Spoilers for the Season 1 endings of Dutton Ranch and Marshals are ahead! You can watch the first installments of both Yellowstone spinoffs with a Paramount+ subscription.

Well, both Yellowstone sequel series have come to a close on the 2026 TV schedule, and they’ve left us on very similar cliffhangers. In Marshals, Season 1 ends with Tate being taken by the family that is after Kayce and his team. Meanwhile, in Dutton Ranch, Carter was kidnapped by the cartel. Thankfully, someone asked Beth and Rip actors, Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, about all this, and their responses made me very excited about what could happen next.

Considering both Dutton Ranch and Marshals ended with the main characters’ sons being taken, Reilly and Hauser were asked if those cliffhangers were “coincidence or coordinated” during an interview with TV Insider. In response, the Beth and Rip actors said:

• Kelly Reilly: Maybe [smiles].
• Cole Hauser: [Laughs] What I will say is I’d love to work with Luke. We saw him in New York for the Upfronts, Kelly and I both, and I just love him, man. I miss him.
• Kelly Reilly: I miss him too.

Now, as the two spinoffs have aired, Luke Grimes has said a crossover between Marshals and Dutton Ranch would be “very fun.” Meanwhile, Reilly agreed with the lead of Marshals and her on-screen brother, while Hauser said he’d love to go back to Montana. So, the question surrounding a crossover feels more like a “when” than an “if.” And it’s clear that if there’s a good story to be told, these actors want to tell it, as Hauser said:

I know Hauser said “if there’s a way,” which implies they still need to figure it out. However, I think the endings create a pretty obvious opportunity for crossover.

Tate was literally taken to Texas at the end of Marshals. Although both he and Kayce don’t realize that he’s with the enemy yet, they think he’s on a fishing trip. So, once they realize he’s with the villain, maybe Rip and Beth could step in to help.

Meanwhile, this could constitute a trip to Texas for Kayce, and while he’s there, he could help his sibling and brother-in-law find their son, Carter. I’m sure Kayce's military and Marshals experience would be quite helpful, as Beth and Rip try to figure out how to get their son back from the cartel. Honestly, it feels like this story writes itself.

Plus, Kelly Reilly noted that Beth simply misses her brother, and she’d love to see him again:

I’ve always found it a bit odd that these Dutton family members didn’t cross paths on their respective shows, considering they are the only living members of their family left and were on great terms at the end of Yellowstone. However, the endings of both spinoffs seemingly provide a great opportunity for the siblings to help each other out and see each other again. And it sounds like Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser would be more than happy to see that happen.

So, here’s hoping these two scary cliffhangers can help bring Beth, Rip and Kayce back together when Marshals and Dutton Ranch return for their second seasons.

The Duttons have not had their last ride, as Dutton Ranch has been renewed for Season 2. Considering the viewership records this Yellowstone spinoff broke as it aired on the 2026 TV schedule and the success of the franchise as a whole, this news shouldn’t come as a surprise. So, I’ve already been thinking about what could happen next and who could return for a cameo.

Dutton Ranch Has Been Renewed For Season 2

Now, before we get to what could happen, let’s talk about what has happened. Dutton Ranch quickly became a beloved Yellowstone show, so it makes perfect sense why Paramount+ decided to drop this exciting announcement a few weeks before the Season 1 finale:

According to the streamer, the show amassed 12.9 million viewers globally in the week after its premiere. That’s the biggest series launch in Paramount+ history. It also had the biggest series premiere on cable since 2023, as it drew in 2.9 million viewers.

Along with that, Dutton Ranch’s reviews were fairly positive. Plus, considering its success as well as the quick renewal for Marshals, the other Yellowstone spinoff that aired this year, this kind of news felt inevitable. So, now that the future is secure, let’s dream about who could show up.

There Are Three Yellowstone Characters I’d Like To See On Dutton Ranch

While I would love to see any familiar character on Dutton Ranch, I do think there are three people I want to see most. So, without further ado, let’s talk about who should make their way down to Texas.

Kayce

I know this is obvious, but it needs to be stated again. Kayce and Beth are the only two living Dutton family members from their generation, and it’s kind of weird that they haven’t talked since Yellowstone ended and their respective spinoffs began. However, thankfully, Kelly Reilly has said she wants a crossover, Cole Hauser wants to go back to Montana, and Luke Grimes has said he’d love to reunite. So, this feels inevitable; it’s just a matter of figuring out when and how they could find their ways into each other's shows.

Young John Dutton

I think it’s safe to say that Kevin Costner will not be returning as John Dutton, considering what happened both on and off-screen. However, it’s important to remember that he’s not the only person who played Yellowstone’s patriarch. Josh Lucas played John in flashbacks, and I’d love for him to come back and do that on Dutton Ranch.

We know Beth’s past and her father loom large over this new show, and the flashbacks in the OG series were some of my favorite moments. So, by bringing back Josh Lucas as John Dutton, the series could dive further into Rip and Beth’s past and give us some more screentime with the patriarch who kicked this whole franchise off.

Jimmy

This feels like a no-brainer, so I’ll keep it short. Jimmy is in Texas as far as we know, and he’s a beloved bunkhouse boy. It only feels right that Jefferson White be invited over to Dutton Ranch to do some cowboying.

So, with all this in mind, I can’t wait to see who shows up in Season 2 of Dutton Ranch. However, before we get there, we have to finish Season 1 first, and you can watch the last few episodes as they air on Fridays with a Paramount+ subscription.

Spoilers for the Season 1 finale of Marshals are ahead! You can stream the series with a Paramount+ subscription.

Marshals has finished its first season on the 2026 TV schedule, and you better believe I’m already thinking about Season 2. In this action-packed finale that gave me Yellowstone flashbacks, we ended on a cliffhanger that made it clear the Weaver family is seemingly going after Kayce, his land and his team. Seeing this evil plan unfold is one of the reasons I was thinking about the flagship show, as a new group came after the Duttons' land. However, it also got me thinking about the OG series, because it’s really time to start using the Train Station again.

The Weaver Family Has Made A Move Against Kayce And The Marshals

At first, it seemed like the Weavers weren’t going to do anything about Kayce turning down their deal to buy East Camp. However, in the same episode where Luke Grimes’ character said no to the deal and decided to stay on his land, Tom Weaver’s right-hand man seemingly orchestrated the hit on Belle and Cal. Then, the season ended with Tate going to Texas with Tom, while Kayce rode off on a horse with Dolly Weaver.

It’s unclear if anything bad is going to happen to Tate or Kayce immediately; however, it would seem that nothing good is going to come from the Weavers. So, I think it’s time for Kayce to go old school Dutton on them and head back to the Train Station.

I Think Its Time To Reinstate The Train Station

Let me tell you, I was livid when I learned what this family did. Plus, the fact that the season ends with Cal and Belle being shot at by people who work for the man who took Tate and the woman who is with Kayce is deeply unsettling.

If this were Yellowstone, that family would be headed right for the Train Station. So, I’m really hoping that’s exactly what happens in Season 2 of Marshals. And that’s mostly because they deserve it, but also because I don’t fully understand why it hasn’t really been used yet.

Season 1, Episode 2, did explain what the Train Station was. It was also clear, at least to me, that Kayce wanted to keep his family’s ties to it a secret. He doesn’t need those secrets dug up. However, this new family has come after him and his loved ones, and I think it's time to play dirty.

It’s not like it’s moved. We know it’s still there, the show told us it was. So, I really hope that Kayce uses it. Not only would it provide an easy out for him to get rid of the Weavers, it would also create another deep tie back to Yellowstone and Kayce’s dad, John.

Over the course of Marshals’ run, John Dutton has been brought up a lot, and both his and Jamie’s mysterious deaths have come up, too. Kayce’s past in the military as well as his tense history with his family, have been important to the show too. By directly using the Train Station as it was in Yellowstone, we’d get another deep tie between the shows, and it could also serve as a good reason to dig up some ghosts for Kayce.

Plus, it’s just a good way to get rid of an enemy, and right now, that’s exactly what Kayce needs to do.

We know that Luke Grimes is down for a Marshals and Dutton Ranch crossover. Kelly Reilly has said a reunion would be nice too. Now, Cole Hauser has shared his take on the matter, specifically noting where he’d like this crossover to take place. I gotta say, I 100% agree with him.

At the moment, both Marshals and Dutton Ranch are airing on the 2026 TV schedule, with Kayce’s spinoff finishing out its first season on May 24. So, as Rip and Beth’s spinoff got going a couple of weeks before that, ScreenRant asked Cole Hauser if he’d rather Kayce come to Texas or Rip and Beth go to Montana for a Dutton family reunion. In response, he said:

Considering where Dutton Ranch begins, I’d also love to see Rip and Beth “kick back” in Montana with Kayce. They had to leave in such a rush when that fire broke out, and now they’re building an entirely new life in Texas. So, it’d be nice if they could get some sense of familiarity at some point.

While them going to Montana feels like it’d imply they appear on Marshals, I’d like to propose something else. I actually think they should take Dutton Ranch up to Kayce instead. I think it makes more sense for Kayce to appear on Dutton Ranch over Rip and Beth appearing on Marshals. I also really want to see Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser back where it all began. So I’m with the Rip actor, as he said he wanted to go back up north for a crossover.

Who knows? Maybe an episode of Dutton Ranch could see Rip and Beth traveling up to Montana because they need help from Kayce. In the last season of Yellowstone, they went down to Texas, so I don’t see why they can’t return to Montana on their show (especially since Kayce and Beth are on good terms, as far as we know).

To be clear, I’d also love to see Rip and Beth on Marshals, and I think it’d be fun to watch Kayce interact with the new characters on Dutton Ranch in Texas. However, I think priority number one is getting Reilly and Hauser’s characters back up to Montana for a nice visit with their brother.

I don’t need to see them involved in a marshals case, but I would love to see them back on the farm, and helping Kayce out.

However, that’s just a fantasy at the moment. So, while we wait for that to become a reality (which seems possible considering how down all the actors are), you can watch the Season 1 finale of Marshals on Sunday, May 24 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, and you can stream new episodes of Dutton Ranch every Friday with a Paramount+ subscription.

It’s hard to believe it’s already time for Marshals Season 1 finale on the 2026 TV schedule, and I have to say, I’m not ready for it. After a season full of shocking reveals, tragic moments, and lots of callbacks to Yellowstone, I’m certain this last episode will pull out all the stops and leave us both stressed and entertained. That was proven to me, too, as this exclusive clip from the episode immediately gave me flashbacks to one of the flagship show’s scariest moments.

Rainwater, Mo, Tate And Kayce Are In For A Battle In Marshals' Season 1 Finale

As you can see in the exclusive clip from this week’s episode of Marshals above, Mo and Rainwater are at East Camp with Tate when they get a warning from Kayce. It’s clear that whoever is about to attack them wants Rainwater dead, and without hesitation, Tate says:

What follows is a violent attack on the East Camp house, and Rainwater and Tate run upstairs to hide. We then see Kayce riding toward his house, armed and ready to fight. However, the clip ends with Luke Grimes’ character getting hit.

So, it’s clear we’re in for a potentially lethal fight here. And along with this being scary by itself, it’s hard not to think about the battles that came before this moment, too. As Rainwater pointed out:

While there are plenty of moments in the Dutton family history that prove that point, there’s one brutal moment from Yellowstone that came to mind while watching this scene.

This Whole Situation Is Giving Me Flashbacks To When Tate Got Kidnapped

In the Season 2 finale of Yellowstone (which you can stream with a Peacock subscription), Tate got kidnapped by white supremacists. They were hired to take him by the Becks, the antagonists for the season, and Kayce fought like hell to get his kid back from them.

To this day, I think this is the scariest thing that happened on Yellowstone, and it understandably left Tate and his family traumatized.

Seeing Tate involved in the action on Marshals took me right back to this situation. While I know he’s grown up a lot since that kidnapping, and he seems ready to fight, he’s still a kid. The last thing I want is for something bad to happen to him or Kayce.

Along with that, he and Kayce have already lost too much, with the deaths of Monica and John still not being that long ago. So, I hope that this upcoming fight has a better outcome than what happened when Tate got taken.

However, we’ll have to wait and see what happens. Will this scene be part of a big and lethal battle that changes the Dutton family forever? Or will they win the shootout? You can find out by tuning into Marshals' Season 1 finale on CBS Sunday, May 24, at 8 p.m. ET, or you can stream it the next day with a Paramount+ subscription.

As soon as I realized that Marshals and Dutton Ranch would be airing around the same time, I quickly started to wonder if Kayce and Beth Dutton would talk about each other on their respective shows. While I know the potential for crossover is slim in these first seasons, I figured they might bring each other up. However, while Marshals hasn’t backed away from its Yellowstone connections, it also hasn’t embraced its arguably strongest one, and Gil Birmingham and I have the same question about this.

During my interview with Thomas Rainwater actor Gil Birmingham, I brought up the fact that both Marshals and Dutton Ranch will be airing on the 2026 TV schedule at the same time. With that in mind, I asked if he’d had a chance to speak with Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser about their spinoff and the potential for the two shows to crossover. In response, he reflected on the idea and then posed a question:

That’s what I’ve been saying! While Rip has been name-dropped on Marshals, there have been no deep conversations or mentions of Kayce’s sister and their relationship on the CBS show.

Now, before Marshals began, I had wondered if it would distance itself from Yellowstone, and if that were the case, I’d understand the lack of reference to Beth and Rip. However, the series has not done that at all. Jamie and John’s deaths have been mentioned multiple times, and the history of Taylor Sheridan’s original modern Western has a big impact on Kayce’s new chapter.

So, the fact that he’s not talked to his sister is a bit hard to believe. As Birmingham said, they left on good terms at the end of Yellowstone. Beth and Kacye came together to sell the ranch to Broken Rock, and they both moved on with their lives in good ways. As the only living children of John, it feels a bit odd to me that they’re so distant now.

I guess that may change with Dutton Ranch. Maybe Kayce will be mentioned here and there. However, I also wouldn’t be too surprised if his time as a marshal wasn’t brought up. Like Marshals, this spinoff is trying to establish a new era for these Duttons, so I get it if they don’t want to connect themselves to the greater universe too deeply (yet).

Thankfully, Luke Grimes has said he’d be down for a crossover, and Kelly Reilly has hope she’ll get to reunite with her former co-star. So, it’s not like they’re intentionally avoiding each other; in fact, they’ve very actively said that it’d be fun to have Kayce and Beth reunite somehow. Therefore, the siblings’ maintaining their relationship is not out of the question at all.

I just hope it gets brought up a bit more. And maybe it will. To find out, you can watch Marshals on CBS every Sunday at 8 p.m. ET, and you can stream the premiere of Dutton Ranch with a Paramount+ subscription on Friday, May 15.

As we get closer to Dutton Ranch’s premiere on the 2026 TV schedule and continue to watch Marshals week-to-week, I’ve been thinking a lot about how cool it is that the Dutton siblings from Yellowstone are now leading their own shows. However, I’ve also been wondering how we can get Kayce and Beth back on the same series. Thankfully, Luke Grimes has said he’s down for a crossover, and now, Kelly Reilly has shared her thoughts on the matter.

Throughout Marshals' Season 1 run, Yellowstone has been brought up numerous times. John has been mentioned here and there, and Rip has been name-dropped. However, we haven’t gotten any guest stars from the flagship show. Grimes did say, however, that he’s talked to Kelly Reilly about the potential to bring Beth and Rip in, and he noted that they’re “open to it.” Now, the Beth actress has shared her take on the matter, telling People:

Well, it’s nice to know that these members of the Dutton family are ready and willing to share the screen again!

However, it’s unclear when exactly that will happen. At the moment, Marshals is wrapping up its first season (though it’s already been renewed for Season 2), and Dutton Ranch is preparing to premiere its inaugural season. Notably, the two shows also live in different places (technically), as Kayce’s show airs on CBS and Beth and Rip’s will be a Paramount+ original. However, both are ultimately available with a Paramount+ subscription, meaning a crossover is by no means impossible.

Honestly, at this point, a Marshals and Dutton Ranch crossover feels like less of an if and more of a when. Both Grimes and Reilly have been clear that they want to do it; it’s just a matter of figuring out how to logistically make it work.

Kayce’s show takes place in Montana and is a law enforcement procedural. Beth’s series is moving her and Rip to Texas as they build a new life on a new ranch. How exactly do those two storylines fit together? I don’t know. However, Greg Yaitanes, who has directed episodes of both projects, has said that “Kayce would just naturally fold into Dutton Ranch” because it’s tonally similar to Yellowstone.

So, maybe Grimes can take a trip down South to visit his sister. I have thought it’s a bit odd that Beth and Rip aren’t brought up much on Marshals, considering Kayce and his sister are on good terms. So, a trip down to Texas could help solve this and reaffirm the bond between John Dutton’s kids.

Hopefully, someday that crossover happens. However, for now, let’s just be thankful that Beth and Kayce Dutton (and Rip Wheeler) are back on our screens. And you can watch them too, as Marshals airs Sundays on CBS at 8 p.m. and Dutton Ranch premieres on Paramount+ Friday, May 15.

Before Marshals premiered on the 2026 TV schedule, I was wondering how hard it’d lean into the Dutton family history. Since it’s on CBS and it’s a different format of show, I thought it might steer clear of it. However, it hasn’t. In fact, Kayce’s dad has been brought up numerous times. So, considering that, there are two characters from the flagship series that I really think Marshals needs to name-drop a bit more.

