The Marshals Storyline That Shocked Star Luke Grimes

CBS

If there's one thing you can say about "Marshals" it's that the long-awaited "Yellowstone" spin-off knows how to keep the spirit of Taylor Sheridan's drama-drenched neo-Western alive. The very first episode confirmed that Kelsey Asbille's Monica Dutton had died prior to the show's debut, surprising everyone, star Luke Grimes included.

"Marshals" announced itself by continuing one of the "Yellowstone" franchise's most depressing trends. Episode 1 killed off one of the most controversial "Yellowstone" characters in the worst way possible, confirming Monica died off-screen and barely even explaining the circumstances. It is suggested, and has since been confirmed, that she died as the result of a nearby river being contaminated by a mining operation close to her and her family's home. The mine and it's cancer-causing activities are a big part of the new show, with the Broken Rock Reservation holding a protest and Brecken Merrill's Tate Dutton chastising his father for not being on the front lines considering "how much mom suffered." But it's still somewhat vague and not really what fans expected.

Now, as even casual fans will know, Monica wasn't the most beloved character in the history of the Sheridan-verse. But her unceremonious passing will no doubt have come as a surprise to most viewers, who across five seasons of the mothership series witnessed her and Kayce's bond grow ever stronger despite significant setbacks. That's a big part of the reason Monica's death shocked Grimes, who told Entertainment Weekly he was taken aback when the writers pitched him the idea. "It was his whole heart," said the actor of Kayce's relationship with Monica, before explaining that he did eventually make peace with her passing. Still, like most viewers, he was clearly caught off-guard and has said as much elsewhere.

Paramount

"Marshals" showrunner Spencer Hudnut tried to explain Monica's death, confirming that she did, in fact, die of cancer caused by the mining operation polluting the river. Hudnut also claimed her death was  a way of shining a light on the issue of high cancer rates on reservations. That particular angle gets more ridiculous the more you think about it, considering the writers committed the cardinal sin of crime dramas by "fridging" the wife and are now trying to say it was all in the name of highlighting a real-world injustice. The less ridiculous explanation is that Monica's death is the catalyst for Kayce joining the Marshals. Even then, however, it still feels unfair.

All of which is to say that none of the explanations we've heard so far really ameliorate the surprise of Monica being offed so inelegantly. Even Luke Grimes had to admit that fans had every right to feel aggrieved. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the star said "I think fans will be upset — and they should be. Kayce is very upset. It's the worst thing that could have happened to him." The actor did go on to say that he thought Kayce being a widower was "a good idea for the show" as it created a new set of challenges for the character, who now will have to "manage all these new things — new job, being a single father." Still, all these comments from those involved in "Marshals" feel more like damage control and strained rationalization than anything else.

Sonja Flemming/CBS

According to Entertainment Weekly, Luke Grimes did eventually "come around" to the idea of Monica dying off-screen. But if you'd already committed to star in a series you probably wouldn't have much choice. What's more, Grimes further comments to EW only serve to reinforce just how big a loss this was and how hard it will be to move on from it.

Addressing the idea of Kayce dating again, Grimes said, "I just felt like if we went there too quickly, it would feel like we were doing it to have a storyline. It would feel very obligatory and, like, that's the thing you have to do with your number one." But the actor is clearly aware of Monica's importance to Kayce's storyline, even if fans weren't exactly shy about voicing their distaste for the character — an ugly trend that's unfortunately continued with another Taylor Sheridan series, "Landman." Grimes went on to say that he and the writers have no intention of pairing Kayce with another love interest any time soon. "Not in this case," he said. "Not when you've seen a guy for years and years and years be so madly in love with someone. It would almost feel like, 'Was that all bull****?'"

That very question is surely on the lips of fans regardless. Monica and Kayce's relationship was a significant part of what gave "Yellowstone" its heart. Regardless of how viewers felt about Kelsey Asbille's character, she was an important element of the show in that regard from the very beginning. Killing her off so soon after she and Kayce were given one of the best endings of any main characters in "Yellowstone" already has fans asking "Was that all bull****?"