The Yellowstone universe keeps expanding, and its latest chapter is making waves on traditional television. Marshals, the spin-off centered on Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes), has stormed back for a second season and immediately claimed the title of the most-watched scripted show on TV.
According to Nielsen data for the week of September 28 to October 4, the Season 2 premiere pulled in a staggering 8.2 million viewers in its first day alone. That's a significant jump from the roughly 7 million average the series maintained during its freshman run. The numbers solidify Marshals as a major player in the franchise's ongoing dominance.
This marks a notable shift for the series, which initially faced skepticism when it was announced as the first Yellowstone offshoot to air on CBS rather than Paramount+. While its sister show, Dutton Ranch, continued the streaming juggernaut's success on Paramount+, Marshals took a different path—and it's clearly paying off.
The premiere's performance also puts it ahead of other CBS heavyweights. Tracker, which returned for its fourth season the same week, landed at number eight with 7 million viewers. Earlier this year, Tracker consistently outperformed Marshals, but the tables have turned in a big way.
Critical Reception Improves
While Marshals remains the lowest-rated Yellowstone installment on Rotten Tomatoes—holding a 48% critics' score and a 28% audience score—early buzz for Season 2 is far more positive. Every review currently listed on the site is favorable, with critics praising the show for avoiding the missteps of its debut season. Collider's own Michael John Petty highlighted the improvement, noting that the new episodes don't repeat Season 1's mistakes.
The series, created by Spencer Hudnut, also stars Logan Marshall-Green, Arielle Kebbel, Gil Birmingham, and Ash Santos. It's one of several Sheridan projects to hit screens this year, following the blockbuster third season of Lioness and ahead of the upcoming fourth season of Tulsa King, which premieres October 16.
For fans of the Yellowstone universe, this ratings surge is just another sign of Sheridan's unstoppable momentum. If you're looking to dive deeper into his Western world, check out our take on why 1923 remains his greatest epic. And for a sneak peek at what's next for Kayce, don't miss our exclusive look at the new season.
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on whether Marshals can sustain its impressive viewership. With the franchise's track record, it wouldn't be surprising to see it continue climbing the charts.
