Marshals, the highly-anticipated spin-off to Yellowstone, premiered last week, and it seems to have been a big hit with viewers. Following the first episode, the neo-Western drama has set a record for a broadcaster.
The series sees Luke Grimes’s Kayce Dutton come to the forefront of the action, with the story following the former US Navy SEAL as he joins a specialised group of US Marshals with the aim of protecting the state of Montana.
Created by Spencer Hudnut, the series streams on Paramount+ in the UK, but it’s a different story in the US as it airs on CBS – and the drama has seemingly struck a chord with audiences across the pond.
Paramount+
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As per the network, the opening episode – which aired on Sunday 1 March – attracted 9.52 million viewers, which is a record for a scripted series premiere on the broadcaster without a football lead-in since FBI in 2018.
Despite being a ratings success, the series hasn’t fared as well in terms of critical favour, with Rotten Tomatoes currently reporting a mixed approval rating of 47% from 15 reviews. The audience score is even lower, as it stands at 39%.
“In truth, it’s too enamoured of Dutton lore to let Kayce stand on his own, let alone the show around him,” noted The Hollywood Reporter, while The Daily Beast wrote that it was “as unadventurous as they come”.
“Marshals lacks the campy panache of a true Sheridan project… It’s a more humble, less volatile and thus potentially more durable way to expand Yellowstone into an even more mainstream space after it’s already taken hold of the culture,” said Variety.
If you have already watched the opening episode, then you’ll know that a major twist occurred, so if you don’t want to know any more then consider this your warning for some big spoiler talk.
Paramount+
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It was revealed that Kayce’s wife Monica, who was played by Kelsey Asbille, had tragically died off-screen prior to the events of the spin-off, and Grimes explained the creative decisions behind the shock twist.
“The way that Yellowstone ended for Kayce was literally he rode off into the sunset. Obviously we can’t just watch this guy have his dream life. There’s no drama,” said the actor. “Something’s gonna have to happen that gets in the way of him having that.”
Marshals streams on Paramount+ in the UK.
Read more Yellowstone news on our dedicated homepage
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. Â His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
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