The best Yellowstone episodes cement why it has become one of the most popular TV series, with some episodes standing out as the pinnacle of 21st-century Western television. The series follows the wealthy John Dutton, the head of a family that’s been settled on the Yellowstone Ranch in Montana for generations. Yellowstone explores the family dynamics of the Dutton family as they contend with various threats to the ownership of their property, ranging from neighboring landowners, a Native American reservation, and a major corporation seeking to build an airport.
The series was created by writer Taylor Sheridan, who quickly worked on expanding the Yellowstone universe into multiple spin-offs, such as 1883 and 1923. The year 2024 will see the final stretch of Yellowstone with season 5, part 2. In the five existing seasons, Sheridan has constructed some unbelievable television, creating moments of action, political intrigue, drama, and romance that have distinguished certain episodes as the best.
10 Daybreak
Season 1, Episode 1
The first episode of Yellowstone sets the stage for the series, introducing audiences to the Dutton family and their ranch. The series immediately jumps into drama with the Broken Rock Reservation over a cow dispute, leading to the death of John Dutton’s eldest son, Lee. Season 1 is one of the worst seasons of Yellowstone, but the messy start importantly establishes the dynamics of the series, as the absence of Lee creates a need for the other Dutton children to fill in and help out.
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The first episode of any show is a difficult thing to pull off as the series needs to set up its overall story as well as establish all of its characters. In that regard, the premiere episode of Yellowstone is a massive success as it makes each of the Duttons and their enemies layered and intriguing characters worth following. The first moment of John Dutton in a car accident which kills one of his horses is a brilliant kickoff to the story of the past conflicting with modern society.
9 The Long Black Train
Season 1, Episode 4
The early episodes introduce the Yellowstone branding, but it isn’t until “The Long Black Train” that viewers understand what the branded ranchers actually do. The branded are responsible for doing the dirty work, handling trouble, and dropping it off at “the train station.” Seeing Lloyd execute fired ranch hand Fred is one of the most memorable moments from the show’s first season and immediately raises the stakes of the series, showing what John Dutton is willing to do to protect his ranch.
Despite the violent implications of the episode, “The Long Black Train” also takes the time to add some new layers to these characters that fans are just starting to love. Kayce continues to be conflicted between his love for his family and his feeling that he might be trouble for them. Rip is shown to be a tough guy with a good heart in the way he sticks up for and protects Jimmy. John himself is also made more likable as he is given the first opportunity to really be a grandfather to Tate.
8 The Unravelling
Season 1, Episodes 8 & 9
The season 1 two-part finale sees the Duttons handling their first major conflict and also provides some interesting backstory into the life of the beloved Rip Wheeler. The finale explores how Rip killed his abusive father and made his way to the Yellowstone ranch, becoming eternally loyal to John Dutton. “The Unravelling” also sees Jamie building toward his first serious betrayal of the family, as he disobeys John and decides to run for Attorney General regardless.
The episode explores the different ways John has poisoned his children and surrogate family, whether through selfish means or through his warped sense of trying to help.
The episode explores the different ways John has poisoned his children and surrogate family, whether through selfish means or through his warped sense of trying to help. This includes bringing Kayce back into the fold which leads to Kayce nearly killing Dan Jenkins, helping young Rip build a new life for himself while keeping in a world of violence, and taking away the one dream Jamie had for himself.
7 Blood The Boy
Season 2, Episode 6
Jamie has his ups and downs throughout the series, but “Blood the Boy” is a crucially low point, as he’s backed into a corner and kills a reporter so she won’t leak the things he’s revealed to her about the Dutton family. In his moment of anger and insecurity, Jamie makes mistakes and reveals incriminating information, and it’s the reporter, Sarah, who pays for it with her life. However, instead of doing it to cover himself, there is a sense that he kills her simply so as not to disappoint his father.
Jamie can be an easy character to hate at times in the series, especially as he turns against the family more and more. However, it is hard not to develop sympathy for Jamie after this episode, as the flashback with young Jamie and his father shows just how controlling John Dutton has been and the various ways he has alienated Jamie.
6 Half The Money
Season 4, Episode 1
Season 4 is one of the worst seasons of TV in the Yellowstone franchise, but it started strong with its opening episodes. The season 4 premiere, “Half the Money,” sees the long-awaited fallout of the explosive season 3 finale, picking up after the events that would nearly claim the lives of the Dutton family. The episode also introduces the season’s mystery of who put out the hit on them, and Beth meets Carter for the first time outside the hospital.
Given the power the Dutton family seems to have most of the time, it is exciting to see them vulnerable and on the defensive this time. Of course, there are also some crow-pleasing moments of retribution in the episode, such as Kayce’s wild charge to take down some of the would-be assassins as well as Rip using a rattlesnake to kill Roarke Carter (Josh Holloway).
It is a terrific moment to show how things have changed for the ranch and how some things never did.
