Paramount Network’s Yellowstone season five episode three opens with a flashback to John Dutton (Josh Lucas) and three men (one of whom is young Rip) searching for cattle. The herd’s scattered and Rip discovers a cow and her calf that have been killed by wolves.
Wolves were recently released in the park and were supposed to remain within its boundaries. But, as John notes, no one told that to the wolves.
The remaining herd’s nowhere to be found.
A town meeting’s held and the ranchers are angry that wolves are killing their livestock. They’re also upset these wolves aren’t even native to the area and instead were brought in from Canada. Fish & Wildlife’s Keith Beasley says there hasn’t been any confirmation the wolves were responsible. The ranchers react as one, rising to their feet and demanding action.
John Dutton’s late to the meeting and takes his seat at the council table. Keith continues to tell the crowd no one can say for sure wolves are behind the deaths, and John quietly tells him it’s confirmed.
After the meeting, the council gather in a backroom and John calmly insists he can show them five dead cattle taken down by wolves. Keith doesn’t think they should just take John’s word for it, and John describes the size of the pawprints and the way the cattle were killed and eaten.
John reminds the group that wolves were allowed to be reintroduced only after the park was able to secure the support of the ranchers. The ranchers will take back that support if action isn’t taken quickly.
The meeting turns contentious when Keith feels it necessary to remind John that killing an endangered species is a felony. After telling Keith to call him Commissioner Dutton, John warns that if Fish & Wildlife officers don’t show up Friday with a check, then trouble’s about to rain down.
Catching up with current events, Beth (Kelly Reilly) gets up early to take care of loose ends in Salt Lake. She gives Rip (Cole Hauser) a quick kiss but doesn’t explain any further, and then joins John (Kevin Costner) on the porch. She’s equally as evasive when he asks what she’s up to.
John’s using the quiet of the morning to reflect on the past. He’s thinking about things he can’t share with his kids, and Beth reminds him she tells him everything – including details of her first threesome. Umm, wait, she actually didn’t tell him that…and John doesn’t want her to share that now (or ever).
John opens up a little and reveals he was thinking about Beth’s mom. He wishes Beth could have gotten to really know her. Beth shuts him down; she isn’t interested in talking about her mom.
Before taking off, Beth suggests her dad find someone new to love instead of just clinging to old memories.
The bunkhouse boys prepare for their day and tease Lloyd (Forrie J Smith) about his birthday. He claims to be mildly offended they think it’s his 70th. Talk turns to penises because…well… because men never outgrow teenage boy humor. (Whoops! The brand’s missing from Walker’s chest as he gets out of the shower!)
Rip joins the group and pulls Lloyd in for a hug. Colby (Denim Richards) wants confirmation that Lloyd’s 70 and Rip says he’s 58. “Did you have cancer or something?” asks Ryan (Ian Bohen).
Carter’s busy feeding an orphaned calf in the barn and really enjoying the experience. He tells Rip the calf thinks he’s its mother, and he wonders if it’ll be sold off with the rest. Rip assures him that won’t happen. “Orphans don’t get shipped off around here, Carter, in case you haven’t noticed,” says Rip.
Rip instructs Carter to saddle up. He plans on making a cowboy out of the boy.
Rip’s morning is interrupted by the arrival of Fish & Wildlife agents asking about wolves with trackers who wandered onto the ranch. They found a tracker in the river (strapped to a log) and know the wolf was on the ranch for three days before the tracker was discovered. Rip lies and says he hasn’t seen any signs of wolves, and he gives them permission to follow the wolves’ path on the ranch.
The agents order Rip to ride with them, and they eventually make it to a freshly plowed field. The tracker indicates the wolves stopped there which could mean it’s where they fed. There’s no sign of anything they could have eaten (thanks to the turned-up dirt), so the agents plan on continuing to track the animals’ travels up the nearby mountains.
Rip, however, is finished with this ride. They can go on without him at this point, but he warns them that they’re heading into dangerous territory that’s taken the lives of better cowboys. The agents opt to do the remainder of the search from a helicopter.
As they ride off, the camera pans to a nearby location where the two wolves are buried. (Or at least that’s what I’m assuming, given the location.)
Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and Mo (Mo Brings Plenty) speak with Kacey (Luke Grimes) and Monica (Kelsey Asbille) about the burial of their son. They explain the baby will need a horse to accompany him to the other side, and Kacey’s shocked they plan on killing a horse. Mo explains God will have a horse ready when Kacey’s son’s ready. (Remember, John’s horse had to be put down in episode two but Kacey doesn’t know that.)
