Rutherford Falls Season 1, Episode 3 recap: Aunt Ida’s 90th Birthday

It’s Aunt Ida’s 90th birthday and that means Nathan has to leave his beloved museum for the weekend to visit his family, leaving Reagan in charge. As luck would have it, while Nathan is away, Josh (Dustin Milligan) a hot, “centaur hot,” reporter shows up looking for a juicy story to tell. In Rutherford Falls Episode 3, Reagan has to try and convince Josh that there is no story in Rutherford Falls to keep Nathan from getting himself into even more trouble.

The big shindig for Aunt Ida is held at the Rutherford family home, which like everything related to his family legacy, Nathan reveres. Homeowner Duz Rutherford (Benjamin Koldyke), Nathan’s brother, isn’t as attached to the house as Nathan.

What was meant to be a relaxing weekend away with his family turns into yet another crusade when Nathan finds out that his brother intends to sell their family home. When he tries to convince Duz otherwise over some BBB (Backgammon, Brothers and Bourbon), Duz reminds him that their family has done some pretty bad stuff.

Duz is referring to things in their immediate family, like cheating and DUIs, but one has to wonder if there is some ugly truth to the family’s historical legacy. Nathan refuses to hear a bad word about the Rutherford name. Their family is responsible for a multinational corporation, surely they can’t be bad!

Apart from the house being a money pit, Duz just doesn’t understand Nathan’s obsession with their family history. He wants Nathan to consider moving on and doing something different with his life. He even volunteers to sell the house to Nathan, but that’s not what Nathan wants since it would mean he’d have to move out of Rutherford Falls where he’s currently the last remaining Rutherford in the town their ancestors founded.

Before leaving to return home, Nathan creates a video to remind Duz of all their fond memories growing up in the house. It’s a video scavenger hunt that takes Duz through some of the best places, leading him to some etchings on the wall where the two bickered in chalk over who was the “fart face.” Duz appears touched by his brother’s video. Could it be enough to make him change his mind?

Rutherford Falls Episode 3 recap: Reagan falls for a visiting reporter

Back in Rutherford Falls, Josh arrives at the museum while Nathan is away. He’s told all of his colleagues at the publication where he works that this news story could be a “powder keg,” a term he uses for just about everything. Josh is always declaring each story the “next best thing,” to the point no one on his team believes him anymore. Nonetheless, Josh goes to the town on his own.

Reagan gives him a tour through the museum and tries to keep things as dull as possible so he doesn’t get wind of the real story regarding the statue and the Minishona involvement. Josh concludes that Reagan was right, there’s nothing here. So, he plans to take the last train out of town. But the train won’t arrive for four hours. In the meantime, Reagan and Josh hang out and get a drink, bonding over the fact they both attended Northwestern University.

Reagan even convinces Josh to skip his train and takes him to the cultural center. He notes that she’s much better at showing the pieces there than she was at the heritage museum. The spark between them is undeniable and they kiss, spending the night together.

The next morning, Nathan returns to the museum and immediately gets served papers regarding Terry’s lawsuit against him. Enraged, he stalks into town in search of Reagan and immediately starts ranting about the Minishonka nation suing him, the statue kerfuffle and more, not realizing who Josh is or his intentions in town.

Once Nathan realizes Josh is a reporter, he instantly tells him to get ready, because he’s got a massive cultural powder keg of a story on his hands.

The entire first season of Rutherford Falls is now available to stream on Peacock TV.