Marshals Doesn’t Hide Its Yellowstone History

While Marshals sees Kayce take on a brand new job with a brand new group of people, his history is by no means ignored. Between his son Tate as well as Rainwater and Mo from Broken Rock, there are many direct connections back to Yellowstone with the cast alone.

Along with that, the deaths of John and Jamie Dutton have been brought up numerous times, seeing as both of them technically weren’t wrapped up cleanly at the end of Yellowstone. In fact, at this point, I’ll be surprised if the show doesn’t try to uncover more about how Jamie died.

However, two characters the series has largely steered clear of are Rip and Beth, which is interesting, considering Kayce had a good relationship with both of them, and they’re the only other living Duttons left.

However, Marshals Needs To Bring Up Rip And Beth More

Like I mentioned, at the end of Yellowstone, Kayce, Rip and Beth were in a good place. They didn’t live in the same place, but they were on excellent terms and successfully sold the ranch in a way that protected it. So, considering how heavily Marshals leans on its history, I figured Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser’s characters would come up a bit more.

Sadly, they really haven’t. Rip has been name-dropped once by my count, and Kayce has mentioned his family here and there. However, there’s really been no substantial conversation or reference to the leads of Dutton Ranch.

Now, to an extent, I think I get why. For one, Dutton Ranch will be available exclusively with a Paramount+ subscription while Marshals airs live on CBS. These are two distinct and different shows that live in different places (technically). However, it’s also available on the streaming service, and CBS is owned by Paramount. So, it’s not like a crossover is impossible. I’d just guess each show is trying to establish itself as its own new thing.

But, again, Marshals is not shying away from its Yellowstone connections for the most part. So, why shy away from this? Luke Grimes has said he and Kelly Reilly have talked about crossover, and neither is opposed to it. Plus, even though Kayce and Beth live in different states now, I don’t think they’d become estranged.

Therefore, I’d really like it if Marshals brought up Rip and Beth more. However, whether they do or don’t, thankfully, we’ll have the couple played by Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly back on our screens soon. That’s because, as Marshals continues to air every Sunday on CBS at 8 p.m., Dutton Ranch will make its premiere on Paramount+ on May 15.

Spoilers for Season 1 of Marshals are ahead! You can stream old episodes with a Paramount+ subscription, and then catch new ones on CBS every Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.

Marshals really hasn’t been airing on the 2026 TV schedule for very long, and Kayce Dutton is still adjusting to his new life. He and Tate have been grieving the death of Monica, and all that has been happening as Luke Grimes' character learns to work with a whole new cast of characters who make up a team of US Marshals. Among these marshals is Andrea, and it feels like there could be a romantic spark between her and Kayce. However, I don’t actually want that to happen right now; I want another romance instead.

I Think Marshals Is Trying To Set Up Kayce And Andrea, And I’m Not Here For It

Now, I’ve been sensing a vibe between Grimes’ Kayce and Ash Santos’ Andrea Cruz since the show started. However, at the end of this week’s episode, “In Low Places,” the team is sitting around the fire listening to Riley Green’s Garrett sing after saving Andrea, and she walks up to Kayce to talk to him after he walked away from everyone. She asks if he wants to be alone, and he says no.

That led to a heartfelt moment between the two of them where Andrea told Kayce that she’s still trying to figure out her feelings toward living in Montana, but she’s “glad” that she’s “on a team with [Kayce].” Right after that, we get the final words of the episode, which come from Garrett, as he sings:

Maybe I’m reading too far into it, but that’s quite the note to end an episode on. Plus, this isn’t the first time these two have shared a moment together. So, it seems like something is being set up.

However, I think it’s way too soon for that. Kayce’s story on Yellowstone (which you can stream with a Peacock subscription) always revolved around his now-late wife Monica and his love for her and their family. Her being dead is a very big deal, and it’s something I don’t think he’s going to move on from that fast.

So, I think Marshals needs to take a massive step very far away from Kayce and Andrea and take a huge leap toward a different relationship.

I’d Rather See More Of Belle And Cal

While Kayce and Andrea seem to be a slow-ish burn (that’s still moving too fast for me), Marshals actually acted very quickly on a romance between Belle and Cal. However, since their kiss in Episode 7, it feels like we’ve been at a standstill with them, seeing as it ended with Belle calling the kiss a “terrible idea.”

Meanwhile, in this week’s episode, Belle asked Cal what was going on with him and told him he could trust her. He didn’t open up, but their chemistry was palpable. Plus, it’s clear these two get each other in a way that no one else does. Now, I’d like to see Marshals really capitalize on that chemistry and potential for a deeper relationship.

I do get that Cal is in no place for a relationship right now, and Belle has secrets we still need to unpack. However, I’m here for this connection. They clearly trust each other more than anyone else, and I think in the long run, these two could be in a relationship that helps them both heal.

So, as we round out Marshals first season and start to anticipate Season 2, let’s hope Kayce and Andrea stay in the friend zone while Cal and Belle start talking and figure out their romantic relationship with each other.

I had been looking forward to Riley Green’s entrance on Marshals for a while now, and it didn’t disappoint. In fact, his episode of the Yellowstone spinoff was the best one yet. Now, considering the fact that Green is a very popular country singer and a friend of the show’s lead, Luke Grimes, I had assumed he was offered the part. However, it turns out he really didn’t get any perks when it came to landing this role on the hit CBS series.

As we got to see Green’s introduction as Garrett, Kayce’s friend and former SEAL Team member, on the 2026 TV schedule, he spoke about the process of getting cast for Marshals. It turns out, it wasn’t exactly an offer; in fact, he had to audition for it, as he told Decider:

Before Green said that, the interviewer did note that they were surprised he had to audition, considering it felt like the Marshals role was written for him. I had a similar thought, especially since it's not like it's uncommon for parts like this to be offered. To use another CBS show as an example, Jelly Roll was offered his part on Fire Country, and Kane Brown’s role on the fire show was written specifically for him.

However, I also get why Green had to read for the part. Based on the episode he’s appeared in, it feels like Garrett could play a bigger role in the show. So, if that’s the case, obviously, they’d want to get the perfect person for it. The country singer had a similar mentality about it all as he recalled why he was actually “glad” they had him audition for the character:

If I were in his shoes, I’d have a similar thought. While it’s flattering to be offered a part or specifically written into something, I’d assume it also feels great when you can have your talent affirmed before your first day on set.

Green also made it clear that he really wanted to “earn” the role. So, ultimately, he was more than happy to audition for it:

I’m also thankful he was given this opportunity, because I think his character is a very cool addition to Marshals. While I love the Yellowstone alum who came into the CBS show to reprise their roles, and I’m here for all the new characters Kayce has interacted with, I love that Garrett is someone from his past.

Something I’ve always wanted to see more of is Kayce’s time in the military, and while we got that with Cal, it’s been emphasized with Garrett’s entrance.

Now, to see how this storyline continues, and to see more of Riley Green acting, you can catch new episodes of Marshals every Sunday at 8 p.m. on CBS, or you can stream them the next day with a Paramount+ subscription.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched the latest episode of Marshals on CBS or via Paramount+ subscription, so be warned!

Throughout its first season so far, Marshals has felt like the exact opposite of its dramatic predecessor, Yellowstone, with Luke Grimes’ Kayce Dutton & Co. facing weekly procedural challenges that are balanced with short bursts of character development. That said, Season 1’s eighth episode, “Blowback,” arguably feels like the most cohesive episode yet, with several overarching story strands brought together for a bullet-heavy cliffhanger ending. Oh, and did I mention country superstar Riley Green made his acting debut here as well?

All that said, just because this was possibly Marshals’ best episode to hit the 2026 TV schedule yet, that doesn't mean it was completely free from issues. No, definitely not that. Let’s discuss.

Kidnapping A Federal Agent Is Maybe The Worst Way For A TV Villain To Make A Point

Marshals finally brought back Michael Cudlitz's villainous Randall Clegg after he popped in earlier in Season 1 to make it clear he had a vendetta against the Duttons and anyone else with even slightly skewed opinions about the worth of Montana land. But the manner in which Clegg returned was…perhaps not the smartest way to make a statement.

Clearly driven by a sense of desperation, the antagonistic rancher set up a wildly dangerous car crash in order to kidnap Ash Santos’ Marshal Andrea Cruz and holder he captive. Which is a good way to get attention from the rest of her squad, but I’m not sure what Clegg expected this act to provoke, if not all-out warfare. It’s not like one can just take a federal agent hostage and then go on to live free and clear.

Clegg doesn’t seem to have a death wish to fall prey to Kayce’s bullets, and also doesn’t seem to think that the other Marshals will soft-toe their rescue attempts. So is this all just an attempt to cull the herd, or is there another step in the rancher’s plans that I’m just blind to at this point?

Cal Does Not Have The Mental Capacity To Lead His Team Or Strategize Rescue Attempts

Name any problem, and chances are strong that Logan Marshall-Green's Cal is currently suffering from it. For one, he seems to be lightly infatuated with Arielle Kebbel's Belle, but their big kiss has only caused things to get more awkward between them, causing Cal to get all the more defensive and impersonal around her.

Second, Cal unwittingly discovered that one of his team members, Miles, is currently in the early days of dating his daughter Maddie. Normally, that might not be so big of an issue, but Maddie has yet to fully allow Cal back into her life. And combined with Cal's own romantic foibles with Belle, seeing someone else in bliss isn't so easy.

Third, Cal is also dealing with some kind of serious medical issue that audiences have yet to learn specifics about. He was told that support groups could help, making it possible that he's been diagnosed with some form of cancer, or possibly a degenerative disease like ALS or Parkinson's. Whatever the case may be, it's looking more likely that Cal will not be in an ideal position to continue leading his team in the most effective manner.

Which brings us to the team's haphazard attempt to rescue Cruz from Clegg's compound. Cal's call was to quit everything else being done around the offices in order to put all attention on saving their fellow Marshal. Not a terrible idea, but the actual rescue plan left much to be desired.

Cal, Kayce, and the rest of the team approached Clegg's property in the worst way possible: from higher ground, and through wide-open spaces in broad daylight that basically eliminated any form of surprise. Case in point: Clegg's henchmen were very much set up and waiting for the Marshals. Which means they fully anticipated the good guys making such a dumb move, which is an issue in and of itself.

If the antagonists' accuracy wasn't just shy of Stormtroopers' skills in Star Wars, they could have easily cratered the Marshals' efforts. Which then would have just brought a lot more goverment heat onto everyone involved, but if this is truly a personal vendetta, then I guess Clegg would be fine with it.

Kayce Should Easily Be Able To Help Garrett Out

This week's episode marked the arrival of country musician Riley Green, who's portraying another surviving member of Cal and Kayce's SEAL Team, though one whose survival has been fraught with PTSD and horrifying memories of what went down, including the death of the fourth member, Roner. The implication here is that Cal was in some way responsible, or that his decision-making is what led to Roner's death.

As such, Garrett probably shouldn't make himself at home in a place where Cal is always around as a trauma-stoker. But also, if his entire safety net is the adrenaline he gets from playing country music on stage, then Kayce is already in a perfect position to help him, and somehow didn't bring any of it up.

Yellowstone fans will recall that one of the Duttons' more loyal hands was Ryan Bingham's Walker, whose main character trait was that he played sad country songs. He was set on keeping that part of his lifestyle going, so Kayce should have fairly quickly thought about that when Garrett spoke about music being a mental oasis.

But even if Walker maybe wasn't popular enough to justify a reach-out, what about Lainey Wilson's Abby, who debuted in Season 5 as a romantic interest for Ryan (Ian Bohen). I get that Kayce probably wasn't extremely close with her or anything, but his instinct still should have been, "Oh, let me call Ryan and see if he still has Abby's number." Instead of just telling Garrett that he could hang out and sleep over for as long as he needs. This guy needs more than just a bed in such close proximity to the crux of his problems.

Who knows? Maybe Kayce will remember his other country music-performing friends and acquaintainces in future episodes. Here's hoping Garrett survives long enough to make use of the advice if so.

Marshals airs Sunday nights on CBS at 9:00 p.m. ET.

For five seasons, we watched Luke Grimes and Kelly Reilly share the screen as they played Kayce and Beth Dutton on Yellowstone. Now, they both have their own spinoffs, with Grimes’ Marshals currently airing on CBS and Reilly’s Dutton Ranch preparing for its Paramount+ premiere on the 2026 TV schedule this spring. So, the obvious question now is: Will they ever cross over to each other's shows? Well, the Marshals star addressed that.

Considering Beth and Kayce are foundational parts of the Dutton family, it feels a bit weird that they’re now leading two completely different shows in two different places (albeit they will both be available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription). So, questions about crossover feel natural. Thankfully, Luke Grimes was asked about this on Country Nights with Bev Rainey, and I’d say he has a very optimistic outlook on the potential to see the siblings on screen together someday:

Thank goodness we finally got Luke Grimes on the record saying this. As we’ve learned more about both Marshals and Dutton Ranch, I’ve been wondering about the possibility of a crossover.

I mean, the lead characters of the shows are literally siblings; they were on the same series for five seasons (you can watch them with a Peacock subscription), so it’d be weird if they didn’t see each other. I know that Kayce is in Montana and Rip and Beth are going to be in Texas. However, I don’t think that should diminish the potential for them to see each other…especially since the final episodes of Yellowstone saw Luke Grimes’ character in Montana and Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser’s characters in Texas.

Plus, as Marshals has been airing, there have been multiple references to John and Jamie Dutton's deaths, and Rip’s name was even dropped early in the season. So, it’s not like this CBS series is trying to sever itself from Yellowstone. In fact, it’s maintaining its ties with these references and the four actors who returned to play the characters they originated in the flagship series. In short, it might be a law enforcement procedural, but its roots run deep with Yellowstone.

Meanwhile, Dutton Ranch’s trailer felt a lot more like the OG series tonally. However, it’s moving from Montana to Texas. So, like Marshals, while it has deep ties to Yellowstone, it’s also differentiating itself from its predecessor.

All in all, it does feel like there’s plenty of potential for these characters to bounce between shows. As Greg Yaitanes, a director who worked on both projects, said, it might make more sense for Kayce to go to Rip and Beth first. However, Grimes’ comments illustrate that both he and Reilly are ready and willing to share the screen whenever it makes sense.

Thankfully, Marshals has already been renewed for Season 2, and Dutton Ranch is set to premiere on May 15. So, there’s plenty of time for all of this to happen, and what makes it better is that the actors who play these iconic characters seem more than willing to make it happen, too.

Reese Witherspoon was in her early 20s when her iconic Hollywood career took off, and it seems like her daughter, Ava Phillippe, is following in her footsteps. The 26-year-old made her TV acting debut last year in an episode of Doctor Odyssey, and has also popped up in the Netflix show Ransom Canyon and Role Model’s “Look At That Woman” music video. So while her acting career is on the up and up, it was still a shock to see Phillippe all grown up and working with Yellowstone actor Luke Grimes, but Reese Witherspoon is one proud mama.

Country music fans received a big surprise on April 1st when Ella Langley dropped her music video for “Choosin’ Texas,” but the country music star was anything but fooling around. The star-studded video features appearances from Grimes, Langley, Miranda Lambert, Kaitlin Butts, and, of course, Phillippe, plus a couple of very obvious product placements for Jack Daniel's whisky.

Given Grimes recent return to the world of Yellowstone in the spin-off Marshals, paired with Langley’s sweep at the 2025 ACM Awards, this is a wild country collab for Phillippe to land, and Witherspoon took to Instagram to celebrate her daughter’s role:

Upon seeing this, I was so excited to watch the music video, but I wasn’t prepared to see how grown-up Phillippe looks.

The Morning Show actress was younger than her daughter when she had her kids, Ava and Deacon Phillippe, with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe. Her kids grew up in the spotlight, joining her on movie sets like Legally Blonde, This Means War, and Wild. It seems like only a few years ago they were entering college. The Election actress was in her feels upon seeing the video as well, posting the following snapshot to her Instagram story:

I know it’s been said time and time again, but wow, Ava Phillippe really is her mom’s mini-me. If you told me this was a still of Witherspoon from Sweet Home Alabama, I’d probably believe you. Even now, they still look so similar, and the Fear actress just turned 50, which is more of a testament to Witherspoon’s ageless abilities.

In the video, Phillippe plays the childhood sweetheart Grimes’ character left behind in Texas. Langley, who is romantically linked to Grimes’ character, sings of how she can’t compete with their history, as Phillippe and the Marshals actor catch glances from across a crowded bar. Check out the full video below:

I know it’s only a small part, but the Dior Beauty model plays the subtle pining so well, you can feel everything unresolved between her and the Eddington actor with just their looks. I’m sure it helped to be working alongside a veteran actor like Grimes, and props to Ella Langley, too, who directed the video.

Phillippe shared her love and appreciation for the experience on her own Instagram, giving the country music singer her flowers in the caption:

I have to say, the more I see of Ava Phillippe, the more excited I am for her first lead role. The actress is set to star alongside Sam Morelos (Summer of ‘69) in Tommy Dorfman’s film adaptation of the graphic novel Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me. Phillippe will play the titular character, Laura Dean, the most charming, popular girl in school, who Freddie (Sam) can’t stay away from. Dorfman told The Hollywood Reporter that the two leads’ chemistry is electric, and I couldn’t be more excited to see Phillippe’s feature film debut in this upcoming LGBTQ+ movie.

However, while we wait for that, I'll be hyping up this music video just like her mom has been.