Thomas also explains the ceremony is a private thing, and there shouldn’t be anyone in attendance. It’s not for grieving – it’s for sending the boy off in the right way.
Mo believes the ceremony should be held tomorrow, the fourth day after the baby’s death.
Monica’s been silent throughout the discussion and after she excuses herself, Kayce makes a decision. Horrible things have happened to his family since being named Livestock Commissioner. His vision told him he needs to choose his path, and he’s choosing his family over his job.
Decision made, Kacey realizes he needs a job and asks Thomas for a favor to help him get one. Rather than work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs police – which Kacey would be doing – Thomas thinks he’d be wiser to keep his current job. “If I call BIA on your behalf, you’re not policing for my people. You’re policing my people,” explains Thomas.
Mo thinks Jamie could appoint Kayce as a State Investigator.
Monica screams from the kitchen and Mo holds Kacey back outside the front door. Monica’s overcome with grief and needs to work through this on her own. She sobs, alone, lying on the floor.
Elsewhere, Jamie’s assistant hands him paperwork as he arrives at work. Jamie (Wes Bentley) has been officially served and the lawyers from the other side – Ellis Steele (John Emmet Tracy) and Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) – are waiting in his office.
They have a heated discussion about zoning and promises made. Ellis charges out of the office but Sarah, who to this point hasn’t uttered a word, remains behind. She compliments Jamie’s legal prowess and smoothly tries to ingratiate herself into his good graces. Sarah points out that Montana will lose business since large corporations won’t like John’s new stance on permitting. Plus, Montana doesn’t charge a sales tax. How is the state going to make any money?
Sarah claims Ellis filed the suit and she’s only there to find the “soft landing.” That can’t be found in a courtroom. She invites him to dinner the following evening, and Jamie doesn’t say yes or no. Sarah assumes that’s a yes and leaves.
Ellis is waiting for her and Sarah tells him he did a good job of playing outraged.
Kayce heads to the ranch and has a heart-to-heart chat with his dad. John admits he’s trying to convince himself he has to be good at a job he doesn’t want. He needs to trust what’s good for Montana is good for the family. They discuss Tate and Monica, and Kayce explains Monica wants a funeral at the Yellowstone Ranch and John immediately agrees. It’ll be a traditional service without any attendees, and John will do whatever Monica wants.
Kayce hands over his badge, explaining he can’t serve the Livestock Commission and his wife and son simultaneously. John reminds him the State needs him, but Kayce knows his family needs him more. John doesn’t put up any resistance and accepts Kayce’s resignation.
They head out to pick a spot to bury the baby.
Neither Thomas nor Mo is happy Kayce’s resigning, aware it was important to have someone who respected the tribe’s interest in the position. Thomas also isn’t happy John’s basically done governing after killing the airport project.
They arrive at the casino and a protest/political rally is going on out front. People are angry the project isn’t moving forward since it would have brought jobs and money to the tribe. The leader of the protest is vying for Rainwater’s position as chairperson, and he argues that without progress the casino will remain their only source of income. “The only one who will make money with Rainwater is white people and Rainwater himself,” says Rainwater’s rival.
The rally outside is costing the casino business, and the place is empty as Rainwater and Mo walk through it. Unfortunately for Thomas, there is one customer at the bar and it’s Angela Blue Thunder (Q’orianka Kilcher). She runs down the list of things white people can do that tribal members can’t – pick their own doctors, open a business on their land, choose their own banks – and claims Thomas is enforcing the slave rules.
She’s about to teach him a lesson and warns him it won’t be pleasant. Angela plans on removing him as chairperson.
Meanwhile, Beth’s loose ends are about to be wrapped up. She meets with Robert Baldus (Aaron Lazar) and his team from Berson International (Market Equities’ largest competitor) about a proposal she’s made to sell her controlling interest in Schwartz & Meyer. All she wants is the 28,000 acres of real estate, currently valued at $300 million, owned by the company. Rob thinks this deal’s too good to be true and that she’s giving up an enormous amount of money for no logical reason.
Rob and Beth send the team away and cut to the chase. Rob knows there’s a “rattlesnake” hidden in the deal and Beth lays her cards on the table. It turns out she’s holding a winning hand.
