Dutton Ranch – S01E02 – Earn Another Day – Transcript

Dutton Ranch
Season 1 – Episode 2
Episode title: Earn Another Day
Original release date: May 15, 2026

Plot: In a flashback, Beth and Rip purchase their Texas ranch from a widow who reveals that the Jackson family had long sought to acquire the property. In the present, Beulah learns that Wes’ body has gone missing and that his wife has begun asking questions, prompting her to instruct her other son Joaquin to make the problem disappear. Rip hires a new ranch hand named Zachariah on Azul’s recommendation. Meanwhile, Beth persuades Everett to connect her with an alternative cattle processor and later introduces him to Rip. Elsewhere, Carter spends time after school with the flirtatious Oreana, unaware that she is Beulah’s granddaughter and Rob-Will’s daughter. Later that night, Rip disposes of Wes’ body in a condemned mineshaft.

* * *

Transcript

Note for Students & Writers: This transcript is archived here for educational purposes, critical analysis, and screenwriting study. All rights belong to the original creators.

♪ low, tense music ♪

My God.

Get Carter and get out of here.

It’s all gone.

Doesn’t matter.

We start again.

[whispers] I’m sorry.

[Beulah] Truth be told, we don’t normally open the lairage for anything less than 50 head.

Well, six turns into 50, 50 turns into 150.

Till you get to 150. That’s how the biscuit breaks.

You a fucking snitch, Wes?

What are you talking about?

[gunshot]

[mooing]

[Chet] You fucking killed him.

[Beth] You a good vet?

I believe so, yes.

Then do your job.

[keys jangling]

[Wade] You’re free to go.

You bailed me out?

I’m Oreana.

This life here is gonna work, isn’t it?

We’ll make it work.

♪

♪ low, somber music ♪

[Rip] All right.

Uh-huh.

You got it. I appreciate it.

♪

[soft chatter]

[lock beeps]

[door opens]

Start packing your shit up.

Where we going?

She’s hungry.

[grunts]

Well, I’ve called everyone I know.

And?

Walker told me about an opportunity in Texas.

Texas?

Yeah.

Where in Texas?

I don’t know. Some small town called Rio Paloma.

About an hour from the border.

How much land?

Five thousand acres, Black Angus, 175 head on it.

How much are they asking?

About every nickel we got.

Cheaper than rebuilding here, that’s for sure.

♪ low, somber music ♪

Will it give us the life we want, baby?

In success, yeah.

Want to take a ride?

I don’t want to spend another night here.

We gave this place all we got, didn’t we?

Mm-hmm.

Sweetheart.

Montana will always be our home.

[Jeanie] Many people wanted to buy this place.

The Jacksons have been after it for 20 years, but they would’ve turned it into something soulless.

I don’t want this ranch to become something I can’t recognize.

We want to keep it just as it is.

The prospect of someday feeding folks with our beef… that was Billy’s dying pride and joy.

Rip, I’m trusting that you will fulfill that prospect.

That’s all that matters to me.

Because he was all that mattered.

[Rip] Yes, ma’am.

Carter, there are four horses in that barn.

Be a dear and saddle ’em.

These old bones may move like a tired mule, but… [chuckles]

I would like to take one final ride around our ranch before it becomes yours.

Of course.

[Rip] Honey, I’m gonna go help the boy saddle.

[cattle lowing]

[sniffles]

I didn’t know your daddy.

Except by reputation and… what I later read in the papers.

No one really knew him.

He was a man though.

Man, I suspect, not all that different from Billy.

I think so.

When I think of what you all have endured…

That fire in Dillon, it’s…

They’re the broken bits… that will someday create a beautiful mosaic for you here.

♪ low, somber music ♪

It’s already beautiful, Jeanie.

I understand stewardship.

My husband and I will honor it.

Good.

Now, there’s one more thing we got to discuss.

Yeah, what’s that?

His name is Azul Ramos.

♪

♪ slow, dramatic music

♪

♪

[lively chatter]

[auctioning rapidly]

Fifteen hundred. Two thousand dollars…

Cold beer.

Thanks, baby.

