Yellowstone fans finally have some answers about one of Marshals’ biggest early shocks.
Before the CBS spinoff even premiered, a lot of viewers noticed that Kelsey Asbille’s character Monica was missing from the trailers and promo photos. Then, the show answered that question immediately: Monica had died of cancer, with the series tying her illness to contamination on reservation land. It was a brutal way to begin Kayce Dutton’s next chapter, especially after how hard-won his family life felt by the end of Yellowstone.
Now, a report from Matthew Belloni at Puck has shed some light on why the show made that choice behind the scenes. According to Belloni, the decision was not primarily a creative one. Because Paramount sold the streaming rights to Yellowstone to Peacock before the original series became a giant hit, newer shows in that world reportedly have to be built carefully enough to stand on their own. Belloni reported that certain Yellowstone elements had to be changed or minimized for Marshals to avoid potential rights issues—Monica’s exit was part of that.
Luke Grimes has also been open about how hard the change was for him personally. In an interview with TV Insider, he said he was “heartbroken” when he learned Monica would be written out and called Asbille “one of my best friends.” He also said he had to work up the courage to call her afterward, though he said she handled it “like a pro.”
So while fans may still wish Marshals had started with Kayce and Monica together, it sounds like the show’s hands may have been tied more than people realized. Not every behind-the-scenes answer makes a twist hurt less, of course! But at least now we know this one was about a lot more than just shaking things up for drama.
