Beth gets out hand, and Rip cannot do much to help her.
Warning: This is an overview of Episode 503 of Yellowstone, so there will be scads of spoilers here. We strongly recommend that you not read this if you have not yet watched the episode. If you do read it before watching the episode, and then complain about spoilers, we’ll be forced to ask Sheriff Ramsey to lock you up. Sorry, but those are the rules.
Beth outsmarts the bigwigs at Market Equities — again — but can’t talk herself out of other trouble. Wolves past and present make nuisances of themselves at the Dutton Ranch. And Jamie seems oblivious to the possibility that he’s being wooed into a trap. What are we to make of all this? Here are our five takeaways from “Tall Drink of Water,” Episode 503 of Yellowstone.
Takeaway No. 1
Just when it looked like Beth (Kelly Reilly) was riding high, having outmaneuvered Market Equities with a shrewd land conservatorship deal and managed (maybe) to get the troublesome CEO Caroline Warner (Jacki Weaver) sent packing, she recklessly partied too hearty with Rip (Cole Hauser) and the ranch hands during a birthday celebration for Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith) — who, depending on who you’re listening to, is either 58, 70, or 100 years old — and got herself involved in a barroom brawl. Specifically, she tussled with a young woman who dared to flirt with Rip, and expressed her disapproval nonverbally by smashing a bottle over the head of the interloper. When Sheriff Ramsey (Rob Kirkland) and his men arrived, the newly installed lawman — who replaced John Dutton’s buddy Donnie Haskell after the latter was killed during the Episode 408 shootout — ignored Rip’s claims of extenuating circumstances and arrested the unrepentant Beth for aggravated assault. Maybe the guy is just doing his job. Or maybe, as we suspected while watching his less-than-friendly encounter with John Dutton (Kevin Costner) back in Episode 409, Ramsey has a score to settle with the Dutton family.
Takeaway No. 2
Kayce (Luke Grimes) sought advice from Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and Mo (Mo Brings Plenty) about planning a funeral ceremony for the unborn child his wife Monica (Kelsey Asbille) lost last week in the auto mishap. And while he was at it, he asked for vocational guidance — like, maybe, a job offer — because he’s decided to resign from the Montana Livestock Commission and, hopefully, get to spend more time with his wife and their son. Mo suggested that Kayce ask Jamie (Wes Bentley), his attorney general brother, to land him a gig as investigator for the Montana Department of Justice. Of course, you might think such an occupation would keep him away from home even more, but never mind: Kayce didn’t reject the idea out of hand. And who knows? Maybe Rainwater and Mo might also be looking for new jobs soon, considering how determined activist and tribal lawyer Angela Blue Thunder (Q'orianka Kilcher) is to diminish Rainwater’s influence in the Broken Rock Indian Reservation and impede potential visitors to his Green Wolf Peak Casino.
Takeaway No. 3
Speaking of wolves: Remember when Kayce was encouraged by Rainwater and Mo to go on a vision quest last season after he kept seeing an unwelcome lupine visitor on his property? Well, this episode indicates that the entire Dutton family have been dealing with unruly wolves for years. In an extended flashback, young John Dutton (Josh Lucas) and his fellow ranchers were mightily upset when a bunch of the endangered-species critters were returned to the area. And just last week, Rip tried to cover up for his ranch hands who, while gunning for predators attacking their cattle, inadvertently killed wolves that were wearing GPS collars — meaning they were Yellowstone National Park wolves, protected by federal law. In this week’s episode, two aggressively inquisitive US Fish and Wildlife Service agents visited the Dutton Ranch to locate the missing animals. Rip managed to misdirect them — temporarily, at least. But it’s a better than even-money bet that they’ll be back.
Takeaway No. 4
Market Equities fixer and sizzling smokeshow Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri, looking several degrees hotter here than she ever did during her brief run as Claire Dutton on 1883) wasted no time arousing Jamie’s, ahem, interest. First, during their initial meeting in his office to discuss lawsuits and countersuits, she buttered him up with compliments with a distinctly left-handed flavor — “You’re better than I expected!” — and didn’t take her leave until she had charmed him into accepting an invitation to dine with her at a posh restaurant. Will she be the dessert? Or will she gobble the poor guy up as a blue plate special? Either way, it appears Jamie has forgotten all about his baby mama and their child. And, presumably, we’re supposed to forget about them as well.
Takeaway No. 5
And speaking of things we’re supposed to forget: Guess we’re never going to find out what happened to that poor woman who was shot by John Dutton’s assailants, or her fleeing child, in the Season 3 finale. Wouldn’t it funny if, sometime this season or next, we see that little boy has grown up, and now seeks revenge for being left behind?