[auctioneer continues indistinctly]

[sighs heavily]

Are you okay?

Yeah. Yeah.

[auctioneer] Four, now five.

Forty-five hundred, out of here.

Forty-five? [continues indistinctly]

Forty-five here.

Forty-five?

Now five thousand dollars.

That’s my friend from the slaughterhouse.

Hey. [continues indistinctly]

[auctioneer] Buyer number 223.

Fucking grizzly in Gucci.

Oh, yeah?

[auctioneer continues indistinctly]

Registered Black Angus bull. Weighing 1,900…

This is our boy here, honey.

[bellows]

[auctioneer] Here we go.

How much here? [continues indistinctly]

Four, now five.

Five thousand dollars. Ma’am?

Six thousand dollars.

Sixty-five. [continues indistinctly]

Now seven. It’s seven.

Now eight thousand right here.

Nine… [continues indistinctly]

Now ten. At ten. [continues indistinctly]

Again.

[auctioneer] At ten-five.

[continues indistinctly]

Ten-five-five here?

Sold to him over at ten thousand, five hundred dollars.

Buyer 106, man in black.

Buyer 106.

Really appreciate y’all buying Bullet.

You deliver? I want to turn him out during the day.

Happy to.

I’ll write my address down and my phone number. You call me when you’re headed out.

Yes, sir.

[insects trilling]

Two, three days tops, I’m back.

[Joaquin] Not this time.

It was her decision.

It’s right up here, I think.

You think?

It’s right fucking there.

Ask me, I did y’all a favor.

De nada, motherfucker.

Uh, you back there thinking about braining me with that shovel?

Huh?

[panting]

That right?

Maybe that was your plan all along.

Huh?

But you ain’t never dug any kind of hole in your life.

Uh, that kind of work don’t suit you, does it?

And you ain’t got the balls to take that kind of swing.

We both know…

I do.

♪ low, tense music ♪

What?

He was right fucking there!

You leave tomorrow.

♪

[country music playing on radio]

[refrigerator opens]

[bottles clinking]

Why is this shit yellow?

That’s electrolytes.

Looks like horse piss.

[Frank] Well, maybe it is.

Fuck all y’all.

Where’s Rob-Will?

[Chet] Don’t know.

Where’s Wes?

Don’t know that either.

Bullshit.

It’s been days.

[Frank] So… who’s the foreman?

Chet’s lead wrangler.

Ask him.

[drops silverware]

[Chet] Wes got drunk, got a hooker.

Man, I don’t know.

He got Jesus.

Just pick one and shut the fuck up.

Tommy, you standing behind me for a reason

or just to get hurt?

[chuckles softly]

♪ low, tense music ♪

[door creaks open]

[sniffs]

Chet.

Beulah wants to speak with you.

Sir?

[Joaquin] Now.

[sighs]

Tommy, you’re in charge.

[door opens]

You heard the man.

We got cattle to brand.

♪

[lock buzzes]

[indistinct P.A. announcement]

[door closes]

[lock buzzes]

[gate opens]

[honks horn]

Come here.

Yeah, you. Come on.

Yeah?

You know how to cowboy?

I am a cowboy.

You a drunk?

Was.

Won’t touch a drop again.

Good. You want to work?

Only right to tell you

I found the Lord while I was–

I didn’t ask you about your Lord. I asked you whether you wanted to work again.

I need to work.

Well, you good with horses?

Blessed to be part of the Texas Corrections’ Gentling Program.

Zachariah, right?

Zachariah Moss.

Well, Zachariah, only got one question for you.

Does your God prevent you from cowboying?

No, sir.

God loves cowboys.

You’re damn right he does.

Get in the fucking truck.

[engine starts]

♪ inspiring guitar music

Heard you were back already.

You start coming this regularly, you might get yourself a job.

I was hoping that you might point me in the right direction.

To where?

To a slaughterhouse.

And one that isn’t owned by Beulah Jackson.

You met Miss Rio Paloma herself, did you?

Briefly.

Yeah, well, like an old whiskey, Beulah’s a…

[chuckles] She’s an acquired taste.

