S04.E06: I Want to be Him

[kn51]

Shown:  The caring nature of Rip and Old Man Dutton, cutting the fence to reunite the baby with the mama in the most gentlest way possible.  Protester lady swoons in new found admiration of ranch life before walking off into the sunset.  

Not shown:  Rip saying to the calf..."You know I love you, but rules are rules..." before body slamming it and handing it off to Gator.

 

[moosegal]

On 12/5/2021 at 9:29 PM, toodywoody said:

Jamie Jamie Jamie, your beloved dad, you don't know from Adam and he's playing you like a fiddle.

So glad the girls are gone, but I'm bummed about Teeter, she didn't deserve it.

Lloyd, my goodness, get your shit together. Yes, Walker's a dick and yes there were times I wanted to smack his guitar up too but damn.

Poor RIP, he loves Lloyd and didn't want to do it but knew there was no other way.

Carter, dream on, you will never be John.

So what's up with the protestor, we're they the ones cutting the fence? 

I see something bad happening to Kayce and family with them being so far from anyone. 

Beth, if you and Jamie would team up, you two could and would be a force to be dealt with.

Jamie is going to be puppeted by his dad and then he's going to have to kill him.

I don't think Carter was referring to being like John, he was looking at RIP.

Edited December 9, 2021 by moosegal

[Crashcourse]

8 hours ago, moosegal said:

I don't think Carter was referring to being like John, he was looking at RIP.

Interestingly, I saw one website (menshealth) that said it was John, and another (vulture) said it was Rip.  I thought it was John. 

I also found this You tube recap and at around 8:18 we see Carter and the commentator says it's John.

 

Edited December 9, 2021 by Crashcourse

[MBayGal]

On 12/8/2021 at 11:29 AM, Tatum said:

Also, killing Rourke was pretty harsh considering they had zero evidence he was involved in all the hits.

Killing Rourke was especially harsh because I love Josh "Sawyer" Holloway, and he is the reason I started watching the show.  We were easily able to find the first two seasons and liked the show even before Josh joined the cast. This season is bad enough without Rip murdering Rourke.They should replace all scenes of Pitiful Jimmy with flashbacks of Rourke!!

[bichonblitz]

On 12/6/2021 at 12:31 PM, ShortyMac said:

Lloyd needs to grow up. Acting like that over some buckle bunnies.

P***y can do crazy things to a man. No matter how old they are. 

[Raja]

1 hour ago, MBayGal said:

Killing Rourke was especially harsh because I love Josh "Sawyer" Holloway, and he is the reason I started watching the show.  We were easily able to find the first two seasons and liked the show even before Josh joined the cast. This season is bad enough without Rip murdering Rourke.They should replace all scenes of Pitiful Jimmy with flashbacks of Rourke!!

When he was abruptly done away with it reminded of Cowboy just riding off and wondering why Steven Williams got stunt cast. Cowboy didn't present as old as Lloyd but if the wiki bios are correct he has 10 years on him.

[toodywoody]

I thought John had found out Roake was the one that had the old dude and his son starting shit last season. 

[Lamima]

I thought it was Rip who Carter was looking at when he said that's who he wanted to be like. But John makes sense in that Carter doesn't seem like Rip to me at all (even though they have the same back story). Carter wants stuff and wants it the easy way. He saw that John got Rip (and gets everyone) to do whatever he wants and needs (even beating on an old man that is like a father to you). He sees John's master manipulations and wants to be able to do that. Not be the loyal puppy that Rip is who does zero for himself and needs nothing in life (just happy with the cards dealt him and accepts whatever he gets). So maybe it was John he was looking at. Hard to tell from the back with cowboy hat, jeans and the jacket.

Jamie. Personally, he is the one my heart breaks most for. He was seeking love and approval from John and never got it. He was abused and battered by Beth. His real paternity was kept a secret. Probably not to spare him of the terrible details but to keep him under John's thumb more so. His baby mama is a gold digger bitch. His real dad is a piece of work. But, hey, at least real dad is all in on Jamie. Sure it is for his own benefit but he is giving something back to Jamie where as John never ever would. Heck I was shocked he even bothered to stop him from killing himself. But that too was probably only because he needed something from him. The taking someone to the train station...doubt that's about someone breaking a rule but more someone who is no longer useful to John so they get disposed of like an empty milk carton. 

[MBayGal]

6 hours ago, Lamima said:

Jamie. Personally, he is the one my heart breaks most for.

