Why ‘Y: Marshals’ Might Be the Western Series You Didn’t Know You Were Waiting For

Even after ending, Yellowstone still creates ripples in Hollywood’s waters, and we have Taylor Sheridan to thank for that. If he’s not actively working on a spin-off or prequel of that show, he is producing spin-offs others are gladly taking on, which is the case with Y: Marshals. If you haven’t heard of this name, it’s a newly confirmed Luke Grimes-led series where he will put on his cowboy hat as Kayce Dutton once more. Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) is the youngest of the Duttons in modern times; he is John III’s (Kevin Costner) son and Beth’s (Kelly Reilly) younger brother.

Y: Marshals is about, as Deadline describes, “Kayce Dutton, who joins an elite unit of U.S. Marshals,” and the official logline states that he and his teammates will deliver “range justice” to the region, allowing for Kayce to combine his ranching and Navy SEAL experiences. The most interesting part is that Kayce denounces his badge during Yellowstone, so it’ll be fun to see how he’ll be convinced to saddle up and deliver justice once more. Fans are divided about this spin-off, mainly because Sheridan won’t be writing it and because it was picked up by CBS; but, there’s plenty of potential in turning Kayce into an even cooler character who will this time be the protagonist of his own show. Here are five reasons why Y: Marshals will be the next great Western TV show.

5The ‘Yellowstone’ Lore Will Continue

With the Dutton Character That Has the Most Potential

While Yellowstone lasted, people found the majority of the main characters either likable or reprehensible; Kayce Dutton was probably the only one who hadn’t received any criticism or loss of popularity, and that’s why he’s the best option to continue the Yellowstone lore. In the series finale of Yellowstone, Kayce sold the ranch to the Broken Rock Tribe Confederation and their chief, Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), for a symbolic price of $1.25, and the conditions included them never exploiting or building on the land and providing a small piece of the ranch for Kayce and his family to live there. The Y in Y: Marshals refers to the famous Y logo on the ranch house, standing for Yellowstone, of course; it seals the deal that this is a Yellowstone story, but the nice part is, it will take place on the ranch and bring back the cowboy vibes.

We’re left to see whether Monica (Kelsey Asbille) and Tate (Brecken Merrill), Kayce’s wife and son, will join the show, though there’s no reason for them not to; we may also see Chief Rainwater occasionally and his friends on Yellowstone ranch. The ranch life is an inherent part of being a cowboy, which is why Y: Marshals is going to be a cool Western series that will help Yellowstone become more of a cowboy land than just a political playground. Most of Yellowstone treated the land as a political figure and a commodity to trade; Y: Marshals will surely honor it as a cowboy haven and an untouchable natural beauty while still delivering badass crime-busting action.

4There Will Be Cowboys and Ranch Lifestyle

The Cornerstone of Any Good Western Series

The best part about any Western is the cowboying part. Riding horses, wearing hats, riding off into the sunset, herding cattle, slinging guns—well, all of it. While Y: Marshals does seem to be more about US Marshals, the addition of “range justice” in the description could mean that Kayce Dutton will work as a special Marshal who takes care of ranchers’ problems and makes sure things run smoothly without stealing, corruption, or overly confident ranchers messing with everyone else’s lifestyles. That’s the expectation, anyway, and a lot of things point in that direction, since Kayce was the only one in Yellowstone to actually embrace the ranching lifestyle after John, who inevitably had to get involved in politics and leave the ranch stuff behind.

While cattle problems and trespassing may not be the most exciting activities for a season of 13 episodes (which they’re saying season one will be), they’re the everyday for so many ranchers; the show could also include, and likely will, some modern ranching issues people aren’t aware of, like feed for the cattle, crops, water supplies, animal illnesses, and plenty of other things. Y: Marshals will have the perfect opportunity to blend action with the cowboy lifestyle and show people a distinct way of life. Not just branding workers like they’re commodities or cattle, but people who choose or inherit the ranching lifestyle in modern times.

