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When Taylor Sheridan introduced “Yellowstone” in 2018, he might not have anticipated that it would expand into an extensive cinematic universe. Yet, that’s exactly what unfolded, and now the latest spin-off, “Marshals,” has arrived. This series brings fans back to the world of Kayce Dutton, portrayed by Luke Grimes, who is now dealing with life as a widower. Although Sheridan isn’t at the helm this time—writer and producer Spencer Hudnut takes on the role of showrunner—those who already enjoy the “Yellowstone” saga are likely to appreciate this new installment. However, newcomers might find themselves needing to catch up on a substantial amount of backstory.
CBS
“Marshals” thrusts viewers directly into Kayce’s narrative following the events of “Yellowstone.” After the series finale, Kayce sells the family’s land, Yellowstone Ranch, to the Broken Rock Reservation, effectively returning it to the tribe led by Gil Birmingham’s High Chief Thomas Rainwater. While “Marshals” presents itself as a typical case-of-the-week procedural, at least in the initial three episodes previewed by CBS, it is steeped in the intricate history of the Dutton family. So, what should viewers expect from “Marshals”? The answer might be a tentative yes, depending on your familiarity with the franchise.
- Gives a strong focus to the Native American population
- Luke Grimes proves to be a capable lead
It’s crucial to emphasize that while “Marshals” stands alone within the “Yellowstone” universe, understanding the Dutton family saga is almost a prerequisite. Insight into Kayce’s parents, John and Evelyn Dutton—portrayed by Kevin Costner and Gretchen Mol in the original series—is particularly vital. This background becomes essential whenever Brett Cullen’s character, Harry Gifford, appears. Harry, who leads the marshals unit Kayce joins in the second episode, harbors a strong dislike for the Duttons, providing ample exposition during his interactions with the unit’s leader and Kayce’s old ally, Pete Calvin, played by a heavily bearded Logan Marshall-Green.
- If you’re not already into Yellowstone, this series won’t sway you
- Clunky, expository dialogue drags things down
The show does grapple with the challenge of exposition. As Kayce is newly integrated into the elite group of U.S. Marshals, recruited specifically by Pete, the series delivers numerous information-heavy scenes about his new colleagues, including ATF veteran Belle Skinner (Arielle Kebbell), Native Miles Kittle (Tatanka Means), and the sharp-tongued Andrea Cruz (Ash Santos). Despite the introduction of these fresh characters, viewers will find they need a deeper understanding than what the show initially offers to fully grasp the complexities of “Marshals.”
When showrunner Taylor Sheridan first launched “Yellowstone” in 2018, he probably didn’t know he was creating a full-blown cinematic universe. That’s precisely what happened, though, and the latest “Yellowstone” spin-off, “Marshals,” is here — so fans of Luke Grimes’ prodigal son Kayce Dutton can catch up with the newly minted widower. (Sheridan, however, is not the showrunner here; that honor belongs to writer and producer Spencer Hudnut.) If you’re already a fan of the “Yellowstone” franchise, you’ll probably like this project quite a bit. If you’re not? It requires some significant catching up and, perhaps, a lot of binge-watching if you really want the full story.
For better and for worse, “Marshals” drops you directly into Kayce’s post-“Yellowstone” story, after he sells his family’s home, Yellowstone Ranch, to the local Broken Rock Reservation in that show’s series finale — technically returning it to the tribe, which includes Gil Birmingham’s High Chief Thomas Rainwater. Even though “Marshals” is presenting itself as a pretty standard case-of-the-week procedural — at least in the three episodes provided to critics by CBS — it’s mired in “Yellowstone” lore, all of which centers around Kayce and the infamous Dutton family. So what can you expect from “Marshals,” and should you watch it? Maybe!
Kayce Dutton’s time as a U.S. Marshal gets off to a rocky start
Sonja Flemming/CBS
Again, I cannot stress this enough: “Marshals” might be a standalone project within the “Yellowstone” universe, but knowledge of the Dutton family — especially Kayce’s parents John and Evelyn Dutton, played on the original series by Kevin Costner and Gretchen Mol — is pretty necessary here. Namely, you need some context on the Duttons and their years of wrongdoing any time Brett Cullen’s Harry Gifford shows up on screen. Harry, who’s in charge of the marshals unit that Kayce officially joins in the show’s second episode, hates the Duttons, so at the very least, he provides a ton of helpful exposition in various conversations with the unit’s leader and Kayce’s old friend Pete Calvin (a welcome, heavily bearded Logan Marshall-Green).
Exposition is definitely a problem here. Because Kayce is new to this elite unit of U.S. Marshals — for which he’s specifically enlisted by Pete — we get a lot of information dumps about his colleagues, including ATF veteran Belle Skinner (Arielle Kebbell), Native Miles Kittle (Tatanka Means), and the acid-tongued Andrea Cruz (Ash Santos). Still, even with all this new blood, you actually need way more information than the show deigns to provide if you want to follow “Marshals” fully.
If you’re not already deep into the Yellowstone universe, Marshals won’t move the needle
Sonja Flemming/CBS
Kayce’s emotional journey is pretty clearly set up on “Marshals.” In the aftermath of the death of his wife Monica Dutton (Kelsey Asbille), a Native American woman who spent most of her life on the Broken Rock Reservation — making Kayce an ally to the tribes that still reside there and making his son Tate (Brecken Merrill) a child of the reservation as well — Kayce wants to protect the land and do right by his son. When a bombing injures Thomas Rainwater in the “Marshals” pilot, it’s what drives Kayce to join the marshals; there’s also a looming threat, throughout these three episodes, of the United States government building a mine on reservation land that could have deadly consequences for the Natives who live there.
Still, it’s admittedly tough to fully connect with this show if you are new to “Yellowstone,” and one would imagine that Spencer Hudnut and his executive producer Taylor Sheridan might want to draw newcomers in with this new project. If you really want to experience “Marshals” fully, do your homework first — check out our guide for the best order to watch Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” spin-off shows — and then settle in to watch Kayce’s adventures with this Montana task force.
“Marshals” starts airing on CBS on March 1.