Yellowstone Season 5, Episode 11: “Three Fifty-Three”

Here are some random thoughts prompted by “Three Fifty-Three,” Season 5, Episode 11 of Yellowstone. Warning: There will be scads of spoilers here — including a major shocker in the final scene — so proceed at your own risk.

• • Can’t say it a surprise to see Sarah Atwood get what she had coming to her. But we thought she would stick around for at least another couple more episodes or two, to see if and when she might renege on her promise that Jamie would never be implicated in the death of his father. Guess we’ll never know for sure whether she actually had any regard at all for the guy.

• • In the unlikely event there was still any doubt in the minds of viewers about how John Dutton met his quietus, we got an extended flashback to his murder at the hands of hired killers contracted by Sarah. They were supposed to make the death look like a suicide.  But they didn’t count on Beth. Or Kayce.

• • Thanks to his position as commissioner of the Montana Livestock Association, Kayce was able to confirm his worst suspicions by ordering an autopsy  and a toxicology exam for John. It didn’t take long for the initially skeptical coroner to prove John had been drugged in his bedroom, hauled off to the bathroom, and fatally shot with a gun that someone else held in his hand. In other words — ain’t no suicide here.

• • Still, Kayce found it difficult to believe that Jamie (or someone hired by Jamie) was involved in the killing. And Jamie managed to sew just enough doubts in his adoptive brother’s mind to avoid violent retribution — for the time being, at least — after Kayce burst into his office, evidently bound to cause Jamie serious bodily harm.  Is Kayce really that naïve? Too good-hearted? Or is he playing it safe by playing some sort of long game? Hard to tell at this point.

• • Meanwhile, Beth and Thomas Rainwater had a serious chat about whether they could collaborate on keeping at least some of the Yellowstone Ranch. “There is no preserving this place,” Beth admitted. “There is prolonging its collapse.” Rainwater didn’t disagree, but offered his assistance to help keep some of the ranch for the Dutton family — and some of it for his tribe. Right now, Beth and Kayce need all the help they can get.

• • Jamie may (or may not) be truly sorry about his father death (which, of course, he did damn little to prevent after Sarah told him that she would hire someone to handle the dirty work), but perhaps he is not that sorry. He remains in league with Market Equities — Sarah’s employer — to help the company gain control of the Yellowstone ranch for a multi-billion-dollar development project. Jamie said he’s still hoping to remove and/or any obstacles that his father placed in the way of the deal before his demise.

• • But that may be more difficult than anyone expected: When it’s officially announced John Dutton’s death is now being investigated as a homicide, not a suicide, the lieutenant governor, now acting as John’s replacement, announced that Jamie will be recused from any part in the investigation — and from negotiating with Market Equities. It remains unclear whether the governor actually can order this without Jamie’s approval. But we probably will find out very soon if Jamie will agree to this without a fight.

• • As the “final cycle” of Season 5 episodes draws to a close, some series regulars are reappearing to bid their farewells. Last week, environmental activist Summer Higgins (Piper Perabo), John Dutton’s sometime companion, was informed of John’s death, and unceremoniously ordered off the ranch by Beth. This week, Clara Brewer (John’s former chief of staff) popped up to announce that, no, she really wouldn’t want to work in the administration of the new governor. She suspects the worst about the guy — and, for that matter, Jamie. For good reason, of course.

• • And just in case Jamie didn’t need enough trauma in his life: He was on the other end of the line when he heard Sarah being shot by… well, maybe hired killers intent on wrapping up loose ends? If so, does that mean Jamie is next on their hit list? Stay tuned for further developments.