The Dutton family has returned on the 2026 TV schedule in a big way; however, they are not on the same shows. With the premiere of Marshals (plus its early renewal) and the upcoming launch of Rip and Beth’s spinoff, Dutton Ranch, we’re seeing the main players from Yellowstone back in action! However, there are always questions about how the family could be reunited. So that begs the question: Would Kayce go to his sister’s show first? Or would she and Rip head over to CBS for an episode of her brother's program?

Well, thankfully, Greg Yaitanes, who has directed multiple episodes of both Marshals and Dutton Ranch, shared his take on that question. During a discussion with Collider, the director was asked about the two new Yellowstone spinoffs. The interviewer also mentioned that Luke Grimes, who plays Kayce, would love to reunite with Kelly Reilly, who plays Beth, but didn’t know if it’d be better for him to go to Rip and Beth’s show or vice versa. So, Yaitanes shared his take on the matter, explaining:

As a Dutton family fan, I, too, would freak out if this ever happened. Of course, since Marshals airs on CBS and Dutton Ranch will be exclusive to those with a Paramount+ subscription, it could be complicated to pull this off. However, it really is not impossible, considering Paramount owns CBS.

The bigger challenge of the two shows airing in different places, honestly, might come down to what can be said and shown on Dutton Ranch that cannot be on Marshals. Since Kayce’s series is on CBS, it can't have the cursing and gory violence that is allowed on a Paramount+ program. In short, I think characters like Rip and Beth would have a hard time on Kayce’s show. It would seem Yaitanes had a similar thought too, explaining:

He also made a valid point about how similar these two shows are to Yellowstone.

While Marshals has many connections to the flagship series (I mean, John Dutton was mentioned multiple times during the premiere), its concept is quite different, seeing as Kayce is a marshal now and working with a whole new team.

Meanwhile, as the director said, Dutton Ranch, in some ways, feels like Yellowstone Season 6. Based on the trailer for Rip and Beth’s show, tonally it feels quite similar to the original series, too, seeing as the couple is seemingly fighting for a ranch. While it will see the couple in a new place, the vibe and general story feel familiar. So, it’d be easy to plunk Kayce right back in, seeing as he fit in perfectly fine on the OG series.

With all that said and done, I’m hopeful that someday Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser can reunite on screen. And I do agree that it’d probably make the most sense for it to happen on Dutton Ranch first instead of Marshals. However, ultimately, I do want this family to be together on both spin-offs.

For now, though, we can see them take on their separate battles by watching Marshals every Sunday on CBS at 8 p.m. (you can stream it the next day on Paramount+). Then, on Sunday, May 15, make sure you are logged into Paramount+ to catch the premiere of Dutton Ranch.

The story of Yellowstone’s Dutton family legacy continues to thrive on CBS with Marshals, which has which has already been renewed for Season 2 just two episodes into its run on the 2026 TV schedule. The role of Kayce Dutton was a life-changer for actor Luke Grimes, who was convinced to return to the role after thinking he was done, and it wasn’t long at all before he decided to shift his home life (with wife Bianca Rodrigues Grimes) from Los Angeles to Montana’s Bitterroot Valley in 2020.

As such, the actor has been living in the state long enough to have witnessed the direct effect Yellowstone’s massive popularity had on the local community during its five-season stretch and beyond. While guesting on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, the burgeoning country music star addressed that the influx of outsiders moving to the region wasn’t exactly welcomed with open arms by the locals. To the point where some creative messaging tactics were enforced. As Grimes put it:

That is pretty hilarious. Though it involves someone’s vehicle being messed with by a stranger, at least no damage was done, and the message (seemingly) wasn’t overtly hateful. I can’t think of the last time I saw a truly welcoming message written in dirt on someone’s vehicle. Besides maybe "Wash Me," but that's a different kind of welcome.

He’s not exactly willing to give up an exact location on where he and his family are currently holed up, lest there be any vindictive locals who might potentially want to pay him a visit. In his words:

Luke Grimes, who lived in Los Angeles for around 16 years before uprooting anew, laughed when saying moving to Montana made it confusing it is to know when to eat dinner, as the sun doesn’t set until 11 p.m. I wonder how much money gets spent on blackout curtains up there.

Despite any amount of antagonism or side-eyed judgement that exudes from any of the locals that he crosses paths with, Luke Grimes is not holding onto any regrets when it comes to moving from Hollywood to Big Sky Country. It also doesn't sound like he's dead set on pissing off any of those locals, either, and seems much more content with keeping to himself and letting the outside world go on without him constantly being involved. Here's how he put it:

Grimes has previously talked about how living in Montana has been a boon for his non-acting endeavors, without the hustle and bustle of Hollywood being a constant distraction from digging into songwriting (especially for country music) and other creative ventures. Maybe if all of Montana's newer residents would keep to themselves the way Grimes does, the locals might not be so lit up about it all. Or maybe nothing would help.

Fans can catch Luke Grimes' Kayce Dutton tearing it up around Montana every Sunday night on CBS, with new episodes of Marshals airing at 8:00 p.m. ET, and streaming the next day via Paramount+ subscription.

Today is a big day for the Dutton family. While Yellowstone came to a close back in 2024, 2026 has seen the start of its first sequel series, Marshals. Now, as that show about Kayce Dutton dominates on the 2026 TV schedule, it has been quickly picked up for a second season. However, that’s not the only exciting Yellowstone news, because we also finally got a solid update about Rip and Beth’s spinoff.

Marshals Has Been Renewed For Season 2

Less than two weeks after Marshals premiered, CBS renewed it for Season 2. The show, which sees Luke Grimes return as his Yellowstone character Kayce Dutton, has been raking in the viewers, and with almost no hesitation, the network decided to order another set of episodes.

According to CBS, the Marshals premiere was watched by 20.6 million multiplatform viewers within seven days. To put that into perspective, per CBS, this is the “most-watched original series premiere without a football lead-in since 2017.” Adding to the accolades, the spinoff was the No. 1 show of the week, and during CBS’s premiere week, it was the most-watched show and new series. Oh, and the episode is CBS’s most-streamed episode ever by those with a Paramount+ subscription.

So, with all that said, it makes sense that Marshals got renewed after only two episodes. However, this isn’t the only exciting Yellowstone news we need to talk about…

Rip And Beth’s Spinoff Has An Offical Title And A Promise About Its Premiere

Last week on Marshals, Rip was actually name-dropped, which got me wondering when we were going to get an update about the highly anticipated spinoff about Rip and Beth. Well, we didn’t have to wait too long for it, because over on Instagram, there’s a big rebrand (pun intended) going on. Take a look:

While Cole Hauser said this show would not be called Dutton Ranch, it would appear that that is now the confirmed title of Rip and Beth’s spinoff series.

Now, along with the post above, the Dutton Ranch Instagram has eleven other posts that come together to make a massive new brand logo that is reminiscent of Yellowstone’s, but is a “DR” instead of a “Y.” Also, on each and every one of the posts, they put the caption:

Even the account’s bio notes that Dutton Ranch is “coming soon to [Paramount+].” That’s a pretty big rollout for a show, so it hopefully means more updates, photos, trailers and a release date are coming relatively soon.

Overall, this show still remains a pretty big mystery. However, along with knowing that Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser will be back as Rip and Beth, it’s been confirmed that Finn Little will also return to play Carter. We also know that Ed Harris has joined the cast, and so has Annette Bening.

All around, it’s thrilling that we’ve gotten so much solid news about the future of the Yellowstone franchise. Not only are we getting a second season of Marshals, but Dutton Ranch is well on its way, too. So, with all that being said, hold on to your horses, folks, because we’re in for a wild and long ride with the Duttons.

Discovering Monica’s doomed fate in Marshals’ first episode wasn’t exactly the revelation to end all revelations. Theories about her death abound after the first trailer was released, and the lack of Kelsey Asbille’s presence in future trailers indicated pretty heavily that her character would not be involved, at least not in a living and breathing capacity. Still, I can appreciate that the premiere fully addressed the issue rather than trying to sidestep it until a point when audiences forgot she existed.

It’s heavily implied within the Season 1 narrative that Monica is one of many tribe members who succumbed to cancer caused by tainted reservation land and water. (At least allegedly.) But given that Yellowstone’s series finale wrapped Kayce’s story up in such a seemingly closed-ended way, it’s curious that Luke Grimes’ character was the one given the plot focus here. Co-creator and showrunner Spencer Hudnut told The Hollywood Reporter that one of the biggest hurdles in breaking this show’s story involved giving Kayce a big enough hook to justify the spinoff’s spotlight.

That hook ended up being Monica’s absence, though Hudnut shared that this outcome was a result of BTS scheduling, and not an intentional cast culling. As the showrunner put it:

Once it became clear during the writing process that the creative team wouldn't be scripting stories for Kayce and Monica as a couple, that character void became the very foundational crisis point that Hudnut was seeking out for Grimes' character. He continued:

Stating the he wasn't involved in any conversations about Asbille's return, or lack thereof, Hudnut was asked about how he and others arrived at the specifics of her death, and how much it may be further explored as the season continues. In his eyes, what plays out in Marshals was the less predictable path for the vengeful character, as opposed to crafting a remixed version of Yellowstone's final season where Kayce goes on the warpath trying to garner justice over her passing. Per the showrunner:

Truths all over that one. If Kayce's lone mission was in taking out those responsible for his wife's death, he would probably take an active approach to avoiding joining any government factions. Easier to stave off authorities when they're not your coworkers.

As far as how Monica's death will continue to affect things, Hudnut shared that Kayce and Tate are working at different speeds when it comes to accepting their grief. As he put it:

For her part, Kelsey Asbille seemingly hasn't spoken out publicly about Marshals or her absense from it. She did share a post on Instagram recently that serves as only her second since Yellowstone wrapped.

Marshals premiere made multiple references to John Dutton, and the show also namedropped Cole Hauser’s Rip Wheeler, so it's clear Spencer Hudnut wasn't advised by Taylor Sheridan to avoid any connective tissue between the shows. Whether we'll ever see Hauser and Kelly Reilly on the CBS drama is another issue entirely, as is the prospect of having Asbille return via flashback.

Marshals airs on CBS every Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. ET, with new eps streaming the next day via Paramount+ subscription.

Very minor spoilers for the second episode of Marshals are ahead. You can stream the series with a Paramount+ subscription.

Now that Yellowstone’s first sequel series is airing on the 2026 TV schedule, and we know others are on the way, of course, I’m thinking about the potential for crossovers. Specifically, I’m wondering how and when Kayce can be reunited with his one living sibling, Beth, and her husband, Rip. Well, after Cole Hauser’s character’s name got dropped, the potential for crossover felt promising. So, I asked one of the show’s stars, Arielle Kebbel, about it.

How Rip Was Name-Dropped In Marshals

Now, to recap, early in the second episode of Marshals, Kayce and Tate go on a camping trip, and they discuss this new chapter they’re entering. However, while they’re going to new places (literally and figuratively), they still have East Camp and their little ranch to look after. So, Tate asks his dad who will look after it. In response, Kayce says:

So, clearly, Rip and Beth are still in communication with Kayce, and they’re ready and willing to help him. They are also in the know about his career change. And that all led me to wonder if Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly will ever show up in a show other than Rip and Beth’s spinoff.

What Arielle Kebbel Had To Say About The Potential For Yellowstone Cast Members To Appear In Marshals

Considering how often John Dutton has come up on Marshals and this name drop, I had to ask the cast about it. So, when I interviewed Arielle Kebbel, who plays Belle, I posed a question about Rip being mentioned in the latest episode and the potential for crossover. In response, she said:

Considering Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser and Luke Grimes were all major members of the Yellowstone cast from day one, I had assumed this might be the case. Plus, Kayce and Beth worked well together at the end of the flagship show, and I always thought it’d be a bit odd if they never interacted again on screen in at least one of their shows.

Also, as Kebbel pointed out, Marshals already has Yellowstone alum in it, as Gil Birmingham and Mo Brings Plenty came back to play Rainwater and Mo, while Brecken Merrill returned to play Kayce’s son, Tate. Speaking to that point, and the notion that this CBS show is an expansion of a world we already know, the Belle actress told me:

So, while no crossover is happening yet, it does sound like the door is wide open for it. I feel like that’s especially true now that Marshals has name-dropped not only late characters like John and Jamie, but living characters like Rip.

Now, let’s hope this dream can become a reality in a way that both connects all these shows while allowing Marshals to be its own new story. However, in the meantime, you can keep up with Kayce Dutton’s journey by watching Marshals on CBS every Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.

Long before Luke Grimes joined the Yellowstone cast and went to Montana to play Kayce Dutton, he was living in LA. Back when he first moved to California, he had quite the run-in with two iconic women, too. Now, he’s sharing the story from 20 years ago about the time he tried to hit on Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz.

Now, as Grimes was promoting the release of his Yellowstone spinoff, Marshals, on the 2026 TV schedule, he dropped by The Drew Barrymore Show. When he walked onto the stage, the host seemed very excited to meet him. However, he quickly set the record straight, with the following conversation:

• Luke Grimes: You want to hear something crazy?
• Drew Barrymore: What?
• Luke Grimes: We've met before.
• Drew Barrymore: How, because I’ve…Where?

Well, he sure told her where. According to Grimes, they met at a club because he was dared by a friend to go up to her and Diaz, who have famously stayed friends since making Charlie’s Angels. In the Marshals star’s words:

In response to that question, Barrymore said “of course,” which prompted Grimes to continue his story. Recalling why he ended up walking up to her and Cameron Diaz while there all those years ago, the Yellowstone star said:

Barrymore, who was enamoured by this story, asked Grimes what happened after that. He explained that he did work up the courage to talk to the Charlie’s Angels stars. He also recalled the two actresses’ reactions to his pick-up line, explaining:

Barrymore quipped amid this that Diaz’s reaction felt on-brand. Meanwhile, she affirmed her own reaction too, telling Grimes, “Thank you for even trying to fake a pickup line.” So, clearly, she was charmed by this whole ordeal then and now.

All this reminded me of how much I’d love to see Barrymore and Diaz make a movie together. However, now I’m thinking a good co-star for them could be Luke Grimes. Maybe his game can be better in a movie than it was in that club two decades ago.

Now, I’d really be curious to hear what Cameron Diaz thinks of this story, especially now that Grimes isn’t an unknown actor. He’s a vital part of the Dutton family tree, a big CBS star, and you can stream his show (which airs live on CBS every Sunday at 8 p.m.) with a Paramount+ subscription.

Obviously, the Dutton family tree is relevant to Marshals, seeing as it's the first spinoff we’ve gotten that’s a direct continuation of Yellowstone. However, what I wasn’t expecting was how often it, and specifically John Dutton, would come up in this spinoff all about his youngest son, Kayce. To be frank, I think it's kind of wild how relevant Kevin Costner’s character was to the CBS show’s premiere on the 2026 TV schedule.

Now, I get that Marshals needed to incorporate Yellowstone lore into its premiere (which you can stream with a Paramount+ subscription). Fans needed to be clued into Kayce’s family, their ranch, and the fact that he sold it to Broken Rock in the series finale of Yellowstone. So, I expected at least one line of dialogue, like the one Belle had fairly early in the episode:

To me, yes, it does ring a bell. And I do think it’s important for viewers to know that after Kevin Costner left Yellowstone, John was killed off. Then, in the series finale, his son, Jamie, was killed.

However, bringing up John and the Dutton legacy multiple times throughout the episode was kind of wild. We heard about Kayce’s family early when his history with Pete Calvin was brought up, and then John specifically came up another time when Kayce and Tate were talking about what his son wanted to do with their land when he grew up.

Now, I had guessed that while Marshals would be connected to Yellowstone, it would make a pretty distinct effort to distance itself. This show is on a new network, it only features a few returning cast members, and Kayce’s wife, Monica, died off-screen. With Luke Grimes’ character taking on a new job, I thought the show would hold its predecessor at arm's length. However, it turns out that it's fully embracing it.

I think this presents an interesting debate for Marshals. That’s because the show is set up to work like a procedural, where each episode follows a different case. Meanwhile, it’s direct, obvious, and numerous mentions of Yellowstone and Kayce's dad show that clearly this story is a continuation of what came before. Can it be both things at once? I guess time will tell.

Critics have said that Marshals is trying to find its own voice in this universe, while others asked how it can “maintain the integrity of Taylor Sheridan’s very specific world while also checking off all the boxes necessary for a network TV procedural?” These are things I’ve been thinking about too.

Ultimately, I’ve come to the conclusion that while I want Marshals to not ignore its ties to Yellowstone, I also don’t want John and the family history to come up multiple times in every episode.

I’d rather explore pockets of Kayce’s history that we’ve never seen before, like his time in the military. And I desperately want us to watch Kayce find a new purpose in the present. He’s been haunted by his family’s past for forever, and this show gives him an opportunity to break out of that cycle, change lanes and go in a new direction. However, if they keep bringing up his dad, I fear this lane actually won’t be new.

Well, now I’m very curious to see how Marshals continues. On the one hand, it’s fascinating to see how the choices the Duttons made on Yellowstone impact this new show. However, on the other hand, I’m looking forward to seeing a fresh and new take on this world that could stand on its own. So, you bet I’ll be keeping tally of the John Dutton mentions as this show continues to air every Sunday on CBS at 8 p.m.

It’s been over a year since Yellowstone ended after five seasons, but the universe is alive and well with multiple upcoming spinoffs. The latest one, Marshals, just premiered on CBS on the 2026 TV schedule, with Luke Grimes reprising his role as Kayce Dutton. While the actor was ready to let Kayce go, he revealed why and how Marshals got him to put the cowboy hat back on.

