Yellowstone‘s newest spin-off Marshals has been renewed for a second season, following its impressive premiere earlier this month. The show pulled in 9.52 million viewers in the US during its first episode, landing the best opening for a scripted CBS series since 2018.
The recording-breaking figure grew to 20.6 million viewers after a week of streaming and other delayed viewing, while the second episode grabbed the attention of 8.4 million audiences when it aired last Sunday (8 March).
Marshals‘ successful start has resulted in a speedy renewal from the broadcaster, with CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach describing it as “one of TV’s most powerful new series”.
Paramount+/Sonja Flemming
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“The overwhelming viewer response speaks to the strength of the Yellowstone world, the bold character driven storytelling from the creative team and the dynamic cast performances led by Luke Grimes,” they said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter).
Created by Spencer Hudnut, who also serves as the showrunner, the neo-Western drama follows Kayce Dutton (Grimes) as he joins a specialised group of US Marshals in protecting the state of Montana.
Brecken Merrill (Tate Dutton), Mo Brings Plenty (Mo) and Gil Birmingham (Thomas Rainwater) have all reprised their roles from the original series, while Logan Marshall-Green, Arielle Kebbel, Ash Santos and Tatanka Means all joined as newcomers.
Despite the huge audience turnout, Marshals has divided professional critics, with the series currently only scoring 47% on Rotten Tomatoes from 17 reviews.
The Daily Beast branded the spin-off “as unadventurous as they come”, adding: “Although given its predecessors’ ratings success, that may be just what its fans crave.”
Paramount+
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However, The Daily Telegraph was more positive, writing: “This gripping show is proof that the Yellowstone universe still has a few more surprises under its 10-gallon hat.”
“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,” wrote Variety.
Marshals streams on Paramount+ in the UK.
Read more Yellowstone news on our dedicated homepage
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Divya is a freelance writer with experience in entertainment and lifestyle news. Described as a “telly addict” since childhood, Divya was able to translate her interests into a BJTC-accredited, Honours degree in Journalism and Media. After working in communications and marketing, Divya joined Digital Spy as a Freelance News Reporter. She has also written for various publications including Metro, Asian World News and TwitCelebGossip; as well as interviews, features and reviews on her own blog. Divya prides herself on her TV, film and showbiz knowledge, always offering (not so) fun facts to her long-suffering friends and family. From soaps to superheroes, Divya is the go-to person for tailored recommendations and up to date information. Â