Here we are at a Season 3 recap of Yellowstone. You can read our recaps here of Season 1 and Season 2.
This is the last season before Season 4 hits screens this month on Paramount, Fubo, Peacock, and Amazon Prime.
New Enemy
In true Yellowstone fashion, we have a new enemy, also after that prime Dutton land. This time it’s Roarke & Market Equities, headed by Roarke Carter (played by Josh Holloway). He seems like a fine guy at first, just a man who enjoys fishing in the river.
He offers the Duttons $500 million for their land. They’re building an airport! And a ski resort! Tourist central. John hates tourists. John is determined not to sell due to his father’s wishes and maintaining the Dutton legacy, which was established in the 1800’s.
Beth and Jamie both agree he needs to sell the land, as the property taxes will eventually become too expensive. But the difference between these two offspring is that Beth will always support her father no matter what.
Summer Time Healing
Season 3 of Yellowstone sees us in the beautiful Montana summer. It’s time for “summer camp” on the ranch, where they take the cattle out to the further pastures to graze.
Lynelle, Montana governor, pays John a visit out here and lays out a plan for him to spread his pawns strategically. Make Jamie Attorney General to have someone in political office, and make Kayce the new Livestock Commissioner to take that off John’s plate.
Tate, Kayce’s son, who is still recovering from his kidnapping trauma, suffers from nightmares. Monica urges him to stay with John and the other ranch hands in summer camp and be outdoors for a while. This leaves time for Kayce and Monica to work on their marriage.
Beth and Rip, however, don’t seem like they need any work. After last season’s shared trauma where they realized they were the only ones for each other, we see this couple openly admit their relationship. They get engaged, and move into a small cabin on the land that was gifted to Rip from John for being such a loyal … son.
We also learn that Beth is hesitant about getting married because she can’t have children. The person to blame for that? Jamie. Who knowingly approved a hysterectomy as an alternative for an abortion when Beth was just a teenager. And Beth has never forgiven him. That explains a lot.
Jamie … Dutton?
Jamie is back in good graces and continues to work as a lawyer for the family … for now. He’s tapped to run for Attorney General once again by Montana governor, Lynelle.
However, in digging through personal information, Jamie finds the truth about his real family. He was adopted when his father murdered his mother. Now out of jail, he pays a visit to his father, who informs him the reason he did it was to save Jamie from being in the care of someone who was a drug addict and prostitute.
Cutthroat Business
Amid the business battle between the Duttons and Roarke, Beth knows she needs to roll up her sleeves and play dirty. That’s not necessarily something that’s new to her.
In a meeting involving all parties (all the Duttons, Roarke and his lawyer, Rainwater and his lawyer, and Montana governor), Beth leaks a harassment lawsuit against Roarke’s attorney, who steps out of the office.
Beth grins, one down. But Jamie knocks her down. Unbeknownst to Beth, Jamie has power of attorney and approves the sale of the land so it doesn’t get condemned and bankrupt. Ouch.
Angela, Rainwater’s lawyer, also adds that she will stop the building of the airport and ski resort by claiming endangerment of local wildlife.
Cliffhanger
The Duttons bit back, and they bit back hard. Which is why we should have expected some kind of retaliation. And boy, do we get it.
In the season finale, we see a coordinated attack on the Dutton family at the same time. John helps a woman change a flat tire but is gunned down by a passing van. Beth’s assistant opens a box in their office that detonates an explosive device. And Kayce sits in his office as multiple armed men barge in and start shooting.
What’s going to happen to the Duttons?
