If you haven’t watched Yellowstone yet, you’re missing out. And if you haven’t even heard of Yellowstone yet, then you are definitely missing out. From the director who brought us some of my personal favorite, gritty movies including Hell or High Water, Wind River, and Sicario (not to mention starred in my personal all-time favorite Sons of Anarchy), Taylor Sheridan has blessed us with Yellowstone.
This series follows the Dutton family who owns the largest cattle ranch (named Yellowstone Ranch) nestled into the beautiful mountainous valley of Bozeman, Montana. But it is slowly being encroached on by enemies and all the things traditionalists hate: land builders, lawyers, money-nabbers, tourists, and progressiveness foreshadowing a sign of the times.
Episode 1 of Season 4 just hit screens last Sunday, November 7th after being delayed due to COVID complications (the season usually airs in the summer). The series was originally purchased by Paramount Network when the first season aired. But it has gained so much popularity, you can stream it on Fubo, Amazon Prime, and Peacock.
So if you think you might tune in this season, I’ll catch you up on everything that’s gone on so far. Read our articles for a recap on each season.
Season 1: Introduction
The first season is all about setting the scene. We learn John Dutton is a sixth generation patriarch of the Dutton Yellowstone ranch, which owns the majority of the Bozeman valley with their successful cattle business. More importantly, they want to keep it that way.
But they are not short of enemies. First is Dan Jenkins, a land developer who has successfully put in a golf course and country club right on the fence line of John’s property. He is also in the process of permitting for a new luxurious condominium subdivision, right at the base of John’s river. With his properties will come lots of high-society types, populating John’s peaceful valley.
Second is Thomas Rainwater, chief of the local Broken Rock reservation. Rainwater has succeeded in taking over as chairman at the local casino, at which point he vows he will steal everyone’s money while slowly taking back what belongs to him and his people (aka John’s property).
The Family
Fighting for the Yellowstone legacy is not only widower John Dutton himself (played by Kevin Costner), but his four children: Lee (Dave Anabelle), Jamie (Wes Bentley), Beth (Kelly Reilly), and Kayce (Luke Grimes).
But Lee, the eldest, despite working on the ranch every day, doesn’t seem to possess the managerial skills it takes to actually run the family business. He’s more of a workhorse (no pun intended).
Jamie, being the second-born, and not likely to run the business, became a Harvard-educated lawyer instead. Mainly at his father's bidding. He is the most out of place on the ranch, with his slicked-back hair and crisp suits, but plays a vital role in serving as legal advisor for the Yellowstone.
Beth, who shoulders the blame for her mother's accidental death, hates the ranch so much that she lives in Salt Lake City and eats businesses (as a merger and acquisition specialist for Meyer & Schwartz) as much as she eats men.
Kayce is the wild child of the family. He may be the youngest, but he is the only one that is married (to a Native American woman named Monica from the local tribe, with whom he lives on the reservation), with a son named Tate, a traumatic past with the Navy SEALs, and a mysterious brand on his chest.
Last but not least, and not a biological heir to the Dutton family, is Rip Wheeler. A victim of domestic abuse, Rip was found by John when he was just a teen. John brought him back to the ranch as a ranch hand, where he worked diligently under John’s command, eventually rising to ranch foreman. Although Rip isn’t considered part of the family, he’s the only one that seems capable of filling John’s shoes. Or should I say cowboy boots?
The Action
Season 1 sees the Dutton family converge together for the first time in years. Beth moves back to Montana at her father’s request (and reunites with a long-time, dysfunctional love interest, Rip), guzzling pills and booze. Kayce starts speaking to his father after their estrangement and starts serving as his henchman once again, much to his wife’s disapproval. (Apparently, no one can get their hands dirty better than Kayce).
There is nothing more John wants to see on his death bed than his family carrying on the family legacy, but as his children seem to fight him every step of the way, John also has to deal with a cancer diagnosis. How will the ranch live on?
Things start boiling up halfway through the season as the battles commence between John and his enemies and his plans go sideways.
Jamie chooses to run for Attorney General to fuel his own political ambitions and as a result gets cut out of the Dutton family, much to Beth’s pleasure. These two really hate each other. In retaliation, Jamie spills family secrets to an investigative reporter.
Chief Rainwater has cut the fence on John’s property, allowing cattle to come onto the reservation and refuses to give them back. Things come to a head when the Dutton family launches a recovery operation in the middle of the night (tactical vests, helicopter, rifles, and all) to take back the cattle. Lee, the eldest son, is fatally shot by Monica’s brother. Kayce, in a desperate attempt to save him, rushes to his aid as his wife’s brother keeps approaching. There’s a stand off and we see Kayce’s skills put to the test as he quick-draws, shoots him down, and delivers another shot to the face for revenge and good measure.
Beth uses her business acumen to go after Dan Jenkin’s share holdings, and buy more surrounding property in the area. John lays explosives along his river to shift the stream, thereby causing the river to dry up where Dan Jenkins has planned his subdivision community, which unfortunately for him, was designed to run on water for energy.
Jenkins hires a hot shot lawyer to go after the Dutton family but Kayce, blood boiling from the loss of his brother, kidnaps him, ties a noose around his neck, and leaves him to hang.
We end Season 1 with the remaining members of the Dutton family--John, Beth, and Kayce--figuring out their next steps.