Much like I feel about Kendall on Succession, awful though he can be.

[mledawn]

It seems odd to me that John had Jamie go away to university to better serve "the family" instead of letting him stay on the farm like Jamie wanted. Has that been explained and I missed it? Was that part of the deal when John took Jamie in? 

[Joimiaroxeu]

So did Dutton get with Summer or not? It wasn't clear to me. Whatever, Beth was trying too hard to be hostile, IMO. I still bet she and Summer know each other and Beth put her on Dutton.

Looks like they gave Kelsey Asbille's body double a speaking part. 🙄 (The real estate agent also looked more Asian than Native American to me, just like KA. I know IRL that's possible but this show is really pushing it with Monica. Also, is colorism a thing among Native people? Because I think both women were relatively light-skinned and lowkey acting kind of privileged.)

Oy, Jamie is back to being the Fredo. Kind of dumb for him to have tried to arrest Bio-Dad on his own. Doesn't Jamie have people he can send to make arrests?

Heh, Tate has a type even if his daddy claims he doesn't. But "one hot tamale"? No kid Tate's age talks like that.

How would that calf have gotten out on its own? It didn't look light enough to have jumped over or small enough to have squeezed through the wires. I'm just glad they didn't have John pick him up like some kind of superhero.

Guess Lloyd wanted to go to the train station real bad, lol. How did he think stabbing Walker in front of all those people was going to work out for him? Seems he wasn't really trying to kill Walker though since he only went for the shoulder.

Walker seemed well-acquainted with that banamine stuff. He knew just how much he needed to take. Is it the "new and improved" ketamine? 😒

Sure hope Mia isn't going to where Jimmy is. He's doing much better without her bad influence.

Over on reddit some people were calling for Kayce to trade in Monica for Avery. I can get behind that. Tate already likes her so why not? 😏

Quote

Beth, if you and Jamie would team up, you two could and would be a force to be dealt with.

Right? Jamie should sic her on Bio-Dad since he's probably not strong enough to handle it himself.

[Lamima]

Above post reminds me of something else that dawned on me about Lloyd. Maybe he realizes he is past his expiration date. He can't ever leave as a branded man. But he can no longer do what is needed. Can't retire to FL and has no one to retire with. So why not skid into the grave broadside so to speak....go out with a bang. Think this is his way of suicide. IMO.

[Tatum]

5 hours ago, mledawn said:

It seems odd to me that John had Jamie go away to university to better serve "the family" instead of letting him stay on the farm like Jamie wanted. Has that been explained and I missed it? Was that part of the deal when John took Jamie in? 

I think it was just that scene. I get the impression Mama Dutton wanted Jamie and John just did whatever Mama Dutton wanted, but never really developed a true affection for Jamie. Once he saw how gifted Jamie was, he figured he would be useful and invested the Ivy league money into him.

 

John only seems to really care about Kayce. I know, he tells Beth he loves her, but I don't know that he really does, at least not in a functional way. She turns herself inside out for him and is so desperate for his love and approval, and he just takes it for granted that every move she makes will be for the direct benefit of him and his stupid ranch that he must know she doesn't care about. His interactions with her strike me as very manipulative. He seemed to have an honest affection for Tate in the first 2 seasons but they aren't really showing that now. I am not sure John really loves any of his kids, but he seemed to love his wife.

 

21 hours ago, Lamima said:

I thought it was Rip who Carter was looking at when he said that's who he wanted to be like. But John makes sense in that Carter doesn't seem like Rip to me at all (even though they have the same back story). Carter wants stuff and wants it the easy way. He saw that John got Rip (and gets everyone) to do whatever he wants and needs (even beating on an old man that is like a father to you). He sees John's master manipulations and wants to be able to do that. Not be the loyal puppy that Rip is who does zero for himself and needs nothing in life (just happy with the cards dealt him and accepts whatever he gets).

 Rip frustrates me so much. He has like, Stockholm syndrome when it comes to John. Yes, John did teenage Rip a kindness not turning him in and giving him a job. It was not an entirely altruistic move- John got plenty out of it. Rip can be grateful and he can think John walks on water all he wants but he shouldn't expect every other kid in an unfortunate situation to feel and act the same way.

[MBayGal]

13 hours ago, mledawn said:

 

It seems odd to me that John had Jamie go away to university to better serve "the family" instead of letting him stay on the farm like Jamie wanted. Has that been explained and I missed it? Was that part of the deal when John took Jamie in? 

