Warning: Spoilers for Yellowstone Season 5 ahead.
It’s a universally known truth among Yellowstone fans that Rip Wheeler, played by Cole Hauser, is a stud. But in Season 5 of Taylor Sheridan’s beloved Western drama — which follows the family of Montana ranch owner John Dutton (Kevin Costner) — the cowboy is dreamier than ever before.
Since the series premiered in 2018, viewers have collectively empathized with, respected, thirsted over, and fallen for the stoic ranch foreman who never fails to show up for the Duttons. Flashbacks revealed that John took Rip in when he was just a teen, after he killed his abusive stepfather for murdering his mother and brother. Over the years, Rip worked hard to earn the second chance that John gave him without ever losing perspective or gratitude. These days, John considers Rip his righthand man on the ranch. He trusts him to lead the bunkhouse, call the shots in his absence, and — most importantly — love his daughter, Beth (Kelly Reilly).
Hauser has received People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” recognition in the past, so it’s no secret he’s easy on the eyes. And though he effortlessly rocks a cowboy hat, boots, and traditional ranch attire, Rip’s undeniable charm and unassuming sex appeal don’t solely stem from physical appearance. Rip is only human, so he doesn’t always keep his cool and has performed his fair share of dishonorable deeds (and a few murders!) for the sake of his found family. But for the most part, the man is an old soul with a reserved temperament, impressive self-control, and the patience of a saint. He’s romantic, respectful, and knows how to take a joke. And those dreamy qualities have been on full display in Season 5, but peeks into the past also help us realize how exceptional they truly are.
In the Season 5 premiere, flashbacks show a date between teen Beth (Kylie Rogers) and teen Rip (Kyle Red Silverstein) gone wrong. After young Beth gets fiery at a bar, Rip leaves her the keys and heads back to the ranch. He waits up for her in hopes of making amends, but after fellow Dutton ranch worker Rowdy (Kai Caster) drives her home, Beth purposefully hooks up with him to make Rip jealous. Present-day Beth wakes up rattled by the memory, and heads to the kitchen to apologize for how she treated Rip in the past. “Honey. And I mean this with love. But it’s way too early for this shit,” he says. And as she’s beating herself up regrets in the rearview mirror, Rip says he’s happy and he wants her to be, too. He acknowledges her big heart, gives her permission to move on, and jokes that she put him “through hell though,” before kissing her and saying, “I love you.” Damn.
We see that same capacity for forgiveness in Episode 5, “Watch ‘Em Ride Away,” when another bad memory from the past stirs Beth from her sleep. While Rip is getting ready for work in the bathroom, Beth steps into the light, prompting him to say, “I didn’t mean to wake you, honey. I was trying to be quiet. I’m sorry.” She assures him he didn’t wake her, then asks if he ever thinks about them as kids. “I think about now, I think about tomorrow, but I don’t give much thought to yesterday… Baby, yesterday is what eats everybody. That’s why I don’t think about it.” After those profound words of wisdom, Rip cuts through Beth’s heavy hindsight with a “Good morning,” a smile, a giggle, an arm touch, and a kiss. My heart.
Rip is a natural protector, fixer, and defender, which we’ve seen this season when he voiced concerns about John as governor, delivered new that he had to put down a horse, and tried to clean up the Yellowstone wolf mess. He also went out of his way to assure Carter (Finn Little) that, “Orphans don’t get shipped off here, in case you haven’t noticed.” And he calmly mediated Beth’s brawl with Summer (Piper Perabo). But despite early Season 5 hardships, Rip has been flashing smiles like they’re going out of style.
In Episode 5, we witnessed one of Rip’s greatest interactions with Beth yet — a scene so charming that I’m still swooning over it days later. Plagued by the past, Beth decides to accompany Rip and the ranch crew on their cattle branding journey, but Rip reminds her it’s two luxury-free days on horseback. When he questions her interest, she gets defensive. “Beth, let’s put the crazy away. Would you like to go on the gathering with me tomorrow?” he asks. Quickly realizing that a straightforward aggressor isn’t who she needs, Rip readjusts his approach, clears his voice, and says, “Beth, love of my life. I don’t think I can survive two days alone. And god knows that you hate horses, and cattle, and being dirty and cold, and especially being told what to do — all of which is gonna happen tomorrow. But would you consider coming and sparing me the misery of being without you?” Rip lets out a laugh, then raises his eyebrows inquisitively. And oh my LORD I felt as though I could melt into human fondue watching this silly, smitten show of understanding and affection. Rip’s warmth in that moment fully thawed Beth, and after she agreed to ride with him, he picked her up, mounted her on his tool bench and commenced the kissing and laughing we’ve gotten to see more of this season. Who gave this man the right to be this fine? I just want to talk!
When Rip shared his secret to success with Carter in Season 4, I recall his words felt like some of the wisest, saddest sentences I’d ever heard. “Don’t think you deserve it. You don’t deserve it. And you never will,” he explained. The message could easily be applied to Rip’s job and housing on the ranch. But when you consider every aspect of his being, you’ll realize the motto is the core of his character. Sure, Rip has his bad days, and he can’t realistically maintain those heightened levels of self-awareness that make him so gracious and good at all times. But his refusal to take anything for granted not only shapes his behavior and outlook on life for the better, it’s also incredibly sexy. Protect Rip and Beth’s love at all costs this season. He may not think he deserves it, but we know he does.