Spoilers for latest episode of Yellowstone (“The Reek of Desperation”) are discussed below.
Is it just me or does this show just keep getting better and better? Yellowstone kicked it up yet another notch as the Dutton family welcomed back another member. Wishes are continuing to come true! Thanks to Beth of all people, Jamie realized he could not continue defying his father with his run for political office. He dropped out and came home.
John Dutton (Kevin Costner) welcomed his son back without much fuss. He did have to go outside for a breather. That is where he saw faithful Rip walking through the sprinklers doing his newly re-assigned tasks. More on that later. Jamie’s return to the family earned maniacal laughter from Beth (Kelly Reilly). Spoiler-laden Yellowstone promos have revealed he will soon earn her fury.
Jamie (Wes Bentley) may be back. However, his betrayal, while away from Yellowstone ranch, could stand in the way of a long-lasting family reunion. As fans will recall, back in Season 1, Jamie was furious with his father. Amid those emotions, he did an interview with a reporter keen on destroying the Duttons' patriarch.
If memory serves, what Jamie said is unknown, and there has not been a mention of the interview in Season 2. So far, Jamie is acting like he can return to the Dutton family without any consequences. Nor having caused any irreversible damage while away. Is that the case though? I believe the scene ended with his now-ex-girlfriend clutching her necklace as Jamie told the reporter:
The only way to protect my father's legacy is to destroy the man. Okay, I'm ready.
Those words do not sound like the precursor to a disclosure-free interview. Will Jamie's words come back and bite the family? Well, it all depends on what he said. Obviously, his opener indicated that he was readying for a tell-all profile. Has Jamie forgotten the massive sword he left hanging over the family and his father? Or did he never leave one there?
It is tough to know at this point. There is some strong evidence to support the notion that Jamie did drop a few bombshells. In a promo for Yellowstone’s second season, Beth can be seen pulling her brother through the house by his hair. Jamie’s furious sister orders him to “tell him.” John is then seen saying, “What did you to do me?”
Is that scene connected to Jamie's interview? I think it is highly possible that moment is a more significant Yellowstone spoiler than it may have initially seemed. Also possible is that Jamie has something to do with the unconscious person that can be spotted in the same trailer. Is he the one pictured? Here is the moment in question:
Jamie usually wears a suit. As seen in the top image, promotional stills for Season 2 show Jamie wearing cowboy gear again. Is he the distressed person standing to the left? Maybe he meets with someone to have the story/interview scrapped. They get into some sort of altercation as a result. I could see Jamie accidentally pushing someone and causing something awful to happen. Just a theory.
Yellowstone holds the key to finding out. For now, it seems Jamie and the Dutton family are at peace. That is incredibly strange to say. I was surprised that John took Jamie’s return to the family home so casually. Ever since that momentous decision regarding the hierarchy of the ranch, anything sort of goes, I suppose. That brings us to Rip.
The loyal wrangler is still making the best out of his new situation. Beth relentlessly continued her attempts to undermine his peace with it. She seemed to hit a brick wall in doing so. Rip (Cole Hauser) is too loyal to turn bitter over something he seems to understand. Will John allowing Jamie to come home change how he feels? I doubt it.
Yellowstone gave a powerful unspoken nod to John Dutton’s adult parenting crisis. As John had to take that breather following Jamie’s return, he walked out and saw Rip dutifully carrying on. Kevin Costner’s wordless performance indicated that the sight was a gut punch for John. He seemed to be questioning his choices as of late. Or was that wishful thinking?
Kevin Costner explained why John made the decision he did regarding the ranch. It will be interesting to learn if he has any insight on the scene towards the end of this episode. It was an example of what Yellowstone does so well. Saying a lot without actually saying any words, at all.
John’s anger over Jamie not being available to take a call regarding Rip’s legal woes is what led to Jamie’s exit, in the first place. John ordered Jamie to drop out of his race for office because he was not around to help Rip/the ranch. Now Jamie is back at the family table, and Rip has been demoted. Weird full circle? Or a hint of the storm to come?
Thank goodness Yellowstone is back and will return for a third season with a Lost actor and a promoted star. Now, I just need Monica (Kelsey Asbille) and Kayce (Luke Grimes) to get back together! As well as a full-blown Beth/Rip relationship and I am good to go.
Find out what happens next with the Dutton family and what role Jamie’s betrayal plays in it. New episodes of Yellowstone Season 2 air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on the Paramount Network. The riveting Western is part of summer’s spectacular showcase of television premieres.