Grimes was announced to be returning to his beloved role in March 2025 for the then-titled Y: Marshals, taking him away from the Yellowstone Ranch to join a specialized group of U.S. Marshals. The announcement came as a surprise, especially since Grimes shared some heartfelt goodbyes to Kayce on social media surrounding the Yellowstone finale. So it’s no surprise that he had some reservations about the new show for several reasons, as he told the Los Angeles Times:

Since Kayce got a fitting ending for Yellowstone, it was hard to imagine what could bring him to join the U.S. Marshals, so it makes sense why Grimes was hesitant at first. Not only did he say goodbye to Kayce, but it seemed like Kayce’s story was over. Then there’s the fact that he had never done a procedural before, and Marshals and Yellowstone are formatted differently, so that’s something else that Grimes had to get used to.

Of course, even despite saying goodbye to Kayce, Grimes admitted that he wasn’t truly ready to let him ride off into the sunset forever. Speaking to that, he shared:

Grimes’ reasoning to do Marshals makes sense. Kayce’s story may have been done on Yellowstone, but it’s just getting started on the new spinoff. Even though Yellowstone ran for five seasons, Marshals gives Grimes the chance to really focus on Kayce in ways that he wasn’t able to before, and dig deeper into him as he starts this new chapter of his life.

Marshals only premiered on Sunday, but already it is making waves following the death of a surprising character that Grimes was really upset about. There will be much more to come in the new series, and it’s already proving that nothing is predictable. For Yellowstone fans, it’s probably been nice seeing Kayce Dutton again, and a few other Yellowstone favorites, and who knows who else will be making an appearance in the future.

Kayce Dutton is not the only Yellowstone character that fans will be seeing again. Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly are set to reprise their roles as Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton for their own upcoming spinoff, so there is a lot to look forward to when it comes to the Duttons. And that’s not even including the other upcoming spinoffs. You can watch Marshals on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS, streaming the next day with a Paramount+ subscription.

Spoilers for the series premiere of Marshals are ahead! You can stream the episode with a Paramount+ subscription, and then catch new ones every Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

As our first post-Yellowstone spinoff kicked off on the 2026 TV schedule, we got to see the returns of Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton, Gil Birmingham as Thomas Rainwater, Mo Brings Plenty as Mo and Brecken Merrill as Tate Dutton. However, one notable Yellowstone cast member who was missing from this lineup was Kelsey Asbille, who played Kayce’s wife, Monica. Now, Grimes has opened up about why her character isn’t on the show, why it’s good for it and his personal reaction to the development.

In the lead-up to Marshals' release, comments from the showrunner and Kayce and Tate as well as the trailer for the Yellowstone spinoff, had me theorizing that Monica was dead. Plus, with Asbille never confirmed as part of the cast, it seemed like something bad could happen to her character. Sadly, it’s revealed that she died in the premiere, and while speaking with the LA Times, Grimes explained how he reacted to this development, saying:

Throughout Yellowstone’s entire run (you can stream that show with a Peacock subscription, but you can watch Marshals on Paramount+), Kelsey Asbille and Luke Grimes shared the majority of their storylines. Monica and Kayce were always very close, so taking her away was a big shock. It makes sense that Grimes was upset that he couldn’t work with his longtime co-star anymore.

However, killing off Monica does create brand new (and deep) problems that Kayce will have to solve. Grimes noted all that too, as he explained why his character’s loss of his “dream life” will propel him forward in Marshals:

By having Monica die, Kayce is forced to take on life in a new way. They really worked together to raise Tate, and now he is a single father with a brand new job. Overall, that makes for a captivating story, and it helps Marshals set itself apart from Yellowstone.

However, just because Monica isn’t physically there does not mean her presence will be totally absent. Speaking about how Asbille’s character still impacts the series, showrunner Spencer Hudnut explained:

I get what both men are saying. Kayce had to lose something major to be forced down a totally new path in life. When we left him on Yellowstone, he was content at East Camp with his family. However, losing his wife makes him reassess what he wants and what he and his son need. And that's what helps him get to the marshals.

Now, I’m looking forward to seeing how all this unfolds as Marshals continues airing every Sunday on CBS.

It’s been a little over a year since we bid farewell to Yellowstone, the flagship Paramount series that launched Taylor Sheridan into the cultural zeitgeist. About the same amount of time has passed in-universe as we catch up with Kayce Dutton on the upcoming sequel/spinoff Marshals. Critics watched the first three episodes of the neo-Western police procedural before they hit the 2026 TV schedule, so what are they saying about the next iteration of Dutton?

In addition to Luke Grimes reprising his role, Gil Birmingham, Mo Brings Plenty and Brecken Merrill are making the move to CBS, but no Kelsey Asbille (we have our theories about Monica). Plenty of new characters will be introduced as well, much to the delight of critics like Michael John Petty of Collider. He rates it a 7 out of 10, saying Kayce is given a new beginning in Marshals, and while there are some growing pains, its strengths lie in not trying to copy Yellowstone. The critic writes:

Ryan Britt of Men’s Journal says Luke Grimes is better than ever in a show that both rewards Yellowstone fans with familiar characters and references but doesn’t require anyone to have seen the parent show. Britt says:

Andy Swift of TVLine gives it a B+, writing that Marshals fires on all cylinders, providing enough of a crime procedural to satisfy audience members who prefer a complete story per episode while still remaining prestigious enough for Yellowstone fans to enjoy. Swift continues:

Not all of the critics are as pleased with the spinoff’s results, as Nick Schager of The Daily Beast calls the sequel “embarrassing.” Kayce Dutton’s spinoff is nothing more than a “standard-issue CBS procedural gussied up with some Dutton polish.” More from Schager’s review:

Angie Han of THR agrees Marshals struggles to escape Yellowstone’s shadow, serving as more of a reverential sequel than standalone spinoff. If you’ve managed to avoid caring for the Duttons thus far, Han says, there’s no real reason to start now with this series. The critic writes:

The critics seem to have arguments both for and against the Yellowstone spinoff, so feel free to tune into Marshals and see for yourself if the next chapter of Kayce Dutton's story is for you or not. The series premieres at 8 p.m. ET Sunday, March 1 on CBS and with a Paramount+ subscription (Premium subscribers can get the episode live, while those with an Essential plan will gain next-day access).

We finally get to return to the world of Yellowstone when Marshals premieres on the 2026 TV schedule. However, while I’m sure a ton of long-time fans will tune in, this CBS spinoff led by Luke Grimes could bring in new viewers who have never seen the Duttons’ Montana ranch or met the characters, like Grimes’ Kayce, who made it iconic. So, with that in mind, here are five quick things you need to know about Yellowstone as we dive into Kayce’s next adventure.

The Duttons Gave Their Ranch To Broken Rock, And Kayce Is Close With Rainwater

For over 100 years, the Duttons lived on the same ranch in Montana, and that’s well-documented through the prequel series, 1883 and 1923 (which you can stream alongside Marshals with a Paramount+ subscription). However, at the end of Yellowstone, Kayce and his sister Beth sell the ranch back to the Broken Rock people.

They sold it for $1.25 per acre, which is what the Duttons bought it for way back when. However, they didn’t sell it all. Kayce got to keep his home at East Camp, and that’s likely where he’ll still be living in Marshals.

Plus, with Gil Birmingham and Mo Brings Plenty returning to play their Yellowstone characters, Broken Rock Chairman Thomas Rainwater and his right-hand man, Mo, respectively, this deal could be important. And it's worth noting that Kayce has always had a good relationship with them and the reservation, which could easily impact his work as a Marshal.

Kayce Is Married To Monica, And They Have One Son

Throughout all of Yellowstone, Kayce was always very close to his wife, Monica, and their son, Tate. They also lost a baby during the show’s run. Now, as Marshals starts, Brecken Merrill, who plays Tate, is set to return. However, Kelsey Asbille is not, leaving a massive question about where Monica is in this new chapter of Kayce’s life.

John And Jamie Dutton Are Dead (Beth And Kayce Are John's Only Living Children)

When Yellowstone’s fifth season returned (you can stream it now with a Peacock subscription), it began with the death of John Dutton. Following Kevin Costner’s exit from the show, his character, who was the governor of Montana at the time, was killed.

Then, in Yellowstone’s series finale, after saying “I will avenge you” to her father at his grave, Beth drove to her brother Jamie’s house and brutally killed him. They had a long-standing feud on the series, and considering how much he’d wronged this family, it made sense that his sister did this.

Jamie is not the only Dutton sibling who is dead, though. John’s oldest son, Lee, died at the start of Yellowstone’s first season. So, that leaves Kayce and Beth as the only living children of Costner’s patriarch.

Kayce Has A History With The Military

Before Kayce returned to his family ranch and eventually became a Marshal, he was a Navy SEAL. It’s clear in Yellowstone that his time in the military was traumatizing; however, it’s not explored much. His skills obtained through that experience are tough, and we’ll likely see them on display again in Marshals as he takes on this new job.

The Train Station Is Where The Duttons Dump Their Dead Bodies

When it comes to vital Yellowstone vocabulary, the Train Station is an important term to know. That’s because it’s not an actual train station, it’s a canyon on the border of Wyoming and Montana where the Duttons literally dump their dead bodies. So, if a character wrongs the family, they get taken to this place, because they won’t be found there.

Now, while there’s plenty more Yellowstone lore, you do not need to know the full Dutton family tree to get into Marshals. However, having a very basic understanding of what happened to Kayce before he joined this new team will likely be helpful as you tune into this new CBS drama every Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.

The Yellowstone universe’s first modern-day follow-up, Marshals, is almost here to finally answer some big fan questions, such as what happened to Monica, and how Beth and Rip’s absences will be explained as they gear up for their own spinoff. Shockingly enough, one of my other overarching concerns about Marshals’ arrival on the 2026 TV schedule has actually already been answered thanks to the latest bit of casting news.

Ahead of its March 1 series premiere, Marshals has added the former star of another highly successful genre series with a high spinoff rate: The Walking Dead vet Michael Cudlitz. He’s set for a recurring guest star role, according to EW, but it doesn’t sound like he and Kayce Dutton are destined to be BFFs in the foreseeable future.

Who Is Michael Cudlitz Playing In Marshals?

Seen most recently opposite the Man of Steel as Superman and Lois' Lex Luthor, Michael Cudlitz won't be playing a character who's quite so univerally recognizable in Marshals, but I won't go on the record saying this dude will be a lot nicer. He's set to portray Randall Clegg, the gruff patriarch of another legacied ranching family in Montana. Their time on the land doesn't stretch back quite as long as the Duttons', but I don't foresee Randall willingly copping to being the second most noteworthy clan in the area.

While it's not specified just how many installments Cudlitz will appear in, his arrival will take place in the episode airing on CBS on March 15. So fans will get a couple of episodes to get to retouch base with Kayce and meet his squad of fellow Marshals.

How Cudlitz's Randall Clegg Soothes One Of My Yellowstone-Related Concerns

To date, Marshals’ storyline has mostly been described as centering on Kayce following up on all the family’s ranch-related drama by joining the U.S. Marshal Service and leaning into that brand of frontier justice — pun fully intended — by guiding a team of brave badasses through the physical and psychological turmoil that comes with the badge. Combine that logline with CBS’ long history with job-centric procedural dramas, and like me, you might expect for Marshals to also fall into a case-of-the-week pattern.

But Cudlitz joining the series means that Marshals will indeed keep some of Yellowstone's serialized storytelling intact, which is definitely what I was hoping for from this show. Nothing against procedurals, but it'd be too much of a jolt to go from one extreme to the other without some crossover.

As well, Randall Clegg seems like he'll fill the role of a central villain, even if only in a recurring capacity, which is an element that always made Yellowstone better in my eyes. The Duttons are only so interesting without a charismatic and captivating antagonist standing in the way, and I love the lack of intimidation that comes across when Cudlitz shows up in the trailer below.

It's not much, granted, but it's enough to get me pumped about what could go down between those two a bit later in the season. Maybe they can both fight that bear from the first trailer.

Check out the rest of the announced cast below.

• Logan Marshall-Green
• Arielle Kebbel
• Ash Santos
• Tatanka Means
• Gil Birmingham (From Yellowstone)
• Mo Brings Plenty (From Yellowstone)
• Brecken Merrill (From Yellowstone)
• Guest star: Country music star Riley Green

Michael Cudlitz played the flame-haired fan favorite Abraham for several seasons of the flagship Walking Dead drama's core run, and he played heavily into the most controversial episode of that horror-drama's run. I cannot foresee the same kind of plotline playing out on Marshals, but then again, I wouldn't have guessed how Yellowstone Season 5 played out, so I'm willing to keep an open mind.

Marshals kicks off on CBS starting on Sunday, March 1, with episodes available to stream the next day via Paramount+ subscription.

Taylor Sheridan has threaded a variety of shared themes, motifs and even cast members throughout the various dramas populating the Yellowstone universe, including the utilization of country music stars. (Landing Tim McGraw as key ancestor James Dutton, for the best example.) CBS’ Marshals won’t be an exception to that expectation, either, and I’m not just referring to star Luke Grimes having evolved his own singer-songwriter skills.

Grimes, who had the pleasure of hearing one of his songs on Yellowstone, will be joined by a famed “buddy” of his from the music world, CMA and ACM Award-winning artist Riley Green. And unlike some past musicians’ appearances on Yellowstone, Green isn’t being lined up to necessarily showcase his day-job talents. I mean, I wouldn’t discount the potential for his character to sing at some point, but it doesn’t sound like he’s playing a recording musician.

Rather, Green will appear in multiple episodes as former Navy SEAL named Garrett who pops up at the controversy-tinged Montana ranch out of the blue in the hopes of garnering some assistance for a task that may or may not be completely above board. According to Variety, Garrett aims to convince his friends Kayce and Cal (played by Logan Marshall-Green) to help him get rid of some “demons of his past.”

Sounds dangerous, and there’s no real indication of whether these demons are intangible concepts like alcoholism or a lack of motivation, or if we’re talking about shady figures form his past who need to be eliminated. I’m less invested in the idea that these are actual hellspawn demons, but it would be interesting for Marshals to turn into a supernatural shitshow right there in Season 1.

I wouldn’t put it past Kayce to help a fellow SEAL vet with one immoral task or another, considering he’s reached out for quite a few favors of his own over the years. That said, I do wonder how much Marshals will play up Kayce as a badass hero on the range, and how much we’ll see him doing the same kind of rule-bending and law-dodging that most Dutton family members excel at. He still has to be a good role model for Tate, right? Especially if Monica is actually dead and he’s going the single parent route.

Green shared the following statement about his casting:

Hailing from Jacksonville, Alabama, Riley Green was actually on TV before getting his music career going, as he was a contestant on CMT’s Redneck Island around 2012 ahead of releasing a number of EPs over the next five years. He hit it big in 2019 with the release of his first full album, Different ‘Round Here, and went on to win the ACM for New Male Artist of the Year. He’s released two albums since — Ain’t My Last Rodeo and Don’t Mind If I Do — and shared huge award wins with Ella Langley in 2025 for their smash single and video “You Look Like You Love Me.”

Just to namecheck a few of the musicans beyond Tim McGraw who've popped up in Taylor Sheridan shows, we have Faith Hill, Ryan Bingham, Lainey Wilson, Shane Smith & The Saints, Zach Bryan, Whiskey Myers and more. Kevin Costner and Landman star Billy Bob Thornton also have their own bands.

Will any of Luke Grimes' other Nashville compadres make the trip to Montana? Find out when Marshals premieres on CBS on Sunday, March 1, with episodes available to stream the next day via Paramount+ subscription.

Kayce Dutton is about to get back in the saddle as his spinoff, Marshals, premieres on the 2026 TV schedule. That means Luke Grimes will put his cowboy hat back on, he’ll share the screen once again with some Yellowstone stars, and he’ll return to work in law enforcement. Speaking of law enforcement, it turns out the actor thought his character’s return to that line of work was “kind of crazy.” However, I’m here for it.

It’s worth noting that Marshals will serve as the first spinoff that shows us what the characters have been doing since the end of Yellowstone. So, when Kayce returns to our screen, we’ll get our first update about his life since he and Beth figured out what to do with the ranch. He’ll be doing a new job while raising his son, too, and it’s the new job that kind of surprised Grimes, as he told MTV:

For a bit of context, during some of Yellowstone (which you can stream with a Peacock subscription), Kayce served as the livestock commissioner. He had a badge, and his job was to help deal with legal issues regarding livestock and wildlife. Now, he’ll have a badge again, but this time as a Marshal.

That return to this line of work seemed to surprise Grimes, and I’d assume it’s because Kayce wasn’t fond of his job as the commissioner at all. However, I actually think this is a great move.

Personally, I’ve been dying to learn more about Kayce’s past in the military. I’ve always had a bone to pick with Kayce’s story, too, because that past and his trauma were never explored to their full potential on Yellowstone. I think that giving him this new badge is the perfect way to actually dive into all this history that I’ve been wanting to learn about for years, while also giving Grimes the opportunity to tell brand new stories centered around the youngest Dutton sibling.

Plus, the job is inherently action-packed, which means we’re in for an intense and entertaining journey with Marshals. The show will see Luke Grimes’ character become a marshal and join a crew made up of entirely new characters. Meanwhile, some Yellowstone staples will return, too, which will help strengthen the bond between the flagship show and this new spinoff. Overall, this series feels like a fresh take on the Western world we know and love, and I can’t wait to watch it.