However, the highlight of the episode is the flashback that introduces Tim McGraw as JD Dutton in the 1800s. It is a terrific moment to show how things have changed for the ranch and how some things never did. It is also the first tease at the Yellowstone spinoff series1883.
5 Enemies By Monday
Season 2, Episode 9
Season 2’s “Enemies by Monday” has two vital climactic moments, with Tate being abducted and Jimmy getting revenge for the needless killing of his grandfather. The best scene in the episode, however, is Beth coming to Monica’s aid in a clothing store. After Monica has been accused of stealing, Beth comes to her aid and brutally berates the saleswoman for her racism. It’s one of Beth’s best moments in the show, whether she was doing it to protect Monica or simply out of her own sense of morals.
The episode is really a setup for the finale, but it delivers on the kind of crowd-pleasing moments of the main characters getting even that makes Yellowstone such a fun series. The way the other Yellowstone ranch hands come to Jimmy’s aid as he seeks his revenge shows the loyalty in this group. However, with these small victories that the characters achieve, the episode also ends with the devastating reveal that Tate has been taken by their enemies.
4 Meaner Than Evil
Season 3, Episode 9
There are several thrilling moments that come from the penultimate episode of season 3, including the dramatic return of Walker who Rip is not pleased to see still alive. There are also some great moments of Beth going up against her new adversary, Willa Hayes, and seeming like she has met her match. However, the highlight of the episode comes from the bunkhouse crew, as Ryan, Colby, and Teeter finally get branded.
It makes for one of the most epic moments in the series and brings the ensemble together in a more meaningful way.
The bunkhouse characters help provide a necessary levity to the soap opera dramatics of the Dutton family, making them beloved supporting characters. They assist Rip in catching former Yellowstone worker Wade, who is now working for Roarke to stir up trouble on the ranch, and Wade ends up having a gruesome death after his Yellowstone branding is cut off his body. It makes for one of the most epic moments in the series and brings the ensemble together in a more meaningful way.
3 Resurrection Day
Season 2, Episode 7
Beth and Jamie are often enemies on Yellowstone, but both characters get their own share of great moments in the episode “Resurrection Day.” The installment has Jamie dealing with the aftermath of killing the reporter which drives him to a dark place. While Beth is only there to pile more hatred onto him and continue those dark thoughts, Jamie finds an unexpected savior in his father. Meanwhile, Beth’s relationship with Rip grows strong only for her to be put in danger thanks to the villainous Beck brothers.
The episode culminates in the brutal climax in which Beck sends some masked goons to Beth’s office where they mercilessly assault her. It is a very difficult scene to watch and one of the darkest in the show’s history. The violence on the show is always shocking, but this is a moment when it feels like Beth could really be killed off, only for Rip to make the even more violent rescue.
2 Sins Of The Father
Season 2, Episode 10
The confrontation with the Beck brothers sees the Dutton family in their most brutal, dangerous rivalry in the series. The Beck brothers are willing to cross any line to get what they want, and the season 2 finale sees the Yellowstone Ranch team delivering the final blow to their enemy in a satisfying way. It’s a great Rip episode, as he has one of his most tender moments with John Dutton and also saves the day by riding in on horseback and drawing fire during the final battle.
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Given how intense and violent the second season of Yellowstone was, it makes sense that it would end with such a bang. The gunfight feels like Yellowstone truly embracing the Western genre in a way it doesn’t always get a chance to do. However, there are also sweet moments, such as Rip reading the letter from John as he gifts him with his own cabin. Also, more of the Dutton family tree is revealed with a scene involving John’s father in his final moments.
1 The World Is Purple
Season 3, Episode 10
The Yellowstone season 3 finale is the most epic episode of the series, concluding with a major attack on the Duttons. The shocking ending culminated Yellowstone’s best season and left audiences worried about the lives of their favorite characters for months. Beth’s office is assaulted (again), this time through a mailed explosive, Kayce is attacked with gunfire in his office, and John Dutton is shot multiple times after stopping to help someone on the side of the road.
Yellowstone raises the stakes with this episode by showing that the Duttons’ enemies are strong and dangerous as well. It makes for an epic cliffhanger for the season to end on, with the vulnerability of the family once again adding exciting elements to the show. It also makes fans excited about how their family will respond to this coordinated attack.
Yellowstone stars Kevin Costner and centers on his character John Dutton. Dutton and his family live on a cattle ranch just a few hours away from Yellowstone National Park. The series chronicles the family’s struggle to defend their home from an Indian reservation and land developers. As if their life wasn’t complicated enough, the Duttons also have medical issues, political aspirations, and family secrets stacked against them.
- Cast
- Kevin Costner , Finn Little , Brecken Merrill , Gil Birmingham , Denim Richards , Ian Bohen , Danny Huston , Kelly Reilly , Forrie J. Smith , Cole Hauser , Kelsey Asbille , Wes Bentley , Jefferson White , Luke Grimes , Ryan Bingham
- Release Date
- June 20, 2018
- Seasons
- 5
- Creator(s)
- Taylor Sheridan , John Linson
