The Taylor Sheridan universe keeps expanding, and Marshals is making waves with its second season. After a record-breaking debut, the CBS procedural spin-off of Yellowstone is back, and it's already pulling in massive numbers. The Season 2 premiere drew over 8 million viewers, making it the most-watched show during CBS's premiere week—a feat that echoes its freshman run, which topped 20 million viewers despite mixed reviews.
This season, the spotlight shines on Kayce Dutton, played by Luke Grimes, as he navigates life after the events of Yellowstone. Having given up most of the family ranch to the Broken Rock Reservation, Kayce is now a U.S. Marshal, teaming up with his old SEAL buddy Peter Calvin (Logan Marshall-Green). But the personal stakes are higher than ever: Kayce is a widower raising a teenage son, Tate (Brecken Merrill), and he's determined to be a better father than his own dad, John Dutton (Kevin Costner), ever was.
That quest for better parenting leads Kayce down memory lane. In an upcoming episode, he flashes back to the moment he received his Yellowstone brand—a pivotal, painful memory that shaped his identity. The trailer for Season 2 teases this scene, showing a young, brooding Kayce staring at his reflection. But here's the twist: the actor in that flashback isn't Luke Grimes. Instead, Berlin Enrique Nelson steps into the role of Young Kayce, making his debut in Episode 4, titled "Blast Radius." It's a fresh face for a character previously portrayed by Rhys Alterman in Yellowstone's early seasons.
Nelson is a relative newcomer to the industry, but he's already building an intriguing résumé. Besides his Marshals gig, he's been cast in Netflix's upcoming teen drama Poser, a sexy, emotional thriller about toxic female friendships, created by Lauren Iungerich (On My Block). The show, starring Sadie Stanley, Daisy Jelly, and Annie Murphy, wrapped production recently and is now in post-production.
As for what's next on Marshals, Episode 4 promises a tense mix of personal and professional challenges. Kayce and Andrea (Ash Santos) are juggling their own anxieties while tracking fugitives on their off-hours. A capture leads them to a notorious bomber who once slipped through Cal's fingers, pulling the team into a dangerous pursuit with old wounds at stake. Meanwhile, threats against Belle (Arielle Kebbel) escalate, and Miles (Tantaka Means) is keeping secrets from Maddie (Morgan Lindholm) about Cal's cancer.
This season is all about breaking cycles and confronting the past, themes that resonate deeply with Kayce's journey to be a different kind of father. The show's ratings dominance is no accident—it's tapping into the same gritty, emotional storytelling that made Yellowstone a phenomenon. If you're curious about how Marshals is faring in the ratings race, the numbers speak for themselves.
For fans of the Sheridan universe, this new casting adds another layer to Kayce's backstory. It's a smart move to explore his formative years, especially as he tries to shield Tate from the violence that marked his own youth. Whether Nelson's role is a one-off or a recurring part remains to be seen, but it's a compelling addition to the show's flashback structure.
Don't miss Marshals on CBS Sundays at 8 PM ET, or catch up on Paramount+. And for more on the latest in the Taylor Sheridan universe, stay tuned—there's plenty more drama to come.
