We’ve got a lot of excitement with the round table with a few more additions to the group!
Those of you in the know must know that The Yellowstone Bunkhouse is the best place on Facebook for Yellowstone fans to escape to, and we’ve got Julie Castaneda, Jim Thomas, and Kenny Stone joining TV Fanatic senior staff writers Whitney Evans and Jack Ori this week.
Be prepared for a great discussion, and be sure to share your thoughts on Yellowstone Season 4 Episode 3 in the comments!
Beth really wanted things to go well with Carter. What did you think of how that played out, and what’s next for that fleeting family?
Julie: I’m not disappointed at all! I love everything about this dynamic trio, from how Carter and Beth met, all the way to Rip’s alpha male reaction to another young buck in his house.
I hope the Yellowstone fans are as smitten by this little juvenile delinquent as I am. I’d love to see this eventually work out for the threesome, but obviously, Carter’s got a lot of work to do.
Whitney: I wasn’t surprised at all with how things played out at the store. Rip wasn’t wrong when he told Beth not to treat Carter like a pet. Carter is a kid and a kid that’s been through a lot.
Something was being handed to him and he tried to milk it. But Beth had Rip’s words ringing in her ears and she realized quickly that he wasn’t going to learn by being handed things. I like this story so far, and I like the idea of Rip working with Carter and trying to bring out better in him.
I will say the whole conversation between Beth and Rip and him saying that Carter would never be their son and no one will felt weird to me. I’m not sure what Rip was going for by saying that but I didn’t find it comforting at that moment, especially when Beth was so clearly struggling.
Jim: Both Beth and Rip can see a young Rip when they look at Carter, unfortunately, Carter is definitely less mature and not as street smart as Rip was at that age. So Rip will try to teach him how to earn respect and I am sure Beth will try again as she watches Carter mature.
Jack: This is hands-down my favorite storyline this season. I think that Carter did act like a typical kid and to some extent was also testing what would happen if he defied Beth. I also think Beth took the woman’s words in the store too much to heart when the woman said she didn’t know how to be a parent.
I agree that Rip saying Carter would never be their son and that whole conversation was weird. I didn’t find that to be a particularly supportive comment, to say the least.
The week before, Beth and Carter were both super happy that Carter got to stay and to eat with them. I think they both want that family so badly and hopefully in time Carter will be the surrogate son that Beth was hoping for.
Kenny: I think the biggest situation in the scene was that Beth found herself in a situation that she isn’t familiar with. As a result, she reacted the only way that she knew how and that was treating it like a Business negotiation in what she was going to win.
Unfortunately, I think that it missed an opportunity for her to learn something about being a parent and for Carter to finally feel wanted and important.
Speaking of families, it seems like Monica has been on the floor for two months while Tate hid under the bed. What’s your reaction to that scenario?
Julie: Honestly, I was let down with this particular storyline. I just can’t buy it. Two months under a bed and that’s not high on somebodies list of priorities? Was John aware of this? Had he tried talking to Tate? We don’t know because we never saw it. On the upside, the acting was so great!
I don’t remember a scene in any of the previous seasons where Kayce was so confrontational with Monica. He’s usually submissive and cute with her. He displayed genuine frustration and demonstrated some tough daddy kind of devotion. I loved the scene, just not the storyline.
Whitney: This is why I was kind of annoyed we didn’t get any of the immediate fallout from the shootings and bombing because I would have liked to see more of this story, instead of just being dropping into it two months later. And we were supposed to believe that this was the first time Kayce reacted and did something?
I figured Kayce and Monica would be tested again, but she seemed utterly disgusted with him. We’ve already done the breakup and get back together story with them, so I hope we’re not headed for that story again.
Jim: This is where the time jump makes absolutely no sense. And this is where I blame the people in charge of the show. They had over a year to get this stuff right. This show previously was very fluid, every scene flowed together with the next. This season is all over the place and it makes for unhappy fans.
Jack: I got the sense from Kayce’s remark to the guy downstairs that this has been an ongoing struggle and that he’s frustrated with the situation. I do wish that we hadn’t jumped forward so fast and that we’d been there for the beginning of this. Like Julie said, the scene was amazing, but the story itself doesn’t make much sense as written.
Kenny: This scene was the most troubling one for me. It made it sound like Tate had been under the bed the entire time since the attack and that Kayce didn’t know about it. If not, then where has he been all that time?
Also concerning Monica, it seems like she is just confused about the entire situation of living at a the ranch. If things are going well, she likes it. However, the first time something goes wrong she immediately wants to leave.
