‘Yellowstone’ is a snooze as Beth reacts to John’s death: recap

On By Littum

There is a John Dutton-sized hole in the middle of the story.

After Kevin Costner, 69, left “Yellowstone” amid rumors of a feud with creator Taylor Sheridan, the hit ranch drama returned last week for the second half of Season 5 by killing off his character, John Dutton.

John was fatally shot by an assassin, but it was staged to look like a suicide. His son, Jamie (Wes Bentley), was partially responsible as his evil girlfriend, Sarah (Dawn Olivieri), arranged it, but Jamie was not directly involved.

Spoilers ahead for “Yellowstone” Season 5 Episode 10, “The Apocalypse of Change.”

This week, after these events, everyone was still reeling from John’s death.

Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton with Kevin Costner as John Dutton in “Yellowstone”. Paramount network
Luke Grimes as Kacey Dutton and Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton in “Yellowstone.” Paramount network

It was a slow hour where not much happened – revealing that the show is a snooze without Costner.

snooze without Costner.

Much of the episode was spent with Rip (Cole Hauser) and his cowboys, like Ryan (Ian Bohen), reacting to snakes in their tents and having their 500th conversation about what it’s like to be a cowboy become an outdated way of life.

During a scene where John’s daughter, Beth (Kelly Reilly), goes out to a bar, the molasses-paced episode even spends a long time dwelling on Beth’s drink order. It felt like without Costner, the show was just killing time until it ran out of clock.

The main highlight was a tense battle between Beth and Jamie. Beth was certain that Jamie had killed their father, so she went to his office to confront him.

Luke Grimes, Cole Hauser and Kevin Costner in “Yellowstone”. ©Paramount Network/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
Wes Bentley as Jamie in “Yellowstone”. ©Paramount Network/Courtesy of the Everett Collection

Beth punched Jamie in the face three times as he looked at the floor.

“Why can’t you look at me, Jamie? We both know why, don’t we,” she said.

Jamie remained silent throughout their meeting. Before she left, Beth promised him, “Seeing me will be the last thing you ever do alive. I swear to god, Jamie. I’ll be the last thing on this planet your rotten f-king eyes will ever see. And I want to smile.”

Beth then immediately called their other brother, Kayce (Luke Grimes), to tell him that she was more certain than ever that Jamie killed their father.

“It was him. He didn’t even deny it. He just stared at the f-king floor. He couldn’t even muster a lie. He wouldn’t look me in the eye,” she told Kayce.

Luke Grimes as Kayce in “Yellowstone”. ©Paramount Network/Courtesy of the Everett Collection

Kayce hadn’t bought the official story that John’s death was suicide. But he didn’t believe Jamie had it in him to do it either. After hanging up on Beth, Kayce reached out to some old contacts to try and find out which hitman took the job.

Kayce’s friend warned him to be “really careful snooping around.” So Kayce could put himself in danger by investigating.

Jamie also revealed that since there will be a special election to replace John as governor of Montana, he is considering running himself. And Jamie is ready to fight Beth over John’s will and the ranch’s future.

Kelly Reilly as Beth in “Yellowstone”. ©Paramount Network/Courtesy of the Everett Collection

It’s doubtful that both Beth and Jamie will make it out of the season still alive — and indeed, Grimes told The Post that the show’s ending will be “heartbreaking.”

“Yellowstone” airs Sundays at 8pm on the Paramount Network.