The key points:
– Market Equities will sue her because she violated their NDA, and they’ll claim her severance should be nullified.
– Next, ME will sue her for her part of Schwartz & Meyer claiming she negotiated in bad faith.
– They’ll sue Montana for breach of contract and seek Eminent Domain.
– Beth will place the land in a conservation easement. It’s where they were going to build Terminal 2 so ME will have to take a billion in losses right off the bat, and 20x that over the next 10 years.
– Beth will still control Schwartz & Meyer so she can sell it without ME’s interference. When she does, that’s another $2 billion loss for ME.
It’s a win-win for Robert and Berson International. Beth claims she’s the rattlesnake in the deal and she’s striking out at ME, not Schwartz & Meyer or Berson.
The catch? It’s a one-day-only offer, and Rob has to sign the deal right now. He does because he realizes Beth won’t double-cross him. Her one and only target is Market Equities.
Rob signs and Beth immediately has the conservation easement faxed to the Montana Land Trust. She’s also ready to send a press release announcing the completed deal.
Beth returns to the ranch and is too excited to eat. Rip and Carter are dining at the small table, and Beth suggests they celebrate because she f*cked someone over today. Carter says they’re throwing a party for Lloyd’s birthday in the bunkhouse, and Rip tells him he needs to stay away from there. But Beth’s all about the party.
Beth’s a ball of energy and hustles off to get dressed while Rip calmly returns to his dinner.
Market Equities CEO Caroline Warner (Jacki Weaver) watches the news and learns of Berson International’s purchase. Ellis adds to the bad news dump by revealing Beth’s placed the land into a conservation easement. It’s all legal and on the up-and-up, and ME’s board wants Caroline to return to New York. Plus, ME wants to drop the lawsuit.
Caroline orders Ellis to find a way to ruin the Dutton family, starting with Beth. However, Ellis thinks this is checkmate. Caroline doesn’t care and says they need to turn Sarah loose to do what she does best.
Back at the ranch, a card game’s going on at the bunkhouse as Beth, Carter, and Rip watch from the sidelines. Carter really wants to play but Rip won’t let him, and Beth wonders if this is really how Lloyd wants to celebrate his birthday.
Beth wants to go to a bar in Boseman, but Rip thinks that’s a bad idea. Mixing fake cowboys with real cowboys will only lead to a fight. But Beth doesn’t give up, saying they’ll be home by midnight.
“Beth, I said no,” says Rip.
“Oh, you said no, huh?” replies Beth, “I guess that settles it. I’m buying, boys.”
The guys get ready as Rip sends Carter back up to the house. Rip admits he said the wrong thing and Beth claims she’s going to force him to have fun.
The minute they walk into The Crystal Bar Beth tells the bartender to put all the cowboys on her tab and start with beers and whiskey shots. Ryan spots Abby (Lainey Wilson), the pretty singer he flirted with during John’s party at the ranch, and heads toward the stage as the guys down their drinks.
Ryan and Abby make eye contact, and Ryan tips his hat. She takes a break and accepts his offer of a drink and a dance. (Isaac Hoskins takes the stage while Abby takes a break.)
Even Rip’s smiling as the cowboys dance and drink. He warns Beth to keep her crazy in check before leaving her on the dance floor while he orders another round for the guys.
Rip chuckles as he watches Beth and Teeter dance. Beth looks genuinely happy for the first time in ages until she sees a woman hanging on Rip’s shoulder, flirting. The woman has no idea who she’s dealing with when she approaches Beth to talk about Rip. Beth slams a beer bottle over the woman’s head as Rip signals to Lloyd and the guys it’s time to go.
Of course, it’s now too late. Fists fly and the cops are called. Everyone’s lined up outside, but Beth can’t resist getting in one more punch on the lady who approached her man.
Sheriff Ramsey (Rob Kirkland) addresses the brawlers and Rip’s livid that they’re placing Beth under arrest. He claims the bouncer put her in a chokehold, so he was forced to react. Rip will not stand for anyone putting their hands on his wife, and Lloyd backs him up.
Sheriff Ramsey lets everyone, except Beth, go. The woman she hit with the beer bottle is going to press charges, and Beth’s taken in for aggravated assault. Rip warns Ramsey this isn’t a smart thing to do and that it’s going to cause him a lot of problems.
Lloyd’s birthday celebration ends with Beth being taken to jail.
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