‘Yellowstone’ Highlights Crazy Brawl Between Beth Dutton + Summer Higgins [Spoilers Alert]
We've been seeing Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) ratchet up the crazy so far in Season 5 of Yellowstone, and it all spilled over in Episode 5 on Sunday night (Dec. 4). The bad vibes between Beth and Summer Higgins (Piper Perabo) finally break loose in a scene that is sure to have fans' tongues wagging.
What Happens With Beth on Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 5?
We've been seeing Beth Dutton unravel emotionally during Season 5 of Yellowstone, and that continues in Episode 5, which shows her finally getting into a literal knock-down, drag-out fight with Summer Higgins after a dinner at the Dutton Yellowstone Ranch goes incredibly wrong. But it does look like they've reached some grudging new respect for one another afterward, so maybe it's worth the tooth Beth ended up spitting onto her plate and Summer being beaten so badly that she bursts into tears.
The episode also shows Beth going through more conflict from her past, once again dreaming of past wrongs she has visited upon Rip (Cole Hauser), who ends up admonishing her like an errant child after her brawl with Summer. And there's conflict with her father, John Dutton (Kevin Costner), after she warns him that Summer is not the ally he believes she is.
What Happens With Monica and Kayce on Yellowstone?
Monica (Kelsey Asbille) and Kayce (Luke Grimes) experienced some healing with the funeral of their infant son, John, in Episode 4, and while Monica seems lighter now, we first encounter Kayce weeping on the steps outside their house in Episode 5 of Yellowstone Season 5, prompting Monica to realize she hasn't even been well enough to wonder how he's been doing. She encourages him not to come to any rash decisions about his job as they decide to take John up on his offer to accompany him, the ranch hands and Rip on their spring gathering trip, during which they will drive the calves into containment and brand them.
That leads to Monica's first light-hearted scene of the entire season, as she can't help but burst out laughing at the dinner table as avowed vegan Summer harangues the hapless Dutton Ranch chef over the array of animals he's presenting for dinner — the very tirade that leads to her confrontation with Beth.
"You're serving the f--king bird of peace for dinner?" she demands after he shows her the course of doves, leading Monica to nervous laughter before she says, "I'm sorry ... it's just so f--king uncomfortable' in a much-needed lighter moment.
Another moment later on seems to hint Monica will try for another baby, after she tells Kayce to keep watch over Tate (Brecken Merrill) on the upcoming trip, telling him he's the only son they've got.
"We're gonna fix that," he replies before riding away.
What Happens With Sarah Atwood and Jamie Dutton on Yellowstone Season 5?
In Episode 4, we saw Atwood very deliberately seduce Jamie, and to the surprise of absolutely no one, he's still just as weak in Episode 4. Though he tries to tell her that their previous behavior was unprofessional, he doesn't exactly fight the good fight when she begins to undress in his office. Is Jamie headed for an alliance with her against Beth? He certainly seems easy enough to convince.
What's Going on With the Fire on the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch in Season 5?
It turns out it's just a random fire on the ranch, though it's happening earlier in the season than it should. So the potentially ominous-seeming preview from Episode 4 where the hands are all gathered as John Dutton tells them they'll remind the world what they do is actually just a precursor to the kind of "cowboy s-it" that Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith) and the rest of the Bunkhouse Boys delight in.
What Happens With John Dutton on Yellowstone Season 5?
John Dutton continues to chafe against his role as Governor of Montana in Season 5 of Yellowstone in Episode 5, as he longs for the relative freedom he had as the head of the ranch before public service. He's also looking back on his life wistfully more and more, telling Rip that he's got one child he misses, one he pities, one he regrets and then Beth.
"That child I envy," he says, due to her fierce capacity to do exactly as she pleases, regardless of the consequences.
What Can We Look Forward to on Season 5 of Yellowstone?
It doesn't look like the peaceful, easy vibe of the branding session is destined to last long, as the preview for Episode 6 indicates that someone will be injured so badly that they have to be life-flighted by helicopter. And is that Tate that John Dutton is consoling? We're not sure what that means, but it doesn't look great for a family that's already endured trauma enough in Season 5.
Elsewhere, it looks like Summer is learning a little bit more respect for the Dutton family legacy during her forced stay at the ranch, but there are still more questions than answers in Season 5 of Yellowstone. Is Beth going to flame out completely? Is Market Equities really out of the picture? If so, then what's Sarah Atwood's real angle? And what about Beth and Rip having a proper wedding ... is that still going to happen? Will John really lose the land as has been predicted over and over? And above all: Who's going to die in Season 5 of Yellowstone?
The show continues every Sunday evening at 8PM ET on Paramount Network. Season 5 is an extra-long season consisting of 14 episodes that are airing in two arcs of seven episodes each.
As part of Taste of Country's comprehensive coverage of all things Yellowstone, check out our Dutton Rules podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.