‘Marshals’ Review: Luke Grimes in a CBS ‘Yellowstone’ Spinoff That Struggles To Escape Its Predecessor’s Shadow

At the end of the premiere for Marshals, CBS’ new Yellowstone sequel-spinoff, Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) apologizes to his son, Tate (Brecken Merrill). “I fought so hard to get out from under the weight of Yellowstone,” he says of their clan’s storied land, “and here I am, forcing you to live like my family’s lived for 100 years.” But the Duttons’ history need not be Tate’s future, he stresses; the teen should feel free to forge his own path.

Tate apparently takes his father at his word, barely figuring at all in the two other episodes sent to critics. For Kayce, however, it seems to be too late. Marshals frames itself as a new beginning for the character, a chance for him to finally come out from underneath the long shadow of his famous last name. In truth, it’s too enamored of Dutton lore to let Kayce stand on his own,…