Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 7 Review: The Dream is Not Me

As it turns out, the life of a rancher can often mean a life of significant sacrifice. On Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 7, “The Dream is Not Me,” several of the ranchers make a big one, and we get more backstory on Rip Wheeler.

We’ve been getting many more flashbacks of young Rip lately, and in this one, we see how he became a permanent part of the Dutton ranch. The flashback mirrors the current situation at the ranch, with young Rip out with another cowboy, who starts talking about Beth in a way that Rip refuses to hear. 

They fight — showing how tough young Rip was back then too — and when the other cowboy pulls a knife, Rip beats him with a rock.

What’s really interesting is the forgiveness between them as the other cowboy lies there dying. He tells Rip to say that he’d been thrown from his horse and trampled, rather than telling the truth.

But even then, Rip doesn’t lie to John. He tells him exactly what happened, and when they get back to find a dead body, it means Rip will be connected to the ranch in an even more indefinite way.

He was already loyal to John and the ranch for essentially rescuing him and giving him a new life, but this — covering up a murder, is something else altogether.

It explains a lot about who Rip is now, and it’s a thoughtful way to show how they’ve always handled things on the ranch.

Plus, we have to give props to Josh Lucas for how well he embodies a younger version of John Dutton. I mean, my goodness. 

In the present time, the branding of cattle continues. Summer even helps by administering shots, though it’s difficult for her to be a part of. I enjoy seeing her start to come around like this. 

As the branding continues, everyone sleeps in tents, which is a fun new dynamic. Beth pokes fun at the women who wake up in them, and she makes the case for marriage when it’s the right kind of man.

It’s honestly getting a little old to see Beth act this way, but it leads to a nice moment between her and Monica, where she admits she knows a bit about how Monica is feeling after losing her baby. 

Things take a turn at the ranch when the cowboys discover a big problem with the herd. There’s a disease going around that could cause them to lose all of the cattle, and it means they have to find a new place for them as soon as possible. 

Without anyone having to say it, Rip understands he has to be the one in charge of the operation — as they leave the ranch for a year or more to watch over the cattle in Texas. It’s a fascinating turn and should create a really interesting dynamic amongst the ranchers.

Rip picks who will go with him, and Beth insists on going too as opposed to being away from Rip for such a long time. This really explains why we’ve been getting so much backstory between the two of them and so much time has been spent discussing the time they lost together. 

The cowboys (and cowgirl) that are chosen are generally honored to get to go on such a journey. It’s real cowboy stuff, and even Ryan, who is clearly falling in love, makes the choice to go than stay for his new girlfriend. 

The problem isn’t just solved by moving the cattle, though. It’s expensive because it requires leasing land. A detail that we also learn about in 1923 — which really is worth watching right after this episode.

As John explains it all to Beth, she realizes what a bad business model he really has. And she has an idea to fix it. I don’t know if she can convince John of such change, but it’s such an important part of their dynamic — especially if you think back to how the series began with Beth returning home. 

This ranch really is always in some sort of trouble, one way or another.

Other thoughts:

• Lynelle offers bad news to Rainwater, and it’s too bad that’s not something that gets more attention in this episode. Following a visit from the president, it turns out that there’s a plan to run a pipeline through their land. And Rainwater is determined to seek help from John, which should make for some really interesting storytelling in future episodes.
• Jamie is officially working with Sarah in hopes of becoming governor, and they’ve found there’s an impeachable offense for John. It’s going to get ugly — and it’s also hard to know who’s playing who at this point.
• The fair is a fun outing for the whole ranch, and that levity is nice for an episode that otherwise feels pretty daunting. 

What did you think of this episode of Yellowstone? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

Yellowstone airs Sundays at 8/7c on Paramount Network.

Watch Yellowstone online:

And watch 1923 online, now streaming on Paramount+. Free trial offer!

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

20 Best Characters from TV Dramas in 2022