What happened in ‘Yellowstone’ Season 5, Part 1? A plot refresher ahead of Part 2

It’s been a agelong ride. 

The deed ranch play “Yellowstone” is yet ending, arsenic nan 2nd half of Season 5 premieres Sunday, Nov. 10 connected Paramount Network astatine 8 p.m. ET.

It will beryllium nan last agelong of episodes – unless rumors of a Season 6 travel true, but Paramount has not confirmed aliases announced that. 

“Yellowstone” premiered successful 2018. The communicative follows nan Dutton family, owners of nan largest ranch successful Montana, including patriarch John (Costner) and his big children Kayce (Luke Grimes), Jamie (Wes Bentley), Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Beth’s husband, Rip (Cole Hauser). 

The show has been a sensation, spawning respective spinoffs. According to Paramount, nan first half of Season 5 drew successful an eye-popping 17 cardinal viewers.

Costner near aft nan first portion of Season 5, truthful he won’t beryllium successful nan last agelong of episodes, despite appearing in nan trailer.

If you forgot what happened successful Season 5A up of Season 5B, here’s what to know. 

Governor John 

When nan show near off, John Dutton had risen to go nan politician of Montana. 

In doing so, he said that he’d protect Montana’s onshore from nan ever-encroaching threat of extracurricular forces. This forged an unexpected confederation betwixt John nan section Native American preservation leader Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), who had antecedently often been astatine likelihood pinch John.

Elsewhere successful nan plot, John helped his erstwhile lover, biology activistic Summer Higgins (Piper Perabo), get retired of situation and decorativeness retired her condemnation nether location arrest.

Naturally, John’s volatile daughter, Beth, sewage into a beingness conflict pinch Summer.

Family Matters

Meanwhile, Beth and Rip are joined (as of Season 4). However, Rip doesn’t cognize why Beth is incapable to person kids, truthful that mightiness beryllium a revelation that comes out. She can’t person kids because Jamie secretly sewage her sterilized arsenic a teenager, and that’s an explosive concealed that’s a loose extremity successful nan story.

It’s imaginable Rip could find out, and respond to this news pinch unit towards Jamie. Rip and Beth are besides raising teen runaway Carter (Finn Little). 

Meanwhile, Kayce and his pregnant wife, Monica (Kelsey Asbille), suffered a calamity erstwhile she mislaid their babe aft getting into a car accident.

The Jamie problem 

Jamie – who turned retired to beryllium adopted – has been connected a villain arc, moving against nan family. At this point, he’s nan superior antagonist who needs to beryllium dealt with.

He’s progressive pinch Market Equities, nan patient seeking to bargain retired Montana onshore owners to put successful a edifice and an airdrome — but nan Duttons guidelines successful their way.

To make matters worse, he’s romantically connected to Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri), different scheming lawyer who wants to ruin nan Duttons.

Jamie besides tried to get John impeached, and that crippled statement will apt beryllium ongoing.  

The first half of Season 5 ended pinch Beth and John agreeing that it was yet clip to return Jamie to nan Train Station – nan show’s measurement of saying, “let’s termination him.”  

So, if nan show decides to woody pinch Costner’s exit by axing John, it could hap if John fights Jamie and loses. 

Why did Kevin Costner leave?

Although this is behind-the scenes drama, it impacts nan story, since John Dutton was nan main character. It’s unclear yet if “Yellowstone” will woody pinch Costner’s absence by sidesplitting John off, aliases uncovering a different measurement to support him offscreen.

In May 2023, news collapsed that Costner would not return to “Yellowstone” aft Season 5. (This was earlier Paramount said that Season 5 would beryllium nan show’s last.) That aforesaid month, it was announced that nan show would extremity pinch Season 5, starring to speculation that nan show was ending successful portion because Costner was leaving.

There were besides reports that Costner refused to beryllium connected group filming for much than 1 week for nan 2nd half of Season 5, which Costner’s lawyer denied.

“My past speech pinch Kevin was that he had this passion task he wanted to direct,” Sheridan told the Hollywood Reporter successful June, referring to “Horizon.”

Sheridan’s relationship made it sound for illustration Costner was prioritizing “Horizon” complete “Yellowstone.”

“He and nan web were arguing astir erstwhile he could beryllium done pinch ‘Yellowstone.’ I said, ‘We tin surely activity a schedule toward [his preferred exit date],’ which we did,” nan creator said.

Sheridan added, “Once lawyers get involved, past group don’t get to talk to each different and commencement saying things that aren’t existent and effort to displacement blasted based connected really nan property aliases nationalist look to beryllium reacting. He took a batch of this connected nan chin, and I don’t cognize that anyone deserves it. His movie seems to beryllium a awesome privilege to him and he wants to displacement attraction … I judge dream [the movie is] worthy it.” 

Costner’s relationship was vastly different. In May 2024, nan Oscar victor broke his soundlessness astir nan matter. 

“They’ve been beautiful slick astir keeping their hands off; cipher was ever connected nan record,” he told Deadline, referring to Sheridan and “Yellowstone” producers.

Costner said that “Yellowstone” had “first position” successful his database of priorities. “I didn’t do ‘Horizon’ because I was tired of doing ‘Yellowstone.’ That’s a bulls – – t story. I didn’t do ‘Horizon’ to compete pinch ‘Yellowstone.’ This [project] is thing I’ve had a agelong time,” he said. 

Costner said he hasn’t “felt bully astir it nan past year,” and added that ongoing speculation astir what was happening “wasn’t truthful.” 

The “Dances pinch Wolves” prima said that his movie “Horizon” was expected to “fit into nan gaps” betwixt filming “Yellowstone,” but, “they conscionable kept moving their gaps.”

There were “no scripts” for nan last agelong of “Yellowstone” episodes, he alleged. 

“They don’t ever talk astir that,” Costner said. “I was consecutive up pinch [Sheridan], and he said what we would do, and I believed him and we didn’t get there.”

In April 2023, a root told nan Daily Mail that Sheridan developed a “God complex,” which besides added substance to nan occurrence of his alleged feud pinch Costner. 

Additionally, a root told The Post that Sheridan’s “overburdened” schedule interfered pinch preparing and filming, moreover though Costner made himself available. 

“Only Taylor genuinely knows what is going on,” they said. “Taylor spent years not being genuinely appreciated successful Hollywood, and now that he’s nan apical of nan heap, there’s decidedly immoderate ego to each of this.”

“Yellowstone” returns connected Paramount connected Sunday, Nov. 10 astatine 8 p.m. ET.