10 Yellowstone Episodes To Skip On A Rewatch

There's something comforting about revisiting our favorite shows, even if they are as emotionally taxing as "Yellowstone." Taylor Sheridan's acclaimed neo-Western series isn't always pleasant viewing, but the high-stakes drama, compelling characters, intense action sequences, and over-the-top silly moments keep some viewers coming back for more.

Of course, some "Yellowstone" episodes aren't necessary viewing should you decide to get re-acquainted with the Dutton family's escapades. Several don't offer much in terms of moving the story forward, while other ideas get abandoned for whatever reason. With that in mind, every episode selected here can be skipped without viewers having to worry about missing out on anything important.

That's not to say that these episodes don't deserve your time — some of them are actually very good. However, Sheridan is the first to admit that "Yellowstone" isn't focused on plot, as he prefers the characters to dictate the story. That's all well and good, but it also means some episodes feel redundant in the grand scheme. So, here are 10 that you can totally skip.

The early seasons of "Yellowstone" are stronger than the latter installments, so viewers are more likely to rewatch them in their entirety. However, "Coming Home" is one of the rare early entries that's 100% skippable unless you are a purist who wants to remember everything to a tee.

"Coming Home" sees Beth (Kelly Reilly) butting heads with Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) after he picks her up from a bar. Elsewhere, John Dutton (Kevin Costner) tries to get Kayce (Luke Grimes) to return home to the ranch. Both of these storylines factor into other episodes with more dramatic stakes, so you don't need to revisit this one to remember what's going on.

Some viewers might be keen to revisit "Coming Home" for the introduction of Walker (Ryan Bingham), whose perspective is valuable for highlighting the wickedness of Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) and the Duttons. Be that as it may, other episodes explore this notion more dramatically, so you don't need to watch this to understand why Walker has gripes.

"All for Nothing" is a prime example of a "Yellowstone" side quest episode. In this one, Kayce and Monica (Kelsey Asbille) team up with Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) to search for a girl who's gone missing from the Broken Rock Reservation. The Duttons' feud with Market Equities informs some storylines, but the missing person's plot is the biggest takeaway.

This is a good episode that accomplishes a couple of things. The first is that it establishes Kayce as a compassionate livestock commissioner who wants to help Rainwater and co. — but there are better "Yellowstone" episodes that prove he is an ally. The episode also raises awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous peoples — a cause near and dear to Taylor Sheridan's heart – so it's well-intentioned.

However, "All for Nothing" isn't the best "Yellowstone" episode to explore these issues. Season 3's "I Killed a Man Today" returns to the missing girls idea and provides more answers, while simultaneously upping the ante in the Dutton family's feud with the crooks who want their land. That said, the Native American characters are afterthoughts on "Yellowstone," and these storylines could have been explored with more care.

Tate Dutton (Finn Little) finds himself traumatized in this one — and not for the first time. Fans will remember how he reacted to being kidnapped by the Beck brothers' militia henchmen at the end of Season 2. He overcame it with a simple camping trip, and that was that. This time, Tate is upset about killing a man to save his mom, and the pair spend their time holed up in a bedroom, with Monica believing that the ranch is corrupt.

There are interesting threads to explore here, but "Yellowstone" Season 4 rushes through them, making Tate and Monica's concerns feel redundant. They even go on to become a happy family again — until Monica is killed off in the season premiere of the "Marshals" spin-off, arguably ruining everything her and Kayce worked for on "Yellowstone."

If you make it to Season 4 in your "Yellowstone" rewatch, you will be more than familiar with Tate's trauma storylines ending abruptly and Monica's frustrations with the ranch coming to a head. The situation is ultimately fixed after Kayce embarks on a vision quest, which is one of the sillier storylines in the show.

With Taylor Sheridan's "Yellowstone" spin-off "6666" no longer happening at Paramount+, this episode feels even more redundant. Between the flashback sequences featuring "1883" characters and the scenes on the Four Sixes ranch, "No Kindness for the Coward" is an advertisement for the franchise at large, as opposed to an essential "Yellowstone" episode.

The Duttons don't have a lot to do here, either. Rip and John find themselves putting a stop to a diner robbery while en route to meet the sheriff because why not? Sure, they have a purpose for heading to the establishment, but it feels like yet another random "Yellowstone" slice-of-life moment — like when Kayce kills a random injured man to end his suffering in Season 1's "Kill the Messenger." 

"Yellowstone" boasts a lively universe where these things can happen at any time, and some moments don't need to have a reason for existing other than to entertain. The randomness is enjoyable at times, but it's often ineffective for propelling the story forward, as evidenced by this episode.

"Yellowstone" Season 5 episodes make up the bulk of this list, but only because they represent the series at its most unfocused. While Kevin Costner's "Yellowstone" exit — and his character's subsequent demise — upset the applecart, these issues existed before he left. "Watch 'Em Ride Away" isn't a bad episode, per se, but it's one of many that feel like treading water.