Now, to see what Kayce does with this new badge, you can catch the premiere of Marshals on March 1 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. You’ll also be able to stream the episodes the next day with a Paramount+ subscription. In the meantime, you can go see Kayce with a badge by watching Yellowstone on Peacock.

Y: Marshals’ premiere on the 2026 TV schedule will mark the return of Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton. Alongside him, other original Yellowstone cast members will reprise their roles. However, one notable missing actor is Kelsey Asbille, who played Kayce’s wife, Monica. Now, after hearing how Kayce and his son Tate’s relationship will play into this new series, I have more fuel for my theory about where his partner went.

What Y: Marshals’ Showrunner Said About Kayce And Tate

This Yellowstone spinoff will mark our first look at the Duttons’ life since the flagship series ended in 2024. Along with Grimes, Gil Birmingham, Mo Brings Plenty and Brecken Merrill will reprise their roles as Rainwater, Mo and Tate, respectively. Speaking specifically to Kayce’s relationship with his son, Tate, in this new series, showrunner Spencer Hudnut told EW that in the year between the end of Yellowstone and the start of Y: Marshals, a lot has changed. He said:

Hudnut revealed that Y: Marshals will pick up about a year after Yellowsone ended. Kayce will still be living at East Camp and spending more time with Tate than normal, as the showrunner explained:

I don’t know about you, but when I read this quote, I immediately thought about the fact that Kelsey Asbille isn’t a confirmed member of the cast. I also thought about how Monica-less the Y: Marshals trailer was. And when you put all this together, it’s got me wondering if Kayce’s wife isn’t in this show because she’s dead.

My Theory Is That Monica Died

As Luke Grimes has talked about Y: Marshals, he’s noted that familiar faces will appear; however, he’s also been clear that this series will “free [Kayce] up.” Add all that to Hudnut’s comments about how Kayce will really start parenting Tate more, and all arrows seem to point to Monica being permanently out of the picture.

Considering how close she was with Tate and Kayce, if the couple broke up, I’d assume that co-parenting would still be part of the story. Plus, for the Dutton to make such a drastic life-change by taking on this new career, something big needs to have happened to force it all, I think.

Therefore, I'm operating on the theory that Monica died. Hudnut’s comments make it sound like Kayce is solo-parenting and is far more focused on his son than he has been before. As the showrunner said, Grimes’ character has always cared deeply for Tate; however, Monica did do most of the parenting. So, I’m assuming she’s totally out of the picture in this show.

Now, if that’s what happens, it will be interesting to see how Kayce and Tate deal with this loss. It will certainly change their lives and their relationship. So, I’m very curious to see if my theory turns out to be true or not.

To find out if I’m right, and to watch how Kayce Dutton’s story continues, you can tune into the premiere of Y: Marshals on CBS at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 1 or stream it the next day with a Paramount+ subscription.

Ever since Y: Marshals was placed on CBS’s 2025-2026 lineup, I’ve been thinking about how this upcoming Yellowstone show can expand the story of Luke Grimes’ Kayce Dutton. One element of this character’s life that I’m dying to know more about is his relationship with his father, who was played by Kevin Costner in the original series. I think this show has a great opportunity to do just that, too, and I actually think it can easily do it (and do it well) without the actor best known for playing the Dutton patriarch.

Now, as I’m sure you’re aware, Kevin Costner left Yellowstone ahead of its final episodes, and it was not exactly amicable. Rumors swirled for months about his exit, and issues he and the show’s creator, Taylor Sheridan, ran into that reportedly led to him not playing John anymore. Then, in the Season 5B premiere, John was killed off, and the actor who played him didn’t appear on the show again.

With all that being said, I would assume that the odds of the Bull Durham actor showing up in Y: Marshals are slim to none. First of all, as we just discussed, John Dutton is dead and cannot show up in the present. Second, if they did want to bring him back for flashbacks, based on how his Yellowstone exit went down, I’d guess he’d say no (though nothing is impossible). However, there is a very easy way for the character of John Dutton to return, and I really hope they do it.

Remember, Kevin Costner is not the only actor who plays John Dutton. In flashbacks, Josh Lucas portrays the Dutton patriarch. And I think it’d be brilliant to bring him back as we dive into Kayce’s story.

Over the course of Yellowstone’s run (which you can stream with a Peacock subscription), Josh Lucas appeared in nine episodes as the younger version of John Dutton. He was great in the role, too, and I always appreciated learning more about the family’s history through these flashbacks.

However, one person these flashbacks almost always neglected was Kayce. I’ve always had a bone to pick with Kayce’s story for that reason, as well. His military past and tense relationship with his father was always mentioned, but never seen. And I desperately wanted to see it.

Luke Grimes does too. A while back, he told me that it would be interesting to explore Kayce’s past in the special forces and the trauma that experience caused. Y: Marshals feels like the perfect place to dive into that history, and I’d love to see it played out in a way that included John. That’s because these two butted heads a lot during that time, and I’d like to know how their relationship turned Kayce into the man he is today.

They can easily do that, too, by bringing Josh Lucas back to play John and casting a new young actor to play Kayce in his teens and early 20s. So, CBS, can we get on this, please? And in the meantime, you better believe I’ll be tuning into Y: Marshals on March 1 to see how this next chapter in the youngest Dutton’s story continues.

Yellowstone fans will finally get to see Luke Grimes' Kayce Dutton more in action mode than ever thanks to the new CBS spinoff Y: Marshals, which is confirmed to arrive during the 2026 TV schedule. The country singer is co-starring with quite a few new faces, as well as a handful of familiar ones. A pair of well-established characters do indeed appear in the latest trailer for the militaristic western drama, but I can't deny that the coolest draw in the video may very well be a motherfluffin' bear!l On the flipside, my biggest takeaway after watching is that we're almost definitely being set up for the death of Monica Dutton.

Check out the trailer below, and when you're nost blindly cheering for Kayce's badassery, see if you can spot each of the highlights we'll be discussing just below.

Okay, so let's kick things off with the biggest question that fans have had during the entire stretch that Y: Marshals was in production without any updates about Kayce's marital status: wassup with Monica?

Y: Marshals' Trailer May Have Just Convinced Me Monica Is Dead Now

To be sure, this idea is hardly a new one in the realm of Yellowstone spinoff theories, with Luke Grimes himself sparking a ton of death-infused speculation with comments about Kayce's time being freed up due to a big event. Of course, some theorized that she and Kayce would get divorced, while others also assumed that Tate would be dying with her. (I can see how the idea of raising Tate alone would be the antithesis of living free.)

Beyond the complete absence of actress Kelsey Asbille, whose time on Yellowstone was somewhat marred by claims about her ancestry, two other moments seem purposefully inserted into the trailer to tip a hat to Monica's fate. For one, we hear several snippets of Kayce's dialogue early on in the trailer that serve as like a character mission statement.

It's unclear if any audio was clipped out that indicated he also lost his spouse, or if perhaps Kayce thought of Monica more as his teammate. Either way, it's set up to make it sound like he's only experienced lost in the most recent past, without any acknowledgement of successfully selling off the ranch and getting a permanent home out of it.

By all means, everything said thus far could also imply that Monica and Kayce split up and got divorced. Only there's then this shot, in which the character's wedding band is on pretty prominent display.

Sure, there are some people who continue to wear their wedding rings even after relationships have ended, sometimes as a reminder, and sometimes as a way to avoid unwarranted attention from other singles. So we can't call this one definitively solved just yet, but we're close!

Y: Marshals Features A Big Ol' Angry Bear

I hope Kayce Dutton packed up a bunch of extra pic-a-nic baskets, because he and his squad are apparently going to have to deal with the threat of a wild bear. Will we get to see some kind of hyper-violent attack with bodies left in the bear's wake? Probably not, given this is a CBS show, but I really hope we get to see some kind of action-geared sequence with the animal.

For the record, I am aware that's a CGI beast and not an actual bear that the Y: Marshals team keeps around to traumatize crew members. But it looks awesome, and not at all like the kinds of awkward digital creations that sometimes pop up in network series that ran out of budget. Hope nobody gave that thing any cocaine, or even a small espresso.

Rainwater And Tate Dutton Also Pop Up

Gil Birmingham's tribal leader and Brecken Merrill's teen could almost be related with the similar ways they both look at Kayce during the trailer. Perhaps tellingly, neither one of them has any smiles to share. (The only OG cast member confirmed for the spinoff who didn't appear was Mo Brings Plenty.)

Thomas Rainwater's message to Kayce is one preaching non-violence, reminding Grimes' character that even though all Duttons are born with killer instincts, he's meant to be a protector instead of a killer. Which, if Monica IS dead, might come across as a giant face-smacking insult. Or maybe he's just talking about keeping Tate and the ranch protected.

Tate, meanwhile, doesn't get to say anything (which is probably for the best, given the character's mostly garbage dialogue), but the look on his face doesn't convey that he's gearing up to get a warm hug from his mom. There are plenty of other potential reasons for his dismay, but only one that lines up with the rest of this article.

Whatever the answer ends up being, I really hope CBS and the creative team don't wait until the show actually debuts to shed light on this, since I can't think of a clear advantage to continue keeping viewers in the dark for months on end. Of course, if the series premiere features Kelsey Asbille living and breathing and surviving beyond the end credits, it just might be the biggest TV twist of the year.

Check out Y: Marshals when it lands on CBS' primetime schedule starting on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Now we just need a big trailer to release for Rip and Beth's upcoming spinoff, if anyone at Paramount+ is listening.

When CBS’s 2025-2026 slate returns in the new year, we’ll finally get to see the premiere of Kayce’s Yellowstone spinoff, Y: Marshals. The show promises to bring the Dutton into a job that lets him use the skills he picked up in the military, and I’m hoping that means we’ll get to see more of his past in it, too. A year ago, Luke Grimes told me that’s also something he’d like to see explored more, and after seeing new footage for the show that will continue Kayce’s story, I’m thinking a lot about those comments.

So, while Y: Marshals won’t premiere on the 2025 TV schedule, the upcoming Yellowstone show is well on its way to us and will hit our screens in early 2026. To get fans hyped about that, ET dropped an exclusive preview of this spinoff series. Take a look:

In the video, Kayce says he’s “changing paths to find a new beginning.” However, it’s clear that his new job will also tap into the skillset he acquired while he was in the military. So, that got me thinking about a conversation I had with Grimes about flashbacks and Kayce’s history that we never saw during Yellowstone.

In 2024, before Season 5B of Yellowstone came out, I interviewed Luke Grimes about a campaign he was doing with Carhartt; however, I also talked to him a lot about the final episodes of Taylor Sheridan’s hit. Since I had been watching 1883 and 1923, I was thinking a lot about the Dutton family tree and the flashbacks we get to see of the family history in the flagship show. So, I asked Grimes what he’d like to see if Kayce’s past was to be explored more, and in response, he told me:

I’ve also always wanted to see this side of Kayce’s past, and I was bummed it never got shown in Yellowstone. However, it sounds like Y: Marshals could dive into Grimes’ character’s past, as the synopsis says his new job with the U.S. Marshals will be “combining his skills as a cowboy and Navy SEAL to bring justice to Montana.”

During my conversation with the actor, we touched on the fact that we really don’t get to see much of Kayce’s backstory in Yellowstone. While Rip and Beth got tons of flashbacks, the younger Dutton got almost none, as Grimes explained:

Over the course of the flagship show, which you can stream with a Peacock subscription, we heard about Kayce’s military past often. However, we never got to see it or learn any details about it.

It seems like Y: Marshals, which will air on CBS and be available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription, has the potential to change that. So, I’d guess, based on the conversation I had with Luke Grimes over a year ago, he’s thrilled about the potential to explore more of Kayce’s story, just like I am.

Luke Grimes said “familiar faces” would be returning for his upcoming Yellowstone show, and now we know who they will be. Along with four brand new cast members, it was revealed that three actors from Taylor Sheridan’s flagship series will reprise their roles in Y: Marshals. However, I can’t help but notice that one major original cast member is still missing.

Luke Grimes' Spinoff Just Added Seven Cast Members, And That Includes Three Original Yellowstone Actors

For a long time, all we knew about Kayce’s spinoff was that Luke Grimes would return as Kayce Dutton and it’d premiere in 2026 in CBS’s prime time lineup. Then, it was announced that Logan Marshall-Green would be joining the cast ot play a new character named Pete Calvin. Now, the cast is rounding itself out with seven new additions.

Most notably, Deadline reported that three of these seven new additions are familiar faces. Along with Grimes, Gil Birmingham, Mo Brings Plenty and Brecken Merrill will all reprise their roles from Yellowstone. To recap, Birmingham plays the leader of the Broken Rock Reservation, Thomas Rainwater, Brings Plenty is his right-hand man, Mo, and Merrill plays Tate, Kacye’s son.

Along with them, John Tucker Must Die’s Arielle Kebbel, Pulse’s Ash Santos and Reservation Dogs’ Tatanka Means have joined the cast as series regulars, with Ransom Canyon’s Brett Cullen signing on for a recurring role.

The report noted that Kebbel, Santos and Means will play U.S. Marshals Belle, Andrea and Miles, respectively. Meanwhile, Cullen will portray Harry Gifford, and he’s the head of the U.S. Marshals in Montana.

Now, all this is exciting. I can’t wait to see these new faces, and I am especially thrilled about the returning Yellowstone cast members. However, there’s one big name missing that we need to talk about.

However, Kelsey Asbille Still Has Not Been Confirmed For Y: Marshals

While seven additions is a lot, I couldn’t help but notice one big name missing. For all of Yellowstone, Kelsey Asbille played Monica Dutton, Kayce’s wife. And so far, she has not been announced as part of this spinoff's cast.

It’s certainly possible her involvement just hasn’t been confirmed, and she might be announced as part of the cast at a later date. However, with the confirmation of Birmingham, Brings Plenty and specifically Merrill, I’m beginning to wonder if she won’t be in Y: Marshals, meaning Kayce could be without his wife.

Grimes has said something will happen to Kayce in this show that will “free him up,” and fans and I were quick to theorize that that might mean Monica and Tate could be out of the picture. However, we now know Tate will be there. But what about Monica?

Will Asbille not be in it, and will Monica’s absence ultimately be this big thing that changes Kayce’s life and sends him to the Marshals? It’s certainly a question I’ll be seriously contemplating until her involvement is firmly confirmed or denied. And you should too, because if Monica isn’t there, it certainly could shake up Kayce’s life in a big way.

So, hang on tight, folks. This massive casting announcement shows we’re really back in the saddle now, and one huge step closer to seeing Y: Marshals on our screen. However, it also highlights a big question that will hopefully be answered ahead of the series projected early 2026 premiere on CBS.

Neal McDonough is very good at playing very bad guys, and my favorite example of that came in Season 2 of Yellowstone. He played Malcolm Beck in the series, and he and his brother were responsible for some of the show's most brutal moments. Now, the actor wants to return as his character for an upcoming Yellowstone show, and I hope Taylor Sheridan is taking notes.

Now, in Yellowstone (which you can do with a Peacock subscription), it’s not 100% confirmed that Malcolm is dead. He was seemingly fatally wounded. However, after John shot him multiple times and offered to take him to a hospital if he gave up the location of Tate, he left him to die alone in a field. And we all should operate under the idea that if we don’t see the dead body with our own eyes, we can’t assume anyone is really dead.

Well, now, Neal McDonough is setting the record straight about Malcolm, as he told Collider that his character is for sure still alive, and he wants to return as him:

You know what? I agree! Bring Malcolm back! He was an absolutely vicious adversary for the Duttons, and I’d love to see how he comes back with a vengeance. I also want to watch how the family responds to his return. Considering John is dead, it’d be fascinating to see the kids fully deal with him, and I think it’d be a compelling way to connect Yellowstone to one of the new series.

Now, it seems like McDonough would like to be part of the Rip and Beth spinoff, which I think makes the most sense. What the Beck brothers did on Yellowstone is not made for CBS, which is where Kayce’s series will live. So, I imagine that his likely violent return would be better suited for Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser’s Paramount Network series, where they won't have to worry as much about what they can and cannot show.

I also think it simply makes more sense that Beck would come for John’s daughter and son-in-law over Kayce. They’re starting a new life and ranch together while Kayce moves into a totally new profession. With that in mind, I think it’d make more sense for old adversaries who came after the Duttons’ land to return for the tentatively titled Dutton Ranch instead of the Luke Grimes-led Y: Marshals.

Along with that, McDonough has a personal connection to Rip and Beth’s show because he’s really good friends with Cole Hauser. So, seeing their chemistry on screen again would be so fun, especially if they get to go head-to-head in a very direct way.

It’s worth noting that the Malcolm actor is also a part of the Taylor Sheridan extended universe. Along with Yellowstone, he’s in the cast of Tulsa King, which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription. This makes his comeback feel more likely.

It’s not uncommon for actors in Sheridan’s shows to jump from program to program – Sam Elliott was in 1883 and will appear in Landman Season 2, Michelle Randolph was in both 1923 and Landman, and Hugh Dillon was in Yellowstone before Mayor of Kingstown. Therefore, I could totally see McDonough jumping back into Beck’s boots for one of these new shows.

Obviously, none of this is confirmed, but the fact that Neal McDonough wants it to happen gives me hope. So, here’s hoping Malcolm Beck comes back to wreak havoc on the Duttons.