Which is why I’ve been known to direct my friends elsewhere.

Where’s elsewhere?

I know a place up near San Antone pretty well.

Well, can I get an introduction?

Reckon I ought to if I want to get paid for this mare.

How’s now?

[stammers, grunts]

[sighs]

You know, I’m not too proud for bribery, Everett.

Or kidnapping.

Well, I…

All right.

You’re driving.

But we got to make a stop along the way.

No problem.

Calm down?!

Are you fucking kidding me?!

Yeah, fuck that, Austin Lewis.

I haven’t even begun to lose my shit yet.

Now you let me in to see Wes right the fuck now!

What the fuck is wrong with you?!

[Austin] I haven’t seen him in a week.

I promise you, Whit, he ain’t here.

Joaquin will tell you the same.

Miss Ayers.

Whitney.

[chuckles softly]

Back to work, men.

Mm.

Sit a minute?

Sit?

Okay. Come on.

Come on, honey.

All right.

[babbling]

[sighs]

[chuckles]

Wes hasn’t shown in days.

That’s not him.

We hoped he got homesick.

With good reason.

He only gets homesick for this goddamn bunkhouse.

Where do they say he is?

They don’t.

They’d be only rumors if they did.

Please.

Come on, I need to know.

Maybe a woman.

But it’s just rumors.

No.

[sniffles]

Wes ain’t no saint, but this boy changed him.

Ask Austin.

Wes loves being a daddy.

He would never walk out on us.

[sniffles]

I don’t fucking buy it.

♪ low, tense music

[sniffles]

Mind if we stop for a piss?

Almost 100 miles of silence.

Don’t know if you’ve ever been locked up, but I can tell you a bit of silence is the best sound I’ve heard in an awful long time.

[door closes]

♪ low, tense music ♪

[Beulah] Chet, did you know that this ranch dates back to before the Alamo fell?

Yes, ma’am.

That longhorn there descended from our very first.

Stolen in 1836 by an Irish Catholic immigrant.

[chuckles softly]

His grit built this legacy.

And I’ve worked very hard to protect it.

Yes, ma’am.

I want to believe you’re the man to help me uphold that legacy, to safeguard it. Are you?

I am.

I mean, I can.

I will.

Good.

[sips drink]

[sets glass down]

Start by reinstating law and order in the bunkhouse.

No more questions, no more bullshit.

I will not tolerate disappointment.

Just ask my son.

I won’t let you down.

You were there.

Ma’am?

With Rob-Will… that night.

♪

Now we understand each other.

Yes, ma’am.

Good.

You may go.

♪

[loud mooing]

It’s not the ride they mind.

It’s the speed.

Slow and steady.

We’ll be just fine.

I’m going under 70.

Yeah, you don’t strike me as the slow lane type.

Well, never used to be.

Yeah. And now?

All right.

[decelerating]

Gummy worm?

I’m good.

Thank you.

[chuckling]

Okay.

Seawolves?

A long way from the ocean.

Yeah, we are.

I was a naval aviator for a helicopter attack squadron.

Mekong Delta.

Don’t worry. I won’t ask.

Well, I don’t mind if you ask.

Just not… not that much to say.

I was young and… looking for someone to save, something to fight.

[grunts]

It was a long time ago.

I bet you got medals.

A few.

What for?

[chuckles softly]

My abundant stupidity.

You should be proud of them.

Well…

You should never take that hat off.

Only at the dinner table.

♪ Yeah, my guitars ♪

♪ Cadillacs ♪

♪ Hillbilly music ♪

♪ The only thing that keeps me hanging on ♪

♪ low, somber music

You bought the Edwards Ranch?

We did.

There’s a cot there in that hay barn.

It ain’t much, but it’ll do.

Thank you, sir.

Don’t get too comfortable.

We got shit to do today.

Yes, sir.

[birds singing]

Shit, you got old.

You got tall.

Good to see you, boy.

However you did this… thank you.

[in Spanish] Your horse for the day.

Hey.

Rip don’t suffer fools.

Okay? Just be ready, be fast, be good.

You’ll be just fine.

