contact with the coiled rattlesnake that has made a soft and downy bed on her chest. Rip makes quick work disposing of the snake.
When a second rattler is found minutes later again in Teeter’s tent, the crew quickly discovers that they have encamped themselves on a live snake den. Snakes were everywhere — yet another stark reminder that, in words Rip would echo moments later, life on the Texas range is one of suffering and survival.
Cut to Beth Dutton barreling down the Texas highway going ninety in her fish-out-of water custom Bentley, in search of quality time with her wayward husband.
Finding him with his crew and horses at their new camp site, she coaxes him back to her hotel room in town. In a tender moment alone, Beth reflects upon this being their first time together outside of Montana, while Rip admitted to it being his first time outside of Montana ever — a rather poignant fact that Beth, herself, had not known. This unexpected interlude and another moments later watching Rip and Beth slow dance in the hotel bar introduces audiences to a softer side of both ranching life and these two hard-as-nails lovers. However, what initially feels like a flashback preceding the tragic events playing in the background of each new episode turns out to be a product of Beth’s dreams.
As the episode jumps back from West Texas back to Montana, we now find Rip and Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith) standing together at the Yellowstone corral gate contemplating the future, uncertain of what they will do now and who will be running the Dutton Ranch in John’s absence.
The through line for all those impacted by the death of the family’s patriarch is the ranch, itself — from the business that made him and the legacy that defined him, and, in many respects, all those who remain connected to it in tragedy’s wake. One member of the latter, living on the fringes of the Dutton family, whom we learn from Lloyd is taking the death exceptionally hard is Carter. Rip finds the orphan-turned-ranch hand in the bunkhouse, attempting to sleep through his tears. In a scene that comes dangerously close to a father-son bonding moment, Rip assures the teen that no matter what happens as a result of John Dutton’s death, Carter would always have a place at the ranch.
Across the pasture, somber strings of music welcome Kayce home to Monica’s waiting arms at their new residence in East Camp on the Dutton property — a gift from his dad shortly before his death. Kayce tells his wife that he will have to stay at the Dutton lodge to work through the logistics of the ranch. Before doing so, he takes Tate on a father-son walk to talk about his grandfather and his legacy, and Tate’s place in it. Alluding to his father complicated backstory and death, Kayce advises his son that he can “remember the way his grandfather lived or the way he died. But, that (ultimately) his heart cannot focus on both.”
Still walking in a fog and fallout from his adoptive father’s death, Jamie Dutton returns to the Montana state house to immerse himself back in his work. Little does he know, his estranged sister has beat him to his office. With eyes as black as her form-fitting designer suit, Beth repeatedly and unabashedly berates her brother with open hand slaps and a final threat on his life that she knows his role in her father’s death, delivered in haunting Beth Dutton whispers, loud enough to make your skin crawl.
Despite the confrontation with Beth only moments before, Jamie continues to plot and plan with Market Equities Group executives to reinstate the land lease his father vacated prior to his death to use Dutton property for their operations.
Beth calls Kayce to tell him that she can confirm that it was Jamie who was responsible for their father’s death, from his failure to neither deny it nor look her in the eyes. Kayce, knowing that Jamie could have not acted alone, if true, radioes a friend from his past for his help.
The episode ends as quietly as it began, back in West Texas with the Dutton ranch hands riding off into the sunrise, ready to begin yet another long, but assuredly productive day on the range.
The clock is now ticking on the expected showdown to come between the Duttons, as the siblings race to see which heir will reign supreme in avenging their father’s death and solidify their claim to the ranch and its legacy. There are only four episodes left to find how it will all play out.
Yellowstone - The Final Episodes stream each Sunday at 7pm on Paramount Network until December 15.
What did you think?
Loved it
Hated it
So/So
Comments