Kayce Dutton fights dirty and a new heartbreaking 'Yellowstone' death revealed: Recap
Spoiler alert! We're breaking down this week's episode of "Yellowstone" from Part 2 of Season 5.
Another week, more death on "Yellowstone."
The Season 5, Part 2 body count after tonight's episode is three humans and one horse. The casualty number is even more staggering, considering it all occurs during one blood-filled week on the grief-stricken Yellowstone ranch, still reeling from the Episode 9 murder of patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner).
Scheming lawyer Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) was shot by mini-van riding assassins in Episode 11, which aired last week. In Sunday's Episode 12, ranch hand Colby Mayfield is killed by a horse in a stall accident, which ended with the "man-eater" stud getting shot.
The carnage and ranch-threatening money problems are so bad that Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) won't accept a "Good morning" during her black coffee breakfast. "That's fairly presumptuous based on the string of mornings we've put together lately," she says over her coffee cup.
Here are the other high points of the Dutton low points:
Kayce Dutton brings nasty tactics to protect his family
Former Navy SEAL Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) is stepping up as the lethal action star against his father's professional killers.
First, he tracks down Grant Horton (Matt Gerald), the shadowy head of the nefarious corporation Atwood hired to kill Governor Dutton. Grant shows off a very different side at home, of course. He's the shorts-with-belt-clad "way-to-go!" enthusiastic dad at his daughter Ally's soccer game.
Hoodie-wearing Kayce interrupts the innocence, jumping into the backseat of Grant's Mercedes and shockingly pointing his gun at Ally. "Drive, or you can clean up the mess," Kayce snarls. He doubles down as Ally quivers.
"You should be scared. Do you know what your Daddy does for a living?" Kayce says. Even Dirty Harry wouldn't hold a gun to a kid.
But Kayce is protecting his family by showing Grant he can match his warrior coldness. "I am what you are," says Kayce. "I'm going to trade my family for yours."
Message sent with a gory, f-bomb description of the family carnage he'll unleash if Grant, who has already killed Atwood, harms another Dutton.
"Good luck explaining this to your wife," Kayce says, throwing his hood back up and exiting. Importantly, the SUV-driving wingman who scoops Kayce up is his Native American spiritual advisor Mo (Mo Brings Plenty). This partnership will be key moving forward.
RIP Colby and the tragic end to a bunkhouse love story
The heroic death of Colby (Denim Richards) — saving Carter (Finn Little) from a horse gone wild — is a blow.
Colby, the only Black character on "Yellowstone," was getting serious with bunkhouse love Teeter (Jennifer Landon). The two sweetly stumble into "I love you" territory over the phone to open Sunday's episodes. In most series, you'd be thinking, blowout ranch wedding!
With Colby in harm's way, Carter runs out of the stall, grabs the shotgun, and deals with the offending horse. But the kicks are so lethal that Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) doesn't even render aid. He pulls out the flip phone to get word to Teeter in Texas.
Teeter gives poignant horseback mourning moments and a tearful eulogy of sorts during the dark drive to Yellowstone.
"He's a cowboy," she says. "Suffering is the job." Colby does earn a plot in the Yellowstone Ranch cemetery, which is getting crowded quickly. Teeter gets her beloved's dirty hat.
Jamie Dutton finds his spine and it bites him in the butt
We last saw Attorney General Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) tearfully calling 911 over the shooting death of his girlfriend and plotting partner in darkness, Sarah.
Jamie is back to form speaking to the investigating detectives who don't buy that the shooting was a car-jacking gone wrong, as police reported. Jamie stands his ground when the detectives insist on removing her stuff.
"You're treating me like I'm a suspect," Jamie says forcefully. "Now I wasn't," the detective responds. "But I am now."
The cops leave, promising a warrant and the whole enchilada. This baby is about to blow open publicly. Jamie sprints upstairs and starts shredding papers.
Beth Dutton's best lines and Yellowstone fire therapy
Beth continues to dominate the Best Lines category, especially when therapizing brooding hubby Rip (Cole Hauser) in classic style. She pours lighter fluid ("Boy Scout juice") into the grand stone fireplace and ("Voila!") lights up a day fire.
"Now, when you throw your whiskey glass in the fire, you'll get a big fireball," she says, "I'm not going to watch you bottle this up all night."
Hopefully, Beth is not setting off the next "Yellowstone" wellness trend, but it works for Rip, who hurls a satisfyingly flaming fastball. Beth also gives her therapist a diagnosis of the Duttons, who are at serious risk of losing their beloved Yellowstone.
Suffice it to say, it's not listed in traditional manuals and won't be making the CBS broadcast.
The other top Beth line is uttered to Kayce, making it clear she'll handle brother Jamie in her own way while keeping the family's bloody secrets.
"The best liars are 90 percent true, and I'm the best liar," Beth says. "You leave Jamie to me."
Jamie's Doomsday Clock just moved closer to midnight.