There are a bunch of upcoming Yellowstone shows to get excited for, but personally, I’m anticipating Kayce’s show, Y: Marshals, the most. During the flagship show, I always had a bone to pick with Kayce’s story because it never felt like he reached his full potential and was quite stuck. Now, he has another chance to reach that potential, but as Luke Grimes said, they need to “free him up” first. That probably means something big has to change in his life, and fans have a tragic theory about what that thing will be.

What Luke Grimes Said About Kayce Dutton’s Spinoff

We’re still quite a ways away from Kayce’s show premiering on CBS’s 2025-2026 lineup, because it’s slated to be released early next year. However, as Luke Grimes has been promoting his latest project, Eddington, which is a Western premiering this month on the 2025 movie schedule, he’s been asked about his Yellowstone character’s new series. While he can’t say much, he did tell Brit and Co. that we can expect a big change:

Now, the question becomes, what will have to happen to “free him up?” We know, based on the show’s synopsis, that Kayce will join an “elite unit of U.S. Marshals” and the ranch will be “behind him.” It seems like it also has the potential to dive into his past as a Navy SEAL, as he uses the skills he’s picked up as a cowboy and a SEAL to do his new job.

However, when we left Kayce at the end of Yellowstone, he was living happily at East Camp with Monica and Tate. What will happen that prompts such a massive life change? Well, a couple of fans have noted a tragic theory that could answer this question, and I hate that I agree with it.

There’s One Tragic Theory Swirling Around What Will ‘Free’ Kayce Up

So, before we get into this theory, let me present a couple of notable facts. In the synopsis of the show, the only character mentioned by name is Kayce. So, while Grimes has said “familiar faces” will appear, we don’t know who will return yet. That leads us to fact number two, while the summary notes how he and his teammates will work to “balance family, duty and the high psychological cost” that comes with their job, Kayce’s wife and son are not mentioned at all.

It feels odd that Monica and Tate weren’t mentioned, and we’ve heard nothing about the roles Kelsey Asbille and Brecken Merrill could play in the new show. So, that leads me to believe the couple of fans who commented the following theories on Brit and Co.’s post:

• So Tate and Monica die I'm guessing…-Huck
• Sounds like Monica won't be around anymore. -J McHugh

The lack of confirmation regarding whether Asbille specifically will return to play Monica is what makes me think these fans might be on to something. Grimes said that something happens early on in the show that frees him up. However, the ranch is already gone, so I don’t think it’s that. Rip and Beth have left already, and Jamie and John died in the final episodes of Yellowstone. That kind of just leaves Monica, Tate and Kayce to go about their peaceful lives.

If Monica and Tate die, that would certainly shake things up and prompt a major life change for Kayce. He’d have to find a new purpose and drive if that happens, and as morbid as it is, their being out of the picture would open a door for Grimes’ character to move on to something completely new and different.

So, maybe these fans are on the right path. However, we’ll have to wait a while to find out as Y: Marshals is set to premiere next spring on CBS.

Kayce Dutton will ride again! Luke Grimes is officially set to return in the upcoming Yellowstone spinoff Y: Marshals, which means the youngest Dutton sibling’s story isn’t over yet. It also likely means the tales of other beloved characters aren’t finished, as the actor confirmed that “familiar faces” will also be part of his CBS show. So, with that in mind, I have a few guesses about who could return.

What Luke Grimes Said About His Yellowstone Spinoff, Y: Marshals

According to Grimes, “nobody wanted it to be over” when it came to Yellowstone. So, when he told that to People, I started to get hopeful that some fan favorite characters could come back. Then, to make matters better, he confirmed that some “familiar faces” will return too, as he stated:

So, that's very exciting! And now I'm ultra curious to see who will be along for Kayce's next ride. Plus, with Rip and Beth getting a spinoff that should be released right before Y: Marshals, it’s unclear how the Yellowstone cast will be split among the shows, and I'm very interested in that as well.

So, with all that in mind, I’ve been pondering which familiar faces could show up when Y: Marshals premieres among CBS’s 2025-2026 lineup, and I have come up with a few ideas.

I Have A Few Guesses About Which Members Of The Yellowstone Cast Will Return

As I started thinking about who could come back alongside Luke Grimes, there were some very obvious folks that came to mind. However, the more I thought about it, I also figured a few fan-favorite supporting characters could return, too. So, here’s the breakdown of who I think could be part of Kayce’s story:

Monica and Tate: This is the most obvious inclusion. It’d honestly be a bit odd if Kelsey Asbille and Brecken Merrill didn’t reprise their roles as Kayce’s wife and son, respectively. When Yellowstone ended, they were all living happily on East Camp, and I’d imagine that they’ll all still be together in Marshals unless something catastrophic happens…

Rainwater and Mo: Assuming Kayce still lives at East Camp and stays in the area Yellowstone took place in, I could totally see Gil Birmingham’s Chief Thomas Rainwater and Moses Brings Plenty’s Mo reprising their roles. Grimes’ character has deep relationships with both men, and it’d be interesting to see how Broken Rock plays into the work Kayce does as a marshal.

Ryan: When it comes to the branded cowboys, I think Ryan has the best chance of coming back. While he did leave Montana at the end of the show, Ian Bohen’s character was also a livestock agent with Kayce, and I could see him returning to work in law enforcement with his fellow cowboy.

Along with him, I could picture Walker and/or Jake coming back, too.

All of the above guesses are for series regulars who could be joining Grimes on this new series. However, I also want the record to show that I think Kelly Reilly's Beth and Cole Hauser's Rip will make cameos too. They don’t live that far away, and Kayce became much closer to his sister in Yellowstone’s final episodes. So, I’m hopeful the relationship between the Dutton family will continue with their new series.

Well, there you have it, those are my official guesses for the “familiar faces” Luke Grimes was talking about. Hopefully, I’m right about a few; however, I’m truly just looking forward to seeing Kayce’s story continue, and I’ll be thrilled with whoever shows up to support him.

Yellowstone may be over, but the Dutton family tree lives on thanks to Kayce, Beth and Rip. Between the end of the 2025 TV schedule and the start of 2026’s programming, we’ll see these characters played by Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser return to our screens in two different upcoming Yellowstone shows. And knowing that they’ll air pretty close together leaves me with two important questions.

We knew that both Dutton Ranch, which is the Rip and Beth spinoff, and Y: Marshals, Kayce’s show, were in the works for a while now. However, now we have confirmed release windows.

During Paramount Global’s Q1 2025 earnings call (via ScreenRant), it was revealed that Rip and Beth’s spinoff would premiere on the Paramount Network (and stream the next day for those with a Paramount+ subscription) in November of this year. Meanwhile, CBS’s 2025-2026 lineup featured Kayce’s series, and specified that it will premiere mid-season as part of the Spring ‘26 programming.

That means, as Dutton Ranch is ending, we’ll be gearing up for the premiere of Y: Marshals, which gives me questions about when these projects will take place and how much crossover there could be.

Will These Shows Take Place At The Same Time?

Odds are, Dutton Ranch will air its finale in December or maybe January, and if I had to guess Y: Marshals will premiere sometime in February (or maybe late January or early March). That means there will be very little time between the two shows in terms of when they air.

That makes me wonder how both projects will fit into the Yellowstone timeline. Will they take place simultaneously? Will Marshals happen right after Dutton Ranch? Could they take place years apart? The options are endless, and I really can’t predict what they might do, which ups my curiosity a lot.

However, it does not change my mind about the fact that Luke Grimes, Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly should crossover between the two dramas.

How Much Crossover, If Any, Will There Be Between These Shows About The Modern Day Duttons?

When Yellowstone ended, Kayce and Beth went their separate ways. Kayce stayed at East Camp, very close to where the Dutton Ranch once stood. Beth and Rip moved to Dillon, Montana, to live on a new ranch. According to Google Maps, Paradise Valley, where Kayce’s home is, and Dillon are a little over two hours apart if you're driving, so I think it’s logical to believe the family would still see each other.

Plus, Kayce and Beth left things on good terms after they both worked to facilitate the deal to give the ranch to the Broken Rock people. To me, it wouldn’t make much sense if they never saw each other.

So, whether these two shows take place around the same time or years apart, I want to see Kayce on Dutton Ranch, and I’d love to see Beth and Rip on Y: Marshals.

While these Westerns will air on two different networks, they are all under the Paramount umbrella and will be streamable on Paramount+. So, let’s cross these series over, keep the Dutton family together, and make it so all this happens around the same time, so we can see exactly how the Yellowstone story continues.

I love Yellowstone, I always have, I always will. However, I’ve also had a long-standing problem with the show and its treatment of Luke Grimes’ character, Kayce Dutton. Thankfully, Kayce will return for his own CBS spinoff in the spring of 2026, which means there’s a new chance to rectify my biggest issue with Yellowstone.

We Know Kayce’s Yellowstone Show Will Combine His Past In The Military With Life On The Ranch

Alongside a slew of upcoming Yellowstone shows – including a spinoff about Rip and Beth – CBS announced its 2025-2026 lineup will include a series tentatively called Y: Marshals. It will follow Kayce, the youngest of the Dutton siblings, as he figures out life after the events of Yellowstone.

According to CBS’s announcement, the series will focus mostly on Luke Grimes’ character’s new job with the U.S. Marshals. The synopsis explained:

So, it sounds like worlds will collide, as the youngest Dutton uses his military skills and his past on the ranch to seek justice in Montana. That alone is a premise that has me sold. However, the notion that this series will finally address an element of Kayce’s story that’s been severely overlooked has me even more excited.

Hopefully, This Finally Means We’ll Get To Learn More About Kayce’s Past In The Military

Now, when I watched 1923, I wrote about how that show fixed my Kayce problem. In the prequel, we got to see Spencer travel the world after life in the military, hone in on his destiny as the Dutton successor, and be the hero of the series. I thought all that would happen with Luke Grimes’ cowboy in the OG show too, and it didn’t.

However, now, he has the opportunity to explore facets of his character that he never got to in Yellowstone. This includes his past in the military, which is an aspect of Kayce that I’ve always wanted to learn more about.

From the jump on Yellowstone, it was clear that there was so much interesting backstory to mine with Kayce, especially when it came to how he used that past to inform his present on the ranch. However, it never happened. We got glimpses of his history in the military; however, never any full flashbacks of his time as a Navy SEAL. Plus, we only got to see him deploy his skills on a few occasions.

With Y: Marshals, we’ll get to solely focus on Kayce and seemingly this aspect of his story that I was dying to get more of back when Yellowstone was on.

So, yeah, I’m stoked about this new Yellowstone spinoff, and I cannot wait to see how Luke Grimes continues to play this Dutton character that deserved so much more than he got on the flagship show.

The 2025 TV schedule just got real interesting as CBS announced its primetime lineup for the ‘25-’26 season. After renewing nine shows at once, along with bringing a bunch of others back, CBS is also introducing some new projects, like Kayce’s Yellowstone spinoff and singing competition produced by Taylor Sheridan and starring Blake Shelton. Plus, we’re getting some exciting schedule changes, like a full night devoted to NCIS. So, let's break it all down.

CBS Confirms Kayce’s Yellowstone Spinoff Will Come Out In The Spring Of 2026

So, let’s start with the upcoming Yellowstone show. Luke Grimes will reprise his role as Kayce Dutton in Y: Marshals, which is a working title. The series will follow the youngest Dutton as he “joins an elite unit of U.S. Marshals.”

At the end of Yellowstone, we left Kayce kind of on the Dutton Ranch after he gave most of it back to the Broken Rock people. According to this new show's synopsis, that ranch is “behind him,” and this new series will combine “his skills as a cowboy and Navy SEAL to bring range justice to Montana.”

Y: Marshals will join the CBS primetime lineup in the spring of 2026 in the 9 p.m. slot on Sunday, and it will be another addition to the growing list of Yellowstone shows, which includes upcoming projects like the Rip and Beth spinoff, Dutton Ranch, Michelle Pfeiffer’s The Madison and the prequel 1944.

For The First Time, A Full Night Will Be Dedicated To NCIS

For the first time ever, CBS is putting three of its NCIS shows on one night. Starting in the fall of 2025, the franchise will take up the entire 8-11 p.m. slot on Tuesdays.

This means Season 23 of NCIS will air at 8 p.m. It will be followed by Season 2 of NCIS: Origins at 9 p.m. Then, the day will end with Season 3 of NCIS: Sydney at 10 p.m.

So, if you love the world of NCIS, Tuesdays will be your night to tune in, because it’s all CBS will be airing.

I’m The Most Shocked By Taylor Sheridan Teaming Up With Blake Shelton

Now, the two aforementioned topics are massive news. However, I might be more shocked by a new show that was announced with this schedule.

Before Y: Marshals takes the stage on Sundays in the spring, The Road will air during that 9 p.m. slot this fall. This is a new singing competition produced by Yellowstone’s mastermind Taylor Sheridan, and it will feature Blake Shelton, Keith Urban and Gretchen Wilson.

This will mark Shelton’s return to the world of singing competitions after his tenure as a coach on The Voice, and he’ll get to collaborate with Urban and Wilson, who are both dominant voices in the country music world.

Overall, this sounds epic, and considering the team behind it, I’m in shock and awe over this new show.

The Full CBS Lineup

Along with all of that, CBS did announce its full line-up, which included a handful of new shows that are worth mentioning. Along with The Road, the fall programming will include the Blue Bloods follow-up, Boston Blue, the first Fire Country spinoff, Sheriff Country, the Tom Ellis-led series CIA, and a new comedy called DMV. Meanwhile, the midseason premieres will include Harlan Coben’s Final Twist and America’s Culinary Cup, as well as the return of Watson for Season 2 after the Season 1 finale that will – to quote the showrunner – "go bang!"

Adding to the excitement, a ton of beloved shows, like Ghosts, Tracker and Fire Country, are returning too, and you can see CBS’s full 2025-2026 lineup below:

• Monday
  • 8p.m.: The Neighborhood
  • 8:30 p.m.: DMV
  • 9 p.m.: FBI
  • 10 p.m.: CIA
• Tuesday
  • 8 p.m.: NCIS
  • 9 p.m.: NCIS: Origins
  • 10 p.m.: NCIS: Sydney
• Wednesday
  • 8 p.m.: Survivor (Fall ‘25) / Survivor 50 (Spring ‘26)
  • 9: 30 p.m.: The Amazing Race (Fall ‘25) / America’s Culinary Cup (Spring ‘26)
  • JANUARY: 8 p.m.: Hollywood Squares / 9 p.m.: The Price is Right at Night / 10 p.m. Harlan Coben’s Final Twist
• Thursday
  • 8 p.m.: Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage
  • 8:30 p.m.: Ghosts
  • 9 p.m.: Matlock
  • 10 p.m.: Elsbeth
• Friday
  • 8 p.m.: Sheriff Country
  • 9 p.m.: Fire Country
  • 10 p.m.: Boston Blue
• Saturday
  • 8 p.m.: CBS Encores
  • 9 p.m.: CBS Encores
  • 10 p.m.: 48 Hours
• Sunday
  • 8 p.m.: Tracker
  • 9 p.m.: The Road (Fall ‘25) / Y: Marshals (Spring ‘26)
  • 10 p.m.: CBS: Encores (Fall ‘25) / Watson (Spring ‘26)

Overall, CBS’s lineup for the next season is thrilling, and I can’t wait for it.

However, we’ll have to wait a few months for it. Have no fear, though. Everything from CBS’s schedule this season is available with a Paramount+ subscription, so you have plenty of time to get caught up and stay entertained while we wait for this next season of programming.

Yellowstone may have ended earlier than anyone anticipated, but we’re nowhere near done with the Duttons. After the flagship show came to a close in 2024, we learned more of their history by way of 1923’s run on the 2025 TV schedule, and ended up with more questions about the Dutton family tree. We also know there’s another Yellowstone prequel coming and some shows that take place after the events of Taylor Sheridan’s first series about this family. Now, we also have a rough idea of when some of these projects are coming out, and I have to say, it’s sooner than I expected.

Yellowstone Reportedly Ended Three Seasons Early

In the turbulent couple of years between the first and second halves of Yellowstone Season 5, there were countless reports about tension between Kevin Costner and Taylor Sheridan.

Then, in June 2024, it was confirmed that Costner would not return as John Dutton. That was obviously cause for massive change on Yellowstone, seeing as it lost its leading man. However, apparently, it’s also the reason why the Western ended after Season 5. According ot Bloomberg, this Paramount Network series “ended about three seasons before Sheridan had hoped because of a conflict with Costner.”

So, it seems like the plan was to keep Yellowstone going through Season 8, which is wild to think about. However, while things got cut short, a few OG characters are coming back with their own shows, and it seems like they might be gracing our screens sooner rather than later.

However, The OG Characters Are Coming Back For New Shows And We Have An Idea Of When We’ll See Them

Not long after Yellowstone ended, news broke about a Rip and Beth spinoff – now tentatively titled Dutton Ranch. Then, recently, we learned that a Kayce spinoff might be happening at CBS. That means, three of the flagship show’s biggest names, Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly and Luke Grimes, will all be returning as their beloved characters, and we won’t really be leaving the world of Yellowstone.

However, other than Cole Hauser saying we’d have to “see what happens over the next year,” we really had no indication of when these series would actually get made. Now, this Bloomberg report has given us an idea of the potential release windows.