 

IIRC, John insisted Jamie become a lawyer so there would be one in the family.  As for his loving any of his children, he had an older son who was killed off in S1.  Wasn't he John's favorite? Since John and his wife got Jamie as a baby, he couldn't have known if Jamie has the potential for higher education, much less law school. 

[mythoughtis]

Rip would not have been in trouble if he had been turned in as a teen. He only defended himself, his mom and his brother.   I’m sure he was actually turned in but then John said he’d foster him. Rip told Beth he had no birth certificate because one was never filed, not because he changed his name.  Which is also ridiculous- he was in school until his dad killed his mom. 
 

So Lloyd can never leave the ranch  alive, and now neither can Walker - but Teeter is forced off?  Is someone going to skin that brand off her?  Is the actress’s  part in FBI Most Wanted  going to be so big she doesn’t have time for Yellowstone? I hope not because I can’t stand that character 

[Crashcourse]

Just finished rewatching this episode and, yep, it was John whom Carter was pointing to when he said he wanted to be like him. 

[Tatum]

On 12/11/2021 at 9:05 PM, MBayGal said:

IIRC, John insisted Jamie become a lawyer so there would be one in the family.  As for his loving any of his children, he had an older son who was killed off in S1.  Wasn't he John's favorite? Since John and his wife got Jamie as a baby, he couldn't have known if Jamie has the potential for higher education, much less law school. 

Lee may have been John's favorite, but why wouldn't he be? He had no life outside the ranch, no desire to build one, and did whatever his father told him to do without complaint. He was basically Rip, but a biological Dutton.

 

I'm just not convinced John really cares about any of his kids beyond how they can protect the Ranch's legacy. He may need them, he may appreciate what they do, but if they all said, hey, we want to live our own lives and just pop in and visit you now and then, I can't see him having much use for them.

 

I remember when John found out that Beth couldn't have kids, and when he was yelling and slapping Jamie around, he said something like, now Tate has to try and protect this place all by himself? Um, John, who said Tate even wanted to do this? He's like 11. Just because he thinks your house is sweeter than his trailer and he likes to ride a horse for fun, does not mean he wants to manage the ranch, let alone get in bed (literally and figuratively) with every law enforcement and political figure in town to protect it. He just takes it for granted that the ranch is all each generation will care about. Also, he only considered Beth's inability to have kids as a hindrance to pumping out more kids who would manipulate the legal, political, and economic factors that would protect the ranch. He didn't think maybe Beth might want kids for other reasons? (I mean, it's Beth, but still).

Edited December 13, 2021 by Tatum

[Tatum]

Finally watched the episode this week (I'm in no hurry anymore) and just when I thought Monica couldn't get much more obnoxious, she tops herself. After spending three seasons lecturing every white man she comes across about the horrors faced by indigenous people, particularly women, Avery, who I am assuming is Native American based on how she lives on the reservation, is reduced by Monica to being "Kayce's tank top wearing bitch" because she dared breathe. Way to embody girl power, Monica.

 

Also, Jamie's assistant knows damn well who Beth is. She's let her into Jamie's office before. She couldn't give her boss a heads up that it was Beth representing Market Equities now?

 

ETA: Also, can just one person, just once, get a solid burn on Beth? Piper walked right into "God blessed me with these for free and looks like he gave me yours too". The best Piper got was pointing out that Beth was a little old to be getting jealous of the women Daddy pals around with, which was a decent insult and it would grind Beth's gears sufficiently when Daddy nodded his agreement, but naturally it was behind her back. Although I guess I hate both Summer/Piper Perabo enough that her burning Beth wouldn't be worth it to watch. A gluten free vegan should probably just carry her own cooler around, especially in more rural areas.

Edited December 16, 2021 by Tatum

[mostlylurking]

Up to this episode I’ve always liked Rip but I think I got all that out of my system.  I am so sick of him not taking any responsibility for any of his actions and just blindly following orders.  How many times has he said “it’s not up to me”??  Good god, I mean I know he’s kind of brainwashed since he has been a servant to the ranch since he was a child but at some point ya gotta grow up.  No drivers license?  No birth certificate?  If you’ve been born, you can get a birth certificate.  At any age.  And he can’t blame ignorance either. He has a mind of his own, he knows what should and shouldn’t be done, but he won’t act on it.  That’s so much worse than just being blissfully ignorant.  He’s kind of a coward actually.  He even dutifully bangs Beth whenever she summons him.  

