Marshals Teased A New Love Triangle For Kayce And It's Exactly What The Yellowstone Show Needs

After having previously hinted at a potential new relationship for Luke Grimes' Kayce Dutton, "Marshals" used its ninth episode to tease a love triangle between Kayce, Ellyn Jameson's Dolly Weaver, and Ash Santos' Andrea Cruz. It's all a bit mysterious at this point, but such a dynamic is exactly what the CBS procedural needs to build a little more momentum as it grapples with a glut of storylines that have thus far made the show feel unfocused.

"Marshals" began by killing off a controversial "Yellowstone" character in the worst way possible, giving Monica Dutton an off-screen death and leaving Kayce and Tate Dutton (Brecken Merrill) to grieve their wife and mother's demise. It was a surprising decision, given just how integral Monica was to Kayce's story throughout "Yellowstone," not to mention how she represented so much of the show's heart and helped make its otherwise relentless melodrama palatable. With Kayce now bereft, it was clear "Marshals" was sending him down an entirely different path, and for several episodes, it seemed as if he would be traveling solo for the most part.

Early in "Marshals" Season 1, Kayce repeatedly spoke about how he remained devoted to Monica despite her not being here. But as the show went on, things changed. "Marshals" Episode 4 saw Kayce find a surrogate John Dutton in the form of rancher Tom Weaver (Chris Mulkey). But it also suggested the Dutton scion might have found a new love interest in Tom's daughter, Dolly. Kayce seemingly came around to the idea of at least trying a new relationship in subsequent installments, but Episode 9 has suggested the show might go even further and place Kayce in a love triangle, which it absolutely should.

"Marshals" Episode 3 proved the show currently has no idea what it's about. This spin-off has far too many storylines and a hazy central premise that causes the show to oscillate between grounded character study, tense crime thriller, and half-baked socio-political commentary. That hasn't changed much as the series has gone on, but we have at least seen some ongoing storylines that help make "Marshals" feel a little more cohesive. Still, none of those storylines have been truly compelling. A Kayce Dutton love triangle, though? That might just be what this series needs.

At the end of Episode 9, Kayce's former Navy SEAL teammate Garrett (Riley Green) plays a song for the Marshals team. It's a mournful folk number (that's actually Green's new tune "My Way") that clearly catches Kayce off-guard. This prompts him to step away for a moment of quiet reflection, during which he's clearly thinking about his late wife. But he's soon joined by Andrea Cruz, who asks him, "Do you want to be alone?" The question feels more significant than it might initially seem, with Kayce replying, "No." The two then stand together and look at the stars, with Andrea saying, "As long as I'm here, I'm glad I'm on a team with you."

It's not entirely clear whether this is just two teammates getting closer or whether it's intended to suggest some burgeoning romance between the pair. But it certainly feels like it, especially when the episode ends with Andrea and Kayce standing side by side as Garrett sings the lyrics, "If I had it my way, I would just lean in and kiss your lips right now." The only problem is, Kayce previously seemed to be warming to Dolly Weaver

Thus far in "Marshals," Kayce Dutton has grown closer to Dolly Weaver, the daughter of local rancher Tom Weaver. Unfortunately, this storyline hasn't been all that interesting, both due to a lack of real chemistry between Kayce and Dolly and the fact many fans are surely still questioning the wisdom of killing off Monica in such an unceremonious manner. Meanwhile, Kayce and Andrea Cruz have had a rocky relationship, with the latter clearly suspicious of this "cowboy" — as she calls him — being brought into the Marshals team so suddenly.

Again, because "Marshals" is all over the place, Andrea's suspicions are never really explored in a compelling way. This could have been the basis for a decent storyline, with the pair clashing during various missions as we wait to see how far Andrea might go to undermine the new recruit and perhaps unearth his family's dark secrets. But up to this point, we've only had one episode along those lines, and it just sort of came and went. Setting up a love triangle between Kayce, Dolly, and Andrea would finally make things interesting. Kayce could grow closer to Andrea while feeling conflicted about Dolly and his late wife, before Andrea perhaps discovers something uncouth about the Duttons' history.

Unfortunately, this show has so much going on that there likely won't be time for anything too in-depth in that regard. It's the same problem holding back the series' other ongoing storylines, whether it's Pete Calvin's (Logan Marshall-Green) illness or Tatanka Means' Miles Kittle and his relationship with Pete's daughter Maddie (Morgan Lindholm). The show doesn't have time to explore any of these in any detail, and it's a shame. A Kayce Dutton love triangle could help take things up a gear.