Episode 4 also gives us a little more insight into Beulah’s complicated relationship with Everett. The friendly veterinarian is called to the Jackson Ranch this week, where he checks in with his old flame about her latest headaches — of which there are many.
Speaking in defense of rehab-bound Rob-Will, Everett says, “He was a decent kid. Good people don’t lose all their good,” to which Beulah coldly replies, “Some do.”
Things get even more emotional when Everett confesses that he can’t bring himself to take down his late son’s old tire swing. “Part of me still thinks it’s Levi out there,” Everett says. “But then reality kicks in and the wound rips open again.” Lost in his emotions, he says, “Beulah, if we could go back…” and for a moment, it feels like there’s hope for them. (She certainly is getting handsy!) But then Everett comes to his senses, telling her, “We got too many demons to ever be good for each other.”
Beulah sends him on his way with a friendly “See you around, McKinney,” but the truth is, she’s shattered. She can barely wait until Everett is out of sight before bursting into tears, revealing the very specific crack in her otherwise-impenetrable Texan armor.
As Annette Bening previously told TVLine, the opportunity to work alongside Ed Harris as Everett is one of the reasons she accepted the role of Beulah.
“She’s longing for connection, intimacy, and romance, quite frankly, with this man that she knew since she was a child,” Bening told us. “They’ve kind of come in and out of each other’s lives, and he’s elusive. … Beulah and Everett have this long, complicated history, and that for me is very intriguing to try to tap into. That’s all very rich and interesting to try to explore.”
OK, let’s talk: As devastating as that cattle funeral was, did you enjoy getting to see Beth and Rip raise a little hell like old times? Did you find yourself getting emotional during Beulah and Everett’s catch-up? And did the introduction of a Joe Exotic-type character give you flashbacks to bingeing “Tiger King” during the pandemic? Drop a comment with your thoughts on “Dutton Ranch” Episode 4 below.
