Yellowstone has finally returned after two years, and the premiere episode of Season 5 Part 2, titled “Desire Is All You Need,” takes the series in a surprising new direction. Kevin Costner’s exit from the series, especially between the two halves of the season, left many fans wondering how the show would move forward without the central character, John Dutton.
But Taylor Sheridan, the show’s creator, did not leave viewers guessing for long. In this new premiere, Sheridan answers some major questions, showing how the Dutton family and those connected to them handle the unexpected death of the patriarch, John Dutton.
Yellowstone’s Season 5 Part 2 Starts Off with Shocking News
In a sudden, emotional opening, Lloyd (played by Forrie J. Smith) watches the sunrise over the vast Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. The scene is calm and reflective until the peace is abruptly interrupted by the arrival of Beth Dutton (played by Kelly Reilly) at the Governor’s mansion in Helena.
She and her brother, Kayce Dutton (played by Luke Grimes), force their way into the mansion, where they discover devastating news: their father, Governor John Dutton, has died. Even worse, they find that John died by what looks like suicide, just as his impeachment trial was about to begin.
The shock and grief hit both Beth and Kayce hard, especially Beth, who breaks down and cries in her brother’s arms. She is convinced that their half-brother Jamie (played by Wes Bentley) is somehow responsible for John’s death, though her intense sorrow keeps her from acting on her anger right away.
Meanwhile, Jamie hears about John’s death from a news broadcast. He is in shock, struggling to keep his composure. After a call confirming his father’s death, Jamie contacts former Governor Lynelle Perry (played by Wendy Moniz) to share the heartbreaking news.
He then steps in front of the press to inform the public that John Dutton, the 26th Governor of Montana, has died. Beth and Kayce hear Jamie’s press conference over the radio while driving along a country road. In the midst of this tragedy, Beth asks Kayce to stop the car, then steps out into a field, overcome by emotion.
She calls her husband, Rip Wheeler (played by Cole Hauser), with an urgent request, “Baby, I need you to come home now.” Without hesitation, Rip drops everything and heads back to Montana to be by her side.
The Dutton Cowboys in Texas and Their Longing for Home
While some of the Duttons are grieving John’s death in Montana, others, including Rip, are still in Texas. If you recall from the end of Season 5 Part 1, Rip, along with Walker (played by Ryan Bingham), Teeter (played by Jen Landon), Jake (played by Jake Ream), and Ryan (played by Ian Bohen), left the Dutton Ranch to move cattle to Texas due to concerns about brucellosis among the livestock.
The group is now camped out at the Four Sixes (6666) Ranch, a large ranch in Texas, where they’ve also reconnected with their old friend Jimmy Hurdstrom (played by Jefferson White), who is now working there.
Though the death of John Dutton is the episode’s main storyline, “Desire Is All You Need” takes viewers back six weeks to events before his death, giving context to the characters’ lives and actions. Down in Texas, the Dutton Cowboys miss the mountains and views of Montana.
Still from Yellowstone (Credit: Peacock)
One night, Walker sings a sad song as the cowboys sit under the stars, expressing a shared feeling of homesickness and longing. Love and separation weigh on their minds, especially since many of them had to leave loved ones behind in Montana. Jimmy, however, doesn’t have much screen time in this episode.
His interactions with the other cowboys are light-hearted, but they often tease him, poking fun at his lack of intelligence. Though brief, his scenes suggest he may have more screen time later in the season as the episodes flash back to this period between the two halves of Season 5.
Back on the Dutton Ranch in Montana, some familiar faces like Lloyd, Carter (played by Finn Little), and Colby (played by Denim Richards) continue their daily routines, though there seems to be less work for them with so many of their friends down in Texas.
Kayce’s Family Finds New Challenges in Their New Home
Kayce and his family are, once again, adjusting to a new living situation. They have moved multiple times throughout the series, including a move from the Broken Rock Indian Reservation to a ranch home, back into town, back to the Dutton Ranch, and then to a piece of land closer to Billings.
After the tragic loss of their child, also named John Dutton, at the beginning of Season 5, Kayce now brings his wife Monica (played by Kelsey Asbille) and son Tate (played by Brecken Merrill) back to the Dutton Ranch. This time, they move into an old, isolated house that has been abandoned for years. The home is a fixer-upper, and its distance from the rest of the ranch makes it even more remote.
As is typical with Yellowstone’s storytelling, this brief scene is the only glimpse we get of Kayce’s family in the episode. Although Kayce is present in most of the scenes with Beth in the current timeline, Monica and Tate only appear in this one flashback scene.