Reportedly, Dutton Ranch is set to “debut on the Paramount Network in the fall.” That means a 2025 release and a premiere that comes within a year of Yellowstone ending. That’s soon, people! Remember, we waited two years – let me reiterate two years – for the second half of Season 5. So, knowing we might only have to wait one year to see Rip and Beth return is thrilling news.

Along with that, Kayce’s spinoff is apparently “coming to CBS in 2026.” Considering we only learned about this project in March, that feels fairly soon to me.

So, overall, it seems like we’ll be seeing these original and beloved Yellowstone characters back on-screen quite soon, and I’m so here for it!

Not to mention, these two shows are also part of a lineup that includes Michelle Pfeiffer’s The Madison spinoff as well as the prequel, 1944. So, there’s so much Yellowstone coming to fill the void left by the OG series’ early end.

So, have no fear, folks, a bunch of beloved Yellowstone characters are coming back with their own series within the next year and change.

For a while there, it seemed as if forward momentum on upcoming Yellowstone franchise series had surprassed peak velocity and started to wind down ever so slightly surrounding the release of the Kevin Costner-free final half-season of the flagship drama. But it looks like there may be more Dutton family drama on the horizon even beyond Beth and Rip's follow-up series with Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser.

CBS Is Reportedly Angling For A Yellowstone Spinoff

Take this news with a grain of salt for the moment — salt obtained no doubt through the ranch's (now-former) chef Gator — but Puck is reporting that CBS has entered the Yellowstone fray once more, after having served as the western drama's linear home during the extended gap during Season 5. Network execs allegedly want a new show that's centered specifically on Luke Grimes' Kayce Dutton.

At this time, it's unclear if the actor himself has been in conversations with the network, or if early development has happened without his involvement. But the report does note that it's in "pre-production," which connotes more than just a few phone calls and emails.

Kayce's Yellowstone Spinoff Will Reportedly Change Up the Format

Yellowstone from the start was a highly serialized drama with stories that literally took the entire series to fully explore, and to date, each of its spinoffs have followed suit. 1883 told the country-crossing tale of James and Margaret Dutton, while 1923 has given viewers a stressful look at what life was like for Jacob and Cara, as well as their globe-crossing son Spencer. All in all, large-scale and expansive tales.

That apparently won't be the case with the Kayce Dutton series, as it's being described as a "procedural." Which would likely mean that Grimes' military vet would likely settle into a case-based job that would have him investigating one crime or another in each episode, as opposed to telling more of a single, stretched-out story.

CBS is where drama procedurals go to thrive, at least when they don't end up on the list of canceled TV shows, so I can easily understand why crafting a tale-of-the-week entry within the Yellowstone franchise would be the go-to choice. Hell, I can already picture Kayce showing up on Fire Country or Tracker alongside Max Thieriot or Justin Hartley.

One big question that wasn't answered in the report is whether or not Kayce's family would be with him in this new project, though one can only imagine that would be the case, considering everything that went on during Yellowstone. So while Kelsey Asbille and Brecken Merrill weren't namechecked, I would fully expect both to join the new project, assuming there wouldn't be scheduling issues.

Spoilers for the first two episodes of 1923’s second season are ahead! If you aren’t caught up, you can stream the Yellowstone prequel with a Paramount+ subscription and catch new episodes on Sundays.

Wolves play an important role in Yellowstone, specifically in Kayce Dutton’s story. Throughout the flagship show, and specifically in the last two seasons, whenever we saw the animal, it also came with Luke Grimes’ character pondering his paths as he decided whether to embrace the Dutton legacy or abandon it. Now, in 1923, Elizabeth has faced a wolf too, and I asked Michelle Randolph about the impact a moment like that will have on Season 2 as it continues airing on the 2025 TV schedule.

What Michelle Randolph Told Me About Elizabeth Facing A Wolf And A Cougar In 1923

Before we get into the parallels between the two Yellowstone shows, let’s talk about what happened to Elizabeth first. In the premiere, Michelle Randolph’s character faced a cougar, and then, in Episode 2, she was attacked by a rabid wolf in a chicken coup. Eventually, the wolf gets into the Dutton house and kills a nurse. Then Cara kills it.

It’s a deeply traumatic set of events, and it leads Elizabeth to a breaking point, as she claims that she’s going to leave. So, when I interviewed Randolph, I asked her about the significance of these events, and she told me:

Winter has most definitely hit 1923 hard, and the evil beings are coming out of the woodwork, testing the entire family's strength and devotion.

However, on top of this moment with the wolf (and the cougar) signifying a breaking point and a sign of bad luck for Elizabeth, it also harkens back to a major struggle Kayce faced throughout Yellowstone’s run.

Why I Can’t Stop Thinking About These Comments In Relation To Kayce’s Relationship With Wolves On Yellowstone

Now, in the past, I’ve compared Kayce to Spencer, and I still think the youngest Dutton siblings have a lot in common. However, I also think it’s worth considering how the Yellowstone character’s struggle with his place on the ranch relates to what Elizabeth is going through in 1923.

In this case, the wolf relates to the two paths Kayce is presented with. In his vision quest involving the animal at the end of Season 4 (you can stream it with a Peacock subscription), he’s told he can choose the ranch or his family (meaning Tate and Monica). And that choice haunts him for the rest of the show.

Meanwhile, it seems like 1923's wolf signified a breaking point that officially put Elizabeth at a similar crossroads of either staying on the ranch or leaving it and Jack for good.

Like Kayce, she’s unsure about her place on the ranch – as evidenced by her many conversations with Cara. And the violence she’s faced has caused her to understandably question her priorities and loyalties, much like the Dutton who lives on this land 100 years after her.

The wolf is a potent symbol, and this rabid one that attacked Elizabeth not long after she also faced a cougar seems like a bad omen, a major breaking point and a crossroads. So, as Michelle Randolph said, it will be a very important moment to remember as Season 2 of 1923 continues.

For years now, Sunday nights have been home for new Yellowstone episodes, but that era is over now, with the western drama having dropped its brutal series finale in mid-December. Despite the knowledge that more upcoming Yellowstone shows are already set in stone, from the Beth and Rip-centric spinoff to the seemingly unrelated follow-up The Madison, fans will still have plenty of Taylor Sheridan stories to pay attention to. Just maybe don’t count Kevin Costner among those fans.

Costner, of course, was the high-profile lead that helped turn Yellowstone from a cable oddity into the most-watched scripted project. But scheduling conflicts and behind-the-scenes disagreements between the Oscar winner and Sheridan led to his official exit, which held true despite attempts to get him back on the show. Unsurprisingly, Costner didn’t wax sympathetically when reacting to John Dutton’s death in the midseason premiere, and apparently wasn’t interested enough to see how it all played out.

In a video shared by Daily Mail, Kevin Costner appeared to be out and about enjoying the Christmastime weather in Aspen, Colorado, where he owns a massive ranch. The actor was apparently asked about his take on Yellowstone’s conclusion, which sparked exactly the kind of response that fans should expect at this point. In his words:

I suppose it would have been far weirder had Kevin Costner jumped up and down cheering loudly for "Life Is a Promise" with reckless abandon. Or even if he'd said a single positive thing about it. But at this point, it's expected that he would still be less than forthcoming, though at least he didn't take any unnecessary shots beyond voicing his own

After years of promoting Yellowstone to the fullest for its first four and a half seasons, Costner essentially didn't mention the show by name at all throughout most of 2023, during which time he also avoided talking about his former cast members and former boss Taylor Sheridan. He didn't even mention the series in his Golden Globes acceptance speech, and the Hollywood strikes only prolonged the BTS turmoil.

Though it seemed like sunlight might shine through the dark clouds early in 2024, at which point Kevin Costner seemed willing and arguably eager to return to the role of John Dutton. And yet cooler heads did not prevail, and the final six episodes of the Paramount hit's final season were recrafted to throw shade on John Dutton and kill him off via contracted murder.

Luke Grimes stoked some potentially feud-worthy flames recently when he claimed filming the final episodes without Costner was far easier, and involved far less conflict, than anything before. Those quotes sparked speculation about Grimes and Costner butting heads, and the actor was also asked if he'd spoken to his former on-screen son. Perhaps tellingly, he first kept silent, and then verbally shut the questioning down by saying:

Obviously that doesn't prove any feelings of ill will on Kevin Costner's part, and he was even nice about, telling the guy questioning him to be careful and not slip on the icy roads. But it didn't exactly make his and Grimes' relationship seem like sunshine and ranbows either.

Fans can find Costner heading up his passion project Horizon, whose first chapter is currently streaming with a Max subscription, while Yellowstone is streamable with a Peacock subscription.

Spoilers below for those who haven’t yet watched the Season 5 finale of Yellowstone, so be warned!

I think most Yellowstone fans would agree that Beth and Jamie’s bloody brawl in the series finale was as violently brutal and deadly anything on the 2024 TV schedule, even if the fight actually deserved a full episode’s runtime. Of course, the final ep wasn’t just dedicated to that catastrophic sibling rivalry, but also to figuring out the Duttons’ final plans for the ranch they could no longer afford to keep. Which is where Kayce rose tallest, choosing to utilize intelligence over vengeance.

Well, for the most part, that is. Because whenever Luke Grimes’ character actually sat down and laid out how he wanted to transfer the land from Dutton ownership to Rainwater, Mo and the Broken Rock Reservation, he rather quickly and hilariously flubbed his own math. Not when it came to the money or anything, thankfully, but rather the amount of stipulations he had for the deal. When explaining himself to Gil Birmingham’s tribe leader, Kayce said:

So far, so good, right? Everything seems to be in line with what Kayce's intentions are. And then what are those two intentions?

So let's see. He gets to keep the East Camp, that's one. And the second is that no one can develop on the Yellowstone ranch, thus eliminating Market Equities' airport and luxury resort goals. Oh, and they can't ever sell it. [Delivers A+ impression of Sesame Street's The Count] Which is three. Three stipulations. Ah-ah-ah!

Okay, so I realize I'm maybe being a stickler here, but it's kinda weird, right? I realize in some people's minds, Kayce addressing what can't be done to the ranch amounts to one stipulation. But what if he was only against selling it, but was cool with Broken Rock members building their own developments on the land? So yeah, it's three stipulations.

I can't be the only Yellowstone viewer whose brain went immediatley to Monty Python's "Spanish Inquisition" sketch.

Obviously this moment doesn't water down the importance of the scene or anything, and doesn't undercut the sado-masochistic way Beth handled the Jamie problem. But it's perhaps a sign that someone else should have read through the script with numbers in mind.

Regardless of how the counting went, the offer itself was still a powerful one. Rather than fully gifting the land to the indigenous natives, hearkening back to the 1883 finale in which Tim McGraw's James Dutton was told by Graham Greene's Spotted Eagle that the Montana lands would inevitably revert back to tribal ownership in seven generations.

While we thought that was going to involve some major threats and violence between natives and the Duttons' youngest generation, the actual result was far more peaceful. Which is pretty much the best way to ensure there are enough characters to survive making it to one of several upcoming Yellowstone shows planned for the future.

While Yellowstone episodes can be streamed with a Peacock subscription — though currently only through the midway point of the fifth season — all of the show’s spinoffs and prequels are available via a Paramount+ subscription.

Spoilers below for the Season 5 finale of Yellowstone, so be warned if you haven’t yet watched.

Without a doubt, Yellowstone’s return with Season 5’s final episodes has been one of the biggest events of the 2024 TV schedule, even if reactions have been mixed regarding how the Kevin Costern-less season has handled John Dutton’s death and the aftermath inspiring several upcoming Yellowstone series. No matter one’s feelings, Taylor Sheridan’s co-creation has now officially closed out its fifth season with a big and deadly finale. (Here's how to watch!)

Thankfully, Yellowstone did indeed pay off on one long-promised death, while also boosting my spirits with a surprise reveal that could potentially shake up our expectations for the 6666 spinoff, which could really use a behind-the-scenes update or two at this point. Let’s take a closer look — though from a safe, DNA-safe distance — at one of the western drama’s most ruthless and gripping hand-to-hand brawls.

Beth Finally Murdered Jamie, But Only After A WWE-Esque Kitchen Brawl

With Beth and Rip’s spinoff already set to carry Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser’s characters into a new arc or two, I had the innate fear that Sheridan would make an ill-advised call to stave off murdering Jamie so that the heated sibling feud could extend into the continuation series. That fear built up after Jamie’s only early scenes were entirely about his press conference speech.

Thankfully for all involved, except for maybe Wes Bentley, Jamie Dutton did indeed meet his maker with a broken face, a deep stab wound, and pepper spray still burning his ever-shifty eyes. And Beth didn’t waste a single second after leaving John’s burial to drunkenly hit the road with Jamie in her crosshairs.

I probably would have been disappointed had Beth quickly taken Jamie out without him realizing what was happening, No such worries with this ep, however. Jamie was barely in the door after his public address before Beth rearranged his face with a tire iron and covered most of his torso in pepper spray. Which then led to one of the most frightening Yellowstone visuals imaginable: Jamie’s bloody face completely covered in milk.

Nearly as horrifying is the brutality of Beth and Jamie’s fight, with the older brother getting way more wallops on Beth’s face, even if he was only using his weak and stupid Jamie fists. (Take that, ya dumb corpse.) But it turns out Beth had a reason to let Jamie beat the shit out of her, even if he likely took it further than she thought, since she needed as many bodily injuries as she could incur to sell her story to the cops.

That said, Rip supposedly left an hour after Beth did, but was able to burst into Jamie’s house in the nick of time and stop him from choking her to death. We’ll let that one go, since Beth was waiting in the house before Jamie got home, but still.

In any case, the episode ended with Beth and Rip at their new property outside of Dillon, seemingly without any worries about Jamie’s wrapped-up body or incinerated vehicle being found. I have to wonder if that safety will be threatened in the upcoming spinoff, or if they’ll have other worries to contend with.

I Love That Teeter Gets A Happy Ending, And Hope She's In The 6666 Spinoff

For a much happier ending, we turn to Jen Landon's Teeter, who has been dealing with more than her share of emotional on-screen moments tied to Colby's truly tragic death-by-horse in "Counting Coup." She's been down to some low depths that not even card-game shenanigans could completely shake her out of at first, and didn't seem to have a clear future to follow her time cowboying it up at the Yellowstone, which was sold off to Rainwater.

However, Jimmy and Emily's return for the funeral gave Teeter a chance to carve a new path forward for herself by traveling down to Texas to try her hand working with...errr...for Travis. Not that the gig seems like it would be easy in the slightest, since Travis is a strict sumbitch whose natural instinct is to troll his employees into submission, but it's a step in a positive and grounded direction that she didn't have before.

Teeter has been one of my favorite Yellowstone regulars since she arrived, and is one of the few TV characters whose dialogue I actually enjoy putting closed captioning on to decipher. Landon makes the character feel completely lived in despite only getting a few minutes an episode at most to show off her skills. I'll miss her the most if we don't ever touch base with her again, but...

I'm really hoping that Teeter's story conclusion means Landon will be revealed as a new addition to the 6666 cast, since Yellowstone's flagship ending means the ranch-based spinoff has more of a reason to exist and carry on these characters' stories. All this time, I've been wholly thinking Ryan Bingham's Walker would be the only other Yellowstone regular joining Jefferson White's Jimmy in Texas, and it seems like that could still happen with his and Laramie's story feeling pretty open-ended.

But while it'll be great to see them again and all, Teeter getting a happy ending is quite possibly my favorite thing about Yellowstone's final six episodes. So for that, and for plenty of other memorable moments across all five seasons, I thank Taylor Sheridan and all the widlly talented cast members for keeping us in the Duttons' lives. And also for killing off Jamie, for all of the obvious reasons.

It’s unclear when the entirety of Season 5 will be available to stream with a Peacock subscription, but it’ll likely happen before the next season of a modern-day Yellowstone spinoff airs. 1923 Season 2 is set to hit the 2025 TV schedule on February 25, with the Michelle Pfeiffer-starring The Madison coming at some point later.

While it’s never technically been confirmed, it’s also no secret that Kevin Costner’s exit from Yellowstone came after over a year of reported drama between him and Taylor Sheridan. Ultimately, the show moved on without him. Now, his on-screen son Luke Grimes has opened up about filming the final episodes of Yellowstone’s fifth season without the John Dutton actor, noting that it was easier to work on the show without him.

As the last few episodes of Yellowstone’s fifth season air on the 2024 TV schedule, Luke Grimes, who plays Kayce Dutton on the show, sat down with Esquire to discuss this final chapter. While fans were upset that Kevin Costner decided to hang up John Dutton’s cowboy hat, for his on-screen son, his departure made filming the show easier, as Grimes said:

For those who might not remember, the rumors flying around about Costner’s disputes over Yellowstone were dramatic. While not confirmed, issues over scheduling and how his character was being written – among other things – made for a very messy situation.

At one point a report from Puck News (via Esquire) even came out about an intense call Costner allegedly had with Taylor Sheridan where he apparently gave a list of demands that included “increased money, reduced shooting schedule, and – here’s the kicker – the right to review, approve and potentially veto every Sheridan script.” The creator of Yellowstone famously writes his own scripts, and he was reportedly not on board with that demand.

If all those rumors are true, it would make sense if the tension between the lead actor and the show’s creator caused conflict on set.

Of course, we don’t actually know what went down. However, we do know, thanks to Luke Grimes, that shooting Season 5B was much easier. And that was likely because that tension he mentioned was gone, seeing as Costner was gone too.

Now, we’re deep into the set of episodes that were made without Yellowstone’s long-time leading man. In fact, they didn’t wait at all to show how Costner was written out, as they revealed John’s death almost immediately in the mid-season premiere.

