John (Kevin Costner) doesn't have cancer, so he is not waiting around to start getting his house back in order in Yellowstone season 2 episode 2. He leaves the hospital against doctors' recommendations (though they are sure to point out that had he previously listened to his doctors he wouldn't have ruptured the ulcer and tell him he has to do swimming as physical therapy) and is taken back to the ranch by Kayce (Luke Grimes).
John tells Kayce he can't get involved in the kind of scraps the cowboys did at the bar. Kayce stays in the bunkhouse with these men, so he needs to defend them, but John says he's taking care of that. He's also learned if you don't think you're going to live, you stop worrying about tomorrow, but when you find out you're not going to die, then you have to figure out how to start living again. That's something he and Kayce both have to figure out.
Home sweet home
Beth (Kelly Reilly) makes moves in the real estate game as she looks to build her moat around the Yellowstone. The cocky real estate agent she is working with tries to show her a ranch not on the market, but she chops him down to size, saying she's not interested.
However, it seems like she just doesn't want to work with him, as Beth and Bob (Michael Nouri) visit the ranch to buy it. While the owner says it's not for sale, Beth tells him to name his price. He throws out what he assumes is an unreachable number, $9 million, but Bob just writes a check and Beth (half joking) tells him to get out of her house.
Monica (Kelsey Asbille) is also quick to establish herself in her new classroom. When a male student makes a misogynistic joke, Monica puts him in his place. Her first lesson is about how the history most of them are familiar with is from the perspective of the oppressors — not just Columbus in America but going all the way back to Europe. Her class is going to focus on the history of the subjugated, who everyone is a descendant of whether they realize it or not.
Talking with Dean Thompson (Steve Coulter), he commends Monica for her early impact. He also tells her as a faculty member she has access to benefits like physical therapy for her limp and faculty housing, encouraging her to take advantage of the world now open to her.
A new pecking order
The cowboys build a barbed wire fence, but Walker (Ryan Bingham) is being a squeaky wheel. When Rip (Cole Hauser) reminds Walker other ranches won't have him, Walker goes right back at him saying it's because he has a fondness for the farmer's daughter, like Rip. This pisses Rip off, who cuts the wire and it snaps back and gets Walker. They then fight, but Lloyd breaks it up. Walker says he is going to quit, but Rip promises wherever he goes he'll find him.
As Walker attempts to leave the ranch, John and Kayce spot him. Walker says he doesn't want to do the extracurricular stuff and admits he's not sure who runs things. John says he and Kayce run it, so Walker doesn't have to listen to anyone else. Walker debates leaving but ultimately decides to stay on their assurance.
John has Kayce sign some paperwork that makes him a Livestock agent and plans to have him take over as foreman from Rip. However, he says he needs to be honest and fair with himself before he can run the ranch, specifically asking what is going on with Monica. Kayce says he misses her, but reveals John is the wedge between them right now.
When Rip spots Walker still in the bunkhouse, he tries to go after him. He's only stopped when Kayce tells him John wants to see him. It's more bad news for Rip. Despite John calling him the only person he can really trust, he needs Kayce to learn how to run the ranch, so Rip has to move out of the foreman's house for Kayce and go live in the bunkhouse. He's not thrilled, but he does it.
The next day, everyone waits around for Kayce to give them marching orders. John reminds him he needs to earn the cowboys’ respect, not Rip’s, so Kayce puts Rip and Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith) in the low man's spot.
Driving cattle, Rip sees an opportunity to go after Walker and takes it. He chases him through the woods and eventually throws him from his horse. He's about to run him over when Kayce stops him. Rip says he gave Kayce an excuse to fight him and establish himself with the men, but Rip isn't going to go easy on him. The two fight in the corral as John looks on. It's pretty even, but as they tire, Rip lets Kayce land a punch that knocks him down. Kayce then says to everyone if anyone wants to fight on the ranch, they come fight him.
After the fight, John thanks Rip for making Kayce earn it, but now needs him to support Kayce. Rip wonders what John sees in Kayce, to which John says he sees his son. Rip reminds him Jamie is his son too, insinuating that doesn't mean much in that instance.
Beth's plea
John, Kayce and Beth sit down for dinner. When Beth tries to talk about Kayce's bruises or the real estate, John shuts her down saying there's no work talk at the table. Beth says they have nothing else to talk about, gets up and leaves.
Outside, she sees Rip sitting in the field. She pieces together that Rip was demoted. He says it's what John wanted. She tells him no matter how devoted he is to John, he will never love Rip the same way he loves Beth or Kayce. Rip doesn't care, this is his family, whether they acknowledge it or not.
That night, Beth talks to Kayce at the foreman house, angry he kicked Rip out. Kayce says Rip needs to learn some humility, calling him a bully. But Beth says he is what John turned him into, and that's what John is trying to do now to Kayce. She chastises him from walking away from Monica so easily and how hypocritical it is that when John is the issue for them, Kayce's solution is to turn into him. Kayce believes the ranch is all he has to give his family and wants to protect it. Beth, however, says she's the one protecting it, he'll just do something stupid to lose it. She tells him to go back to Monica and when John dies she'll give him the ranch.
A step toward recovery
Monica looks over the options for faculty housing. Felix (Rudy Ramos) tells her she needs to think about how her decisions impact Kayce, reminding her they were married in a Native American ceremony, meaning they are married in the afterlife. They need to work it out or risk being miserable forever.
Kayce drops John off at physical therapy. Being forced to use a kickboard and do basic things, John is frustrated. He eventually just goes for a swim, but he bumps into a physical therapist working with Monica. Things only get more awkward when she and Kayce spot each other, and Tate (Brecken Merrill) excitedly rushes to his dad.
Yellowstone season 2 episodes air Sundays on CBS and are available to watch on-demand on Peacock in the US, Paramount Plus in the UK.
