Summary
“Keep the Wolves Close” really begins setting up some large-scale conflicts for the finale and beyond, even if it feels like it’s wasting time in other areas.
This recap of Yellowstone season 4, episode 7, “Keep the Wolves Close”, contains spoilers.
“Keep the Wolves Close” was the first episode of this season to really feel like we’re into the back half and approaching the endgame, though, given the show’s absurd popularity, the actual endgame could be years away. This is why I’m inclined to suspect that most of the developments that occur in this episode are long games, designed to be picked up in the next season or even the one after that, or perhaps one of two spin-offs or in some other, as-yet-unannounced corner of the Yellowstone universe. But at least that feeling of gathering momentum is there.
Yellowstone season 4, episode 7 recap
A lot of it comes from the fact that Garrett’s plan seems to be a much more expansive one than first suspected. He didn’t hire Riggins to kill the Dutton family out of petty revenge, but because he’s trying to shift Montana’s political power into his son’s – and thus his own – hands. That includes giving Jamie the illusion of happy, authentic family life, trying not to remind him of the fact that his father is a murderer and basically a stranger, and Christina and his son have only just arrived out of nowhere.
But you also get this feeling from Beth and her position at Market Equities, even if it’s silly that nobody there has thought twice about allowing her into meetings about the company’s most private inner workings. This, and her alliance of convenience with Summer Higgins, is clearly long-term big-picture stuff that’ll help to shape the fifth season.
Jimmy, meanwhile, continues to be used exclusively to set up 6666, which I have to be honest doesn’t fill me full of confidence if it’s anything like his misadventures thus far. He spends “Keep the Wolves Close” masturbating a horse and meeting a new woman, having presumably forgotten all about Mia, and the whole thing just feels too forced. I understand the need for levity, and I understand the value of letting the audience get one foot in the door of a planned spin-off, but does Jimmy actually have a character beyond these things?
I have to say, Kayce’s subplot feels like a waste of time too. He’s still looking for the missing horses of Avery’s family, which he eventually finds and returns, but it’s clear that this whole thing exists to put Kayce in a dilemma and test his love for Monica. But, his love for Monica has never really been in question – he has done basically every single thing she has ever wanted from him in order to sustain their relationship, so the idea that he might suddenly drop everything in order to cozy up to a woman who looks a bit like her is ridiculous. It’s also ridiculous that Avery just outright says she loves Kayce in order to facilitate his rejection. I’m just not buying it.
The big development in “Keep the Wolves” close is John’s decision to run for Governor of Montana, a decision he has to be talked into in order to prevent Jamie from doing the same. What this sets up is a political race in the next few episodes, since it’s obvious that Jamie is going to run against him, given it’s a nice excuse to keep quiet about what he learned about Garrett’s relationship with Riggins. So, that’s something to look forward to.
Additional Notes:
- Lloyd buys Walker a new guitar as a peace offering, which is a nice, long-overdue moment.
- John lets Teeter (yay) and Laramie (nay) stay in the bunkhouse.
- John also basically insists that Rip, Beth, and Carter move into the main house with him.
You can stream Yellowstone season 4, episode 7, “Keep the Wolves Close”, exclusively on Paramount.
