Marshals did not take long to prove it was more than just another Yellowstone extension. CBS has officially renewed the Luke Grimes-led series for Season 2, just days after its debut, following a massive first-week audience across broadcast and streaming. According to CBS, the March 1 premiere was watched by 20.6 million multiplatform viewers within seven days, making it the most-watched network original series premiere without a football lead-in since Young Sheldon in 2017. The same data also says the episode became CBS’ most-streamed episode ever on Paramount+.
CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach called the show’s launch a “breakout performance,” saying the series “quickly established itself as one of TV’s most powerful new series.” She added that the strong response reflected both the continued power of the Yellowstone brand and the performances led by Luke Grimes.
“MARSHALS delivered a breakout performance, capturing a massive audience across platforms and quickly establishing itself as one of TV’s most powerful new series. The overwhelming viewer response speaks to the strength of the Yellowstone world, the bold character driven storytelling from the creative team and the dynamic cast performances led by Luke Grimes.”
The cast is led by Grimes alongside Logan Marshall-Green as Pete Calvin, Arielle Kebbel as Belle Skinner, Ash Santos as Andrea Cruz, Tatanka Means as Miles Kittle, and Brett Cullen as Cal. Returning Yellowstone players also include Brecken Merrill as Tate Dutton, Gil Birmingham as Thomas Rainwater, and Mo Brings Plenty as Mo.
How Good Is ‘Marshals’?
Collider’s review stated that Marshals made the smart move of not trying to be a straight-up Yellowstone sequel, pivoting instead into a CBS-friendly procedural series that gives Kayce Dutton a new beginning — even if the transition comes with some growing pains. Michael John Petty acknowledged the limitations of network television — less grit, occasional repetitive dialogue, and tighter 42-minute pacing — but suggested that the format ultimately suits Kayce’s story better than the sprawling soap-operatic tone of Yellowstone.
“Marshals is a neo-Western that is chock-full of potential. It’s action-packed, thrilling, and full of everything you could ask for in a Kayce Dutton-led series that fights hard to divorce itself from the “Y” that still lingers in the background. It’s not perfect, nor does it claim to be, but once it gets through the initial growing pains, it will be able to stand firmly on its own. The chemistry between Grimes and Marshall-Green is exactly what the bond between two ex-SEALs should be, and it’s not hard to like the rest of the Marshals cast as well, especially as we begin to learn more about them.”
Marshals airs at 8PM on CBS every Sunday, and streams on Paramount+.
via Collider