Yellowstone season 4 has been full of twists, turns, and most recently, featured a heartbreaking character death. While the crucial murder could be a game-changer for multiple Dutton family members, there’s actually much more to dissect about how it impacted the characters on a deeper level.
WARNING: Major Yellowstone Season 4 Spoilers Below!
As fans will undoubtedly remember, Sheriff Donnie Haskell took a bullet to the chest to cap off Episode 8. The last we see of him, he’s making a last-ditch effort to call his daughter. Even though Kevin Costner’s John Dutton and Cole Hauser’s Rip swoop in to save the day, their efforts are too little too late.
We hear Haskell’s daughter over the phone say: “Is everything okay?” To which John Dutton devastatingly replies, “No, honey. Everything’s not okay.”
‘Yellowstone’ Season 4: Diving Into the Significance of the Phone Call
Up to this point in the series, fans haven’t seen hardly any of Sheriff Haskell’s backstory. We know that he’s been one of John Dutton’s (sometimes reluctant) allies. But, what we haven’t seen is…the man behind the badge.
In the most recent installment of “Stories From the Bunkhouse,” three major cast members dive into the heart-wrenching scene. Jefferson White, who plays Jimmy, explained how he felt mixed emotions watching the scene unfold.
“I was so excited about this scene – I mean excited and also sad because Hugh Dillon who plays Sheriff Haskell, it’s been amazing to watch his journey, he’s been with us since the beginning,” White said. “The scenes between him and Kevin, that’s a masterclass, watching those two guys work together is such a treat. He’s been such a complicated character, his allegiances have been so complicated.”
In Haskell’s final moments, we see a different side of him previously unseen through four seasons. White breaks it down.
“And it’s interesting to see a character who’s been so strong, so complicated be so sort of brought so low and be so vulnerable and what he does when he’s dying is he calls his daughter and it brings this whole other side to him that we’ve never seen even for a second,” White says.
It’s also in this moment that we get a small glimpse into John Dutton’s connection with Sheriff Donnie. We’ve seen the two have their ups and downs throughout the series, but in this emotional moment, it’s evident that John truly cares about the dying Sheriff.
Denim Richards, who plays branded ranch hand Colby, brings it all together adding: “In four seasons, you never got to see that insight but in just a moment, you get to see this full depth of like, he’s more than the badge.”
Sheriff Donnie’s death was not only important for giving insight into his character and relationship with John, but also it opens up some major potential storylines. Learn more here. And be sure to catch up on everything Yellowstone Season 4 here.
