The 10 Best Episodes of Yellowstone, Ranked
Yellowstone is returning later this year the second half of its final season. What have been the best episodes of Taylor Sheridan’s hit series so far?
Yellowstone is officially coming to an end later this year with Part 2 of Season 5. The much-beloved western follows the Dutton family, led by John Dutton (Kevin Costner), who runs the titular Yellowstone ranch in Montana. Created by Taylor Sheridan, the series has been a massive hit, producing multiple spinoff shows like 1883 and 1923.
Filled with intrigue, overwrought with drama, and bolstered by a terrific cast, Yellowstone is one of the best series on television. Some episodes, however, prove to be especially well-made, showcasing just how unique the series is.
10 “Going Back To Cali” Has Heart And Action
The fourth episode of Yellowstone’s third season, “Going Back to Cali,” picks up after Jimmy Hurdstrom’s rodeo accident in the previous episode. With the help of the Duttons, he begins his recovery so that he can once again train toward working as a cowboy on the ranch. Meanwhile, John and his boys deal with a gang of bikers who consistently trespass on their land, sending them “back to Cali” by the episode’s end.
“Going Back to Cali” is a perfect blend of heart and action, something that Yellowstone fans have gotten used to over the years. The episode includes some terrific moments, including Jimmy’s labored but promising first ride after his injury and John’s hair-raising yet thoroughly enjoyable encounter with the California biker gang.
9 “Blood The Boy” Features A Cold-Blooded Murder
“Blood the Boy,” the sixth episode of Yellowstone’s second season, is a major episode for Jamie, the black sheep of the Dutton Family. After his adoptive father sends him to meet with a reporter who may have information that could ruin the family ranch, Jamie loses control and murders her, putting his family in an even more difficult position.
This episode cemented fans’ hatred of Jamie Dutton, whose actions always seem to make things worse for his family. Things truly escalate in Jamie’s story, widening the chasmic gap between him and John, who helps him cover up the murder but disapproves of his rash actions. As the episode ends, it is clear that a page has turned for the Dutton family, which may never be the same again.
8 “Phantom Pain” Is A High-Tension Drama
“Phantom Pain” follows the Dutton family as they try to get to the bottom of the attack made against them at the end of Season 3. With John still recovering from his gunshot wounds, Beth takes matters into her own hands to figure out who is trying to kill their family. She sets her sights firmly on Jamie, whom she believes has betrayed them in a bid to get the ranch for himself.
The beginning of Yellowstone’s fourth season includes some of the show’s best episodes, putting the Duttons on the backfoot as they fear for their lives and prepare to retaliate against their enemies. Tensions only continue to rise through “Phantom Pain,” as Jamie continues to make moves against his family, teaming up with his biological father Garrett to buy a tract of land next to the Yellowstone territory.
7 “I Killed A Man Today” Is An Important Episode For Monica Long
The eighth episode of Yellowstone’s third season, “I Killed a Man Today,” heavily features the women of the series, particularly Beth and Monica. While Beth wages a war between companies on the battlefield of the stock market, Monica finds herself locked in a fight for her life when she is attacked by a stranger.
“I Killed a Man Today” is a major episode for Kelsey Asbille’s Monica Long, who is nearly killed by a man in the woods, only to be saved at the last moment when her attacker is shot in the head. In a shocking twist, it is revealed that she had purposefully acted as bait to stop this man’s serial killings. But, with his death on her hands, Monica is forced to grapple with her decisions, as heroic as they may have seemed.
6 “Meaner Than Evil” Shows How Far The Duttons Have Fallen
After being attacked at the end of the previous episode, Colby and Teeter seek the help of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton and his family to retaliate against the Morrows in the ninth episode of season three, “Meaner Than Evil.” Things come to a head with the Morrows when Beth finally finishes things with her rival, Willa Hayes.
“Meaner Than Evil” shows the true brutality of its characters, including some of the most harrowing deaths of any Yellowstone antagonists. The Duttons ultimately decide that certain ugly things must be done for survival, continuing their downward descent.
5 “Enemies By Monday” Features Mounting Tensions For The Duttons
“Enemies by Monday,” the penultimate episode of Yellowstone’s second season, continues to build up the growing conflict between the Dutton family and the Beck brothers, who have made it their life’s mission to bring down the protagonists’ estate. Tensions mount as the Duttons fight a war on multiple fronts, with several casualties showing just how dangerous this conflict has become.
This episode is a perfect example of Yellowstone’s masterful ability to build season-long tensions into an exciting finale. Although “Enemies by Monday” doesn’t include the final battle between the Duttons and the Becks, the episode still feels very much like a finale, keeping viewers glued to the screen until its harrowing cliffhanger ending, when it is revealed that Tate Dutton has been kidnapped.
4 “Sins Of The Father” Has Some Terrific Action
In “The Sins of the Father,” the epic season two finale of Yellowstone, the Duttons mount a desperate and merciless operation to rescue Tate from the villainous Beck brothers. Things come to a violent end, with several allies and enemies falling in the final battle.
The season two finale of Yellowstone includes some of the show’s best action of its entire run, expertly paying off the growing tensions of the entire season. The episode is particularly memorable for including the final stand of enemy-turned-ally Dan Jenkins and the Duttons’ cold-blooded killing of Teal and Malcolm Beck.
3 “The World Is Purple” Leaves Fans On A Shocking Cliffhanger
The season three finale of Yellowstone, entitled “The World is Purple,” features a turning point for the Dutton family. After the gruesome deaths of Wade and Clint Morrow, the Duttons attempt to bring an end to the hostilities between them and their remaining rivals. However, things take a sudden turn that leaves some of their fates unknown.
“The World is Purple” is perhaps best known for its spine-chilling ending, after it is revealed that each member of the Dutton family has fallen into the crosshairs of hired assassins. The season ends with each of the Duttons facing death, including John, who is shot on the side of the road. Audiences are left without answers about what will come next until the Season 4 premiere, which elevated the stakes even higher.
2 “Resurrection Day” Shows The Brokenness Of The Dutton Family
After murdering Sarah Nguyen, a reporter with dirt on the Dutton family, Jamie descends deeper and deeper into darkness as he tries to grapple with his horrific actions. Meanwhile, the tensions between the Duttons and the Beck brothers, as members on both sides turn to violence to achieve their own ends.
In “Resurrection Day,” audiences get a terrific exploration of Jamie’s relationship with the rest of his family, particularly Beth and John. While Beth has no qualms about voicing her hatred for her adoptive brother, even John cannot bring himself to say he loves Jamie. Viewers see just how broken the Dutton family has become, especially in light of Jamie’s recent actions, building the intrigue that would play out over the next several seasons.
1 “Half The Money” Picks Up After A Massive Cliffhanger
The Season 3 finale shocked fans of Yellowstone, leaving John Dutton injured and near death on the side of a highway after being attacked by a group of hitmen. Season 4’s premiere episode, “Half the Money,” picks up immediately after this event, with the Duttons thrown into disarray as John fights for his life in the hospital.
At the beginning of the season, it seems as though everything is falling apart for the Dutton family, with a powerful and unseen enemy targeting each of them in the hopes of killing them all. After multiple murder attempts, the Duttons begin to suspect that Jamie himself is behind the attacks. There are few episodes as exciting as “Half the Money,” which finally shows what happens when the Duttons are put on the defensive. With nonstop intrigue and plenty of twists and turns, the season 4 premiere without a doubt the best episode of Yellowstone so far.
