‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 Episode 11 Recap: “Three Fifty-Three”

By
Rebecca Murray
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Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 11 Recap
Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly in ‘Yellowstone’ season 5 (Photo Credit: Paramount Network)

The action in Yellowstone season 5 episode 11 begins in the daylight hours before John Dutton’s murder. For fans wondering if we’d see exactly what happened to the Dutton family patriarch, episode 11, “Three Fifty-Three,” answers that question.

Of course, Beth (Kelly Reilly) loves being with Rip (Cole Hauser), but she knows that one year of visiting him in Texas will drive her crazy. She wants to send Lloyd to take Rip’s place, but he won’t let her. His duty is to the ranch, even though he’d obviously rather be with his gorgeous wife.

Back at the ranch, Kayce (Luke Grimes), Monica (Kelsey Asbille), and Tate (Brecken Merrell) get to work moving their belongings into their new home. They each take turns adjusting a drawing on the wall, with Kayce sneaking in a final tweak after Monica warns him not to.

Monica suggests they say a blessing before eating, and Tate’s confused at this sudden change. Monica insists they have much more than others and need to be grateful. She tears up, and Tate jokes that it’s that time of the month. Kayce isn’t helping matters when he laughs at all of Tate’s teenage boy quips.

As Kayce’s family settles in, Beth is learning Italian on tape while driving back to Montana. She speeds through the night and suddenly reacts as if punched in the stomach. It’s 3:53am, and at that exact moment, her father is being murdered by three men.

After cutting the power, the men sneak through the governor’s residence, locate a sleeping John Dutton, and render him unconscious. They drag his limp body into the bathroom, and one of the hired killers injects him between his toes. A prescription bottle is placed in the medicine cabinet before they put a gun to his temple and fire a single shot.

Officers are alerted to a gunshot, and EMS is requested.

Beth’s panicking, certain something is wrong. She immediately calls Rip and confirms he’s fine. Rip advises her to pull over if she gets tired, chalking her concern up to the long drive.

At 4:07am Kayce lies awake in bed, sweating. He also feels something is wrong, and Monica asks if he had a bad dream. His cell phone rings, and as soon as he sees it’s the Montana State Police, Kayce knows it wasn’t a bad dream that woke him.

The timing now switches to the days following John’s murder. Jamie (Wes Bentley) and Senator Lynelle Perry (Wendy Moniz) have a short chat at the new governor’s swearing-in ceremony, and Lynelle unwittingly tells the man who set up John’s murder to give himself time to grieve. Jamie claims he will. John’s replacement, Steven Rawlings, doesn’t agree with John’s policy decisions and plans to change things. Jamie assures Steven that he also disagreed with his dad’s decisions and is ready to work to put contracts back in place.

Yellowstone season 5 episode 11 recap
Wes Bentley in ‘Yellowstone’ season 5 episode 11 (Photo Credit: Paramount Network)

Steven, Lynelle, Jamie, and John’s assistant, Clara, meet in the governor’s office. Clara is offered the Chief of Staff position as the meeting gets underway. Jamie confirms that Market Equities will resume construction once the lease is reinstated. He tells the governor that his office will handle the issue of getting the land out of the conservation easement. The governor’s happy to learn the Duttons can’t afford the inheritance tax and will have no option but to sell.

Governor Rawlings wonders why the state doesn’t take control of the land around the airport by eminent domain so that the state controls the lease. Jamie seems all-in on that proposal, but Lynelle reminds him that he argued against that when a condo project was proposed. The lying snake dressed in a nice suit claims to have changed his mind because this development will become the largest employer in Montana within five years.

Lynelle describes what they’re suggesting as violating the Fourth Amendment and abusing state authority. Jamie acts as if he still cares about the ranch and says selling part to save some of it is the only option. Lynelle fires back, suggesting the land go up for private auction or be sold via a realtor. The state can make an offer to purchase it, just like anyone else.

Lynelle explains that the conservation easement will be a much more difficult issue to get around than Jamie’s making it out to be. The legal fund comes from a federal grant, so the Duttons can afford the fight. She advises Jamie and Steven that although John’s decisions were self-serving, they also kept this area from becoming dependent on tourism-related taxes.

“Take a look at Jackson Hole and its lack of affordable housing. Look at the traffic; look at the strain on its emergency services,” says Lynelle, adding, “Because that is what you’re inviting.”

After she leaves, Jamie says he’s obligated to preserve as much of the ranch as he can. If the state purchases it, that helps expedite the process. Steven is dumbstruck when Jamie reveals the offer was for $500,000 million for 50,000 acres. The state can’t afford that. Steven wonders why he can’t just sell the land himself, and Jamie confesses his siblings won’t sell. “If we want it, we have to take it,” says the heartless sleazeball.

