Yellowstone fans are faced with an interminable wait until the show returns for the remainder of its fifth and final season. Paramount Network has promised a fall return, but, with the ongoing writers’ strike, that date seems less and less likely by the day. It remains uncertain whether Kevin Costner will resume his role of John Dutton, or how many episodes remain (creator Taylor Sheridan told The Hollywood Reporter that it could be as many as 10).
What’s a Dutton universe enthusiast left to do? There’s not much happening in terms of the spinoffs and sequels, although 1883 is replaying on Paramount Network. This summer is the perfect time to rewatch the original series, and when that happens, astute viewers are bound to dig up some plot holes.
One plot hole in particular has resurfaced on Reddit. Basically, it comes down to the scene in the season 4 finale when Beth discovers Jamie dumping his father’s body after killing him. When he arrives at the site, presumably the renowned “train station” (aka the location where the Duttons make people disappear), Beth is there waiting for him and takes pho tos for future blackmail.
Jump ahead to the midseason finale of season 5, when Jamie tells Beth about the “train station,” and she is shocked and distraught to find out that such a place exists. She goes and talks to her father, John, and asks him where it is.The poster on Reddit states, “She obviously knew it was there because how else would she know to wait for Jamie there. That was a huge glaring plot mistake to me.” Other commenters jumped in to leave comments like, “I agree. It’s a flaw in the writing. I still love the show, though.”
Some viewers are convinced that Beth followed Jamie to the location: “Nothing showed, indicated or implied she was all ready there. She walks up as he is removing the body.” But other people think that it is implausible that she could’ve followed Jamie undetected: “He would have seen her headlights in his rearview mirror.”
After a careful rewatch, season 4, episode 10 (“Grass on the Streets and Seeds on the Rooftops”) shows Jamie driving across the Wyoming border at nighttime. He drives along a gravel road, parks his car, and drags his father’s body from the back. Beth walks up and tells him to “Stop, turn around” as she takes photos of him. She approaches him from behind, suggesting that she was already there when Jamie drove up. If she followed Jamie, it seems like he would’ve seen or heard her car approach.
Fast-forward to season 5, episode 8 (“A Knife and No Coin”) and Beth confronts John about the train station after Jamie tells her about it: “What is it, exactly?” Governor Dutton tells his daughter, “It is a trash can for everyone who has attacked us,” and even asks, “Why are you so surprised?” Beth then suggests that the train station is the place for Jamie.
This definitely seems like a plot hole to us, but it is open to interpretation. If you want to check it out for yourself, all of the episodes are now streaming on Peacock.