Yellowstone season 1, episode 9, “The Unravelling: Part 2” is the second half of the two-part season 1 finale and the episode sees John (Kevin Costner) and Jamie (Wes Bentley) reaching an impasse, Beth (Kelly Reilly) getting a new role in the family, and Dan Jenkins (Danny Huston) getting what’s coming to him. The first season of Yellowstone may have some growing pains, but it’s still an excellent nine episodes of TV, and “The Unravelling: Part 1” and “Part 2” bring a lot of simmering resentments to a dramatic boil.
The first season of Taylor Sheridan’s TV show has seen John coming up against Dan Jenkins and Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and in “The Unravelling: Part 1”, their machinations begin to take form. However, Beth is making some plans of her own to undercut him. Jamie and John’s relationship is as tense as ever when the two get into a physical altercation, leaving Jamie bloodied. Monica (Kelsey Asbille) is still in the hospital and has now made it clear she wants Kayce (Luke Grimes) out of her life. “The Unravelling: Part 2” picks up right where episode 8 left off.
John Cuts His Support For Jamie
Governor Perry Wants John To Retire
In the beginning of the episode, John has a sit-down with Governor Lynelle Perry (Wendy Moniz-Grillo). When he asks that they remove Jamie from the AG race, Perry proposes that it’s John who should step down as Livestock Commissioner, determining that his ongoing legal troubles are too noisy for everyone. John refuses and says if they want him gone, they can race someone who will beat him. He also officially cuts Jamie’s funding, sending a gleeful Beth to Jamie’s office where she tears up his credit cards and smashes one of his campaign mugs.
Jamie Meets With A Reporter
Sarah Nguyen Reveals She’s An Undercover Reporter
After his humiliation and loss of funds, Jamie is surprisingly calm, even telling his campaign manager, Christina (Katherine Cunningham) that he feels free. The next day, Jamie is given some shocking news. One of the women he thought was working for him, Sarah Nguyen (Michaela Conlin), is actually a reporter from New York Magazine, and she’s looking to do an exposé on John Dutton and could use Jamie’s help. Jamie may hate Beth and have a contentious relationship with John, but doing a tell-all about his family is crossing a line.
In the end, Jamie tells himself that in order to protect John’s legacy, he must destroy him, and begins the interview.
However, after his beat down in the previous episode, and the Duttons officially halting his race for AG, Jamie is in no mood to take it easy on them. He agrees to the interview, partially because Sarah convinces him he won’t win the race without the article to take down his father. When he arrives at the hotel room for the interview, he has a moment of hesitation as he comes to terms with what he is about to do. In the end, Jamie tells himself that in order to protect John’s legacy, he must destroy him, and begins the interview.
Kayce And Rip Interrogate Dan Jenkins
Dan Is Nearly Hung To Death
Dan Jenkins may think he has everything all wrapped up on the Yellowstone Ranch, but what he doesn’t count on is the brutal tactics of Kayce and Rip (Cole Hauser). Rip and Lloyd (Forrie Smith) track down Dan, who’s on a walk, and chase him into a waiting Kayce. The trio of Yellowstone faithful bring Dan to the ranch where they tie a noose around his neck and place him on a horse. Rip forces Dan to confess he purposefully ran a semi-truck into John’s car, and he even admits to illegally trying to price the Duttons out of Yellowstone.
Though Rip is content and agrees to cut Dan down, Dan begins yelling obscenities at them, goading Kayce into slapping the horse he’s sitting on, effectively hanging Dan. Rip makes a motion to help him but Kayce says, “Let him hang”. Rip, Lloyd, and Kayce all watch Dan struggle at the rope before the scene ends. Dan’s fate isn’t revealed until Yellowstone season 2, episode 1.
Kayce Joins The Bunkhouse And Beth Is Made Executor Of The Ranch
Avery Becomes A Ranch Hand
In other news, Kayce has officially been pushed away by Monica, and he goes back to Yellowstone to talk with John to see if he can work as a ranch hand. John insists there’s no need for that, and he should live in the big house. He’s family after all. Kayce won’t hear it and John reluctantly allows him to stay in the bunkhouse with the other workers. When he arrives, he places his hat on his bunk, which is seen as bad luck by the other cowboys. Kayce is quick to point out that he doesn’t believe in bad luck.
Rip brings another new face to the bunkhouse, Avery (Tanaya Beatty), a dancer he had hired to spy on Dan and Rainwater. When he returns to pay her one evening, she tells him she doesn’t want money, she wants a job at Yellowstone, claiming she can ride as well as any man there. She proves she can hold her own when she arrives, immediately dressing down the men there and threatening them personally if anyone tries anything funny with her.
Beth has always been one of the most intelligent characters in Yellowstone and in season 1, episode 9, John finally acknowledges how much help she has been. He tells her that he’s put Yellowstone in a trust, and made Beth the executor of that trust in the event of his passing, effectively giving Beth control of the ranch once he dies. As strong as Beth has been all episode, she still breaks down at the end while having dinner alone with John at their once-filled table. John assures her that it will be filled again.
What’s Next For Yellowstone
The Duttons And Jamie Are Set To Clash In Season 2
At the end of Yellowstone season 1, each character has had to face the results of their actions this season. Some characters’ crimes are worse than others, and their consequences are worse for it. Jamie and John’s relationship is as bad as it’s ever been, which will figure into season 2. Dan’s fate and Jamie’s interview are left as cliffhangers, though what comes next after those two moments is almost more important than the moments themselves. Yellowstone season 1, episode 9, “The Unravelling: Part 2” is the end of the beginning and there’s no going back now.