[in Spanish] Thanks Azul.

You can count on me.

Shit, you speak Spanish, too, huh?

South Texas, sir.

Fish or cut bait.

[chuckles]

Well, how… how do you say “mount up”?

Móntense.

Well, fucking móntense.

We’re gonna get those open heifers out of Black Rock, push ’em over to Mistress.

We got a new bull coming in.

Let’s go to work.

Yes, sir.

[smooching]

[soft chatter]

Carter!

[Carter chuckles]

Got your text.

You want to rob a liquor store?

[sighs] Got algebra.

Mm.

You’ll never use it.

But this?

Mm.

It’ll solve all kind of problems.

Come on.

All right.

Ah.

[Oreana exhales]

Buckle up.

[engine starts]

♪ low, mysterious music ♪

[engine revving]

[shouting]

[whistling]

♪

[clanging]

♪

[bellows]

Ha! [whistles]

[whistles]

[grunts]

Get the fuck out of my way, boy.

[snorting]

Don’t know who’s more upset that Wes ran off, you or his wife.

Fucking let it go.

Problem is, you won’t let it go.

Stirring up trouble for all of us.

You know damn well that Wes didn’t run off.

[man shouting]

Getting real sick of your shit today.

Hey! Knock it off!

Shut your mouth, motherfucker.

Or what?

♪ tense, suspenseful music ♪

[Chet] Hey!

Ah!

That wasn’t a fucking suggestion.

Ah!

It was a goddamn commandment.

You got fight, boy.

I’ll give you that.

But zero fucking sense.

Ah!

I guess I got to beat some into you, huh?

[shouts]

[Austin coughing]

Get these two tended.

If they ain’t dead, I want them on a horse in an hour.

Yes, sir.

♪

[bell jingles]

[in Spanish] You’re fine, Felipe.

She doesn’t bite.

Claudio. My friend Beth.

[Beth] Thank you for seeing us, Claudio.

Everett tells me that you cut the finest T-bone in the state.

[Claudio] I do.

Well, I got six Angus outside with nowhere to take them.

My husband and I, we’re building a small outfit.

Quality, family-run.

Like you.

[giggles]

Ooh.

He’s gonna be climbing the fucking walls tonight, Everett.

Let me show you what I do.

♪ slow, gentle music ♪

We’re a four-man operation, but I’ll stake our work against the big boys any day.

I’m gonna need the best cuts to hook the best buyers.

Prime grade, certified Angus.

[Claudio] How old are your steers?

[Beth] Around 22 months.

[Claudio] Good.

[Beth] We’ll lead with rib eye, filet, T-bone.

Peak marbling.

You know what you want.

It’s what I need.

Charge you market rates, all on the level.

Thank you.

How long?

Three weeks.

How’s two?

[cattle lowing]

♪

Hey! Hey!

Yo.

Whoa.

Shh-shh. Hey!

[grunting]

Oh, oh.

Oh!

Jailbird, you’re still a cowboy.

[chuckles] Hell yeah.

Feels good.

♪ inspiring string music ♪

[gunshot]

Hmm?

You good with it?

I can work one okay.

Fire away.

[exhales sharply]

[gunshots]

You fucking with me?

Maybe just a little.

I like that.

Hmm.

♪ serene music ♪

Your daddy teach you how to shoot?

Uh, no.

One of the other cowboys on our old ranch.

[laughs softly]

Now, you’re a mystery, Carter.

Kind of handsome, kind of not.

[scoffs]

Parking lot hero, crack shot.

What else you hiding behind them eyes?

[chuckles]

Look, I’m sorry I got you, uh, mixed up in all my drama at the rodeo.

Um…

I’m just glad to get mixed up in something.

♪ gentle music ♪

You know, nobody’s gonna make it easy for you, Carter.

You’ve got to do that yourself.

You just got to say, “Fuck it.”

“Fuck all of them.”

Do whatever the fuck you want.

[sighs]

[chuckles]

♪

[footsteps approaching]

Jefa.

Rob-Will’s checked into rehab.

The one in Sedona?

Yeah, five-star accommodations, like you asked.

Does my father know about this?

