Skip to main content

The 5 best Yellowstone episodes, ranked

As one of the most popular shows on TV, Yellowstone definitely has its share of excellent episodes. Over the course of five seasons, the series has delivered the kinds of twists and turns that we rarely see in a prime-time drama these days, and each new plot development only gets fans more and more invested.

These episodes are the peak of what Yellowstone is capable of, and their legacy has only grown as the years have gone by.

5. Enemies by Monday (season 2, episode 9)

The cast of Yellowstone.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Turmoil might be the defining emotional state of this episode, which sees Jamie discovering that he’s going to be a father and Rip teaming up with Jimmy to get revenge for the death of Jimmy’s grandfather.

The episode’s big stunner, though, is also set up for the finale. After Tate is kidnapped in the episode’s final moments, the rest of the Dutton family must rally to do whatever is necessary to get him home safe.

4. Meaner Than Evil (season 3, episode 9)

Kevin Costner in Yellowstone.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

There are a lot of episode 9s and 10s on this list, and that’s mostly because they are so uniformly excellent. Meaner Than Evil sees Jamie find his biological father and begin to explore the dark corners of his past. That might have been the meatiest part of the episode, but Meaner Than Evil also includes pivotal moments for Beth and John seeking some retribution for Wade’s attack on the ranch hands in the previous episode. It’s a stunner all around, and it perfectly sets up the season finale.

3. The World Is Purple (season 3, episode 10)

The cast of Yellowstone.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Yellowstone has been compared to old-school prime-time soap operas like Dynasty and Dallas, and rightly so. The moment that comparison made the most sense, though, might have been after The World Is Purple, which ends with three separate Duttons in potentially life-threatening situations.

Fans would have to wait until the next season to get answers to what happens, but thankfully, The World Is Purple features plenty of other wonderful moments, as Jamie gets to know his biological father and feels further and further estranged from the rest of the Dutton clan.

2. Sins of the Father  (season 2, episode 10)

Kevin Costner in Yellowstone.
Paramount

The season 2 finale sees the long-awaited climax of the confrontation between the Becks and the Duttons, and leads to some pretty gnarly but undeniably engrossing action sequences. At the same time, John also bestows the ultimate honor on Rip by naming him a son and giving him a house on his land.

In its way, Sins of the Father is the quintessential Yellowstone episode, both heartfelt and filled with violence. This is a show about family, and the lengths that members of it will go to protect one another.

1. Resurrection Day (season 2, episode 7)

The cast of Yellowstone.
Paramount Network

The great Yellowstone episodes aren’t always the ones where tensions boil over. Sometimes, they can be the moment when we know what’s coming, even though it hasn’t happened yet. In Resurrection Day, Jamie considers suicide, only to be discovered by his father just in time.

Beth, meanwhile is confronted and ultimately beaten by the Becks, but is saved just in time by Rip. It’s one of the darkest hours in Yellowstone‘s history, but if you can get on its slightly depressing wavelength, it’s also one of the very best.

Topics
Joe Allen
Joe Allen is a freelance writer based in upstate New York focused on movies and TV.
Exclusive: Garnet meets the Eastern Federation in a sneak peek of The Ark season 2, episode 9
Two space cadets stand next to each other and stare.

After teasing their presence for most of season 2, Ark One's crew meets the sinister Eastern Federation in a sneak peek of the next episode of Syfy's The Ark.

In the video, Captain Sharon Garnet (Christie Burke) confronts an Eastern Federation captain named Zed Avega (Daniel Fathers). Avega demands that Garnet hand over Bojan (Vasilije Batricevic), the brother of Eva (Tiana Upcheva), who stole a shuttle from the Eastern Federation. When Garnet informs the Eastern Federation about Bojan's death, Avega demands Eva be sent to his ship to confirm her brother's death and return the stolen shuttle. Avega will destroy Garnet and her ship if she denies his request. 

Read more
Landman trailer: Billy Bob Thornton aims for Yellowstone’s success in Taylor Sheridan’s new series
Bill Bob Thornton sits in a booth as Ali Larter sits beside him.

"Welcome to the oil business," Billy Bob Thornton says in the trailer for Landman, Taylor Sheridan's new series for Paramount+.

Set in West Texas, Thornton stars as Tommy Norris, aka the Landman, the executive charged with securing the land for the oil and gas companies. According to Tommy, the oil and gas industry makes $3 billion daily in profit. “Before any of that money is made, you got to secure the land and manage the people. That's my job," Tommy ominously states. "The first part is pretty simple. It’s the second part that can get you killed.”

Read more
Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building renewed for season 5
A woman stands between two men as they stand and look.

Only Murders in the Building has been renewed for season 5 at Hulu. The fifth season will consist of 10 episodes. Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short announced the news in a video posted to the show's official Instagram.

"We are so happy to be coming back for season 5 of Only Murders in the Building," Martin said in the announcement.

Read more