Yellowstone Season 5, Episode 11, “Three Fifty-Three,” kills off another key character — and is better for it. The second major death in three episodes is exactly what the show needs to propel itself into the final batch of episodes, as everyone is finally on the same page regarding the death of John Dutton. And with that out in the open, the first Taylor Sheridan show can get back to doing what it does best: explosive conflict.
“Three Fifty-Three” largely involves Kayce Dutton pursuing his theory that John was murdered, and the steps he takes to prove himself right. But there’s also a side order of political problems when Jamie Dutton figures out (too late) that someone else taking over the Governor’s office isn’t actually good for him. Political nonsense and a lot of lease talk aside, by the end of the episode, there’s another reason to get excited about the rest of Season 5.
Yellowstone Season 5, Episode 11 Lets Kayce Blow Things Wide Open
John Dutton’s Death Is Reclassified as a Homicide
There was only so much mileage Yellowstone could get out of the mystery of John’s death. Prolonging the truth too much would only make the Dutton family look clueless, as well as frustrate fans who were waiting for the characters to catch up with what they already knew.
So after just two episodes of theorizing and pondering, Kayce Dutton is able to make the truth public. Kayce chases his suspicions in a very Dutton-esque fashion: showing up in the medical examiner’s office, insisting that she re-examine John’s body and then making sure he watches her do so.
In the process, the two of them find evidence that John was restrained and drugged, leading his death to be publicly re-classified as a murder. It’s the moment all of Season 5B rests on because now it’s getting to the true story.
The first two episodes of Season 5B were about processing grief and re-establishing conflict. But now there’s nothing standing in the way of the two very clear questions that need answering: who will be held responsible for John Dutton’s death, and what will happen to the ranch? Kayce is the perfect character for this, not only because of his role as Livestock Commissioner, but because of how straightforward he is personality-wise.
He just keeps pushing the facts of the story forward. There’s no asides for unnecessary drama (although the moment in which he utilizes one of the coroner’s assistants as a visual aid is entertaining). The audience is able to follow along every step of the way, which matters when large parts of these scenes are discussing key details about John’s death.
Dr. Janice Everly: I’m sorry I missed it.
Kayce Dutton: You were supposed to miss it.
It’s also interesting to have Yellowstone go back and revisit the actual moments leading up to the murder, this time showing audiences what actually happened: a trio of black work operators, sent into the Governor’s mansion, surprise John in his sleep before dragging him into the bathroom and staging his suicide. The series didn’t necessarily have to go back to this; it could’ve let fans fill in the blanks, especially since it just draws their attention back to the fact that’s not Kevin Costner. But there is something a little more palpable in seeing it that just creates a genuine tension near the start of the episode.
What Happened to Sarah on Yellowstone?
Sarah Atwood is murdered in Yellowstone Season 5, Episode 11 — and she will not be missed. In fact, the scene in which she dies is not very shocking; the car pulling up alongside her is clearly visible on camera, and the two operators pretending to be random passersby aren’t in any way convincing. If the script was going for a jaw-dropping moment, the only person really surprised is Jamie Dutton, who’s on the phone with Sarah at the time of her murder and goes immediately to pieces… though it’s equal parts for her and for his own liability. Viewers will have mixed opinions about whether or not Sarah and Jamie had genuine feelings for one another, but what can’t be argued is how great Wes Bentley is in the episode’s final minutes, as Jamie turns on Sarah and then mourns her death just minutes later.
Jamie Dutton: What the fuck have you done to me?
But Sarah has always been a “love to hate her” kind of character, and she needed to die in order for the plot to keep going. As soon as John’s death was announced as a murder, of course the mysterious people Sarah contracted with were going to have her killed. It’d be unrealistic for them not to. Plus, the character had run her course; there’s only so much encouragement slash emotional manipulation she could do. Even in her final scenes with Jamie, she’s largely just repeating herself, telling him the harsh realities of politics. The scene in which Jamie and Sarah strike one another out of anger doesn’t measure up to Beth slapping Jamie in Episode 9, because Sarah just isn’t anywhere near as imposing of a character.
Plus, her absence means that Jamie has to stand on his own, which he hasn’t proven to be very good at. He’s been a malleable character on more than one occasion, whether with her or with his late father or even with Beth. Who is Jamie Dutton when someone isn’t telling him what to do? That is an exciting character arc for Wes Bentley to play out in the remining episodes. No matter what happens, Jamie is going to finish his story on his own terms. That will be so much more fascinating than what’s been going on in Season 5 so far.
Yellowstone Season 5 Has an Exciting Path Forward
The weakest part of “Three Fifty-Three” is all of the political scenes. Anyone with common sense already knew Jamie was going to be short-changed by the Lieutenant Governor as soon as the other man became Governor — and then that all turns out to be false jeopardy as Jamie reveals to Sarah that the only person who can recuse him from anything is a judge. There’s a brief scene with John’s former assistant Clara Brewer bluntly asking Senator Lynelle Perry for a job, which teases the idea of Clara being relevant again since she’s no longer required to maintain confidentiality. But that’s about all that’s worthwhile about all the political back-and-forth. Some audience members might be tired of hearing all the dry talk about easements, leases and taxes.
Beth Dutton: We can sell it or we can lose it, Kayce. There are no other options.
With the new Governor declaring that the state is taking over land via eminent domain, though, there’s a common enemy on the horizon. Beth and Jamie’s war has been vastly entertaining, but it can’t stretch on forever. Whether it’s state politicians or the vague antagonists whom Sarah hired to kill John Dutton, there are other villains for the show to employ. What’s more interesting and bittersweet is that multiple characters say in very clear terms that at least part of the Yellowstone is going to be lost. There’s absolutely no doubt now that the land John Dutton wanted to keep in his family is going to be taken or sold.
It’s disheartening, since the entire general premise of Yellowstone as a TV series was protecting the ranch and what it meant to the Duttons. But even the very stubborn and fiery Beth is conceding defeat in that sense. Yellowstone Season 5, Episode 11 galvanizes the characters against new threats while also dispensing with things and people that are no longer necessary. That ability to do both is what makes it memorable.