The day-to-day operations of our business are not his concern.

The ranch is my dominion, not his.

Cleaning up Rob-Will’s mess is proving to be difficult.

Well, in what way?

In the way it got up and walked off the Edwards Ranch.

Well, you’d better fucking find it.

This is my brother’s fault, not mine.

One day he’s gonna set a fire I cannot contain.

Well, it wouldn’t be a problem if you hadn’t let that property slip through our fingers.

The Edwards never liked us.

Sold the ranch to that Montana couple.

The late governor’s daughter.

We met.

She came by the slaughterhouse.

For what?

To kill and carve her cows, or that’s what she told me.

You need to find out what they know before it gets more complicated.

Ah, your new foreman already put a hand in the hospital.

Austin.

Hmm.

How bad off is he?

Broken arm, broken ribs.

[sighs] What, was he asking questions?

Wes’s wife paid him a visit.

She was asking questions, too.

Well, then go do something about it before this becomes a fucking wildfire.

[sighs]

[indistinct chatter in background]

[indistinct radio transmission]

I need to file a missing persons report.

Go ahead and take a seat.

No, I don’t have time to take a seat.

Ma’am, just take a seat.

Someone will be right with you.

My husband is missing, okay?

And I got my little boy at a friend’s trailer who starts her shift in a half hour and I got to get back to him, so can you please just take

my goddamn information?

Can I help you?

Be nice if somebody did.

I’m Sheriff Wade. What seems to be the problem?

My husband Wes Ayers.

Works at the 10-Petal Ranch.

Disappeared from the bunkhouse.

Went to bed, didn’t wake up there.

Never came home.

Would you step into my office?

Now, how long has he been gone?

Long enough to know something’s wrong.

Did anybody see him take off?

Well, no one who’s talking.

I mean, they said maybe he took off, needed some space. [scoffs]

And who said that? Was that the foreman?

Ranch owner’s son. [scoffs]

Tried saying maybe he was off the wagon, but it ain’t fucking true.

And you’re sure about that?

Wes doesn’t need space.

He needs a paycheck and a shower.

Ma’am, I understand that, but sometimes grown–

Are you gonna help me or judge me?

Yes, Ms. Ayers, we are gonna help you.

But there is a process to this.

We will take your information after it’s been 72 hours.

It’s been 72 hours.

Someone at the 10-Petal knows more than they’re saying.

♪ slow, dark music ♪

That’s a pretty serious accusation.

Yeah, well, so is disappearing a man.

How do I know someone won’t come for me next?

[sniffles]

It’s gonna be all right.

Start the report.

We’ll take care of it for you, all right?

Call me if you need anything.

Thank you.

All right, what do you need?

[deputy] Spell your husband’s name for me.

That’s good!

[bellowing]

[metal thudding]

Zachariah, when we open this second gate, I want you to clear out.

Don’t got to tell me twice.

Get this son of a bitch–

Don’t fucking use that.

Dipshit.

♪ tense music ♪

I really don’t got the time.

[bellowing]

Go earn your keep.

♪ hopeful music ♪

It’s right there.

[both chuckle]

So, uh… when do you think I could see you again?

[phone chiming]

♪ dramatic guitar music ♪

I have a boyfriend, Carter.

[sighs]

Happy to do that, sir.

[Rip] All right.

Azul.

Thank you, sir.

[in Spanish] All good?

Yeah, thanks.

[Azul] My old man would’ve been happy to see you like this.

[Zach] You know, after what happened, seemed like the whole world turned against me.

But not Hector.

He never looked at me any different.

♪ slow, dramatic music

You know, he’d visit.

Third Sunday.

Nearly every month.

He never said it, but I knew.

[in Spanish] Your dad was a gift.

A gift from God.

Sí.

A gift from God.

♪

[footsteps approaching]

[Beulah sighs]

Oh.

Perfect timing. Dinner’s ready.

I already drank mine. Thanks.

So, Suzanne Norris says you had quite a night at the rodeo.

[chuckles] I sure did.

Mm-hmm.

Some steer wrestler put his hands on my granddaughter.