Clara’s heard enough. She turns down the job of Chief of Staff and races after Lynelle. Clara asks if Lynelle might have a position for her and Lynelle believes she can make room on her staff. However, Lynelle points out that Clara isn’t a current government employee. That means she’s not bound by government confidentiality. Clara understands exactly what Lynelle is getting at.

Kayce arrives at the Lewis & Clark County building and asks the coroner for the report on John Dutton’s death and to see the body. He’s told a toxicology exam wasn’t done and immediately calls the detective in charge on speakerphone. The detective instructs the coroner to run one and to reexamine the body for signs of struggle. (The scene of the murder showed the killers dragging John into the bathroom.)

The coroner says she’ll send over a final report once it’s done, but Kayce’s unwilling to wait. There’s nothing on her desk more important than the death of the governor, and he reminds her only Fish & Game and Offices of the Livestock Association are allowed to enter any building without a warrant. He’s going to watch as she reexamines his dad, and she assures him she didn’t perform an invasive autopsy out of respect for his family. It was obvious to her he had committed suicide.

Kayce doesn’t relent and sticks around to watch the examination. He’s expressionless as his father’s dead body is laid before him. The coroner shows him the entrance wound and flash burns. John’s right hand had gunpowder residue. Kayce asks what she’d look for if she suspected a homicide, and the coroner confirms she’d assume there was a struggle. That would leave bruising on the body. Kayce reminds her that John would have been asleep, given the hour. He demonstrates how they’d subdue someone during his tour in Afghanistan and that John could have been unconscious when he was shot.

The coroner takes a closer look and sees bruising along John’s neckline. However, she believes it could have been when he fell to the floor after the shot. Kayce asks how it would be possible to hit both sides of your neck and your forehead on the floor at the same time. She takes another look at his full body and pauses by his feet. There are abrasions on the tops of his toes as if his feet were dragged across the floor. Her assistants turn over the body, and there are indentations on his back from pressure against the skin.

The coroner appears to be coming around to Kayce’s opinion and asks how you snatch someone who’s sleeping. He explains you’d need three men: one to hold the calves, one to restrain the arms, and one to implement the choke. She now believes John’s body shows signs that he was forcibly restrained. The wounds all line up with the time of death.

She can’t list it as a homicide but can change the cause to undetermined. That will keep the investigation open. Kayce wants the updated report released now and puts the detective back on speakerphone to tell him the investigation should be reopened.

The coroner apologizes for missing it. Because he’s a decent person, Kayce replies, “You were supposed to miss it.”

Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 11 Recap
Luke Grimes in ‘Yellowstone’ season 5 (Photo Credit: Paramount Network)

Kayce calls Beth to fill her in and she’s enraged that the killers, upon Jamie’s orders, held their dad down. Kayce wants to confront Jamie now, but Beth insists he’s hers. Kayce really wants to see him, but Beth begs him to leave Jamie to her. Kayce hangs up without responding.

Kayce meets with Detective Dillard (Rory Cochrane) who confirms the coroner believes John’s death was staged. Kayce asks to see the gun and immediately identifies it as John’s service weapon. His dad gave that to him, and it was kept at the Livestock office. There are records of anyone who went in and out, and there are also security cameras. Kayce calls his office and asks for Dillard to be given a name/password to access the footage.

Kayce wants a statement released, but Dillard believes that will cause whoever did it to run for cover. “You might never find out who did it, but you might find out who paid for it,” says Kayce.

Kayce’s next stop is Jamie’s office, and he forces the receptionist into Jamie’s office. (He doesn’t want her calling the police.) Kayce slams Jamie onto his desk, and he tumbles to the floor. Jamie begs him to stop and tells him he can’t listen to Beth because she’s poisonous and “rotted from the inside.” Jamie tries to act innocent and swears he doesn’t benefit from the airport because he’s out of the will. He asks Kayce to look him in the eye as he says, “I had nothing to do with our father’s death.”

Jamie plays the victim, whimpering about not having family or anyone to share his grief with. He’s still fighting to protect the ranch and tells Kayce that he should sell a big portion or risk losing all of it. It would all be gone for nothing.

“I love you. Even if I hated him – which I did – I could never do that to you,” says Jamie, lying through his teeth. Kayce replies, “I hope not, Jamie. I really do – for your sake and for mine.”

As soon as Kayce leaves, Jamie learns about the change in the death certificate. The Helena Police Chief holds a press conference announcing the change and that the police have determined it was a homicide. Because John was the governor, the police chief requested assistance from the ATF and FBI.