John got the name of who put the hit out on him, but it meant nothing. Did that surprise you, and what are your latest theories on who is terrorizing the family?
Julie: Taylor likes to toy with us, so I didn’t expect to find out “who dunnit” in this episode. I’m enjoying the ride though, with its twists and turns as he (Taylor) manipulates our minds and gets us all worked up with his smoke and mirrors writing style.
There are so many possibilities in terms of who is terrorizing the Dutton’s. Wade? Garrett? Jamie? Okay, not Jamie. My money is on Wade! He had said he was bringing on more guys. Roark approved it. Wade had time to make some connections before he was murdered later that afternoon.
He also had the motive, a prison connection, Roark’s deep pockets, and a hatred for Rip and all things John Dutton. Considering the attacks didn’t happen until later the next afternoon, there was plenty of time for the militia to plan an organized, albeit crude attack.
Whitney: It was so anti-climatic! I was looking at that picture and wondering if I was supposed to know who that was or not. But obviously, this is going to play out for a while, but at least now John has a place to start looking.
My money is still on Garrett. I really think he saw an opportunity to get closer to Jamie by taking out his family.
Jim: If it had been Market Equities it would have been a professional style hit, it did seem to be more of the biker’s style especially using an old custom Ford van so that was a plausible theory.
However Garrett told Jamie that you don’t buy empires you take them by killing the king, so that and John telling Kayce to talk to your brother and find out what he knows before John can sit down with him would give the impression that Garrett probably had a prison buddy set up the hits.
And considering the “Party Planner,” that scenario would fit.
Jack: I’m not very good at figuring out who did it in these scenarios. I think Jim’s theory that Garrett had a prison buddy set up the hits makes sense.
Kenny: If John knew the person, then it would have been too easy to figure out the rest. So, doing it this way allows for the story to evolve deeper. Also,
if you remember, After John learned spoke with the person, there were several scenes of Kaycee and the other officers doing raids and killings on those that were involved. However, we still don’t know who the “top-person” is.
We don’t often see John do his dirty work himself. Why do you think he made short work of the guy Rainwater and Mo caught at the casino instead of giving the task to someone else?
Julie: I think John is taking this whole attack very personally. He is the target. Everybody else is collateral damage. He wanted to handle it himself. Or, maybe it was a convenience factor. He was already way off the Yellowstone Ranch, so he took the trash out himself.
I thought it was a great scene and highlighted once again (as with Malcolm Beck) that John does have some moral character. He does bad things with a good heart. But then again, to some degree, don’t we all?
Whitney: I agree with Julie. I think he’s taking this super personal and for that reason alone he’s more hands-on than usual. This was the man who put all the pieces in motion to literally wipe his family out. I can see why he felt it necessary to be the one to exact revenge.
Jim: 100% a guy thing, there are just some things a man has to do himself no matter how powerful you are.
Jack: I agree with Julie and Whitney. This is personal to John, so he’s taking care of it himself.
Kenny: I agree, This situation was personal for John. As a result, he wanted to take care of the”business” himself.
Jimmy left the building. Does his departure make you more excited about 6666 or less?
Julie: I’m sad to see Jimmy go. I’ve really enjoyed watching him develop into a Yellowstone cowboy. He’s come a long way. I look forward with much anticipation to the 6666 where I suppose we’ll catch up with him. The struggle is real in Texas.
But please, if there is a God in the Universe, don’t let those barrel racers show up there! Those girls are trouble.
Whitney: I’m kind of indifferent when it comes to Jimmy. I think I liked him better in the early days than over the last season or so. I completely understand why he would be disappointed and disgruntled about leaving, but he was kind of stagnant at Yellowstone. A change of scenery will do him some good.
But it’s going to be very weird not seeing him at the ranch anymore. In terms of the spinoff, I’m not more excited, but I’m also not less excited. I will check it out for sure and see what kind of shenanigans are going on in Texas.
Jim: This is one of the things I think was handled poorly by the writers. Last season when Jimmy and Rip were watching the guys in the arena Rip told him if he wanted to make money that was how to do it.
Instead of hurting Jimmy worse, they could have said he was going to the 6666 ranch to learn how to be one of John’s cowboys representing the brand. Instead, you had Travis (Taylor) act like an absolute ass. Totally unnecessary and here again did not sit well with the Yellowstone fans.
Years ago the show Happy Days was nearing the end of its run and the writers had Fonzie do an Evel Knievel and jump a shark. Since that time “Jumping the shark” has come to mean when a show does something really stupid that costs then fans.
Taylor Sheridan, you are on the ramp and you are revving the engine.