The most memorable moment here is Beth's fist fight with John's vegetarian lover, Summer (Piper Perabo). The pair immediately butt heads after meeting on "Yellowstone," so their brawl certainly feels earned. However, the pair make up following their dust up, and Summer's role amounts to nothing more than window dressing afterward. Some of the scenes also come across like a political diatribe, as Summer's mocked for not eating meet and having a liberal, atheist worldview.

Summer doesn't affect the bigger picture on "Yellowstone," so her blow off with Beth isn't necessary viewing unless you want to watch a family dinner descend into chaos. Still, maybe her role could have led to more if Costner stuck around and John and Summer's romance blossomed.

"Cigarettes, Whiskey, a Meadow, and You" is one of the highlights of "Yellowstone" Season 5. The episode sees John Dutton ignore his governor duties so can round up a herd of cattle with some cowboys. Elsewhere, Beth and Rip go on their own adventure to find the eponymous meadow, treating viewers to some romance and respite. One character dies peacefully on the trails, but as John notes afterward, every cowboy dreams of going out like that. Beautiful stuff, so why should you skip it?

"Cigarettes, Whiskey a Meadow, and You" is a low-stakes episode where nothing of real significance happens to drive the plot forward. There is some drama between Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and Angela Blue Thunder (Q'orianka Kilcher), but history has shown it's one of the many "Yellowstone" storylines that didn't go anywhere. The episode works as a palette cleanser if you want to enjoy luscious scenery and take a break from the violence, but you can skip it without missing out anything important.

"The Dream Is Not Me" is yet another filler Season 5 episode, but it isn't without its merits. There are some interesting flashback scenes that explore a violent incident from Rip's childhood that led to John taking him in. The scenes explain why Rip is loyal to his boss, but "Yellowstone" makes it clear from the get-go that the ranch hand's dedication to John is unwavering. With that in mind, the specifics of their coming together are irrelevant.

The episode's other major storyline pertains to Jamie, Sarah, and Market Equities plotting to impeach John, who is the governor of Montana at this point in time. However, when you remember that John gets assassinated not long after this episode, the political maneuvering storylines carry less weight. If anything, they are a reminder that Season 5 might have been more interesting if Costner stuck around and the show's writers followed through with certain ideas.

"The Apocalypse of Change" takes place not long after John Dutton's death and sees his family members butting heads through flashbacks. Beth suspects that Jamie might have played a part in their dad's death, setting some of the wheels in motion for their showdown in the finale.

But anyone who rewatches "Yellowstone" knows that Jamie was involved in John's death. Beth confronting him feels like spinning wheels, and other episodes (mainly the finale) explore the aftermath with more vigor. Beth and Jamie's showdowns are always entertaining due to Kelly Reilly and Wes Bentley's on-screen intensity. However, their argument here is one of many on "Yellowstone," and all it does is reinforce a hatred and divide that's existed since Season 1.

Jamie's heel turn was long established before "The Apocalypse of Change," and there are better episodes that explore his friction with Beth. Once you know what happens in the finale, this episode feels inconsequential. The time jumps also make the story feel disjointed, and the extended sequences of Rip and his crew dealing with rattlesnakes are longer than they need to be. All in all, it comes across as an installment of a show trying to pad out time while slowly galloping toward the finale.

The ranching scenes on "Yellowstone" help separate the show from other great crime dramas. Some of the best moments explore the trials and tribulations of cowboying, but it doesn't always work, which brings us to "Counting Coup." This is the episode where Colby (Denim Richards) gets trampled to death by a horse while saving Carter (Finn Little) from the angry steed. It's a noble, yet questionable, send-off.

The creators of "Yellowstone" argue that Colby's death highlights the dangers of ranch life. Fair enough, but what did it really accomplish? Shouldn't a long-running character's death leave an impact on his friends and family? Teeter (Jennifer Landon) is sad about it, but we don't spend enough time with her to understand her pain. As such, one might argue that Colby's death serves as nothing more than a shocking moment in an aimless episode.

"Counting Coup" also features the scene where Kayce threatens to kill the Grant Horton (Matt Gerald) and his kid. It's a dark moment, but Kayce lets them live, even though Grant was involved in killing his old man — which is one of the most shocking deaths on "Yellowstone." Grant doesn't retaliate, so the confrontation doesn't enhance the overall story's stakes, lessening the episode's rewatch value.

Some "Yellowstone" fans believe Taylor Sheridan ruined Season 5 — and that extends beyond his role as the series' chief creator. His unpopular Travis Wheatley character receives a lot of screen time in the fifth installment, and it's particularly egregious in this episode. "Give the World Away" sees Beth visit the Four Sixes ranch to get Travis' help in selling some horses, only to find him playing strip poker and showing off his riding skills.

The biggest takeaway from "Give the World Away" is that Sheridan works out and knows how to ride horses. It doesn't propel the story forward in a meaningful way, even though it's the season's penultimate episode. Hardly any time is spent making Market Equities or Jamie Dutton feel like a threat heading into the finale — but if you want to see Sheridan show off, look no further.

Several Season 5 episodes drift without any forward momentum. However, centering most of the penultimate installment around a bit-part character like Travis amplifies the season's faults as a whole. Unless you enjoy watching "Yellowstone" at its most laughably pointless, there's no reason to revisit "Give the World Away."