'Yellowstone' is back for season 2, here's a brief recap of season 1 of Kevin Costner starring Paramount show
On Wednesday, the night that 'Yellowstone' was scheduled to return to television for its second season run, the show was renewed for a third season – note that the first episode of the second season had only just aired.
This is no mean feat considering how the show became a commercial success at a time when cable TV shows are struggling to remain afloat.
Yellowstone can credit most of its massive appeal value solely to Costner and how he brings to life the patriarch John Dutton. Created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson, the show follows the powerful patriarch who owns America's largest contiguous ranch.
The land is constantly under threat from external forces like land developers and a Native American community from Montana, who have their own reasons, and methods, to claim the Duttons' land.
At the end of the day, 'Yellowstone' is a story about the Duttons, their land, and everything they can do to keep the legacy alive.
Here is where Dutton Sr's children come into the picture. Having lost his oldest son Lee (played very briefly by David Annabelle) in the first season, John wants to make sure that his family doesn't lose the ranch and their legacy.
So Jaime, played by Wes Bentley, is out of the question. A loyal son to Costner's Dutton and his family, Jaime becomes slowly estranged from the rest of the Duttons following disagreements with his father.
On the other hand, John's dearest Beth (played by Kelly Reilly) is driven by manipulation, alcohol, rage and substance and will do anything to get the job done. She spends a freaky amount of time with Jenkins in order to thwart his plans of taking over the ranch. But when the manipulative Beth, who also isn't exactly fond of Jamie either, isn't making sure daddy's business is working fluidly, she has an on-again-off-again affair with Rip Wheeler (played by Cole Hauser), who is also fiercely loyal to John after he was taken in as a young boy by John.
The most distant of John's children is Kayce (played by Luke Grimes), who in the first season kept away from John and his ranch, living with his wife Monica (played by Kelsey Asbille, in a rather controversial casting) and young son.
A former US Navy Seal, Luke still suffers from PTSD and tensions within his own family. Kayce wanted very little to do with his father and his (brutal) ways, but is doing exactly the opposite after avenging Lee's death. Lee was killed by Robert Long, his wife's brother. Needless to say, this causes tensions between the couple.
Grimes' Kayce then enlists himself as a henchman for his father and gets on his first assignment - hanging Dan Jenkins as he sits atop a horse. Well, safe to say, Kayce gets it from his father.
Chief Thomas Rainwater (played by Gil Birmingham who you'd remember from 'The Twilight Saga' for his role of Billy Black') is the chief of the nearby Indian reservation and has his eyes on the ranch. Along with him is Dan Jenkins (played by Danny Huston), a land developer who also has his eyes on Duttons' ranch and wishes to start new projects there.
But, 'Yellowstone' being 'Yellowstone', the drama has only just begun. True to any family drama, John has his secrets. He is diagnosed with cancer in the first season and has kept this information under wraps. And like any overachieving patriarch, John expects his children to have their business in order before he dies.
You can catch a recap of the show here:
The second season 'Yellowstone' premiered on June 19, 2019 on Paramount. Episodes will be out every Wednesday night, 10 pm ET/PT.
