Fired Up Over Marshals But Not The Way You Might Imagine

 04 March 2026

1152

R. Linda:

Maybe because all Tonya can talk about is how disappointing the new Yellowstone spinoff Marshals is, that it's on me mind. We both watched it the other night, and I, for one, wanted to run upstairs and turn the telly on up in our room so I could watch Will Trent instead. I was antsy that Marshalls was boring the hell out of me and making me uncomfortable. Uncomfortable, because as a writer, I could see all kinds of "little things" that can come back to bite. 

With Will Trent, I'll be on the edge of my seat, knowing bad things could and do happen, and while I might feign looking away (but really peeking through me fingers), I watch and marvel at how well written that series is and how hooked I am. All the characters are interesting, Will in particular, but every single one has a distinct personality that meshes well with the storylines. I'm impressed.

So watching Marshals was like watching a bad episode of CSI on horseback with lassoes. Too much is going on, too soon. The dialogue does nothing to enhance the actors' roles. Lets start with the two women Marshalls: Both have attitude, and I'm not talking Beth Dutton (if only) I am talking two rather nice looking women (too good looking for me to believe they are law enforcement and I'm not saying law enforcment women are not good looking, but they have a certain hard exterior that these two lack), who have no trouble being abrasive, a little too abrasive, you know the chip on the shoulder, I have a lot to prove kind of abrasive. Ok, maybe they are trying to fit into a man's world, but it isn't a good look. It turns me off. I will say Logan Marshall-Green steals the show for me. He's really convincing as the lead marshal. Kayce is Kayce, and yes, he holds his own, but look what he has to work with. A bad script, a limp storyline, a few bad actors, one who could best him, and no Taylor Sheridan. 

I was hoping for a spinoff on Yellowstone, the same quirk, backstabbing, rotten to the core, inebriated with ambition and power-hungry family and their equally unforgiving cowboys, extended into new situations. Instead, I got CSI Cowboy with a horse. And at least the horse is the same one from Yellowstone. 

My biggest gripe is the teenage son. Obviously, things between Kayce and his son are not good. The kid doesn't talk to him, and when he does, it's begrudgingly. He doesn't tell his father where he is going or what he's into. He's depressed and angry, and it's over the death of his mom (her death, not from complications after the accident she had, but from toxins found on the reservation). She, by the way, is buried on a windy hill by a rock with her name carved into it. Where is the baby boy buried, and why is he not buried with his mom? Odd. A little thing I know, but as a father . . .

Anyway, knowing the teenager had been kidnapped when he was younger and what Kayce and his wife, Monica, went through, you'd think that instead of running off and joining the marshals, Kayce would be nourishing a bonding relationship with his distressed son. The boy obviously has his own agenda, and it's a dangerous one that puts him in harm's way. As a parent, if my kid had been kidnapped, I'd be damn sure that if I wasn't able to be at home, I'd have someone looking after him. Also, the young teen needs therapy, quite obviously, or at least an attempt to sit down and hash out his problems with dad in a controlled atmosphere. This situation could be lethal to the series. Kayce's focus will have to be on either his family member or the marshals. It should be an easy decision, but the title of the show is The Marshals, not Tate finds mental health after the death of his mother and baby brother. It looks like Tate is hanging out to dry while daddy runs off and does his own thing. BUT you know it's Tate who will get Dad into trouble. And this, coupled with the toxins on the reservation, is the crux of the show.

Then there are the cows. Yes cows! Kayce and son are ranchers with a small herd of cows. I wanna know who is taking care of the cows? If the son, Tate, has no interest in ranching and is running off to protests, and Kayce is battling assassins in the men's room at the hospital, who is tending the cows at the mini Yellowstone ranch? I know, it's a stupid point, maybe, but why make a deal about them and then...

This brings me to Rainwater and Mo, whose dialogue is ho-hum. I miss the dynamic duo of Yellowstone. These two are just "there", and while they fit the storyline (such as it is at the moment), my excitement of seeing them first appear soon lost its lustre. Would Sheridan please take over writing from Spencer Hudnut, and give these two talented men and their interesting characters some meat to chew on instead of the crap they have to spout?

Maybe the episodes will pick up. I know it was the first episode, and once things are established, the show might pick up momentum, or not. I believe my true problem is that I expected Yellowstone-type situations, characters, and settings; it says Yellowstone spinoff after all. Instead, I am subject to a monochrome set of dark grey, faded yellow, and no colour. And by colour, I mean the want of colourful characters, colourful acting, colourful lines, colourful situations, the Taylor Sheridan way of making a good show. I miss Sheridan, I would say, the most. Or maybe I should be turning my ire at Sheridan for allowing someone else to take the reins who does not have the Sheridan imagination or the Yellowstone mega-series experience that only he could have.

I will give it one more go when the second episode airs. That's all I can promise Tonya. If it doesn't pan out, I shall be glued to the Will Trent kind of policing, and saying bye-d-bye to the cowboy hats and lassoes.

Gabe

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