![]() ![]() ![]() It’s clear the Governor’s allies are anxious to rid themselves of the good ol’ boy rogue operators like John Dutton, so they’re laser focused on any mistake he might make, be it failing to disclose a cancer treatment to the livestock association, or recommending someone as obviously unsuited as Beth for public office. If nothing else, “The Remembering” shades slightly away from the abstract conflicts of recent weeks - those sullen conversations about what it means to be “tough” - and instead considers the real, practical results of appearing strong or weak in the middle of a larger strategic power-play. Still, amid all the subplots that Sheridan has thrown at the wall through these first six episodes, the ones that’ve been the most fruitful have been the ones most tied to this show’s specific setting: a changing Montana, in an era when ideological divisions, economic disparity, racial animus, and environmental concerns have turned even the smallest public policy issues into life-or-death wars. Even taking into account her tragic backstory, Beth’s value as a chaos-agent is questionable, and rooted in what seems to be Sheridan’s two basic female character types: like a dude, but more naive and like a dude, but nastier. As I’ve noted repeatedly, her schtick’s become tiresome. So, okay: Beth being a destructive asshole is nothing new for Yellowstone. On her way out the door, Beth snarls, “Your son sounds like a pussy.” She adds that Beth can’t bully her because, “Bullies need to be big, and I’m bigger than you.” Beth replies by warning Lynelle that she ruins careers for a living, and that at the very least the governor might want to stop having on-the-sly sex with John Dutton. When the governor notes that Jamie’s adviser worked for Obama, she scoffs, then brattily asks, “Can my whore be a six-foot fireman who loves Jesus?” An annoyed Governor Perry clears the room, and tells Beth a story about how her own son “stopped maturing” when his dad died, but says that he got over it once he learned to accept that tragedy is a part of life. The political machine has procured for Jamie a pretty campaign manager, whom they hope might also entice Jamie romantically and they’re suggesting that he run as an independent, figuring that the Dutton name will win him red voters, and their endorsements will win over the blues.īeth, however, isn’t impressed by any of this. The governor’s happy to see Jamie, who she’ll be endorsing to take over for a retiring Democratic attorney general. Beth and Jamie Dutton pay a visit to the lavishly appointed Montana capitol building, for a meeting with Governor Lynelle Perry - who also happens to be their dad’s secret lover. That’s an interesting perspective, even if leads him to over-romanticize certain types of people and scenarios.Ĭertainly the most gripping sequence in this week’s Yellowstone episode, “The Remembering,” is the most overtly political. He likes folks who get things done, basically - as well as those who keep getting back up even when the world’s conspiring to knock them down. What I’ve mainly gathered from his work thus far is that he has sympathy for the downtrodden, respect for cops and soldiers, and grudging admiration for amoral authoritarians of all stripes. Even if they have a pronounced slant, first and foremost they earnestly try to put themselves in their characters’ shoes. ![]() In nearly every case, what marks these directors as artists is their empathy. I don’t have to agree with what they’re saying or showing to find it worthy of my attention. There are plenty of hard-line conservatives who’ve made movies I’ve loved, including Clint Eastwood, Mel Gibson, and William Friedkin. Popular art needs more diversity, not just of backgrounds but of viewpoints. ![]() I’d also add that this is mostly a good thing. I don’t really have an answer to that question, though it does seem that, for the most part, Sheridan’s been involved with projects you’d be comfortable recommending to your Republican dad (metaphorically speaking, for those of you who don’t actually have a Republican dad). The movie went over so poorly that some of its detractors looked back at Sheridan’s scripts for Hell or High Water, Wind River, and the original Sicario, wondering if maybe he’s always really been a right-winger, telling stories aimed at other right-wingers. When the Taylor Sheridan–penned Sicario sequel Day of the Soldado came out last month, a lot of critics took issue with its depiction of terrorists and drug gangs, which seemed drawn straight from the most incendiary rhetoric of anti-immigration demagogues. ![]()
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