Over its five seasons and 53 episodes,Yellowstoneworked its way through quite a few different antagonists over the years. Everyone wanted a piece of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, and that brought all sorts of unseemly and violent types to Paradise Valley in hopes of carving out their own slice. But while mostYellowstonevillains were generally forgettable, able to be replaced with any other black hat in the Dutton saga,one character stood out as an especially formidable opponent. IfNeal McDonough’s Malcolm Beck was the first to come to mind, then you’re on the right track. In fact, if future Dutton stories are smart, this is one villain they’ll bring back for more — especially since McDonough himself is game.
We Never Actually Saw Malcolm Beck Die on ‘Yellowstone’
After kidnapping Tate (Brecken Merrill) and causing an unbearable amount of emotional distress within the Dutton family, Malcolm Beck finally got his comeuppance in the second season finale, “Sins of the Father.” Here, John Dutton (Kevin Costner) confronts the man under the cover of darkness, shooting him and leaving him to succumb to his wounds. Though John promises to get the villain to a hospital, Malcolm notes that he won’t make it there, and the Dutton patriarch allows him to die in peace. The only thing is,we never actually saw Malcolm Beck die, and that has spurred many to believe that he may still be out there after all. Chief among those spreading the theory is Neal McDonough himself, who desperately wants to return to the Yellowstone Universe.
“Yes, Malcolm Beck is not dead,“McDonough confidently shared with Collider. “No one saw him actually die in the field.” While McDonough has been saying this for years, there has been no official confirmation that Malcolm survived his fateful encounter with John Dutton. In fact, many have pointed out that it’s unlikely the character survived due to the stomach wound he received and his distance from a hospital. However, many still hold out hope that one of television’s greatest villain actors may return to the franchise for more.
“I would love to see him come back and cause havoc with Ripbecause Cole Hauser was one of my dearest pals, and there’s nothing I would love more than to go toe to toe with Cole on the show,” McDonough elaborated. With the news that Rip and Beth (Kelly Reilly) are getting their own spin-off sequel,tentatively titledDutton Ranch, this new operation will need some conflict in order to make things interesting. Given the friendship that already exists between McDonough and Hauser, maybe Malcolm ought to return and invoke “the sins of the father” upon Dutton’s surviving daughter and her new family,which now includesFinn Little’s Carter.
Considering that McDonough has continued to be cast inTaylor Sheridandramas since his season-long tenure onYellowstone, having played Cal Thresher onTulsa Kingfor several seasons, it’s certainly a possibility that the filmmaker could bring him back for more. ThoughMcDonough wants to appear onLandman, it’sYellowstonethat the actor is really anxious to return to, and we can’t say we blame him. But while McDonough would love for Malcolm Beck to take on Rip Wheeler the next time he’s in Montana (a fight that Malcolm would be hard-pressed to win), there’sanother character that may make a lot more sense forthe surviving Beck brotherto gun after…
This ‘Tulsa King’ Star Just Answered a Huge ‘Yellowstone’ Plot Hole Question
Finally, we have answers.
Malcolm Beck Should Return in a Future ‘Yellowstone’ Spin-Off
There areseveralYellowstonesequel spin-offscurrently in varying stages of development, but arguablythe most highly anticipated isY: Marshals. TheCBS police proceduralwill focus onLuke Grimes' Kayce Dutton as he travels across the state as a lawman, andthere’s no better series for McDonough to return as Malcolm Beck than this. For starters, it was Kayce who executed Malcolm’s brother, Teal (Terry Serpico), back in Season 2, so if Malcolm should want revenge on any member of the Dutton clan, it would be him. The Beck brothers took on the Duttons together and were seemingly inseparable, but with Teal dead and gone (a death we actually did see take place on screen), Malcolm would have nothing else to lose.
Additionally, McDonough is no stranger to neo-Western procedural, having previously played Robert Quarles during the third season ofJustified. Seeing that he’s no stranger to these sorts of crime dramas,Y: Marshalswould be the most natural place to incorporate Malcolm Beck back into theYellowstonecontinuity. Of course, all of this hinges on Neal McDonough being right about Malcolm Beck. If the character is resurrected for one of the new spin-offs, be itY: MarshalsorDutton Ranch,this old rivalry could spark new life into Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western world. Like McDonough, we’d welcome Malcolm’s return, even if it means that our heroes are in more danger now than ever.
Yellowstoneis available for streaming on Peacock.
Yellowstone
A ranching family in Montana faces off against others encroaching on their land.
