CBS’s Marshals Officially Leaves Yellowstone In The Past

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Marshals episode 7, “Out of the Shadows.”The events of Marshals episode 7 allow the show to finally leave Yellowstone in the past. A year after the end of Yellowstone on Paramount Network, Taylor Sheridan expanded the franchise with its very first sequel installment, following Luke Grimes’ Kayce Dutton. Debuting late during the 2025-2026 TV cycle, Marshals is billed as a new era of Yellowstone, but it’s clear from the get-go that it is significantly different from the mothership.

Instead of keeping the ranch with the Duttons and navigating Montana business and politics, Marshals is a police procedural set in Sheridan’s neo-Western series. Still, it is part of the Yellowstone franchise, with the events of the Paramount Network’s mega-hit being a factor in Kayce’s new adventure. Monica’s death, in particular, has been vital in launching this fresh chapter. After “Out of the Shadows,” however, Marshals is free to move forward.

Monica’s Memorial Allows Kayce To Finally Move Forward In Marshals

CBS

The death of Monica has been a looming presence throughout Marshals‘ events thus far. Losing his wife was what forced Kayce to pivot from living a quiet life at East Camp to joining the U.S. Marshals and embarking on another dangerous job. The CBS series hasn’t really devoted one whole outing to tackling what happened to Tate’s mother, instead revealing bits and pieces about her fate every week. Marshals episode 7 marks the first year death anniversary of Monica.

“Out of the Shadows” simultaneously continues the marshals’ hunt for the missing girls, which was previously set up in the previous week. Kayce finds himself at the center of friction with several people, including Tate, after his controversial decision on how to handle the case. In the end, the team secures the abducted girls in time for him to attend Monica’s memorial. The occasion also gives him the courage to part ways with his late wife’s necklace — something that he has been holding onto since her death.

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This symbolizes Kayce deciding to move out of the grieving period that has had him functioning on autopilot. Monica represented the happy life that Yellowstone left him with. While this doesn’t mean that he will ever be able to fully stop grieving the loss of his wife, it marks a point in his story where he intentionally chooses to move forward with the current life that he has.

Kayce Letting Go Of The Past Paves The Way For Marshals To Establish Its Own Identity

Admittedly, the legacy of the Dutton family and the events of Yellowstone will always be at least referenced in Marshals, which is a natural part of being a show within a bigger franchise. Doing so will emphasize the storytelling interconnection and make both series more fun to watch for avid viewers.

That said, Monica’s memorial allows Marshals to decentralize her death and shift the show’s focus onto something else. Obviously, her demise will never be fully forgotten, but prioritizing other aspects of its storytelling makes it easier for the CBS procedural to establish its own identity.

The procedural aspect of Marshals is still very new, but as it enters the final stretch of its debut year, it can devote the majority of its focus to working on that core part of its narrative that will be integral to its long-term run. Sheridan’s network TV series will be used to address lingering questions left by Yellowstone, but right now, its priority should be establishing its own identity. Kayce coming out of his grieving period is a great start for that.

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Marshals

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  Logan Marshall-Green

  Pete Calvin

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