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Yellowstone Spinoff 'Marshals' Premieres on CBS, Achieves High Viewership

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The most-watched new series premiere of the 2025-26 broadcast season.

"Marshals" Debuts to Record Numbers, Confirms Major Character Death

The television series "Marshals," a spinoff of "Yellowstone," premiered on CBS on March 1, 2026. The series follows Kayce Dutton, portrayed by Luke Grimes, who joins an elite unit of U.S. Marshals in Montana after events depicted in "Yellowstone." The show airs on CBS and streams on Paramount Plus.

Viewership

The premiere drew 9.52 million viewers (Live+SD Panel + Big Data), making it the most-watched new series premiere of the 2025-26 broadcast season. This figure represents CBS's largest scripted premiere without a football lead-in since "FBI" debuted on September 25, 2018, with 10.09 million viewers. The series held 99% of its audience from the first to the second half-hour.

"Marshals" exceeded the Season 5 premiere of "Yellowstone" on Paramount Network, which recorded 8.8 million Live+SD viewers, and surpassed the September 2024 debut of CBS's "Matlock," which averaged 7.74 million viewers. Airing Sundays at 9 PM, the series built upon its "60 Minutes" lead-in (7.21 million viewers) by a wider margin than "Matlock." For its premiere week, "Marshals" was the most-watched broadcast series, followed by CBS's "Tracker" (8.29 million viewers) and "60 Minutes."

"Marshals" held 99% of its audience from the first to the second half-hour.

Plot and Premiere Events

The plot follows Kayce Dutton utilizing his skills as a cowboy and former Navy SEAL. According to a CBS synopsis, Dutton joins an elite unit of U.S. Marshals to enforce range justice in Montana.

The premiere episode confirmed the death of Monica Dutton, played by Kelsey Asbille. The character's death is attributed to cancer resulting from toxicity on the reservation. Kayce Dutton visits her headstone and informs his son, Tate, that she "suffered." Kelsey Asbille has pursued other projects since her departure from "Yellowstone," including feature films Adulting and The Technique.

In the first episode, Thomas Rainwater, portrayed by Gil Birmingham, is injured by a bomb explosion during a protest at the Broken Rock reservation. Kayce Dutton is persuaded by Pete Calvin, played by Logan Marshall-Green, to join the marshal unit in locating individuals hiding in the area. The team includes Belle Skinner (Arielle Kebbel), Andrea Cruz (Ash Santos), and Miles Kittle (Tatanka Means). Kayce engages in combat and eliminates an individual in the premiere.

Cast

Key cast members include:

  • Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton
  • Gil Birmingham as Thomas Rainwater
  • Mo Brings Plenty as Mo
  • Brecken Merrill as Tate
  • Logan Marshall-Green as Pete Calvin
  • Arielle Kebbel as Belle Skinner
  • Ash Santos as Andrea Cruz
  • Tatanka Means as Miles Kittle

Episode Schedule

  • Episode 13, titled "Wolves at the Door," airs on CBS on May 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. CT).
  • Paramount Plus Premium subscribers can watch live on May 24.
  • Paramount Plus Essential subscribers can stream on demand starting May 25.
  • The series is also accessible via live TV streaming services such as YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, or DirecTV MyNews.

Season One Finale and Season Two Development

The season one finale, "Wolves at the Door," ends with Cal and Belle being shot at by gunmen working for the Weaver family, while Kayce Dutton and his son Tate are unaware of the danger.

Actors Logan Marshall-Green and Arielle Kebbel have confirmed that their characters, Cal and Belle, survive the ambush. Marshall-Green stated that Cal is alive but "not unscathed." Kebbel confirmed she is part of season two.

Marshall-Green revealed that Cal has a rare form of cancer linked to burn pit exposure, a storyline that will continue. He noted that the cancer story will be addressed "without sugarcoating."

"Cal is alive but 'not unscathed.'" — Logan Marshall-Green

Season two filming began shortly after the finale aired, with immediate pickup of the cliffhanger scene. The first episode is expected to show immediate consequences of the finale events. The cast underwent military and SEAL training for season two. Showrunner Spencer Hudnut plans multiple seasons.

Production and Background

Spencer Hudnut serves as showrunner, and Taylor Sheridan is an executive producer. The series is produced by Paramount Television Studios and 101 Studios.

"Marshals" is one of two new "Yellowstone" spinoffs. The other, The Dutton Ranch, focuses on Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) relocating to Dillon, Montana, with cast including Annette Bening and Ed Harris. Hudnut has indicated that "Marshals" and "The Dutton Ranch" exist within the same timeline and universe, allowing for potential crossovers.

Paramount Plus also streams other Yellowstone spinoffs: "1883," "1923," and "Dutton Ranch."