Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: John & Tate Bond, Jimmy Tries To Be A Ranch Hand
The episode opens with John Dutton (Kevin Costner) struggling with abdominal pain, revealing that he’s battling colon cancer and has recently undergone surgery.
Despite his illness, John remains dedicated to his duties as a rancher and commissioner. He finds a brief moment of joy when his son Kayce (Luke Grimes) asks him to watch over his grandson Tate (Brecken Merrill) for the afternoon.
John takes Tate hiking, but when Tate is injured after falling into a stream, John rescues him, further complicating his strained relationship with Kayce, who is disappointed with his father.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Hurdstrom (Jefferson White), a new ranch hand branded with the Yellowstone logo, struggles to fit in.
After being thrown from his horse, Jimmy finds a stranded calf and returns it to the ranch, briefly feeling proud of his efforts.
However, his success is short-lived when another ranch hand, Fred, picks a fight with him. Fred’s behavior doesn’t go unpunished—Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) and John agree to send Fred to the “train station,” a euphemism for disposing of troublesome workers.
In a dark twist, Fred is killed and pushed off a cliff by Lloyd (Forrie Smith), marking the sinister first mention of the train station.
Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) continues her own journey in this episode. At a bar, she runs into Dan Jenkins (Danny Huston), the businessman she’s been observing.
After a confrontation, Dan leaves, but Beth stays to drink and dance. Rip later arrives, showing his protective side as he drives away men bothering Beth, and the two share a moment, culminating in a kiss.
Kayce and his wife Monica (Kelsey Asbille) are still grieving after Monica’s sister-in-law’s suicide. The tragic event weighs heavily on Monica, who begins to see just how toxic the Dutton family is.
Her feelings deepen when Tate returns home injured from his day with John. At the same time, Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) continues his investigation into the Duttons and uncovers a construction site with bones, hinting at buried secrets. He warns Monica about the dangers of associating with the Dutton family.
In episode 4, the focus is on exploring the personal struggles of the characters rather than moving the main plot forward.
John contemplates his legacy while battling illness, Jimmy faces the harsh realities of life on the ranch, Beth and Rip’s relationship deepens, and Kayce’s moral dilemmas start catching up with him.
The episode sets up the major conflicts that will unfold in the rest of the season, showing that the quiet moments often lead to the most explosive outcomes.
