TV-14 | 13 episodes | Procedural | 2026
The Duttons of Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” franchise were like the Cartwrights of “Bonanza” and the Ewings of “Dallas” combined into one politically powerful ranching family. Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) and his son, Tate (Brecken Merrill), however, represent the end of the line.
Dutton’s father, John, died under mysterious circumstances while serving as governor of Montana; his brother, Jamie, the attorney general, disappeared even more mysteriously. It therefore makes sense that Dutton would have a passion for justice and public service.
However, his decision to join the U.S. Marshals Service surprises many of his family’s friends and foes in creator Spencer Hudnut’s new “Yellowstone” spinoff–sequel series, “Marshals.” The series is produced by Taylor Sheridan and “Yellowstone” cocreator John Linson.
In addition to his family baggage, painful memories of his service as a Navy SEAL haunt Dutton. However, his bond with his former comrade Pete Calvin (Logan Marshall-Green) remains strong. He agrees to guide Calvin’s team of deputy marshals to a fugitive’s remote cabin in the pilot episode, “Piya Wiconi,” which references a local tribal expression for new beginnings.
A New Beginning
Dutton extends his volunteer tenure to help investigate the attempted murder of Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham). Rainwater is the chairman (do not call him chief) of the Confederated Tribes of Broken Rock Reservation, whose constituent tribes are never specifically identified.
Dutton was born into the ranching establishment, but his late wife grew up on Broken Rock. Calvin hopes that Dutton will serve as a bridge between the two sides during their latest case. The deputy marshals soon implicate several locals who are frustrated by environmental lawsuits filed by the reservation to block a new mine.
Inevitably, Dutton finds himself taking flak from both sides. Nevertheless, he agrees to accept a permanent position, hoping that the opportunity to protect his neighbors might compensate for his family’s past sins.
Rather ominously, Calvin’s team learns that the Aryan Brotherhood and the 406 Royals, a Latin narco gang, set aside their obvious differences to conduct a big fentanyl deal in Episode 2, “Zone of Death.” This instalment probably uses more blank cartridges than an entire season of the original “Yellowstone” series, but the action is nicely staged, on par with past CBS series like “Seal Team” and “S.W.A.T.”
The third of the three episodes provided to reviewers, “Road to Nowhere,” further explores the precariousness of the deputy marshals’ position in the community. The Broken Rock leadership initiates a standoff after sabotaging the highway leading to the contested mine and refusing the excavators a detour passage across reservation land.
The Marshals Service duly defends the reservation borders from angry miners, but the marshals get little credit for their efforts. There’s still plenty of action when shots are fired, but the episode also invites viewers to consider the complex demands made of law enforcement.
Neo-Western Procedural
Viewers don’t need in-depth knowledge of the franchise to understand Hudnut’s storylines for “Marshals,” but it clearly deepens one’s appreciation for the series. While the original “Yellowstone” combined the Western family saga with elements of the political thriller, Hudnut’s new series is essentially an hourlong neo-Western procedural. Here, the cops and criminals often conduct shootouts on horseback.
Big-city-transfer Andrea Cruz (Ash Santos) has trouble adjusting to the Western way of life, but fellow deputy marshal Belle Skinner (Arielle Kebbel) understands it only too well. Like Dutton, she grew up in the area and has the enemies to prove it.
Awkwardly, Calvin’s political appointee boss, Harry Gifford (Brett Cullen), makes no secret of his grudge against Dutton’s late father. That hardly impresses the new deputy. Dutton’s late father had no shortage of enemies.
Like Dutton, reservation-born Miles Kittle (Tatanka Means, son of the late actor and 1983 Libertarian Party presidential candidate Russell Means) finds himself mediating between two worlds. Indeed, the deputy marshals’ work is constantly complicated by identity politics.
Reservation residents automatically distrust anyone with a badge, while economically distressed ranchers and unemployed miners resent what they perceive as the federal government’s bias in favor of Broken Rock. Hudnut rather evenhandedly presents the grievances of both, but so far only the latter have served as villains.
So far, “Marshals” lacks the complexity and the biting wit of the original 2018–2024 series, but it shares the same vivid sense of place. It will also be easier for viewers to dip in and out of, without having to follow every twist and turn.
Presumably, fans will also be happy to see Luke Grimes return as Kayce. He broods as hard as ever, while still looking comfortable in more overtly action-driven scenes. (Honestly, if longtime viewers haven’t yet warmed to his portraying the surviving Dutton brother, they never will.)
Plus, they should be pleased to see Gil Birmingham and Mo Brings Plenty reprise their roles as Chairman Rainwater and his eponymous bodyguard-righthand man. Mo still balances sly craftiness with humanistic compassion in intriguing ways.
Logan Marshall-Green matches Grimes’s intensity, while humanizing the similarly battle-scarred Calvin. It’s nice to have more sympathetic military veteran characters like them on prime-time network TV. In addition, Grimes and Means have already started developing an interesting rapport for Dutton and Kittle, based on their in-between perspectives.
Despite the stylistic differences, fans of the original “Yellowstone” should welcome another chapter for Dutton, while procedural viewers will enjoy watching veterans turn into cowboys. It’s a rugged, outdoorsy show that doesn’t apologize for its guns or the tough work its characters must do with little fanfare.
Recommended for the franchise faithful and cop show consumers.
“Marshals” airs on CBS March 1st.
‘Marshals’
Director: Greg Yaitanes, Christopher Chulack
Starring: Luke Grimes, Logan Marshall-Green, Gil Birmingham, Tatanka Means, Mo Brings Plenty
Rating: TV-14
Running Time: 13 episodes (approx. 45 minutes each)
Release Date: March 1, 2026
Rated: 3 1/2 stars out of 5
What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to features@epochtimes.nyc