The response to that choice has been big, with some thinking the way John’s story ended tarnished the character’s reputation. However, it also makes for an interesting turn in the story as the Dutton kids try to figure out how to save the ranch their father spent his whole life trying to keep.

Thankfully, we’ll find out how they do just that this Sunday (December 15) when the finale of Yellowstone airs. It will likely be centered around Grimes' character Kayce giving the ranch away and maybe the explosive end of Jamie and Beth’s feud. Overall, it promises to be action-packed as the kids figure out what to do with the ranch following John Dutton’s death, and I personally can’t wait to see how it ends.

To see the final episode of Yellowstone (sans Kevin Costner), you can catch it live on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on the Paramount Network. If you are looking to go back and watch Costner, Grimes and co. working together, you can stream the first four and a half seasons of the modern Western with a Peacock subscription.

Spoilers for the final episodes of Yellowstone Season 5, and specifically Episode 13, are ahead! If you aren’t caught up, you can watch the show on the Paramount Network and stream previous seasons with a Peacock subscription.

To be real, things are looking bleak for the Yellowstone. Following John Dutton’s death and in the midst of a stand-off with Market Equities, Beth and Kayce sold all their horses and a bunch of equipment in the latest episode to air on the 2024 TV schedule, and all signs are pointing toward them losing their land. However, in the final moments of Episode 13, Kayce proposed to Beth that they essentially give the ranch away, but he didn’t say who he’d give it to.

Now, while a name wasn’t specified, I think the potential recipient of the ranch is pretty obvious. So, let’s break down my theory about why I think Kayce is about to involve Thomas Rainwater in his plan.

The Plan Kayce Proposed To Beth

To Beth’s shock and mine, it would seem that Kayce Dutton is the man who came up with the plan to save the Yellowstone. During a conversation between the two, the youngest Dutton asked his sister a business question, using the hypothetical situation of how much you’d pay in taxes if you bought a car worth $300,000 for $1, here’s how what was said:

Kayce: Ok, so, I buy this car for one dollar, and then I take this $300,000 car that I bought for $1, and I register it. What do I pay in sales tax? Is it based off what I paid or the value of the car?

Beth: What are you cookin’?

Kayce: Just answer the question.

Beth: Tax is based on what you paid for it.

Kayce: That’s what I thought.

After that discussion, Kayce left his sister, and as she realized the plan he had cooking, she ran after him and asked who he had in mind for this deal. He said he needed a day to work it out. Then, he told Monica that this was:

This begs the question: Who are they going to give the ranch to? Well, I think the answer is pretty obvious.

Why I Think Kayce Is Going To Involve Rainwater In His Plan

Mark my words, they’re going to give the land to Thomas Rainwater and the Broken Rock Reservation.

While Rip and Beth have been worrying about the ranch and doing work in Texas, Kayce has been keeping his plan close to his vest and getting closer and closer to Rainwater and Mo. That alone implies that they were who he was referring to when he told Beth he needed a day to get this deal done.

On top of that, Rainwater has a lot of respect for John Dutton, and ultimately, they both want to protect the land and keep it in its natural form. As Gil Birmingham’s character said to Beth in Episode 11:

During that same conversation, he said he’d help Beth flesh out solutions if she thought of any. However, she was stumped. But it would seem her little brother cracked the code, and in my mind (and probably his), the only person they can trust even a little bit is Thomas Rainwater.

Not to mention, in Yellowstone’s prequel series 1883, an Indigenous elder named Spotted Eagle told James Dutton that he could use the land they’d come to in Montana to bury his daughter and settle. However, in seven generations, his people would take it back. Well, based on the Dutton family tree, Kayce and Beth would mark the fifth or sixth generation of Duttons to live there.

So, even though we definitely aren’t at seven yet, it would make sense that this prophecy started to fulfill itself by Kayce and Beth selling this land to Rainwater for a very small amount of money.

Of course, for the time being, this is just a theory. However, we should find out who Kayce is going to make a deal with soon, because Yellowstone is almost over. So, be sure to tune in and find out when the final episode of Season 5 airs on Sunday, December 15 at 8 p.m. ET on the Paramount Network.

Spoilers below for the back half of Yellowstone Season 5, so be warned if you aren’t yet caught up.

Yellowstone has had to keep a lot of plates spinning in the back half of Season 5, which may or may not lead into a sixth season, largely dealing with the aftermath of killing off John Dutton in the midseason premiere. It’s been a mixed bag, especially after such an extended hiatus, but I still have faith the creative team will stick the landing. That said, I have a long-running complaint to holler about regarding the final episodes: Tate's story is still kinda pointless.

I fully understand that Taylor Sheridan had to reconfigure any original plans that were thrown into disarray due to Kevin Costner’s exit, and that it’s ostensibly hard for a show about grown-ass folks to consistently give teen characters meaningful story arcs. But I dare say the back half of Season 5 has watered down Breckin Merrill’s character nearly to the point of parody.

Tate Has Been Through Major Traumas

Viewed through a different lens, Tate Dutton has already lived through the kind of backstory that would serve as a comic book or action hero’s origin tale, and has been front and center for several of Yellowstone’s most brutal moments.

He was kidnapped by white supremacists, and later rescued in the Season 2 finale in a wildly dramatic fashion. He justifiably killed a dude who attacked Monica, and had full-on PTSD after the fact. He defended himself from a rattlesnake. (Teeter would have said “fuck nar” to all that.) The kid even found dinosaur bones on the ranch, even though that plotline went nowhere.

Despite these various events not being super-connected in a way that can be reflected on with one visual image like Kayce’s wolf, I still think they should have had an over-arching impact on Tate’s brain in a way that set him up for an exciting and potentially deadly-for-others conclusion. I think that should have been the case even before John’s death was written in, and I believe it even more so because he should want to help avenge his grandfather’s death.

Tate's Story Now Revolves Around Moving Furniture And Hating Romance

If Season 5B actually is setting Tate up as a main character in any upcoming Yellowstone shows like 6666 or the Michelle Pfeiffer-starring spinoff The Madison, then it’s doing the worst job possible. We’re just a couple of episodes away from wrapping up, and we’ve literally only seen Tate do three things, with the first two happening multiple times already.

• 1. Help Kayce and Monica move furniture and boxes into their new-in-flashbacks home.
• 2. Moan and groan every single time Kayce and Monica embrace, kiss, or show any semblance of affection for one another.
• 3. Look sad and confused when Kayce talks to him about John and the ranch.

I get the first one well enough, since a big part of this particular family's story has been about transitioning from place to place in lieu of a permanent home. It's important to show that Tate is invested in making it their own, since he pretty much doesn't ever go anywhere else at this point.

But hearing him tell his parents multiple times to "get a room" when they start to kiss is quite possibly the worst thing about the entire 2024 TV schedule. Tate is 16 years old, and should feasibly be more worried about making out with other people himself rather than griping about Kayce and Monica. Not to sound like I'm shaming Tate in that way. It's perfectly fine if he remains a kiss-free virgin for his entire life, so long as we don't have to hear him whining about 0.5 seconds of lip-locking.

Whenever Kayce asks Tate what he wants to do with his life, the teen points out that he just plainly expected to be working on the ranch, but that he also has a vision of himself as a fly fishing guide. Not exactly the most bombastic future for anyone, even if it was meant to be a touching reminder of the times Tate and John fished together. But viewers need to see something play out that's a little more drastic than either of those options.

There's a decent chance that Tate's importance as an heir will become more focused by the end, since he could very well be among the seventh generation who are meant to own the land before the indigenous tribes take it back. (As referenced in 1883's finale.) But do I actually think he'll factor into those events in a meaningful way? Not exactly.

As such, I'm really hoping Taylor Sheridan and Brecken Merrill will shock the shit out of me by delivering some huge twists and turns for Tate in the final two episodes. Find out when episodes hit Paramount Network on Sunday nights at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Spoilers below for the latest episode of Yellowstone, so be warned if you haven’t yet watched.

Another day, another Yellowstone character death to mourn, though once again it wasn’t exactly predictable, and I didn’t expect to see Colby’s murder-by-horse play out in the back half of Season 5. But while we’re giving Denim Richards’ character all the R.I.P. love, that’s not what I’m here to talk about following the events of “Counting Coup.” Rather, I want to talk about the preview for the penultimate episode, and why it has fans thinking Season 6 is definitely among upcoming Yellowstone projects.

Yellowstone Previews Keep Referring To The "Season" Finale

For quite a while now, fans have anticipated the back half of Season 5 serving as the final chapter of the Dutton family’s saga, with Kevin Costner’s exit seemingly stemming the need for more seasons. That is, until the point when Season 6 rumors started making waves well before the spinoff The Madison was confirmed and ordered up. Then it seemed like an official announcement about the future was coming, only to never materialize.

And now fans are looking to the show’s upcoming-episode previews as a sign of potential proof that Yellowstone will survive even beyond the shocking death of John Dutton and its presumed resolution. Because here’s how the preview voiceover dude words things as the footage plays out:

That statement technically isn't wrong, but carries the implication that the season finale won't be the endgame for this western drama, even though no one at Paramount Network or from Taylor Sheridan's camp has confirmed anything else is coming beyond prequels and spinoffs. Regardless of what's been confirmed or not, fans were definitely aware enough to catch the specific language used in the promo, as seen by the smattering of reactions seen below.

• Did I hear that right @Yellowstone? One more episode BEFORE THE SEASON FINALE? Not SERIES finale, SEASON finale! #Yellowstone #YellowstoneTV - @msAJF
• I’m sorry did they say SEASON finale???? #Yellowstone - @MIKEYOUMADETHIS
• Another phenomenal episode of @Yellowstone tonight. The preview for next week said it's the last episode before the Season Finale. Will there be another season after all? Usually they call the last episode of the last season the Series Finale, not a Season Finale. - @countrydarts
• That was one of the best hours of television, EVER. My goodness. One question though - How in the world will they wrap all of this up in 2 episodes? I did notice that SEASON finale line instead of SERIES finale line. That didn't go unnoticed. #Yellowstone #YellowstoneTV - @BillBernardoni
• Maybe I’m a little out of the loop but the bumper said “season finale” of #Yellowstone not “series finale” as I had been lead to believe. Did they officially announce a 6th season? - @ToddDClark

Granted, those posts came among a similarly sized batch of harrowing reactions to all the bloodshed going down in these episodes, and how there may not be any characters left to lead a sixth season if the next two episodes continue this body-dropping trend.

Why I'm Skeptical About Anything Seen Or Shown In Yellowstone Previews

Seemingly more so this season than any other in the past, Yellowstone has gone the Grey's Anatomy route when it comes to future-episode previews. In the sense that the teasers are setting up highly dramatic moments that don't actually play out anywhere nearly as interestingly as they do in the promos.

For instance, the longer preview containing footage from the rest of the season featured several moments, such as Rip throwing a glass into the fireplace, that seemed to be teasing wild moments. But in this case, "Counting Coup" revealed he was lightly coaxed into throwing the glass by Beth, who said it would help keep him from bottling up his feelings about Colby's death. Interesting and helpful, sure, but not so dramatic.

As well, the Season 5B trailers hyped up Kayce throwing Jamie across his desk, but that ended up being the only big physical moment during that sequence, with Wes Bentley's character convincing his brother that he wasn't responsible for John's death. Hoodie-wearing Kayce threatening the man who set up John's death also seemed like it would be far more hectic and thrilling in the previews, as opposed to just a short car ride. (Granted, the military vet holding a child at gunpoint was wild, but not quite in the same way.)

It's not a new trick for TV trailers to set audiences up for one thing only to pull off something else entirely, but it's not a trick that Yellowstone has had to fall back on very much, since the series built up its core audience without such endless arrays of hype. But now that we're perhaps so close to the end, all the stops are being pulled out.

So while I will be just as happy and celebratory as anyone else if Paramount Network officially confirms Season 6 is coming to the 2025 TV schedule, I don't necessarily think that the trailers' specific wordage is proof of anything.

Kayce Dutton has been through the wringer. He’s – as far as we know – the only one of John Dutton’s kids who is branded. He is traumatized from his experience as a soldier. He is also facing a crisis as he tries to decide between his family and the ranch. So, it makes sense that when Kevin Costner's character thinks about his kids, he feels pity for his youngest son.

Now, going into Season 5B of Yellowstone, it will be interesting to see how all of that impacts Luke Grimes’ character, and personally, I’m hoping he’s able to shake this perception his father has. So, with all that in mind, I specifically asked the actor how his dad’s opinion of his children could impact Kayce going forward.

Before we dive into Grimes’ response, let me contextualize the question I asked him first. When I was preparing for Yellowstone’s junket I rewatched Season 5A, and a moment that stuck out to me was a conversation John had with Rip during Episode 5 about Beth. And amid his compliments to his daughter, he also opened up about his three other boys – the late Lee, the lost Kayce and the villainous Jamie – saying:

I took note of that, because, in a lot of ways, it feels like these opinions John has of his kids impact said kids' actions. So, when it came time to chat with the Yellowstone cast about what’s to come, I also had them reflect a bit, asking specifically about this quote.

I was struck by Luke Grimes' answer in particular, as he agreed that he thinks John pities Kayce, explaining:

Sadly, Kayce has been part of many of Yellowstone’s most brutal moments. As Grimes noted, his character’s time at war scared him, the death of his mom was traumatizing and overall, he’s faced a ton of adversity.

I find it interesting that Grimes pointed out that the only flashback we see of Kayce is the death of his mom. It proves just how tragic his story is, and it shines a spotlight on something I hope gets addressed this season.

As Yellowstone premieres on the 2024 TV schedule, I’m hoping that Kayce can rise above all of this, reflect on his trauma and really start to move forward. While we know Kevin Costner won’t be back as John, I still think his on-screen son has a chance to act in a way that would change his father’s opinion of him.

With Rip in Texas and John gone, it will likely be Kayce’s job to take care of the ranch in Montana. Hopefully, we’ll get to watch him interact more with his siblings, and I desperately want to see him get out of this indecisive cycle he’s been in when it comes to choosing the ranch or his family.

Luke Grimes' character is so strong, he’s been through so much, and it’s clear that John sees potential in him. However, for the time being, his dad pities his youngest child. So, here’s hoping Kayce can find a way to shake that and really own his power and abilities in these final episodes of Yellowstone’s fifth season.

Thankfully, we won’t have to wait long to see if this dream becomes a reality, because Yellowstone Season 5B premieres on the Paramount Network this Sunday, November 10, at 8 p.m. ET. In the meantime, you can go back and catch key moments from Yellowstone’s past with a Peacock subscription so you are ready to dive back into this epic story about the Dutton family.

My fellow Yellowstone fans, the day is nearly here! After basically two years of waiting, the final episodes of Yellowstone’s fifth season are premiering on the 2024 TV schedule this weekend. So, in preparation for that and considering how long it's been since the first half of Season 5 aired, here are a few moments that Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, Luke Grimes, Kelsey Asbille and Wes Bentley want you to remember before tuning in for the newest episode.

Make Sure You Take Note Of Rip And Beth’s Last Secene In 5A

Ahead of the second half of Season 5’s premiere, I had the chance to interview the cast of Yellowstone about what’s coming and how their characters' actions will impact their futures.

When asked to call out one scene that fans should make sure they remember going into Season 5B, Kelly Reilly immediately knew her answer. She noted Rip and Beth’s final moment together before he goes to Texas, explaining:

Obviously, we knew Rip and Beth’s relationship would be at the center of this season since it has been that way for a while now. However, Reilly’s comments confirm that and allude to her character making her way down south to be with her husband, who will be with the herd of cattle.

Cole Hauser agreed with this scene selection and even teased what might happen when Beth arrives in Texas, saying:

So, the scene they picked tells us that Beth needs to be with Rip, and personally, I can’t wait to see them back together in this new place!

It’ll Be Vital To Remember Kayce’s Vision From Season 4

Now, onto Kayce and Monica. Like Reilly and Hauser, Luke Grimes and Kelsey Asbille agreed on the scene fans should remember. They pointed to a pivotal Season 4 moment for Kayce, saying viewers should make sure they remember the importance of his vision quest. To reiterate that point, the Monica actress said:

For a bit of context, this vision Kayce had revealed a choice to him. He either needed to pick the ranch or his family – by "family," I mean Monica and his son Tate, specifically. At the end of 5A, the couple discussed that vision again when they were deciding to move to East Camp, and Grimes said it will be important going into what comes next. He explained:

So, can Kayce have both? I guess we’ll finally find out when Yellowstone returns on Sunday.

Wes Bentley Explained Why You Should Just Rewatch All Of 5A

Onto Jamie. Wes Bentley, who plays the adopted Dutton, didn’t point to one scene in particular. However, he did give some great advice, explaining:

There’s no question that Jamie and Beth’s feud, his attempt to impeach his father, and his relationship with Sarah Atwood will play into Season 5B; it has to. Plus, the actor's comments about it picking up fast allude to that being the case. So, considering all that, I understand why Bentley didn’t give me a specific answer.

Plus, he’s right, it is beneficial to go back and simply rewatch all of Season 5A. I did, and I’m so happy about it, because I feel ready to witness whatever is coming down the line for the Dutton family.

To go back and watch these moments the cast pointed out, you can stream Yellowstone with a Peacock subscription. Then, on Sunday, November 10, make sure to tune into the Paramount Network at 8 p.m. ET for the long-awaited return of this modern Western.