Marshals Episode 3 Solidifies Why This Pitched Yellowstone Spin-Off Series Needs To Exist
by Kieran Fisher · /FilmThis article contains spoilers for "Marshals" episode 3, "Road to Nowhere."
Taylor Sheridan has even more "Yellowstone" spin-offs on the way, but the one that really should exist isn't in production yet. Gil Birmingham has been open about his desire for an offshoot series told from the perspective of his character, Thomas Rainwater, and the people of the Broken Rock Reservation. Now, "Marshals" episode 3, which is titled "Road to Nowhere," has opened the door to that intriguing possibility, and Sheridan ought to seriously consider going ahead with it.
"Marshals" episode 3 sees tensions boil between Rainwater's Broken Rock Reservation tribe and some angry ranchers. Rainwater's people now own the land the Duttons fought for in every season of "Yellowstone," and some folks aren't happy about it. "Marshals" episode 3 even finds Rainwater at the center of an attempted assassination plot, so it's safe to say he has some enemies. Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) and his fellow U.S. Marshals jump in to investigate the case, but this story should be told from Rainwater and his tribe's point of view.
Sheridan's "Yellowstone" franchise has so far followed several generations of Duttons as they ward off the assassins who want their land. It's a tried-and-tested formula, but a spin-off with the same premise, albeit told from a Native American perspective, is more interesting than exploring it from Kayce's on "Marshals." With that in mind, what are the chances of a Rainwater spin-off ever happening?
Will a Yellowstone spin-off about Thomas Rainwater happen?
As it stands, a "Yellowstone" spin-off that focuses on Thomas Rainwater and the Broken Rock Reservation is just a dream. That said, Gil Birmingham has pitched ideas that could inform an exciting show about the reservation and its lifestyle — the type of story that just wouldn't be the same being shown through a Dutton's eyes. As he told Collider in 2024:
"My thought was that [Rainwater] would probably first create a community where his people could be safe with their homes, facilities of hospitals and schools. [...] Then, outside of that, maybe offering educational centers for people to visit and learn what our disconnected sense of our society has created."
The one upside is that Rainwater and his people are recurring characters on "Marshals," so their story will still be told in some capacity. Be that as it may, a spin-off that puts them at the front and center would be fresh, as this franchise has a history of making Rainwater and co. feel like supporting characters. Kayce is a good ally to have, but Rainwater and his people are more than capable of fighting their own battles against those who wish to eliminate them.
New episodes of "Marshals" premiere Sundays on CBS.