The Most Upsetting Jimmy Moment From Yellowstone Season 1

Before "Yellowstone" became one of the biggest shows on cable and streaming, the Western drama had somewhat humble beginnings. Despite high viewership and audience ratings, critics weren't sold on the series right away. The Rotten Tomatoes consensus describes Season 1 as "too melodramatic to be taken seriously," but praises the cast and location.

Of course, "Yellowstone" became an acclaimed series with a dedicated fanbase and an entire universe of spinoffs and prequels. But it's hard to disagree that the first season was intensely dramatic — it had to be, to set the tone of a show that blended family strife, politics, power struggles, and violence. The pilot, "Daybreak," didn't hesitate to pull out all the stops, immediately throwing many characters into the fire.

One of these characters was Jimmy Hurdstrom (Jefferson White), a burnout whose grandfather convinces John Dutton (Kevin Costner) to whip him into shape as a ranch hand. The formerly troubled young man eventually proved his worth as a cowboy, so it's easy to forget just how rocky his start at the Duttons' ranch really was.

While Jimmy Hurdstrom had his fair share of hard-to-watch scenes on "Yellowstone," his first encounter with Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) is one of the most upsetting to watch. The relentless Wheeler breaks into Hurdstrom's trailer to recruit him, which involves a taser and a branding iron.

Wheeler explains that he has a choice: continue his life of crime or commit himself to the Yellowstone Ranch. Backed into a corner and staring down a glowing iron, Hurdstrom accepts the offer and prepares to get branded. Smoke curls up from his chest as the ranch's 'Y' logo is burned into his skin — and this is only the beginning of what's to come. As Jefferson White puts it, his character is "thrown into a world that is totally foreign to him" (via YouTube).

Most "Yellowstone" fans grew to love the brand and what it stood for, but some disliked how brutal it was. On the show's subreddit, u/KellyKeybored called it "so extreme," regardless of what it symbolizes. Similarly, u/kcox1980 said they "still don't get the whole deal with the brand" and called it "just really weird" as a concept. Others agreed that it was hard to watch, particularly in Hurdstrom's case, even if it changed his life for the better.

In spite of his startling introduction, Hurdstrom survived his various trials by fire and grew to become a valued member of the Yellowstone family — even though he seemed unable to resist getting himself into sticky situations.