How does that look?

For Beulah Jackson?

Heaven forbid.

Hmm.

Sit down.

I’ll stand.

Sit down!

Now!

I sent your daddy off to rehab.

So I’ve been told.

It’s past time he addressed his demons.

Demons that you helped create.

Excuse me?

Oreana Lynn, you are right on his heels, and I won’t accept it, I won’t tolerate it.

This family cannot survive another fucked-up child.

You can’t survive it.

Just like you can’t survive me being

anything other than perfect.

You have to be perfect if you want to take over running this ranch.

I pray to God that I don’t.

That I never turn into you.

♪ slow, tense music ♪

You grow the fuck up.

Eat your dinner before it gets cold.

[footsteps receding]

Yes, ma’am.

♪

You find him?

No. No, I was just out this way, and I–

No one is just out this way.

I wanted to personally bring you Wes’s last two weeks, and I added his next two weeks.

[paper rustling]

Hmm. That’s mighty decent of you.

It’s the least we can do

for our 10-Petal family.

Mm-hmm.

Sheriff is being awfully kind, too.

Paid him a visit today.

♪ slow, tense music ♪

Fuck you and your money.

♪

[vehicle door opens]

[vehicle door closes]

[engine starts]

You want to talk about something?

No. It’s nothing.

[Rip exhales]

Spit it out, Carter.

For fuck’s sakes, just tell me. What’s on your mind?

Come on, man.

[groans]

I-I met a girl.

Oh, thank God.

I mean, n-no, that, that’s-that’s good.

Uh, I’m just not sure what to do.

Well, you don’t do anything, you don’t say anything.

You just listen. That’s the deal.

She says something nice to you, you listen.

She says something mean to you, you listen.

And if you don’t know what the fuck she’s talking about, you listen.

Just listen?

Yeah.

You know, years ago, I asked John, I said, um, “What’s the key to a successful relationship?”

He said, “The first day, she’s right.

The second day, she’s right again.

And the third day, you’re fucking wrong.”

[chuckles]

Yeah.

You ever, uh… you ever liked a girl that’s with another guy?

Hey.

Sweetheart.

Steak’s still warm.

Did I miss all the fun?

So, what are you talking about?

Just man stuff.

[chuckles]

By that, you mean girl stuff?

We’re back in business.

Good.

And I think I found a bar.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah.

There’s someone there waiting to meet you.

Meet me, huh?

Yep.

Do you think I could come?

School night, baby.

[chuckles]

♪ atmospheric music ♪

[“Heart-Shaped Necklace” by Cassidy Daniels playing]

♪ In a rain shower ♪

♪ ‘Cause he knows me like the back of his hand ♪

♪ I don’t want another… ♪

Everett.

Hmm?

This is my husband Rip.

Yeah.

Rip, this is Everett.

I’ll be right back.

Carol, could you get a beer for my husband?

And I’ll have a Tito’s.

Yep. You got it.

Thank you.

Well, what do you say, Everett?

Cards on the table, Rip.

I was all for putting that mare down.

Your wife felt different.

She was damn convincing.

Yeah, well, no shit. I live with her.

She don’t take the word “no” very easy.

[scoffs] I could fill a dictionary with words when it came to my wife.

I think I have that same dictionary.

Knowing Jeanie sold y’all that ranch, I, I reckon we’ll discover we have more in common.

I tended more animals on that ranch than any other.

I had a mean crush on Jeanie in high school.

It was not reciprocated.

[chuckles]

Yeah, I did two tours with Billy.

He was, he was better at war than me.

They built a beautiful place.

Yeah, they sure did.

♪ Heart-shaped necklace ♪

[cheering and applause]

All right, how about we get McKinney up here?

[applause]

[Everett exhales] All right.

[chuckles]

[guitar playing]

Come on, sweetheart.

♪ slow, dramatic music ♪

[insects chirping]

Yeah.

[Colt crying]

Mama’s coming, sweetheart.

♪ slow, tense music ♪

♪

♪

♪ tense, eerie music

♪

[sighs]

♪

♪

[distant thud]

♪

♪ exciting music ♪