If you’re new to the Yellowstone franchise, you’ll quickly learn that this series is about the two sides of each rancher: the violent and the soft.
On Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 4, we got a glimpse of John’s softer side as he dealt with the aftermath of Tate falling into the river. But violence in the name of loyalty was never far from the scene.
[Note: This review is based on an unedited version of the episode, so if you watched it on CBS, there might have been minor differences.]
John is all about loyalty. He trusts very few people, but his right-hand men are the ones who have proven themselves to be unequivocally on his side.
His family is also very important to him, and until now, Kayce hasn’t let him have a relationship with Tate. So when Tate fell into the river while John was in charge, that was a big deal for many reasons.
There’s no doubt that John loves Tate and wouldn’t want anything to happen to him. He’s probably kicking himself for insisting Tate collect branches from the river alone instead of watching him more closely.
But Tate also represents the second chance that John didn’t think he’d ever have.
John: I’m gonna miss you.Tate: Where you goin’?John: Nowhere, but you’re gonna grow up and I’m gonna grow up, be the shriveled old raisin in the corner tellin’ you stories you don’t want to hear. But that’s life. That’s the way of it.
It hasn’t been fully explained how John and Kayce ended up on the outs, but Kayce’s status as caught-in-the-middle between the ranchers and the indigenous population probably has a lot to do with it.
Monica didn’t want Tate to grow up with John’s values, and if the police hadn’t decided to arrest Kayce, she probably would have confronted him about John’s negligence after Tate was in bed.
That’s the other reason John was so distraught — he doesn’t want Kayce and Monica to take Tate away again.
Tate, for his part, is a resilient kid who doesn’t seem overly traumatized. Once he warmed up, he was back to his usual self.
His conversation with John was a lighthearted respite from the more serious issues around them, though John’s fear that Tate would reject him when he grew up was also moving.
As soon as Tate went home, John talked with Rip, giving him permission to deal with Fred as he saw fit and asking him to get a guy from the prison to join the ranch.
This powerful juxtaposition of conversations underscored the duality, with John switching from family man to mob boss head of the ranch and back again.
Those last scenes almost made the Jimmy storyline worth it. The rest of the hour was much more compelling; Jimmy and the other cowboys fit so many typical Western tropes that it was hard to focus.
I know fights at the bunkhouse are a part of the series, but it’s my least favorite aspect of the franchise. That fight between Fred and Jimmy lasted forever, and it seemed like the bully was winning.
Rip put a stop to that. I’m not sure why Jimmy insisted Fred didn’t start it when he did, but I was glad it ended the way it did.
Fred, like many bullies, was an idiot. He probably would have gotten a second chance if he’d accepted being forced to clean the stables. Instead, he got killed because he was disloyal and knew too many secrets.
Rip’s conversation with Jimmy about loyalty is powerful. Jimmy has the brand, making him untouchable, though it’s still confusing why John ordered it when he doesn’t see Jimmy as much of a cowboy.
The situation at the reservation continued to be one of the most riveting aspects of the hour.
Here, it won’t be long before there’s no one left. Of course, that was probably the plan from the beginning.
Monica
Indigenous issues don’t get nearly enough representation; Yellowstone is one of the few shows that feature Native Americans, and it never fails to illustrate the nature of life on the reservation.
Samantha’s death was yet another tragedy thanks to the poverty and oppression on the reservation; Samanath’s mother said her daughter should have left a long time ago, but would she have fared any better in Seattle?
The tribal police were looking for Kayce before the non-tribal cops caught up with him. It wasn’t clear what that was about.
Rainwater seemed to be aware of Kayce’s involvement in the death of Monica’s brother, but in Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 2, he appeared to deal with it his own way.
Kayce’s arrest also raises questions about which lives the cops care about and who is, and is not, held accountable for crimes.
Murder seems to be part of the job on the ranch. Rip and Lloyd have already committed murder, and we’re only four episodes in.
Most of the Duttons and the people loyal to them commit crimes with impunity. Sometimes, it’s because they did a great job covering things up, but not always.
Beth, of course, gets away with everything because no one dares mess with her, though I had to wonder if the bar she took Jenkins to was the same one she got in trouble in on Yellowstone Season 5.
So, what makes Kayce’s situation different? Is it because he’s married to an indigenous woman? Or is this retaliation for Rainwater’s similar arrest on Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 3?
What did you think, Yellowstone fanatics? Whether this is your first or fiftieth go-round, we want your thoughts. Hit the big, blue SHOW COMMENTS button to share them.
You can watch Yellowstone online on TV Fanatic whenever you’d like.
Yellowstone is halfway through its fifth season, but CBS is broadcasting Season 1 on Sundays after 60 Minutes.
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Jack Ori is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. His debut young adult novel, Reinventing Hannah, is available on Amazon. Follow him on X.