3With Kayce Joining US Marshals, There Will Be Action

The ‘SEAL Team’ Showrunner Promises That

Spencer Hudnut, who was the showrunner for CBS’ incredibly popular, David Boreanaz-led series, SEAL Team, will be the showrunner for Y: Marshals. SEAL Team is a highly rated show, full of action and heroic characters, and there’s no doubt Hudnut has the chops to deliver the same sort of vibe to Y: Marshals. There are promises of action, since Kayce’s prior service as a Navy SEAL will come in handy. We already saw Kayce lead high-octane action ops in Yellowstone, like the time he was saving his son from kidnappers in season 2. That operation went smoothly and with a lot of control because Kayce led it, so we know he has leadership strength within him. He is also protective, which means he’ll definitely feel a sense of duty towards the US Marshals.

An average US Marshal protects and enacts the federal laws in their respective states, protects federal judges, and executes federal court orders, warrants, and asset seizures. Knowing that, we’re a bit more aware of what kind of things Kayce will be doing after he joins the US Marshal team cited in the synopsis. These cases typically have some pushback from guilty parties, so horse and car chases, gunfights, and solving mysteries are inevitable in Y: Marshals, which is why this upcoming series is also exciting. Hudnut also produced and wrote The Blacklist: Redemption and Unforgettable, though SEAL Team was his most successful and acclaimed series among action thrillers.

2Kayce’s Navy SEAL History Adds a Modern Twist to Westerns

His SEAL Experience Made Him Stronger, But Traumatized

Like most war experiences, Kayce’s former Navy SEAL service also shows that he experienced trauma that followed him home. This has made him quiet, stoic, and with a barrier between him and everyone else, despite that not being his ultimate goal; having a family helps him open up, even though it’s hard and sometimes impossible. Kayce is the archetypal warrior who only wishes to live peacefully, and he embodies very much a cowboy-like personality in that perspective. A former Navy SEAL who has returned to ranching is almost the definition of a modern cowboy, someone with gunfighting experience who’s seen all sorts of stuff and now lives quietly on his horse. This angle alone is worth calling Y: Marshals a modern Western that will be the best thing on TV.

Though Kayce’s Navy SEAL experiences aren’t largely discussed in Yellowstone—he mostly hints at suffering from nightmares and flashbacks—this would also be the perfect way to conjoin the lifestyle of a former SEAL, all of its action, chaos, and intensity, with the quiet, almost introspective life on the ranch, where one is rarely surrounded by other people as much; the nearest person is usually a couple of miles away. In a way, Kayce joining the US Marshals in a new twist might be indulging in the more impatient, tactical, and disciplined parts of his personality, with his promising to leave the life of action behind but feeling like there’s more he can do to help while he’s still fit and sound-minded. This kind of Kayce Dutton is the man audiences will surely love to see, and the show will probably be appealing to Western fans who’ve not seen a minute of Yellowstone, too.

1Kayce Dutton Is the Main Character

And Many People Love to See Him Step Up

There have been plenty of debates about whom the best and most likable character in Yellowstone is. The verdict is that all of them are divisive for various reasons, with John, the patriarch, being the kind of neglectful father who is also a great leader; Beth being the chaotic and unruly business brains of the family; and Jamie being the terribly neglected but ruthlessly ambitious adopted son. Kayce falls into the category of the most likable characters, since people have rarely had criticism towards him; he’s a disciplined, quiet, and loyal character who passes on the true meaning of ranching to his son Tate. Kayce is also dedicated to his wife, Monica (Kelsey Asbille), respects her heritage, and is a disciplined veteran with a strong sense of duty towards people and his morals. Not much about him has made people feel put off or like he’s unlikable.

Through the majority of Yellowstone, Kayce was often put to the side, and, even worse, his life and family were targets of attacks aimed mostly at his father, John. Tate was kidnapped because of a feud with John’s rivals and Monica and Tate get attacked in their own home during another bloody feud the Duttons engage in. This time, with all of that gone, including John (sorry to say it), Kayce will have a more prominent role as a family man, rancher, and even a US Marshal (or someone adjacent to them). This will give the showrunners a chance to deliver us stories about Kayce that are aligned with his character and personality a lot more—we’ll likely see him deliver swift and precise justice, nurture the ranch life, and improve his relationship with his family. Of course, an association with US Marshals won’t allow Kayce to just sit at home and play pretend with Tate; this is probably just going to make his life more chaotic, which may not be a totally bad thing.