Jack: I was seriously annoyed with the way the guys were treating Jimmy at the end. To an extent, Jimmy has always been the butt of the other cowboys’ jokes, but this was uncalled for.
I felt Travis was making it clear that he viewed taking Jimmy to the 6666 as taking out the trash, and I didn’t like it at all. I hope Jimmy ends up stronger and better for the experience and someday comes back to show up all the people who made fun of him.
Kenny: I think that a lot of people are misunderstanding the situation with Jimmy . Although John is sending him away because Jimmy broke the promise, John told him that while he is gone that he still represents the Yellowstone.
He also told him that he could come back when the time was right. So rather than it being a punishment, I see it as being a learning experience for Jimmy as far as being responsible and becoming a man.
Yellowstone quotes never disappoint. What was your favorite of the hour?
Julie: There were so many good ones! Beth’s great line, “Fuck you. I love you. I’ll see you at the house, but fuck you.” Hilarious!! However, that’s not my favorite. Early in this episode John goes out for his early morning ride and finds Kayce on horseback, waiting on the hill to join him.
Beth: I love you. I’ll see you at the house, but fuck you.
Rip: Alright, baby. [chuckles]
I love the sentiment in their exchange. It’s a rare glimpse into the love and respect Kayce has for his Father. After the attacks, they both seem to be very aware of their own mortality. In spite of the war that awaits them, the morning is theirs to share together.
My favorite quote is from Kayce, “I lost faith in damn near everything else but not your riding.”
Whitney: “Is it a one-shot day? Or is it a two-shot day?” I loved how well Rip and Beth know each other. And the fact that he had those shots waiting for her because he knew she was going to come back and need a little alcohol, and him as well.
Rip: Is it a one-shot or is it a two-shot day?
Beth: It’s a pour the bottle in a bucket kind of day.
And a special shout-out to the, “Alright, baby,” from Rip after Beth says fuck you to him for the second time.
Jack: I loved Beth’s explanation to Carter about the four ways to make money.
Leave it to Beth to be ultra serious one moment (“You work hard and no matter what; you don’t let anyone outwork you”) and then so irreverent and crude the next (“The fourth way is to suck someone’s dick as if you’ve lost your car keys in it.”) Carter asking her if that’s how she did it was the perfect rejoinder and cracked me up.
Kenny: My favorite Quote was the one from Rip to Carter, “No one owes you anything, and you don’t deverve it. Noone does.”
What was your favorite scene and why?
Julie: This is a tough one. There wasn’t a wasted scene in this episode. I’ll go with Beth and Rip‘s scene later that evening after Beth returns from her attempted shopping trip with Carter. She knows Rip was right. Rip knows he was right. And yet, there is no ego here.
He knows her well enough to know that she’s sad the trip was a fail. He knows she wanted to nurture the boy and make him her own. I love that Rip is tender and yet he doesn’t hold back when he tells her “he’s not our son. No matter what he becomes, he’ll never be that.”
Just the way he looks at her as he speaks, as brushes her hair back from her face. We don’t get to see that. This bear of a man, an unapologetic force to be reckoned with can be so soft and sincere. But, I feel the heartbreak coming. Don’t you?
Whitney: I agree that this one is tough. It didn’t really feel like a lot happened in this episode? It wasn’t one where afterward I was thinking about a bunch of different scenes.
I guess I would say I liked the very simple scene of Kayce waiting for John at the crack of dawn to go riding with him. I’m a sucker for their complicated relationship, and I like the idea that Kayce recognizes nothing is promised and to enjoy the moments he still has with his father.
Jim: Any scene without Taylor Sheridan in it. This was Episode 3 of the Taylor Sheridan show, and I didn’t like it, and I know I am not alone in this sentiment.
Jack: This is a small thing, but I love the way John is developing a relationship with Carter based on the fact that John keeps going to the stable early in the morning to sneak off on his horse without getting a lot of flack about disobeying doctor’s orders and trusts Carter to keep his secret.
Runner up for me was Kayce’s scene with Monica and Tate. I loved Kayce’s tough love approach and his attempt to comfort and encourage Tate after he got him out from under the bed.
Kenny: Personally my favorite scene was the one watching all of those “top-level” million dollar horses work. As someone who grew up in that environment and has experience in it.
It is always fun to watch a great horse work. Beyond that, it was the one of John and Carter being at the barn together and John telling Carter that he “was the first one at the barn.” This made Carter happy and feel appreciated.
If you’re late to the party, make sure you watch Yellowstone online to get in on this action!
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on Twitter and email her here at TV Fanatic.
