On today’s episode, the family goes out duck hunting on opening day amidst an escalating feud between Colt and Rooster. There was a lot of booze, a lot of guns, a lot of yelling, and a lot of hoopla over hats. Maybe I just come from a different part of the country, but I don’t understand the anger over hats.

Here are some thoughts.

1. Naked Ashton Kutcher is not what I expected to see today

And yet…

2. That cold open was very unusual

First of all, the show almost never has cold opens. Why they decided to take a different route this time, I’m not sure. But it works for this go around. The episode starts with a melancholy country song playing over the men starting their days: Rooster making breakfast, Beau doing chores, and Colt hopping into the shower. Until he starts screaming because it’s too cold. It was a good switcheroo, especially for a show that walks the line between comedy and drama quite often.

3. The jokes are sharper today

When Colt comes downstairs complaining that Rooster took all the hot water, he grumbles: “I ain’t gonna be able to find my dick until tomorrow.” To which Rooster replies, “Well, I ain’t gonna help you with that.” That made me laugh out loud. There are similarly witty barbs strewn throughout the episode; profane and pithy.

4. Rooster isn’t disrespected, he’s jealous

When Rooster finds out his favorite was taken by Colt, he complains about the lack of respect, which somehow morphs into a complaint about all the time Colt spends with their father. Clearly, he’s feeling upset because he’s had his father all to himself for fifteen years.

5. Every episode tackles a different state of arrested development

This episode, it’s brotherhood. Friday was failed dreams. Every episode we get a little peek into the different ways these men are refusing to grow up. It was a little more blunt today, with Colt and Rooster’s relationship front and center. But it was kind of interesting to see the tensions rise to the surface.

6. These people are very cavalier with their guns

As somebody who watches a lot of Hollywood media, I see a lot of depictions of the use of guns as dangerous weapons. The old maxim about Chekhov’s Gun is engraved in my psyche that I assume every time I do see a gun on a TV show, somebody is going to be shot by it. But I’m witnessing a different culture here, where guns are as a commonplace as dinner plates. But it still makes me nervous to see these characters waving their guns around without the slightest bit of precaution.

7. Look at this photo of Sam Elliott

It’s just… I just love it.

8. Beau and Becky are horndogs

I think every single episode to date has had them sneaking off to have sex at some point. Today, they decide to ditch their sons and go back to an empty house where they can, ahem, have some quality time in peace. It’s a sort of funny joke, but I feel like it might start wearing thin sooner rather than later.

9. Colt seems like the only one who tries

At the end of the episode, Colt returns (what he thinks is) Rooster’s hat to him after kicking a biker in the nuts (not advisable). It’s an olive branch, an attempt to say sorry for being immature. And Rooster accepts it grudgingly. The thing is, Colt seems to be the only one on this show who every extends any sort of olive branch. Even if it is half-hearted, it’s a sign of his growing up. Now if everyone else could begin following suit.

10. Well, that wasn’t very interesting

Of all the things the show could have tackled, the brotherly relationship seemed like one of the more promising ones. But it didn’t really feel like we covered any new ground today.