It’s been almost two years since the Part 1 finale of Season 5 of “Yellowstone” – the most recent episode of the massive Taylor Sheridan-created show – debuted on Paramount Network on New Year’s Day 2023. Chances are you’ve seen some of the intricacies of the Dutton family feuds and the overall chaos that fuels ‘Yellowstone,’ but never fear: here’s a refresher on the events that unfolded in that finale, the context of the behind-the-scenes events that led to Kevin Costner’s departure from the show — and information about the future of the series.

When we last left our cowboys…

During the first half of the season, audiences learned more about Rip (Cole Hauser) and his early days at Yellowstone. “A Knife and No Coin,” the final episode of the first half of season 5, opens with a new flashback featuring Young Rip (Kyle Red Silverstein) and Young John (Josh Lucas). They drop off Rowdy, a cowboy who Rip killed after inappropriately talking about Young Beth (Kylie Rogers), at the train station (aka disposing of his body), and Young John makes it clear that this will now forever kill them connects: “You will be part of this ranch until the day you die. Young John also learns that Young Rip is kind to Young Beth herself, and utters some prophetic words: “The only time you fight to work for me is to protect someone who works for the ranch, or the ranch itself. You’ll be surprised how much fighting you have to do. It surprises me.” – before Young Rip gets the Yellowstone brand. Ouch!

Then today we check back in with Jimmy (Jefferson White), who has been largely absent during the season. He lives in the 6666 with his girlfriend Emily (Kathryn Kelly) and has put on some serious flare, dressing hip to break horses while also making time to cuddle with Emily after she finishes her vet duties. These cowboy cuties live the good life, but will also star in the highly anticipated spin-off series ‘6666’ ever get off the ground?

Meanwhile, at the Dutton ranch, Rip is ready to lead a group of cowpokes to Texas to transport all their cattle, to prevent an outbreak of the bacterial disease brucellosis. Beth (Kelly Reilly) says an emotional goodbye to Rip, but also says she’s flying out to see him in a week, so they’ll be fine. She’s rich and I’m sure she’ll just get a private jet. Slightly more somber is Teeter (Jennifer Landon) leaving Colby (Denim Richards) behind, but she plants a big kiss on him and says, “I love you,” so it’s a sweet moment.

Not so sweet is Jamie (Wes Bentley), who, as attorney general, addresses the Montana Legislature and Senate asking for a tribunal that will overthrow his father, Montana Governor John Dutton (Costner). , demands. His reasoning? By withdrawing the funding for the airport that Jamie had wanted to inaugurate, John violated state law, failed to act in Montana’s best interests, opened the airport to lawsuits, lost taxpayer money, and harmed tourism.

Beth hears the news and furiously goes to Jamie’s house, where she breaks in with a rock, then uses the rock to hit Jamie over the head. As he bleeds, she tries to blackmail him with photos of him taking his biological father to the train station, but Jamie laughs it off and tells Beth that there are dozens of bodies down there via John and Rip that would take down the entire family.

Still furious, Beth goes to Governor John’s house, where she wants to know if the history of the train station Jamie talked about is true. Once John confirms her suspicions, she is just as angry that she was not told about the family secret and that her influence over her brother is now limited. Jamie to the train station itself. He thinks about it, and they have an inaudible conversation…chilling!

Ironically, Jamie simultaneously asks his love interest and fixer Sarah (Dawn Olivieri) if she knows an assassin who could take care of Beth, because he knows she wants him dead. Sara do know a man! Oh no!

In the meantime:

*John asks Monica (Kelsey Asbille) if she and Kayce (Luke Grimes) can move into a modest house in Yellowstone’s East Camp so Kayce can take care of the ranch while John rules in Helena. She agrees, because she wants Yellowstone to be a legacy for their son Tate (Brecken Merrill).

*Summer (Piper Perabo) is still stuck at the Dutton Ranch and is under house arrest instead of in Helena with John – awkward!

*Carter (Finn Little), Rip and Beth’s adopted son, learns how to be a cowboy and how to flirt. Unfortunately, he seems to have more problems with the cattle than his potential love interest.

What was the drama between seasons with Kevin Costner? Will he be in new episodes of the show?

There’s been a lot of laughs since “Yellowstone” last aired, but mostly spoken: Costner and show creator Taylor Sheridan couldn’t get on the same page when it came to shooting schedules.

The discussion about Costner’s reduced availability to shoot more “Yellowstone” first started in February 2023, when it was reported that Costner was not available as many days as in the past. In September 2023, while in court for his divorce proceedings, it was revealed that he had rescheduled filming of his four-part film franchise of “Horizon: An American Saga” to participate in the first part of the fifth season. Still, Costner said the scripts for the second part of Season 5 weren’t available in time, so he couldn’t film them — but believes he still owes payment for the season, a matter he says he could take to court to take. .

That said, Costner discussed a possible return in April, saying, “I’d like to be able to do it.” He echoed this sentiment in June, saying: “I would love to go back under the right circumstances – I think we all want that.” But later that month, he seemed to rule it out completely, saying, “I just realized I can’t continue Season 5B or into the future.”

Is this the last season of “Yellowstone”? Will there be a spin-off with Matthew McConaughey?

Again, the answer is chock full of behind-the-scenes back-and-forth. The first discussions about the end of the show and the beginning of a new chapter came with the first word of Costner’s departure, stating that it would be “a new expansion of the ‘Yellowstone’ franchise that will feature various characters from the mothership show would feature Matthew McConaughey in conversation with star.”

In May 2023, Paramount Network made the big announcement that “Yellowstone” is officially coming to an end, with the final episodes of the fifth season of the mega-hit Paramount Network series airing in November. In addition, an untitled sequel series has been ordered, which will debut on Paramount Network in December.”

But in November 2023, it was announced that the episodes would be delayed by a year, and two spin-offs were mentioned: the historical ‘1944’ and the contemporary ‘2024’.

In August 2024, “2024” was renamed “The Madison” and included Michelle Pfeiffer as the lead. The premise of the show concerns “a New York City family in the Madison River Valley of central Montana.”

Later that month, Variety reported that there was talk of a sixth season of “Yellowstone,” starring Reilly and Hauser, but nothing has been greenlit yet.

Meanwhile, two other previously announced chapters in the “Yellowstone” universe are in the works: “1923,” the prequel starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, was renewed for a second season, and the spinoff “6666 continues to be developed.