Lawmen: Bass Reeves Episode 1 Recap With Spoilers

Lawmen: Bass Reeves debuted Sunday, bringing the latest series in the general world of Yellowstone to Paramount+. The series, from creator Chad Feehan and executive produced series star David Oyelowo and Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, isn’t a Yellowstone spinoff — Feehan previously explained that the series precedes 1883 and the Dutton story — and instead tells the tale of the first Black U.S. Marshall west of the Mississippi. The first of an anthology set to feature other iconic lawmen and outlaws through history, Lawmen: Bass Reeves kicks off by introducing viewers to the legendary lawman at the start of his journey from runaway slave to lawman. Here’s everything that happened in the series premiere of Lawmen: Bass Reeves.

Warning: spoilers for Lawmen: Bass Reeves “Part 1” beyond this point.

What Happened in Lawmen: Bass Reeves “Part 1”?

The series opens in Pea Ridge, Arkansas in March 1862 with the 11th Texas Cavalry regiment of the Confederate Army riding through the woods. Bass Reeves (Oyelowo) is riding alongside slave owner Major George Reeves (Shea Whigham) when they’re attacked by Union soldiers. Chaos and death ensues with Major Reeves handing Bass a rifle and ordering him to follow him and fire on Union soldiers. Bass does so as they charge across an open field towards a large number of Union soldiers. However, at the last moment, a group of Native Americans riding with Confederate soldiers arrive and, joined with the members of the 11th that hung back, come together to fight. Bass watches in muted horror as a white Confederate soldier scalps a Union soldier.

That night, the wounded are being treated at a tavern. Bass is told by another man — a Union prisoner, it seems — that he’s fighting for the wrong side and Bass says he’d rather be shot in the face than in the back. As a slave, Bass has to wait on the officer as they discuss the battle and the results were not good for the Confederacy. Despite this, General Earl Van Dorn (David Lee Smith) still thinks God is on their side. Major Reeves confronts Van Dorn about things, pointing out a supply train hasn’t arrived and that they marched too quickly and various other issues that are all Van Dorn’s fault. After Van Dorn dismisses Major Reeves, he tells Bass it’s a confederacy of dunces and orders Bass to pack their things to head home. On the way back home, Major Reeves reminds Bass on a few occasions of Bass’s station as a slave, even at one point telling him that Black people don’t go to Heaven.

When they arrive back at the Reeves estate. Major Reeves’ wife isn’t home but Bass happily reunites with his love, Jennie (Lauren E. Banks). Their reunion is interrupted by Major Reeves, however, who demands Bass’s attention in the big house. Major Reeves offers Bass a shot at freedom for his heroics in battle if he beats him at a round of cards, but Bass is skeptical and is soon proven right to have been so. Major Reeves cheats at cards, prompting a fight between the two that becomes physical and Major Reeves is left unconscious. Bass takes his gun and goes to Jennie who tells him to take a horse and leave promising never to look back so he doesn’t get hung. He sets off.

The story picks up again in Indian Territory in March 1862 with Bass in rough shape — sick, starving. He’s awakened by a gunshot at one point and a woman asks if he’s Seminole. He tells her he’s a runaway and passes out again. When he wakes up, he’s in a home. Eventually, he’s strong enough to get up and goes outside to find the woman, Sara Jumper (Margot Bingham). She doesn’t want him there, but he can stay for now if he helps around the farm. At dinner, she explains that the Seminole fought in Florida to be free and didn’t surrender and never made a treaty with the government so now they live in the area. Her husband died in the “white man’s war” so that the boy, Curtis (Riley Looc), would never be in chains. Bass begins to help on the farm and bond with Curtis.

Three years later in May 1965, Bass is now a part of Sara and Curtis’ family and Bass and Curtis are at the Turkey Creek Trading Post picking up supplies when Union soldiers arrive. A soldier asks Bass to explain to the trading post owner what he needs — Bass has begun to learn Creek — and also helps load the wagon. As he does, he discovers that the wagon holds Confederate prisoners, including the man who scalped the guy from the battle of Pea Ridge, Major Easu Pierce. Bass also learns that the Union Army won the war and when he mentions the name of the trading post to Pierce, the. mood changes. He tells Bass to take Curtis and go. Before they can, Confederate soldiers show up and start shooting. Curtis grabs a rifle and points it at Pierce and demands he order it to stop, but Pierce shoots the boy and flees.

Bass takes Curtis’ body home and helps Sara bury him. Sara tells Bass to take the horse and go back to Jennie. Bass does just that and by July 1865, Bass is back in Grayson County, Texas and at the Reeves estate. The slave quarters are empty. He encounters Mrs. Rachel Reeves (Jessica Oyelowo) who tells him that George isn’t there as he’s trying to reclaim what was lost in the war (Bass points out that the things were people) and that she knew he’d be back. He then heads to Fort Smith, Arkansas looking for Jenny and he finds her hanging laundry but there’s a little girl named Sally with her. Later, Jenny and Sally encounter Bass outside a store and he makes a comment about hoping her man treats her right as he assumes she has someone new. Jennie has to tell him that he’s her man and the introduces him to the little girl who is, in fact, his own daughter. Reunited, they go to Jennie’s place and Bass gets to know his child.

New episodes of Lawmen: Bass Reeves debut Sundays on Paramount+