Luke Grimes is back as Kayce Dutton, the stoic fan favorite from Yellowstone. After riding off into the sunset in the show’s final season in 2024, Kayce’s peaceful ranch life is disrupted in the new CBS spinoff Marshals, premiering Sunday and streaming on Paramount+.
A New Direction
Showrunner Spencer Hudnut shifts Kayce from family ranch drama into a Western law enforcement procedural. Now a U.S. Marshal in Montana, Kayce joins a four-person team tackling gangs, cartels, and traffickers. The series explores his military past as a Navy SEAL, adding depth to his character.
Character Evolution
Grimes says Kayce’s new role reflects his desire to change his life and protect his son. “Clearly he’s making an effort to do something different here and change his son’s life at the same time,” Grimes explained. The spinoff allows writers to explore skills and backstory that Yellowstone only hinted at.
Familiar Faces and New Allies
The cast includes Logan Marshall-Green, Arielle Kebbel, Ash Santos, and Tatanka Means, alongside Yellowstone veterans Gil Birmingham, Moses Brings Plenty, and Brecken Merrill as Kayce’s son. Hudnut emphasizes that Marshals is not a typical crime-of-the-week show but a character-driven procedural with twists and emotional stakes.
Action and Legacy
The pilot begins with a bombing, setting the tone for weekly battles against dangerous adversaries. Grimes describes the show as “good people going after the bad people,” promising plenty of action. He also steps into a producer role for the first time, while balancing new fatherhood and an upcoming music album.
Extending the Yellowstone Universe
Marshals joins a growing slate of spinoffs, including 1883, 1923, and Lawmen: Bass Reeves. Hudnut says the heart of the series remains family and legacy, themes that resonate with fans of the original. For Grimes, embodying Kayce again is a chance to deepen a character defined by quiet strength and resilience.
