Marshals Episode 3 Proves Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone Spin-Off Has No Idea What It's About

In the series premiere of "Marshals," Luke Grimes' Kayce Dutton visits the grave of his deceased wife, Monica Dutton, and tearfully announces that he's "changing paths." In that moment, he's referring to his new job as part of Pete Calvin's (Logan Marshall-Green) U.S. Marshals. But he's also unwittingly preparing us all for the next couple of episodes, which are so different from the pilot they might as well be entirely separate "Yellowstone" spin-offs. By the end of episode 3, the only conclusion we can reasonably draw is that "Marshals" has no idea what it's about.

At the end of "Yellowstone" season 5, Kayce was given the best ending of all the main characters on "Yellowstone." Having endured unending tragedy simply by virtue of belonging to the Dutton clan, Kayce finally seemed to find some sort of peace when he sold the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch to the Broken Rock Reservation and embarked on a new life with his wife and son, Tate Dutton (Brecken Merrill). It was the only conclusion that made any sense for a character who had been the heart of Taylor Sheridan's neo-Western since the very beginning.

But if there's anything we know about the Duttons, it's that trouble is never far away, and peace is impossible. So, when "SEAL Team" showrunner Spencer Hudnut suggested dragging Kayce back into action for a spin-off, it probably made a lot of sense to Sheridan. The challenge for Hudnut, however, was to somehow come up with an arc for Kayce that was just as, if not even more satisfying than, the one that played out on "Yellowstone." After three episodes, though, it's starting to feel like he's not quite sure how to meet the challenge.

"Marshals" episode 1 confirmed that Monica Dutton had been killed off in the worst way possible: with an off-screen death. That same episode also wasted guest star Chad Michael Collins in what was a disappointing debut for the long-awaited spin-off. Even with those faults, however, the premiere did at least seem to be cognizant of the central tension that would propel the series moving forward.

Kayce had previously dedicated himself to a quiet life with his wife and son, but in the "Marshals" premiere, he committed to becoming a "door kicker" for his old Navy SEAL pal's U.S. Marshals unit. With the pilot, then, it seemed as if the show was going to be about Kayce grappling with his sense of duty to his son, Tate Dutton, while simultaneously trying to forge this new path as a member of law enforcement. The character was conflicted over sticking to his life of solitude or jumping into law enforcement, and that dilemma seemed like a fertile basis for a new series.

Perhaps as Kayce becomes immersed in his new job, he'll drift further and further from his son, forgetting the promise he made to his wife when he sold the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch? Intriguing. There's even a moment in episode 1 that suggests this is the conflict that will indeed propel the new series, wherein Tate confronts his father at a protest and tells him that "after how much mom suffered," he should be "leading the charge." Exploring this tension between Kayce's professional obligations, his family, and his prior commitment to a quiet life would make for some compelling drama that, handled right, might just justify the spin-off's existence. Then, the show switched things up.

"Marshals" episode 2 focused on Kayce Dutton's job as a U.S. Marshal. Fair enough. This is, after all, the show's basic premise. But this second chapter also seemed to set up an entirely different narrative nucleus. Now, the main conflict came from Kayce's law enforcement job and his Dutton family heritage. The main characters on "Yellowstone" did some abhorrent things, and "Marshals" episode 2 suggested there might be a reckoning that would place Kayce in the line of fire. 

That's a different show and one that would probably be a whole lot of fun to watch. Ahead of episode 3, then, many were surely wondering which series we were getting: the grounded drama about Kayce's internal work-vs.-family conflict or the crime thriller about a U.S. Marshal who's forced to hide his family's wrong-doings while working for the very team most likely to uncover them. Well, apparently, it's neither.

"Marshals" episode 3 was a retread of the "Yellowstone" pilot that saw Kayce caught between conflicting allegiances. His Marshals are tasked with restoring peace at a standoff between ranchers and the Broken Rock Reservation in an episode that explored themes of loyalty and identity. With the Dutton dynasty laying in ruins, who is Kayce to the local community where his family used to reign? It's an intriguing question that could probably sustain a spin-off. The only problem is, the previous episodes already set up two solid ideas for a spin-off, and at this point, even if "Marshals" picks one of them, it will seem like it copped out on the others. Somebody must know what this show is about, but at this point, it seems mainly concerned with "changing paths."

"Marshals" is now streaming on Paramount+.