The Yellowstone boutique scene convinced me that Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Monica (Kelsey Asbille) have the best friendship in the entire show. The Dutton family tree in Yellowstone extends far back through the generations, but it does not typically extend outwards.
The family is an insular group of people who do not trust outsiders. They’re so insular, in fact, that I sometimes find it difficult to relate to them. While I love the show and the characters, even I, as a viewer, sometimes feel on the outside looking in.
That’s probably why I enjoy Monica’s character so much. Monica, who has gotten way too close to death on too many occasions, is like my wedge into the Dutton family.
She was an outsider, brought in thanks to her marriage to Kayce (Luke Grimes). Beth Dutton is one of the family members most concerned with protecting the Duttons from the prying eyes and hands of outsiders, so if she is ever willing to let her guard down for another, you know that must mean she really cares.
Beth Used Her Rage For Good When She Stood Up For Monica In The Yellowstone Boutique Scene
When Beth Directs Her Anger It Makes For A Satisfying Watch
Beth is one angry Dutton, even when compared to other irritable members of her family.
Sometimes I find her overdramatic sermons about revenge and rage a little bit eye-rolling, but then there are moments, like in season 2, episode 9, “Enemies by Monday”, when I’m delighted there’s someone like Beth in the Dutton’s corner.
In the episode, Monica, who is part of the Broken Rock Indian Reservation, goes shopping in a high-end boutique where she is falsely accused of stealing by the racist owner.
Monica is forced into a humiliating strip search.It’s a gross and upsetting scene that made me wince until Beth shows up. Without even questioning what’s happening, Beth sends the police away, destroys the boutique, and puts the owner in an equally compromising position.
I often feel bad for Monica. She’s a gentler soul than the family she has married into and is often forced to accept the destruction they cause, but in this scene, I was pumping my fists in the air when she was allowed a taste of what having a formidable family can look like.
Even better, just when I was getting nervous that Beth (and the scene) was going too far, Monica stepped in to waylay my fears.
By stopping Beth from punishing the clerk too much, Monica got to watch the racist woman be harassed and publicly humiliated by Beth while also retaining some of the moral high ground by stopping Beth from doing something worse.
Beth’s anger is a blast to watch, but it’s her loyalty to her family that prevents me from getting sick of her outbursts. As long as she occasionally uses her rage for “good”, I’m always team Beth.
