Jimmy is BACK.
In the wide world of Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone, it certainly feels like most fans were hoping for a 6666’s Ranch spinoff with Jefferson White’s character, Jimmy, as the lead. However, after years of anticipation, including confirmation that it was in the works… it’s officially been crossed off the list. Well, at least for now…
A former drug-dealing doofus who turned into a real deal cowboy, it’s hard to argue Jimmy didn’t have one of the most transformative character arcs in the entire Yellowstone universe. Universally loved for his good heart and “village idiot” persona, it was hard not to root for Jimmy. And by the time he got sent down to the 6666’s, and returned a brand new man, he became one of the most respected characters in the show.
And now, he’s officially headed back to the Yellowstone family, although I have to imagine not in the way that most people expected.
Jimmy will appear in the second season of the CBS procedure spinoff, Marshals, which tells the story of Luke Grimes’ character, Kayce Dutton. Fans have been begging for a Dutton Ranch (the Rip and Beth spinoff), and Marshals crossover… which Luke said isn’t out of the question… but I think will come as an ever greater surprise.
Jefferson White released the following statement:
“I’m thrilled to dive into the world of ‘Marshals’ and continue exploring the American West. The cast and crew are stacked full of my favorite actors and filmmakers, and I’m honored to join them. Jimmy and I have been through a lot together, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for us.”
Of course, the show also features Yellowstone alums, Brecken Merrill (Tate Dutton), Gil Birmingham (Thomas Rainwater), and Mo Brings Plenty (Mo). Country star Riley Green, as well as fellow country singer Morgan Wade, also made appearances in the show’s first season.
Produced by Paramount Television Studios and 101 Studios, Season 2 of Marshals will premiere Sunday, October 4th on CBS, with additional streaming on Paramount+.
Kayce Dutton Love Interest?
Fans of Marshals that were upset with the show trying to introduce a new love interest for Kayce Dutton in Season 1 aren’t going to like this Season 2 update from Luke Grimes.
The Kayce Dutton-focused Yellowstone spinoff has already aired its first season, and soon, Season 2 will premiere on CBS. Much of the spinoff’s early storyline revolved around Luke Grimes’ character moving on after the death of his wife, Monica. There were a lot of fans that expressed their happiness about Kayce’s wife being killed off… but some of those same fans started complaining when the show’s writers started making Kayce move on a little too fast.
In Season 1’s fourth episode, titled “The Gathering Storm,” the U.S. Marshals found themselves helping a rancher who got into an accident up in the mountains. Through that rescue mission, they met the rancher’s daughter – named Dolly (played by Ellyn Jameson). Immediately, the series implied that there’s some chemistry between Kayce and the woman he’s met. Going by the timeline of the show, that all played out only a couple of months after Monica passed.
Obviously, fans don’t want Kayce Dutton to be miserable for the rest of his life. But they thought introducing a romantic interest that soon was a little too much. And to those fans… I hate to say this, but you might need to prepare yourself for more of the same from Marshals in Season 2.
In an interview with EW, Grimes says that the second season will see Kayce Dutton getting out and hanging with his crew more. The actor behind the beloved Yellowstone character also hinted at “getting out of his shell” and being lonely:
“He’s hanging out with everybody a little more. He’s going to the bar a little more. He starts to get a glimpse of his future and what he’s seeing seems very lonely. He’s gonna have to start seeking community somewhere. He starts to try to invest in his relationships with his teammates, and I think it gets him out of his shell in a good way.”
Lonely? Getting out of his shell? Yeah, I think it’s a safe bet for Kayce Dutton to end up with someone romantically by the end of Season 2.
In that same interview, Grimes was asked if Kayce would be more open to entering back into a relationship in the show’s sophomore season, and the actor didn’t say no. In fact, he said yes… as long as it’s done the right way:
“Yeah, I think so — obviously slowly and cautiously… (Showrunner) Spencer Hudnut and I have talked about: How we do that in the way that the audience allows it and doesn’t get upset by it? Some time has passed, and I think we have to put Kayce in some situations where you don’t blame him for wanting to open up that way.”
And Luke Grimes himself wants Kayce Dutton to be happy, so if that means him finding new romance, it sounds like he’d be okay with that playing out. He admits that he’s played the character for so long that he’s starting to become one with Kayce… and thus wants the best for him:
“It starts to kind of feel like a real person. It’s very confusing sometimes. He’s been in my life for a very long time. I want him to be happy.”
Will making Kayce Dutton happy make everyone watching unhappy? I guess we’ll see how that works out in Season 2.
