Kayce Dutton deserved better than “Marshals.” After years of being one of the more haunted and interesting figures in the “Yellowstone” universe, Luke Grimes' character finally gets the spotlight, only for the show to make him feel smaller. Instead of expanding Kayce's moral conflict, “Marshals” stuffs him into a familiar network procedural and hopes the Dutton name will do most of the work.
The timing explains why people are paying attention. Jen Jeaneau of CBS describes “Marshals” as a new “Yellowstone”-related drama in which Kayce leaves the ranch behind, joins an elite U.S. Marshals unit, and uses his cowboy and Navy SEAL skills to bring justice to Montana. That premise sounds rugged and personal. On screen, though, it often feels like “Yellowstone” was watered down until it fit neatly into a Sunday-night police-show slot. “Yellowstone,” neo-Western drama, which first aired, 2018-2024, and follows the powerful Dutton family as they fight to protect their Montana ranch. The series stars Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, and Wes Bentley. It aired on Paramount+ on Sunday evenings.
No spoilers, but the verdict is simple: “Marshals” is not worth rushing to watch unless you are a committed “Yellowstone” completist. It is not awful in an exciting, memorable way. It is worse: safe, gray, and oddly forgettable. The show keeps promising grief, danger, and psychological weight, yet too many episodes slide into case-of-the-week rhythms that could belong to almost any law-enforcement drama. And please don’t get me started on the female “Marshals” wardrobes.
The story follows Kayce as he works with a new team of marshals in Montana. The cast includes Logan Marshall-Green as Pete Calvin, Arielle Kebbel as Belle Skinner, Ash Santos as Andrea Cruz, Tatanka Means as Miles Kittle, Brecken Merrill as Tate, Mo Brings Plenty as Mo, and Gil Birmingham as Thomas Rainwater (Paramount+). Several cast members have appeared in other television series and films. Luke Grimes, who plays Kayce, is best known for “Yellowstone" alongside Kevin Costner. Arielle Kebbel has appeared in shows such as “The Vampire Diaries” and “Gilmore Girls”, as well as several Hallmark movies. Gil Birmingham is known for roles in “The Twilight Saga” and “Yellowstone.” Mo Brings Plenty has also appeared in “Yellowstone” and works as a cultural consultant for Native American representation in film and television.
While the cast does not include major award winners, many of the actors have experience in popular television dramas and Western-themed productions. There are fugitives, rescues, militia-style threats, former military connections, family tensions, and hints of romance. On paper, that is enough material for a sharp neo-Western thriller. In practice, the plots rarely feel as dangerous or complicated as the show wants them to feel.
Other critics have noticed the same problem. Rotten Tomatoes' critics consensus says “Marshals' ” confines Kayce Dutton within a dim procedural and calls the season a “ham-fisted trek.” That sounds harsh, but it captures the show's central failure. Kayce should be a character defined by impossible choices, divided loyalties, and buried pain. Here, he too often becomes just another serious man with a badge, a gun, and a troubled stare. At least he is nice to look at.
There are good parts. Did I mention Kacey is very nice to look at. Grimes still understands Kayce. His quiet, heavy presence gives the series more emotional credibility than the writing earns. The Montana setting also helps, even when the show leans on landscape as a shortcut for depth. Belle and Cal have flashes of chemistry, and the action scenes are competent enough to keep the episodes moving. The problem is that competence is not the same as electricity. “Yellowstone,” at its best, felt messy, dangerous, and excessive. “Marshals” often feels managed.
“Its fights, chases, and shootouts are CBS-grade lackluster,” said Nick Schager of The Daily Beast. Schager criticizes Marshals for feeling too much like a basic crime procedural instead of the gritty and emotional storytelling that made Yellowstone successful. He argues that the action scenes and writing feel predictable and less engaging than viewers expected from a Taylor Sheridan series. This review supports the idea that while “Marshals” has strong connections to “Yellowstone,” many critics feel it does not live up to the original show’s quality.
The bad is much more noticeable. The dialogue regularly reaches for toughness and lands on cliche. Characters explain their damage instead of revealing it. Emotional beats arrive before the show has done the work to earn them. Even the procedural structure hurts Kayce's story, because every new fugitive or operation pulls attention away from the grief and identity crisis that should be driving the series. It is hard to invest in Kayce's inner life when the show keeps treating him like a franchise logo in human form.
And then there is the ugly: the romance and vulnerability angles feel forced. A recent People News piece describes Riley Green's Garrett returning and beginning a surprise romance, while Green says the role involves playing someone with “deep emotional problems,” according to Jen Juneau. That could have added texture. Instead, “Marshals” often handle vulnerability like decoration. It announces pain, past trauma, and complicated feelings, then rushes back to familiar standoffs and rescues.
That is what makes the show frustrating. Somewhere inside “Marshals” is a better series about Kayce trying to understand justice after losing the life that once defined him. A slower, stranger, more character-driven version could have justified this spinoff. Instead, the version CBS gives us feels like a compromise: a little “Yellowstone” branding, a little cop-show formula, and not enough soul. For a show about people chasing fugitives, “Marshals” is the one that keeps running away from its most interesting ideas.
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At a Glance:
“Marshals”
When: “Marshals” premiered on CBS on March 1, 2026. New episodes air every Sunday at 8:00 PM ET/PT on CBS. Episodes also stream on Paramount+
Overall Take: Paramount TV series that suffers from poor writing and unrealistic execution.
Main Issue: The show struggles with weak writing and unconvincing acting, making it hard to take seriously.
Highlights (or Lowlights):
Dialogue feels forced and not believable
Acting lacks depth and emotional connection
Characters do not feel realistic or relatable
Big Concern: The way the women are portrayed — especially what they wear in intense or dangerous situations — feels completely unrealistic and distracting. It takes away from the credibility of the scenes and makes it hard to stay engaged.
Why It Matters: For a show that seems to center around action and strength, realism is important. When basic details are off, it impacts how seriously viewers can take the story.
Recommendation: Not recommended unless major improvements are made in writing, character development, and overall realism.
At a Glance Rating: ⭐☆☆☆☆ (1/5)
Works Cited
CBS. Marshals. CBS, 2026, https://www.cbs.com/shows/marshals/. Accessed 3 May 2026.
Juneau, Jen. “Marshals Clip: Riley Green Has a Surprising New Love Interest (Exclusive).” People, 30 Apr. 2026, https://people.com/marshals-clip-riley-green-new-love-interest-exclusive-11962096
Accessed 3 May 2026.
Paramount+. “Meet the Cast of Taylor Sheridan's Kayce Dutton Series.” Paramount+, 26 Mar. 2026, https://www.paramountplus.com/sneak-peak/cast-of-marshals-season-1/
Accessed 3 May 2026.
Rotten Tomatoes. Marshals: Season 1. Fandango Media, 2026, https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/marshals/s01
Accessed 3 May 2026
Schager, N.CBS turns “Yellowstone” into an embarrassing “NCIS” ripoff. The Daily Beast. https://www.thedailybeast.com/
Accessed February 27, 2026
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