Kayce’s First Day as a Livestock Officer Ends Tragically on ‘Yellowstone’ (RECAP)

Meredith Jacobs July 17, 2019, 11:02 pm

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 2, Episode 4 of Yellowstone, “Only Devils Left.”]

John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and Malcolm Beck (Neal McDonough) finally (yes, it’s only been one episode, but still) meet in Wednesday’s episode of Yellowstone. And it definitely doesn’t go the way the latter would’ve liked.

Meanwhile, Kayce (Luke Grimes) jumps right into being a livestock officer when someone poisons the cows in the field and the local police aren’t exactly leaping to find who did it (and the proof). Plus, things get complicated in the family business for Jamie (Wes Bentley) and Beth (Kelly Reilly).

But hey, at least none of them are Jimmy (Jefferson White), who really needs to figure out how to pay his old associates back if he doesn’t want them to beat up his father again.

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Just because it’s justified, doesn’t mean it’s right

After people in a plane dump clover on the ranch’s property, Kayce and Rip (Cole Hauser) find a field of their cows dead. Furthermore, they’ll have to burn the field (as they do by episode’s end) because the clover will take root and just get worse in the spring. And that’s enough to bring in the livestock commissioner, meaning John’s meeting with the soon-to-be new Attorney General, Cassidy, is going to have to wait.

(Paramount Network)

Since Sheriff Donnie Haskell says he doesn’t have jurisdiction, John orders him to deputize his men, specifically Kayce. (And he makes sure Donnie remembers that he wouldn’t be sheriff without him.) Donnie reluctantly agrees, and John tells him he expects the sheriff to give him support if they call for it.

While Kayce is riding around with Livestock Agent Steve Hendon checking air strips, they receive a call about dead cows. Their investigation leads to the Hayes’ farm and the “wolves” (ranch tool) that’s the cause of death for these cows, at the very least. But the situation escalates when Jerry refuses to let Steve arrest him and the agent tackles him. Jerry’s son, Luke, then runs over with a shotgun, and Kayce tries to talk him down. Sadly, it doesn’t work, and Steve shoots and kills Luke. He insists he had no choice.

After, Kayce tells John it was “justified,” but “right and wrong are so far from this place I don’t think it factors in at all.” And John blames it solely on Donnie, since he didn’t respond to Steve’s requests for backup.

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Jamie vs. Beth

Now that Jamie’s back on the ranch, he begins looking over paperwork and discovers that the ranch is in a trust, courtesy of Beth. And he thinks that’s so she can control the money. But he’s the one managing the finances, so he needs to know what she’s done. She thinks there’s no real risk, but he gives her a rundown of the ranch’s profits (namely, that it hasn’t turned one in six years).

Later, while meeting with Cassidy — who doesn’t seem like she’s just going to do everything they want her to — Beth asks if Jamie’s knowledge of the raid prior to it happening would be a problem. As she tells Jamie when they’re alone, she plans to get him disbarred.

(Paramount Network)

The Beck brothers always get what they want … or do they?

Dan (Danny Huston) learns quite quickly that he’s probably going to lose out in his deal with Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), just like the Beck brothers warned him he would. But is there anything he can do about it?

Well, at least he’s not going to be getting another visit from the two men, since they’re focused on John in this episode. The casino in the valley will have a negative effect on the Becks’ business and his ranch, so why not team up and fight outside the lines? John can think of Malcolm and Teal (Terry Serpico) as his allies since no part of their businesses benefits the other. John will consider it, but he’s going to do whatever is best for his family.

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A path to reconciliation or just a slip up?

The possibility of something between Monica (Kelsey Asbille) and her physical therapist continues, as he offers to walk with her to her rehab after her class, but she instead reschedules their appointment. However, she does look conflicted after he leaves.

So, to that end, she calls Kayce and admits she’s lonely. But even though they miss each other, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea for him to come over because love isn’t enough in this case. Still, he does show up at her place and Tate certainly is happy to see his parents seemingly together and happy. But it can’t be that easy for those two, right?

Yellowstone, Wednesdays, 10/9c, Paramount Network