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This article contains spoilers for Yellowstone seasons 1-5.
Hollywood has been broken and tied like a prize steer a few times in recent years. COVID and union strikes caused interruptions to productions across the globe, but perhaps no show was affected more than Paramount’s flagstone drama, Yellowstone.
Since the debut of season 5 in November of 2022, no show has seen more potential spinoffs proposed, rumors, feuds, news, or negotiations leaked than the fan-favorite neo-Western. Coincidentally, if someone at Paramount was taking notes of all the behind the scenes drama, it could serve as inspiration for the same kind of high stakes storytelling for which Yellowstone has been responsible.
With the report that the upcoming latter half of season 5, now years in the making, is not the final chapter in the Dutton family drama, once again fans can look forward. This future will involve a much different Yellowstone ranch, where certain key pieces might be missing, but others, like Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip (Cole Hauser) will be at the forefront.
This presents an opportunity for Yellowstone to rebrand the iconic Y. In order for the show to take a new, deep breath of fresh Montana air, here are certain plot points and story beats the creators should consider.
Give John Dutton His Due
Much of the behind-the-scenes drama regarding Yellowstone came from lead actor Kevin Costner’s feud with the producers and showrunner Taylor Sheridan. This resulted in a sudden and definitive social media post from Costner saying he would not be returning, which left the show in a tight spot.
The mid-finale storyline of season 5 left on a cliffhanger surrounding the growing rift between John (Costner) and his adopted son Jamie (Wes Bentley). There has always been tension between those two characters, and John has often treated Jamie like the proverbial “step-child,” which in a sense, is accurate. Perhaps it’s a simple fix to merely have Beth step in to be the new head of the family, and her relationship with Jamie is equally as toxic, but that doesn’t address everything.
John was so ingrained in the show, that regardless of the fact that Costner’s screen time had gone down in years, he remained integral. When the show went to break, John Dutton was Governor of Montana, was working on ensuring the Yellowstone stayed with the family, and was readying an appeal to get Summer (Piper Parabo) out of prison. The series simply cannot kill him off and move on. It needs to tie up these loose ends.
A time jump might solve the issue, and months after his death, it can provide some simple answers. Perhaps he pardoned Summer as one of his final acts as governor, perhaps now Jamie, running basically unopposed has taken the position, and can create some real tension with the family as he is in a position of power. Those are all season 5 issues. Season 6 needs to give both the character and the actor who truly gave this show a piece of himself a proper goodbye.
The solution? Bring Costner back. Not an easy solution, of course, but perhaps it can be achieved for one last episode. This could be a flashback, or a series of flashbacks, where we can see some of these resolutions, so it’s not simply one line of exposition where a character states “One of John’s last requests was…”
Season 6 will be a time for difficult choices, but the writers, producers, and especially Sheridan need to show the audience they are willing to do the difficult thing for the benefit of the story, and as a tribute to the character.
Up the Stakes, Lose the Ranch
Fans and critics of the show have opined at times that it seems to have floundered in its latter years. Yellowstone hooked viewers by its breakneck pace and swift old school justice in the first three seasons, but has certainly slowed down. It’s time for the Dutton’s to get really angry again.
One of the best, recent storylines was the blockbuster season three finale where the Duttons were attacked and almost decimated. It’s the closest anyone has ever come to actually finishing off the slippery first family of Montana. More importantly, it’s one of the few times where the Duttons have actually lost. This show, and its diminishing drama could use these kinds of stakes again.
They need to lose the ranch.
In 1883, the first prequel to Yellowstone, the original generation of the Duttons were told they would hold the land for seven generations. Fans did the math and realized that the prophesied lease’s expiration date is coming up soon. Perhaps it is time that this Native American prophecy foretelling the Dutton’s future come true, or at least partially.
Think of an entire season where Beth and Rip, as the new heads of the Dutton empire, have to claw, scrap, and throw coolers full of snakes at people in order to regain what they once had. Even when the Duttons go up against mega conglomerates, or billionaires, they’ve never truly felt like underdogs. There’s so much more investment in a story like that, rather than simply the Duttons maintaining the status quo.
Say Goodbye to Jamie
It actually pains this writer to have typed those words. For four and a half seasons, (some) Yellowstone viewers have not only sympathized with Jamie, but forgiven him for pretty much anything he’s done. Credit goes to the writing team and Bentley for creating a layered and tragic character – someone who is more akin to a Shakespearean fool of fortune rather than a poor decision-maker.
Yet to put it plainly, it is time to say goodbye. If season 5 doesn’t do it, then season 6 should. Jamie’s death has been long overdue. The rivalry between Jamie and his sister Beth has stayed one-note for quite some time, and there are undoubtedly thousands of fans who are ready for it to be resolved.
Den of Geek has been theorizing that either Beth or Jamie have to die for years, which reveals just how long the show has been rife for this feud to end. Now, it’s safe to say with Riley in negotiations to step up to the forefront of the show, it’s not likely to be Beth. This means Jamie has to die.
Bentley has been teasing the character’s death for almost as long as we’ve been theorizing about it, but the details of his death could be any number of things. It would be very easy (but perhaps extremely satisfying) if Jamie eventually pushed his family so far that Rip has no choice but to take him to the train station, but much like John, this character deserves more.
Love it or hate it, Jamie is a Dutton, maybe not biologically, but he has often done things for the betterment of his family and the ranch. Perhaps, much like tragic Shakespearean characters, Jamie can sacrifice himself in one last final act to ensure the Duttons secure the ranch. Or maybe he dives in front of a proverbial bullet, and does jail time for the family so that Rip, Beth, and Kayce can continue to run the ranch as it has been for generations. If season 5 sees them losing the ranch, Jamie could help them regain it, thus proving himself a worthy Dutton.
Regardless of how, the Jamie story needs to end, and that means Jamie needs to end too.
Renew The Family Dynamic
While this wouldn’t be a massive change for the show, it will give the new leads an opportunity to show growth. In recent episodes, Rip and Beth have taken in the “stray,” Carter (Finn Little), and created a very dysfunctional family unit (what else would you expect from the Duttons?).
In the past, they’ve been insanely tough on Carter – Rip shows him what a hard day’s work is all about, and Beth isn’t afraid to show him how unforgiving the outside world is. Carter at one point even slipped and called Beth “Momma,” and being the cold-hearted pragmatist she is, she put a stop to that right away.
Family has always been one of the strengths of the show, but without John, and likely without Jamie, the family unit is shrinking exponentially. That includes the unknown future of Kayce (Luke Grimes) who has been another character tossed around in the rumor mill. It has yet to be reported if Grimes would take part in this sixth season, which means the smaller family of Kayce, Monica (Kelsey Asbille), and Tate (Brecken Merrill) might not be as prominent a piece in future episodes, if they are featured at all.
Even if all three actors and their characters return, it will likely fall on Beth, Rip and Carter to be a secondary little family unit, much like they were in the first half of season 5. If much of the toxicity of Beth’s relationship with Jamie is behind her, it might give the character an opportunity to be motherly, or perhaps even… warm. (No, that seems very unlikely).
Or at the very least, she can channel her vitriol towards those who may threaten to take the ranch from the family.
The conclusion of season 5 of Yellowstone premieres November 10 on Paramount Network.
The post Yellowstone Season 6: How Beth and Rip Can Save the Show appeared first on Den of Geek.