The man who was contracted for the hit calls someone as soon as the announcement is made. Meanwhile, Sarah (Dawn Olivieri) and Ellis Steele (John Emmet Tracy) hold a lunch meeting with associates in a restaurant. Sarah believes construction will start in a few months and that the conservation easement won’t be a problem to get overturned. But as she’s talking, she’s distracted by a TV showing the press conference with a chyron stating, “Helena P.D. List Governor Dutton’s Death as a Homicide.”

Jamie heads to the assembly and speaks privately with Governor Rawlings. Steven knows the optics are terrible; they’re revoking John’s orders on the day the world learns John was murdered. They will look complicit in John’s death.

Rawlings addresses the legislature and says it’s with grim honor he stands before them as the 27th governor. Rage is justified in response to the news. However, John Dutton revoked a legal contract and used his influence to revoke zoning allocations. Rawlings announces that he’s reinstating the lease and overriding the county’s zoning assignment. He also reveals he’s invoking eminent domain on the property and ordering Jamie Dutton to recuse himself from anything to do with the ranch as well as the investigation into John Dutton’s death.

Governor Rawlings asks for a voice vote on his orders, and the ayes have it.

Beth watches the legislature broadcast and informs Kayce they reinstated the lease. She admits they could have raised enough to cover the taxes if they had just sold the land. It’s too late for that now. Beth believes the state will pay them 10 cents on the dollar, but they must do that fast so she and Kayce don’t sell it first.

“We can sell it, or we can lose it, Kayce. There are no other options,” says Beth. Their only option is what part they decide to sell, and how many acres.

Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 11 Recap
Gil Birmingham as Thomas Rainwater and Mo Brings Plenty as Mo in ‘Yellowstone’ season 5 (Photo Credit: Paramount Network)

Their discussion is interrupted by the arrival of Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and Mo Brings Plenty. Kayce greets them and they express their condolences. Thomas promises to help however they can, and Mo believes whatever Kayce needs came to him in a vision.

Thomas and Beth have a private chat. Thomas admits that although they were adversaries, he respected John. Beth reveals that John also respected Thomas. Thomas shares John’s dream of keeping the ranch whole and says the Department of Interior is a snake that speaks from its tail to keep its mouth free for striking. The government is going to screw the Duttons and basically take the entire ranch for next to nothing.

Thomas doesn’t have a solution to stop this from happening. However, he offers his help if Beth needs it. Thomas admits he still wants this land (and always has), but he wants what John wanted – to keep the land pristine. However, Thomas knows keeping it whole is no longer possible, but he is willing to help keep as much of it as possible.

Beth says some private equity groups have an interest in maintaining open spaces. She’d like to partner with them. She’d be willing to sell the more valuable land by the river and draft off the development on the north end of the property. Beth’s a realist but it’s her father’s dream, and this fantasy of keeping the land has destroyed her family.

“There is no preserving this place; there is prolonging its collapse,” says Beth. If they’d acted sooner, they could have controlled its evolution. Now, she can do nothing about the land’s impending destruction.

Kayce tells Mo that his vision said he had to choose between his family and the ranch. But he’s still not sure what that means. Mo explains that when the time comes, Kayce will know and it will feel like fate, not a choice. “You’ll see it, and you’ll smile because the choice will be so clear,” says Mo.

Sarah buys a burner phone and calls the mercenary company she hired. Their number is no longer in service. She smashes the phone and is shocked to see Jamie standing in her kitchen. He blames her for his dad’s death and for getting him recused from everything having to do with the Duttons.

Sarah explains that the new governor will blame him and John for anything that goes wrong. It’s just what powerful people do and has nothing to do with John’s murder. Steven can’t beat Jamie in an election, so he’ll sabotage him in advance.

Sarah is convinced there’s no proof of John’s murder. Sarah insists that all the evidence is easily dismissed (it’s not) and the investigation will be fruitless. (She doesn’t know Kayce or Beth well enough to make that claim.) Sarah assures Jamie there’s nothing that connects him to the murder because, truthfully, he knew nothing. Even if she confessed, he would only be an accessory after the fact.

She did it for money and he did it to become the governor. He slaps her when she says he’d lie in John’s bed in the mansion without changing the sheets. Sarah slaps him back and warns him he’s no longer important now that John Dutton is dead. The Dutton name means nothing anymore.

Jamie waits about 30 seconds before calling and apologizing for slapping her. Sarah says he needs to trust her and start believing in himself. She barely finished telling Jamie he has nothing to fear when a car pulls up alongside her and she’s shot in the head. Jamie is still on the phone and hears everything, including the five additional shots that are fired into her body.

Jamie screams, “No!” in anguish and calls 9-1-1, sobbing.




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