The 10 best “Yellowstone” episodes
The Duttons love drama. If they're all sitting around a dinner table, you can bet that someone is going to start yelling about something. And if someone threatens their land or their family? Well, let's just say that person is likely to end up at the train station.
The good news is that the drama suits them, as evidenced by our selection of the best Yellowstone episodes. For the most part, the more eventful an episode, the better it is. Although, there's always a place for romance, fun ranch activities, and even a good talk around a campfire.
Here's our list of the 10 best episodes of Taylor Sheridan's insanely popular drama.
"No Good Horses" (Season 1, Episode 3)
Yellowstone has a strong pilot episode, but the series really feels like it finds its footing in episode 3, as the anniversary of Evelyn's (Gretchen Mol) death delivers some heartbreaking flashbacks (and some serious explanation surrounding Beth). Mama drama aside, the hour also features that crazy storyline where Kayce (Luke Grimes) rescues a young girl from some guys in a creepy white van and Tate (Brecken Merrill) narrowly avoids a snake bite. See? Drama!
"The Unraveling, Part 1" (Season 1, Episode 8)
Any story that offers more insight into the show's best character is a good one. In the first season's penultimate episode, Rip (Cole Hauser) deals with the aftermath of killing a bear, and we finally get more of his backstory, with flashbacks detailing how he found his way into the Dutton family. Elsewhere, Kayce helps Monica (Kelsey Asbille) through her recovery from her recent head trauma.
"Resurrection Day" (Season 2, Episode 7)
Rip-Beth shippers will never — and I mean ever — forget this episode. When the Beck brothers (led by perpetual bad guy Neal McMcDonough) send some truly terrible men to Beth's (Kelly Reilly) office to assault (and very possibly kill) her, it's Rip who shows up just in time. The man literally walks through bullets in order to save the woman he loves (and then finally tells her he loves her in order to help ground her after the trauma).
"Enemies by Monday" (Season 2, Episode 9)
Tensions build in the season 2 penultimate episode as Jimmy (Jefferson White) is forced to deal with some bad people from his past, and Tate is kidnapped, leading the entire ranch on a frantic search party. Then there's one of the series' best Beth scenes: When she shows up to a high-end boutique to rescue Monica from racist workers who clearly had no idea who it was they were messing with.
"Sins of the Father" (Season 2, Episode 10)
The tension is built in for this hour, which sees the ranch come together to save Tate. And for Rip fans, it's the ultimate episode, as John's (Kevin Costner) letter reveals his intention to leave the ranch to Rip and then, moments later, Kayce asks Rip to risk his life to draw enemy fire so that they can save his son. And because Rip is a human tank (with a huge heart), he says yes and leads the charge to save the kid.
"Freight Trains and Monsters" (Season 3, Episode 2)
Welcome to the least dramatic episode on this list! Because there is another side of this show, and it's when the series luxuriates in the beauty of a slow life. As the cowboys camp far away from cell reception, we finally get a few calm moments: John spends time with Tate and even tells a few stories around a campfire.
"The World Is Purple" (Season 3, Episode 10)
It doesn't get much bigger than the season 3 finale. The Duttons are under attack. Beth's office is blown up. Kayce's office is shot up. And John? Well, he's shot multiple times on the side of the road, leaving fans to wonder if this is the end for the family patriarch.
"Half the Money" (Season 4, Episode 1)
Picking up seconds after the end of season 3, the first half of the season 4 premiere plays more like a finale than anything. Rip and Kayce work together to try and save John's life while also tracking down his shooters. The mile-a-minute opening starts the season off on the right foot before jumping ahead in time to when both Beth and John have healed from their attacks.
"Grass on the Streets and Weeds on the Rooftops" (Season 4, Episode 10)
Coming off the madness of the season 3 finale, the season 4 finale is relatively tame ... in a wonderful way. The highlight? Beth kidnapping a priest so that she can marry Rip right on the ranch's front lawn. Also in the episode, Kayce is off on a spirit journey, and the ranch says an emotional goodbye to Jimmy as he heads off to Texas.
"A Knife and No Coin" (Season 5, Episode 8)
In its first half, season 5 was a little too slow in many ways. It felt like we were sitting around waiting for things to happen. But in the mid-season finale, the drawn out Beth-Jamie (Wes Bentley) rivalry comes to a head when Beth takes a brick to her brother's head, an action that has him contemplating killing his sister. Talk about family drama!
Yellowstone is currently airing reruns Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
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