Together, they decide that this remote home will be a fresh start for their family. To add an eerie twist, Kayce spots a wolf near the house, which may symbolize his vision of “their end,” a vision he had at the end of Season 4. Meanwhile, in another flashback, Beth manages to avoid her community service by intimidating the community service officers—though such behavior seems far from how the legal system typically works.
Sarah Atwood’s Role in John Dutton’s Death Revealed
In the flashback period, the episode also gives viewers more details about the events that led to John Dutton’s death. Although John himself doesn’t appear in this part of the story, those close to him do.
Sarah Atwood (played by Dawn Olivieri), who is Jamie’s lover and a lawyer for Market Equities, plays a key role in the unfolding events. Midway through “Desire Is All You Need,” Sarah visits a new character, “Grant Horton” (played by Matt Gerald), who presents a calculated solution to the Dutton problem.
Grant makes it clear that Sarah’s actions are directly responsible for John’s death, telling her, “Your presence here is committing the murder.” He reveals that his organization possesses a sex tape of Sarah and Jamie (who is still Montana’s Attorney General), which they could release if she tries to shift blame onto them.
While Sarah prefers the idea of John’s death appearing as a heart attack rather than suicide, Grant insists that the latter option would attract less attention from law enforcement. However, Sarah may not have anticipated the consequences, especially when facing Beth Dutton.
Chief Thomas Rainwater Stands Up Against the Oil Pipeline
Toward the end of the flashbacks, viewers see a brief but significant scene with Chief Thomas Rainwater (played by Gil Birmingham) and his right-hand man Mo (played by Moses Brings Plenty). As they look over the land being prepared for a new oil pipeline, Rainwater and Mo recognize that the pipeline will run beneath a lake, potentially hiding any leaks.
Rainwater declares, “This is the hill we die on,” signaling that a major conflict may lie ahead as the people of Broken Rock face an unwelcome intrusion on their land.
The Tension Between Beth and Jamie Builds to a New Level
In the present timeline, Jamie is still dealing with the aftermath of John’s death. He returns home, visibly distraught, and tells Sarah that he believes John’s suicide stemmed from guilt and grief over their past conflicts. However, Sarah soon reveals that it was their earlier conversation that sparked the plan to have John killed.
She encourages Jamie to embrace his newfound power, using a vivid metaphor to make her point: “Lions don’t die of old age. Lions die in the jaws of younger lions, and you are the younger lion.” Despite his visible conflict over losing both of his fathers, Jamie begins to accept his position in the family’s power struggle.
At the Dutton Ranch, Beth and Kayce discuss their options going forward. Beth, determined to seek revenge on Jamie, urges her brother to confront him directly. “Go look him in the eye if you have to, Kayce,” she says. “Look him in the eye, and then come home and help me decide how to kill him.”
Just then, Rip arrives at the ranch, and he and Beth share a tearful embrace, bringing the episode to a close. Though the show now faces the challenge of continuing without John Dutton, it’s clear that the story has set the stage for intense conflict and unresolved family tensions in the episodes to come.
Still from Yellowstone (Credit: Peacock)
More than ever, this new season of Yellowstone emphasizes the idea of legacy, a theme that runs deep within the Dutton family’s story. As Beth, Kayce, and Jamie all struggle to understand their roles in the family and what the future holds for each of them, the series also honors real-life Western icons.
In “Desire Is All You Need,” viewers see the late Billy Klapper, a legendary Texas loriner (bit and spur maker), who passed away in September. The episode dedicates itself to Klapper’s memory, and Dusty Burson, one of the Four Sixes cowboys, acknowledges his influence, calling him a “legend” and explaining how Klapper’s life and work inspired generations of cowboys.
Apple TV+’s Bad Sisters has won over many fans since it premiered in 2022. This series tells the gripping story of five Irish sisters haunted by one man’s cruelty and manipulation.
The show’s first season, which was nominated for four Emmy Awards, introduces viewers to the lives of the Garvey sisters and their attempts to protect each other from John Paul, the abusive husband of Grace, the second eldest sister.
As they plot to free themselves from his control, they find themselves entangled in unexpected consequences. With Season 2 on the horizon, here’s a look back at the thrilling twists of the first season.
The Sisters’ Struggle with John Paul
Right from the start, John Paul, played by Claes Bang, is shown as a deeply toxic figure. Married to Grace, John Paul is a manipulative man who belittles her and her sisters at every opportunity. His behavior is relentless and cruel, targeting each sister to keep them all under his influence.
