At long, long last, Paramount Network’s smash hit drama Yellowstone is making its long-awaited return for Season 4, months after its previously expected summer debut. Will the wait have been worth it? It’s impossible to tell, of course, but star Cole Hauser has at least been making everyone’s patience feel a little more justified, and the most recent justification comes in the form of a signature Yellowstone tub photo.
Specifically, Yellowstone’s Instagram account is on a mission to break the Internet via a dripping Cole Hauser with wet, slicked-back hair. And I’m not one to stand in the way of such an honorable attempt, so feast those eyes on the Rip-pled water below.
This definitely isn’t the first time that Yellowstone fans have seen one of the show’s stars taking a daytime dip in an outdoor tub. Or trough, if we’re being technical. The first (and arguably most noteworthy) instance came back in the early episodes of Season 1, when a pissed-off Beth Dutton doubled fisted some wine and took an impromptu skinny dip despite all the people standing around and working. It’s presumed no one was more bothered by it at the time than Wes Bentley’s Jamie, and that was before all the adoption and sterilization reveals came.
Cole Hauser paid tribute to Kelly Reilly’s infamous trough scene with his own outdoor bath for People’s Sexiest Man Alive issue in 2020. A lot of smiles were had at the time, but the Cole/Rip in the image above is a bit more serious than all that. And for good reason. Season 3 ended with Kevin Costner’s John, Reilly’s Beth, Luke Grimes’ Kayce, and Jefferson White’s Jimmy all in dire straits, although the latter caused his own health scare by getting on a horse again against John’s wishes.
From the minimal amount of Costner’s footage in early Season 4 trailer, it’s clear that he survived the attack long enough for Rip to find him, though it’s unclear what will happen next. I’m guessing he could also use a trough bath himself after laying out in the Montana sun with dirt and dried blood all over. Probably less of a concern than staying alive, but still. Nobody likes to be caked in dried blood and dirt, amirite?
Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like anybody needs to worry about Rip Wheeler suffering any life-depleting injuries in Season 4, as Cole Hauser has already seemingly confirmed that he’ll still be around in Season 5. Not to mention hinting at this upcoming season ending in a way that will please fans. Maybe Rip will ride into the sunset inside a trough being dragged behind a horse.
While I can’t imagine Season 4 will start out in such a way where Rip can take a calm and relaxing trough bath without having to worry about destroying the lives of his enemies, fans will soon be able to find out if that’s the case. Yellowstone will deliver the first two episodes of Season 4 to Paramount Network on Sunday, November 7, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Will anybody be dressing up for the occasion like Meghan McCain and her husband?
