Dutton Ranch Episode 5 Puts Beth And Rip In Bed With Beulah: 'I Don't Think It's Going To Last Long,' Says One Star

There are unlikely partnerships, and then there are team-ups we never thought we'd see in a million years. Episode 5 of "Dutton Ranch," now streaming on Paramount+, gives us the latter.

Fresh off the tragic loss of their herd to that accursed hoof-and-mouth disease (thanks for nothing, Bullet!), Beth and Rip begin plotting their ascension back to the top, a plan that apparently includes Rip becoming the new foreman of the 10 Petal Ranch. (Say what?!) Beulah is similarly surprised by Rip's interest in the position, but because current foreman Chet is a "f**king idiot," she's willing to entertain the notion.

Rip wastes no time weeding out the ranch's bad seed, sending Chet packing as soon as another worker tells Rip what he believes Chet did to Wes. And Chet doesn't go quietly: "The Jacksons are going to chew you up, spit you out, and forget you ever had a name," he sneers on his way out. (Cool, tell us something we don't know.) Chet also confronts Joaquin about his firing, threatening to reveal Rob-Will as Wes' killer, plus whatever shady side hustle Joaquin had going on with the cattle. Not to be intimidated, Joaquin reminds Chet that there are two ways to leave a ranch, urging him to "choose wisely." (Chet? Wise? Good luck with that.)

And Rip isn't the only member of the family joining the 10 Petal Ranch's payroll. Mere minutes after Rip and Beulah seal their partnership over a bounty of brisket, Beth rolls up with some business of her own. After revealing that the Dutton Ranch's herd were taken down by HMD (quite a secret to share!), Beth pitches herself as Beulah's new strategist, promising to turn 10 Petal into a household name with a line of "bespoke, recession-proof" cuts of meat. The only caveat? The Dutton name will never be part of the deal.

Joaquin is surprised to hear that Beulah has handed his position over to a Dutton, but Beulah reveals that she's playing the long game here. "Rip and Beth have secrets," Beulah tells Joaquin. "And I've learned that people with secrets can be useful, corruptible even."

But don't think this means Beulah has the upper hand. When Beth returns home to share the good news with Rip, she tells him, "You give me a week, I'll know everything there is to know about Beulah Jackson." Unfortunately, the first thing she learns — courtesy of her hubby — is that he recently found a dead body on the Dutton Ranch that floated on over from the 10 Petal. "Peace will have to wait," indeed.

(Hey, at least we learn this week that Beth's rescue horse is recovering nicely. That's something to celebrate, right?)

Now for the question on everyone's mind: how long can Beth and Rip really work alongside Beulah before their partnership turns sour, or even hostile? Not very long, if you ask "Dutton Ranch" actor Marc Menchaca, who plays Rip's new right hand man Zachariah.

"Based on Beth and Rip's history, I don't think it's going to last long," Menchaca tells TVLine of this tenuous alliance. Still, he trusts that Beth and Rip know what they're doing by getting in bed with Beulah. "I think they are going to have some leverage to wage a a war," he adds. "I'm not saying they're going to take over the Jacksons' ranch, but I think they're going to be on the path to making their own destiny."

Meanwhile, it doesn't look like "Dutton Ranch" will be giving Dwight (guest star Ray McKinnon) the campy Joe Exotic storyline we hoped for. Carter's new boss is roused from a drunken cat nap by a visit from the police in Episode 5, prompting him to flee the premises, leaving both Carter and his prized leopard to fend for themselves. Carter also tries to outrun the cops, but they eventually catch up to him and slap on a pair of cuffs. Dwight, unfortunately, doesn't get off so easily; he gets shot and bleeds out in front of Carter.

Carter tells Sheriff Wade (guest star Josh Stewart) that people will have questions about Dwight's death, knowing full well that he wasn't shot in self-defense. "Smart people don't ask questions," Wade replies. "How smart are you, son?" Carter basically agrees to stay quiet in exchange for his release, but he's an absolute mess, collapsing in Oreana's arms when she arrives to pick him up.

It's the kind of shocking death that reminds you no one is safe in the world of "Dutton Ranch," a fear that cast member Marc Menchaca (Zachariah) knows all to well. "Personally, I'm always worried about [getting killed off] because I die in everything I'm in," the actor tells TVLine. "I didn't die in 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' but who does?"

As for who could go next, Menchaca says, "I think anything is up for grabs. Sometimes killing off people's favorite characters is a popular thing to do, but I feel like it would be a bad move on their part to kill a good guy that just came out of prison." (OK, so Zach is safe... for now.)

OK, let's talk: Were you surprised to see Rip and Beth work their way into Beulah's world so quickly? And are you pouring one out for ol' Dwight? Drop a comment with your thoughts on Episode 5 below.