Grace’s sisters quickly realize how damaging John Paul is, and they start to fantasize about what life would be like without him. In private moments, they even joke about how things might improve if John Paul suddenly died. However, it becomes clear that they’re not just joking.
In the present day, the show reveals that John Paul has indeed died under suspicious circumstances, and suspicion falls on Grace’s sisters. Each episode includes flashbacks to show how they tried—and failed—to put an end to his reign of terror.
The sisters, without Grace knowing, come up with wild schemes to get rid of their brother-in-law, ranging from blowing up his cabin to shooting him with a frozen paintball. Every attempt, however, fails in absurd and unpredictable ways, allowing John Paul to continue causing them pain.
Becka’s Secret Relationship
Adding more tension to their already complex lives, the youngest sister, Becka, played by Eve Hewson, has been dating Matt (Daryl McCormack), an insurance investigator. Unbeknownst to her, Matt is looking into John Paul’s death.
As he digs deeper, Becka’s relationship with him complicates the sisters’ efforts to stay out of the investigation’s spotlight. The suspense builds with every episode, keeping viewers on edge as they watch the sisters scramble to protect each other while still facing their own secrets. The viewers already know that John Paul is dead, but how he died and which sister (if any) was ultimately responsible is the big mystery.
Grace’s Shocking Confession in the Season Finale
The season finale brings long-awaited closure, with all the sisters finally coming together for a heart-to-heart conversation with Grace. Just as the sisters are about to reveal their plans to take out John Paul, Grace makes a shocking admission: she was the one who ended his life.
After years of mistreatment, Grace reached her breaking point when John Paul implied that her eldest sister, Eva, had seduced him, even though he had actually assaulted Eva. This incident caused Eva to miscarry and left her unable to have children, a fact that has profoundly impacted her life.
Grace immediately realizes that John Paul’s story is a lie and, pushed to her limit, she decides to take matters into her own hands. She strangles him with his pajamas, and with the help of her supportive neighbor, Roger (played by Michael Smiley), she stages the scene to make John Paul’s death appear accidental. Grace’s confession brings a sense of unity to the sisters, who share relief that John Paul’s torment is finally over.
Lingering Effects on the Sisters
Although John Paul’s death brings some closure, each sister is left grappling with her own struggles. Ursula, played by Eva Birthistle, has ended her extramarital affair, but the future of her marriage remains uncertain. She’s deeply unhappy, and it’s unclear whether her relationship can withstand the emotional toll that the events have taken on her.
Bibi, portrayed by Sarah Greene, also faces her own challenges. She no longer has a reason to channel her anger, as her plans to end John Paul’s life have come to an end. She’s left grieving the loss of her eye, a lasting reminder of the dangerous schemes that she once took part in.
Becka also finds herself wrestling with guilt after a tragic accident that led to John Paul’s mother’s death. Eva, the eldest sister, tries to console her, encouraging her to forgive herself. However, Becka’s regret runs deep, and she struggles to come to terms with what happened. Despite Eva’s efforts to help her, Becka is left carrying the weight of her actions.
Matt, the investigator and Becka’s boyfriend, eventually discovers the truth about John Paul’s death. After some convincing, he agrees to drop the investigation into possible insurance fraud as long as Grace withdraws her claim.
In the end, Grace and her daughter move in with Eva, solidifying the close bond between the sisters. Though they’ve found some relief with John Paul out of their lives, the emotional scars he left remain. Their love for each other is strong, but questions linger about whether they can ever fully move past the trauma.
Questions for Season 2
With John Paul no longer in their lives, the Garvey sisters face an uncertain future. Although they may feel some sense of closure, the trauma they experienced won’t disappear overnight. Season 2 promises to show whether the sisters can truly move on from their dark past.
Still from Bad Sisters (Credit: Apple TV)
Will they have to keep their involvement in John Paul’s death a secret forever? Or will new challenges force them to confront the lingering darkness in their lives?
Bad Sisters offers an attractive story of family, loyalty, and the extreme lengths people might go to protect those they love. It’s a suspenseful journey filled with unexpected twists and a strong message about the unbreakable bond between sisters. Viewers can expect more twists and deeper storylines as the Garvey sisters face life after John Paul, facing the consequences of their actions and the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
Season 1 of Bad Sisters is available to stream on Apple TV+, with Season 2 set to premiere on November 13.
