Yellowstone Season 1, Episode 5, aired on CBS Sunday night as part of the network’s encore showings of the Paramount Network drama. This fifth episode, entitled “Coming Home,” saw John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and his offspring continue to make chess moves to defend their land. It was a less-action-packed episode but had some key elements that moved the plot forward.
Back when the episode originally aired in 2018, the Yellowstone cast gave their thoughts on the episode’s biggest moments in a behind-the-scenes featurette, with the stars diving into their characters’ motivations in each scene. Scroll through to see what each star said about Yellowstone Season 1, Episode 5.
Ryan Bingham’s Debut
Ryan Bingham was a new addition to Yellowstone in Episode 5, with the country singer becoming an inmate-turned-ranch hand named Walker.
“I took every opportunity I could to call Walker ‘new guy,'” Jefferson White, who plays ranch hand Jimmy Hurdstrom, said.
Bingham’s talents were praised by his castmates, not only as a musician but also as an actor.
“Ryan Bingham who plays Walker is an Oscar winning musician, and himself an incredible cowboy, and an incredibly talented actor,” White said.
Cole Hauser, who plays Rip Wheeler, added, “He’s the real deal. As an actor, he’s really growing. He knows this world as good or better than anybody. Plus I guess out of all of it, we could use his music too.”
Branding
The end of the episode sees Walker becoming a branded member of the group. “It’s a family mentality,” Hauser said. “This is the Montana mob, and this is what these guys are, and there is a bond between them that will last until they’re in the ground.”
Walker’s branding is a pivotal moment for White’s character, being that he was the freshest face in the crew until the newbie came along. As White said in the clip, “His character joining the show, for Jimmy, is another moment where Jimmy sort of feels part of something much larger than himself, to see somebody else get the brand.”
Monica’s Reaction to the Branding
John’s daughter-in-law, Monica Long (Kelsey Asbille), witnesses this branding ceremony and is immediately troubled by the sight.
“In Kelsey’s head, I was worried that Ryan was gonna get actually burned,” Asbille says. “It’s really startling for [Monica]. And because she doesn’t understand what that brand means, once again I think reiterates that she is not a part of this family and maybe will never be.”
Jamie’s Takedown
One of the biggest highlights of Episode 5 was Jamie Dutton’s (Wes Bentley) takedown of Chief Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and officer Ben Waters (Atticus Todd), who discovered two justified murders by Kayce Dutton. Bentley opened up about Jamie’s mindset at the time, saying he saw Kayce as a “threat” to the family.
“With Jamie being the family lawyer, the business lawyer, he sees Kayce as a threat,” Bentley said. “He walks in and Kayce’s already talking to the cops. And it’s sort of like, ‘Shut your mouth, and I’m here to save the day if you let me.'”
Rainwater’s Perspective
Birmingham then dove into his character’s take on the situation. Jamie turned the tables on Chief Rainwater, and it was something that changed the way he tackled the Dutton family.
“It’s a switch of what you think one character is operating by,” Birmingham said. “Even we as the characters are thinking, ‘Here’s where I’m going, this is my strategy, this is my gameplan.’ And now I’m seeing some of it reflected right back at me. And that’s what Jamie reflected.”
He adds, “Here comes a lawyer, coming in using that very same system, and at that very moment, trumping me with it.”
Siblings
Another big aspect of this Yellowstone episode was showing more of Jamie’s relationship with his sister Beth (Kelly Reilly). It’s been a running theme throughout the season that featured another intense conversation between the pair.
“In a way they’re the very similar people, Beth and Jamie, and I think they know that,” Bentley said. “They have each other but also there’s resentment built in and anger and mistrust and a lot of ugly feelings between the two.”
Reilly added, “Kind of like twins, they keep getting drawn back to this conflict.”
Sibling Fun
The scene in question features the brother and sister in a truck together, with each beginning to pick on the other.
“Wes and I get along so well and we actually love doing those scenes to one another,” Reilly said. “And the more fun Beth has the more uncomfortable he is. It’s just that’s where the scene starts to really come alive.”
She adds, “She’s making fun of him and slapping each other in the car. It’s one of my favorite dynamics in the show because if there was no love there, they wouldn’t irritate one another. It wouldn’t matter.”
The pair also revealed that they improvised many moments in the scene. “You read one thing and you start to actually play it out, and it plays a totally different way,” Bentley said. “I realized it was kind of an opportunity for Jamie to have some fun with her.”
The Gunshot
The scene ended with one of the wildest moments of Yellowstone. Beth threatens to shoot herself in the passenger seat but ultimately just shoots into the roof of Jamie’s truck.
“By the end of the scene, it’s very depressing,” Bentley said. “It’s very scary, too. It’s scary how on edge Beth is and how really fragile she actually is.”
Reilly adds, “There’s a weird tenderness in there and only family will do that.”
‘Yellowstone’ on CBS
CBS is currently airing Yellowstone’s past episodes each Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET. These broadcasts are free to watch if you have a digital antenna. You can also watch them if your cable package includes a local CBS affiliate or via the CBS live stream available within Paramount+.
How to Stream ‘Yellowstone’
While Yellowstone airs new episodes on the cable channel Paramount Network, it does not stream on its parent company’s streaming service, Paramount+. Instead, Yellowstone streams on Peacock. All released episodes are currently available there. All the Yellowstone spinoffs stream on Paramount+. (If you don’t have cable, you can also watch Paramount Network via FuboTV.)
About ‘Yellowstone’
Yellowstone is a modern western drama focusing on the Dutton family, who own a vast spread of land in Montana. Patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner), with the help of employees like ranchhand Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), does whatever he must to defend his land from physical and political threats. Meanwhile, Dutton’s children — Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes), Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) — try to find their place inside and outside their father’s empire.
Other Yellowstone cast members include Kelsey Asbille, Brecken Merrill, Jefferson White, Gil Birmingham, Forrie J. Smith, Ian Bohen, Ryan Bingham, Jennifer Landon, Wendy Moniz, Mo Brings Plenty, Eden Brolin, Kathryn Kelly, Jake Ream, and Danny Huston. Notable guest/recurring stars include Piper Perabo, Josh Holloway, Josh Lucas, Jacki Weaver, Neal McDonough, Lainey Wilson, Dave Annable, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Will Patton and Zach Bryan.
Yellowstone has spawned several spinoffs, all spear-headed by Taylor Sheridan. Both 1883 and 1923 follow Dutton ancestors. The upcoming Lawmen: Bass Reeves will weave the Yellowstone universe with the real-life story of the groundbreaking Black U.S. Marshall. There are also three more spinoffs — 6666, 1944 and an untitled Matthew-McConaughey-led sequel series — in the works.