The latest episode of “Yellowstone” displayed some model behavior.
It was the penultimate episode of the entire series — supposedly. And, the hit ranch drama chose to focus the hour on an oddly self-aggrandizing sequence from creator Taylor Sheridan, including a cameo from supermodel Bella Hadid.
Viewers were not quite on board for this.
“Taylor Sheridan making Bella Hadid his girlfriend in ‘Yellowstone’ is objectively hilarious,” one fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Bella Hadid in “Yellowstsone.”paramount network
Another said, “Bella hadid takes that cowboy sh-t for real serious cause why is she playing strip poker with taylor sheridan on yellowstone right now.”
A third fan made fun of it by writing “bella hadid in Yellowstone” alongside a meme of a polar bear. The text, “what da hell is a polar bear doing in Arlington Texas?” can be seen displayed over the photo.
“Wait just realized they got a bella hadid cameo on the second to last episode of yellowstone for no reason loool they could’ve at least used her character to drive the useless plot forward,” another viewer wrote.
“Bella hadid on yellowstone is crazy work,” another joked.
“Yellowstone” is in its fifth and final season, although there have been rumors that the show may continue. Paramount Network has made no official confirmation or announcement of a Season 6.
The show follows the Dutton family, owners of the largest ranch in Montana. There’s the late patriarch John (Kevin Costner), who was also the governor, and his adult children Kayce (Luke Grimes), Jamie (Wes Bentley), Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Beth’s husband, Rip (Cole Hauser).
In the penultimate episode of Season 5, amid their efforts to save the ranch, Beth travels to visit the horse trainer, Travis, who is played by series creator Taylor Sheridan. Bella Hadid plays his girlfriend who praises his riding skills.
That’s right, a hit TV show spent its second-to-last episode not focusing on the important family drama for the main characters — but rather, focusing on a random cameo from a supermodel and Sheridan writing himself behaving like Hugh Hefner.
The episode ended with Beth and Kayce auctioning off the ranch’s horses and cattle, which Beth said bought them another year of being able to have the ranch.
Kayce also had a cryptic plan for them to be able to keep the ranch, by “giving it away,” he said.
Some fans posted theories that the “Yellowstone” ending will connect to the prequel series, “1883.”
Kayce didn’t say who he would give the ranch away to, but if he gives it to Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), that ties into a scene from “1883” in which John Dutton’s great-grandfather James Dutton (Tim McGraw) has an exchange with Spotted Eagle (Graham Greene), a Native American.
In that prequel show, when Dutton says his family will settle in a certain valley, Spotted Eagle tells him that the Dutton family can thrive there. However, he also tells Dutton, “Know this, that in seven generations, my people will rise up and take it back from you.”
Dutton replies, “In seven generations, you can have it.”
“Final predictions: rainwater ends up with the Yellowstone property. 1883 Easter egg: they told Dutton in 7 generations they will come back for the land. Well this could be that time,” one fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Another fan agreed, writing, “It’s going back to the indian tribe that gave it to the duttons in 1883. 7th generation, just as the chief foretold.”
