This week's episode of Yellowstone, "Cigarettes, Whiskey, a Meadow, and You," could have been a feel-good look at the life of a cowboy, all range riding, majestic vistas, and delicious-looking BBQ. Instead, the episode was chock full of political intrigue, power plays, and romantic entanglements. Here are five ominous moments you might have missed from Sunday night's episode.
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Tribal struggles bubble under as the President arrives on the reservation
It's been clear for a bit now that Thomas Rainwater, the chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Broken Rock, is about to face some shit. Angela Blue Thunder has been gunning for his job and has made no secret of her desire to pretty much destroy every bit of power he has over his people. Her plans were made that much more abundantly clear this week, when Rainwater's right-hand man, Mo, happened across a surprise drop-in by the President Of The United States orchestrated by Blue Thunder on behalf of her candidate for chairman, Martin.
It was clear from about the moment Mo got to the rally that things weren't going to be good, with Secret Service members straight up shooting family dogs around the dais. (Awful.) Any planned event on the reservation should have gone through the chairman's office, but somehow Angela got around that, and so Rainwater is pushed back on his heels a bit. Rainwater seems to have no illusions about the benefits of big government, saying, "Obama visited two years before he tried to run a pipeline" through the tribe's land and says that if the U.S. Director of Native American Affairs gave him an endorsement, he'd "give it back."
It seems like something's going to happen here soon with this whole thing, though, whether it's John coming to the reservation like he promised or an election somehow popping up. This passive aggression simply cannot stand.
John vs. the U.S. government
It's no surprise that John Dutton doesn't take kindly to whoever the President is in the world of Yellowstone, calling him an "idiot." "I'm branding calves," Dutton says. "If he wants to see me, he can come here."
While some governors would kowtow to the big political establishment no matter who's in power, that's certainly not John's vibe, and that seems to have won him fans in Montana as well. As we see at the end of the episode in the news broadcast, even local TV anchors seem to think Dutton's priorities are in the right place. What remains to be seen, though, is whether the President—and the people who give Montana federal funds, government attention, and whatever else—will feel the same way.
Sarah Atwood is up to something.
This week's episode found Jamie Dutton and Sarah Atwood all loved up—or at least all sexed up. Jamie nearly stepped in it when he inquired if it was a "coincidence that M.E.'s counsel keeps finding her way into the bed of the opposition," with Sarah taking the natural steps to infer that he was basically calling her a prostitute. After she put the fear of God in Jamie for thinking as much, though, she played to his ego, asking him, "Why aren't you governor?" He tells her that if she helps him become governor, he'll find a way to give her back the airport project, and she tells him she'd rather not wait four years. As we see later in the episode, it doesn't look like she's all that keen too, either. When Jamie tells her that it's hard to beat his dad "in a fair fight," she replies, "I don't think we can let him show up to the fight, Jamie." In the preview for next week, there's some talk of "an impeachable offense," so you've got to wonder what that could be, too. Maybe the wolves? Could there be a way to nefariously cast aspersions on Emmett's death out in the wilderness?
And what's Sarah's angle here? Does she actually like Jamie and care if he's governor? Was she truly offended that he thinks she's sleeping with him because she's got an angle? Or is she just straight playing him to get what she and Market Equities want? While it does seem like she could like him a little, I still don't trust her any farther than I can throw her, so I think Jamie's playing with fire. He just doesn't know it yet.
Are Abby and Ryan doomed?
Lainey Wilson returns this week as local country chanteuse Abby, who's playing the shindig at the ranch. Amidst her belting out "Watermelon Moonshine," Walker chats up ranch hand Ryan, who's clearly very enamored. There's only one issue, he says: "How do you dance with a woman when she's the one performing on stage?" Walker (Ryan Bingham) helps, stepping in for a song, and Abby and Ryan take a turn around the floor. It's all very sweet until we hear their chat about how their relationship doesn't have "even a little bit of a future," with Abby saying, "so it just goes until it doesn't."
Clearly, all relationships don't work, and it's got to be hard to be an up-and-coming country singer who's dating a busy all the time cowboy, but here's hoping these two crazy kids can make it work.
Will Summer ever learn?
Summer Higgins has to be just about the least capable person that's ever existed—at least when it comes to the outdoors, to cooking, and to personal skills. She has no idea that it's common courtesy to help Monica and Gator cook, is terrible at peeling even a single potato and seems absolutely shocked to know that maybe, just maybe, the Duttons are actually doing right by their cattle and their land.
Fortunately, Monica is there to set her straight while John is gone, getting in good speeches about the wilderness vs. the city and how "when I say I give everything to this land, I do mean everything." When John's back in camp, he's able to give her the business about the circle of life and how it isn't really all that hard to two-step, too. Summer will have to smarten up eventually, but in the meantime, it's hard to see what she's really bringing to the Dutton clan and government other than a little nighttime fun.
One last thing: We'd be remiss if we didn't mention Beth and Rip's scenes this week, which were refreshing, sweet, and very romantic. He found her a pristine meadow out in the middle of nowhere, brought a flask and some smokes on a daylong ride, and would be perfectly happy living out the rest of his life with just her, some horses, and some cattle to rustle. They're adorable, and getting to see the softer side of Beth is always welcome—even though it's pretty great when she's a badass, too.
READ MORE: The Duttons Return: A 'Yellowstone' Season 5 Character Guide
