Rutherford Falls Season 1, Episode 7 recap: Rutherford Inc.

Rutherford Falls Season 1, Episode 7 picks up right where the previous episode ended, with Rutherford Inc. sending in the big dogs via helicopter. After their super cool landing, we see Kaitlyn emerge in all her glory alongside a full legal team. At the same time, Terry prepares for the meeting with some fancy Minishonka jewelry and his daughter’s beadwork. “Make ’em feel guilty and jealous.”

Meanwhile, in the casino, Reagan tries and fails to get people interested in the cultural center but everyone is too distracted by the helicopter’s arrival. Josh is curious about who the “high roller” is. “I don’t know, probably Johnny Depp looking to get adopted again.” Then Reagan sees Nathan trailing behind his team of lawyers, mouthing, “Rutherford Inc.”

But Nathan isn’t actually invited into the meeting, which Kaitlyn makes very clear by closing the door in his face. Inside the room, things get off to a terrible start because the opposing counsel can’t stop saying the word “indian” in reference to the Minishonka tribe despite the tribe’s chairwoman asking to not be referred to that way.

Mona, a Minishonka elder, visits Reagan at the cultural center and tells her how proud she is of her and the exhibit. Reagan is deeply moved by Mona’s encouragement, which Josh is there to witness. Reagan immediately texts Nathan to tell him what happened and Josh appears a little uncomfortable with her reaction. Is Josh jealous? Or is he fed up with the way Nathan treats Reagan?

Rutherford Falls Season 1, Episode 7 recap: Negotiations heat up between the Minishonka nation & Rutherford Inc.

During the meeting, Terry plays a recording of Nathan claiming he has a seat on the Rutherford Inc. board, which officially connects Nathan’s actions to the company. Kaitlyn and Bill force Nathan to sever that tie since he’s actually just an honorary, non-voting member of the board. Without Nathan’s connection, there isn’t really a case to be made. It’s a difficult thing for Nathan to do since he’s forced to basically say he has no ties to his life’s work. “My heart is broken.”

However, Terry isn’t to be underestimated. He threatens to ruin the squeaky clean image carefully cultivated by Rutherford Inc. by calling in Professor Kaufman to serve as a character witness on his team. He has a new book in the works, one that’s very different from the version Nathan read. One is a squeaky clean “Finnish sausage,” while the other is essentially how the sausage gets made, meaning it sheds light on all of the Rutherford family’s dirty secrets.

Minishonka Press has agreed to publish Kaufman’s book. Bill asks why they should care about a drunk professor’s book. It’s hardly going to tank the company’s profits. No, Terry says, but it might ding it. And what is 1% of $48 billion, plus legal costs if they drag this out for a decade? All the tribe wants is the land they’re owed, which happens to be where the Heritage Museum, and Nathan’s house, sits.

If Rutherford Inc. lets the tribe buy it, then Kaufman’s book will be shelved and the lawsuit goes away. Sadly for Nathan, the company could not care less about his livelihood. He doesn’t have anyone on his side apart from Reagan and Bobbie, who keep him company at the museum that night after he spends the day reading Kaufman’s book.

Reagan comes up with a plan to save the museum. They need to get it designated as a historical landmark because then no one can touch it. The best way to do that is if they use the story in Kaufman’s book. President Roosevelt might have given birth to two love children in the house, which could be enough to make it historical landmark-worthy.

Rutherford Falls Season 1, Episode 7 recap: Reagan makes a significant discovery.

Another person Terry didn’t consider in his plans to buy part of the town is the mayor. Dierdre isn’t pleased with Terry for doing all of this behind her back. “My people don’t steal land, that’s your thing.” “My thing?” “Sorry, I deal with white people all day, that line usually works.”

Dierdre is nervous that she’ll lose the election because of the land ownership changes, especially because they had agreed to respect each other’s position. “You’d have done the exact same thing if you were in my shoes.” “Well your shoes are combat boots, Terry, because you just started a war.” “That was a good line to leave with. See? You’re still in the game!”

Nathan and Reagan visit Nathan’s great-aunt Joan’s house so they can investigate her carriage house for documentation on the potential Roosevelt scandal. They don’t manage to find the secret Roosevelt birth records, but Reagan does uncover a whole treasure trove of Minishonka items.

You’d think Nathan would be happy to give them to his friend, but he’s too caught up in his war against Terry to consider how Reagan feels. This results in the pair having a fight later that night when it becomes evident that Rutherford Inc. is going to take the deal with Terry and let them buy the land. Encouraged by Josh, Reagan asks Nathan to put his drama on pause to consider her feelings, the same way she has for him countless times.

Nathan refuses to give Reagan the items because it would go to the cultural center, which is part of the casino Terry owns and “your people are taking my home.” Oof, not a good look, Nathan.

His reaction pushes Reagan away. She turns to Terry and decided to join his team in exchange for money to make the cultural center the state-of-the-art facility it deserves to be. But things might not be all bad for Nathan, because there is one other powerful person in town that isn’t happy with Terry, Mayor Dierdre.

Rutherford Falls Season 1 is now available to stream on Peacock TV.