Kayce doesn’t have as good of a body as I originally thought.  He was kinda doughy when he and John were at the hot springs.  That surprised me.  Beth has come such a long way since season 1 to the point where she’s pretty much my favorite character.  Her interactions with her dad are gold.  Thank god Jaime got a haircut, it’s less Eddie Munster-ish now.  It’s so stiff though, all the greys almost look like aqua net residue since his hair doesn’t move.

Monica made me laugh with her jealousy over Avery.  Girl please.  Have some dignity.  She’s a walking stereotype.  Also sometime between being ambushed and hiding in her bedroom instead of parenting her child she managed to get her hair layered.  I’l admit, it looks good.  But the Avery hate is such a cliche. 

 

Edited February 8, 2022 by mostlylurking

[RedHawk]

On 12/5/2021 at 9:29 PM, toodywoody said:

I see something bad happening to Kayce and family with them being so far from anyone. 

I can only hope something happens to Monica and Tate. I liked Tate in early seasons but now even John doesn't seem interested in him. Kayce's found his home so he can experience a week of happiness and then lose them in dramatic fashion. 

Maybe moving out to the dream house on the reservation (which I submit as further proof of the fan theory that they're both actually dead and Kayce sees them in some sort of PTSD hallucinations) is a way to minimize Monica and Tate being on the show. If Tate goes back to the ranch there will be a plot involving Tate the golden heir and Carter the indentured servant.

On 12/6/2021 at 6:40 PM, MBayGal said:

And yes to those who are finding the Beth-John relationship unhealthy and uncomfortable to watch.  

There are so many ridiculous plot points this season: buckle bunnies living in the bunkhouse, Jamie's GF and son showing up just in time to save his bio-dad, a severely wounded guy able to fight a good fight the next day, and of course the continued existence of jimmy.  

I was ok with inconsistent and implausible, but some things are getting harder to overlook.

The Beth-John relationship is for sure unhealthy. I found the scene in the bedroom interesting and a good one. Where until now she has mostly been the vicious defender, since he got shot she has evolved more into also being his caregiver as she sees him aging and growing tired and as he admits, lonely. That's a typical life transition as we mature and our parents age or get ill. 

All of his children, bio as well as adopted, are damaged and he damaged them. I liked his realization last season that he had done some terrible things "all for nothing". Could have been an interesting road ahead for John Dutton after that, if Sheridan wasn't so committed to a specific hyper-masculine no-growth narrative.

On 12/7/2021 at 12:52 AM, Dowel Jones said:

I thought Dutton was supposed to be about 70.

In Season 2 when the Governor visits him at the ranch he says he is 63. So he's supposed to be ~65 in S4 I guess.

On 12/7/2021 at 6:48 AM, Haleth said:

Monica, along with being generally annoying, is suddenly so jealous of Kayce talking to an old friend she can't sleep.

I think she had reason! Avery was smilin' at Kayce and Kayce was smilin' right back. There was chemistry between them before, and there's chemistry between them now. Monica was standing behind him so she couldn't see Kayce's face but I think even his body language gave it away. LOL!

On 12/7/2021 at 8:05 PM, madmax said:

I am truly hoping that Teeter is not actually gone.  Maybe Rip tells John, she's got the brand, she's a good worker, she's not like them.  Please?

Same with Jimmy.  Everyone upthread who said about Sheridan spreading himself thin is 100% right.  Something's going to suffer and I'm sure it'll be Yellowstone.

It's already happening. I'm just now watching the series, bingeing during the heat wave, and this season, at least up to this episode, has been a major letdown. And yes, Teeter took the brand, which I've always thought then ties you pretty close to the ranch because you know secrets that could bring the whole place down. Like, Walker can't just take off and keep working on his music career in Bozeman or Helena. He knows too much, including the location of the "train station". So Rip is just going to trust Teeter to keep her mouth shut, I guess. Maybe some branded men have been allowed to leave on good terms in the past, but I don't recall seeing that. [ETA: There's Jimmy, of course, but it's not like he left and went somewhere of his own choosing.]

Having just finished the episode, I imagine Laramie will take Teeter along with her on the road, at least until she can get another job. Why doesn't she just ask Walker to go with her as well? Rip saying he can't leave would sure make her suspicious. That could lead to something interesting but I doubt Sheridan thinks that way. Could come back around later.

Edited July 24, 2022 by RedHawk
Correction