Death on the range: ‘Yellowstone’ fan-favorite meets tragic end as show’s killing spree continues with tearjerker episode

nypost.com:

John Dutton (Kevin Costner), the body count has continued to grow. Spoilers below for the 12th episode of “Yellowstone” Season 5. “Yellowstone” centers on the Dutton family, a dynasty of ranchers who own the largest cattle farm in Montana, including patriarch John (Costner), who was also the governor, and his adult children Kayce (Luke Grimes), Jamie (Wes Bentley), Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Beth’s husband, Rip (Cole Hauser).After a nearly two year absence, the show returned on Nov.

10 and began the second half of Season 5 with a bang by killing off John, a move necessitated after Costner left the show, reportedly due to behind-the-scenes drama.

A hit man shot and killed John and made it look like a suicide. Jamie was not directly involved but bore some responsibility, as his girlfriend, the villainous Sarah (Dawn Olivieri), orchestrated the killing.After the death of Sarah at the very end of episode 11, episode 12 starts off sweet with a moment between cowboy Colby (Denim Richards) and ranch hand Teeter (Jennifer Landon), who’s in Texas along with other “Yellowstone” cowboys who brought the cows south to graze after concerns grew that the animals could be exposed to brucellosis, a deadly disease that also has the possibility of spreading to humans.

Colby is still back at Yellowstone and during a call with Teeter he accidentally tells her that he loves her, which she teases him about before ending the call by saying “I love you too” (thank God, she didn’t say, “Thank you”).