As we left off last week, there was a lot going on as we approached the first season finale of Marshals. And most of it has to do with Kayce (Luke Grimes), once again, trying to keep the secrets of Yellowstone from burying his new life. That’s when Cal (Logan Marshall-Green) arrived to interrupt what looked like a plan to kill fugitive Neil Lamb (Sterling Jones) before he could tell what he knew. In this week’s episode, “On Thin Ice,” we pick up right where we left off. Let’s dive in. SPOILERS BELOW.
We open with Cal, Kayce, and Neil Lamb walking through the snowy woods. They’re looking to get out, and it appears nothing has been said about the near execution. Instead, we quickly transport back to 2015 and the mission that changed everything for Cal, Kayce, and Garrett (Riley Green).
Intercut throughout the episode, we return to that mission. We see how those three and their fourth, Roner (Jay Reeves), got into trouble. At one point the mission goes bad, and Cal calls an abort. When they return to the base, it turns out Roner was still alive, and they left him to die. It’s a decision for which Kayce has long-blamed Cal.
But it turns out, there was more to the story. It was Garrett who suggested Roner was dead. He led Cal to call a retreat, ultimately leaving their comrade to die. But Cal took the heat because he knew it would be too much for Garrett. Turns out, Cal has always had Kayce’s back, and he’ll have to have his back again.
Fighting the mine
Meanwhile, Chairman Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) is trying to work his magic to block the mine and protect his people. He has Senator Conner (Blaire Chandler) in the building, and he’s impressing upon her the need to move the site elsewhere. But his charm is having seemingly little effect. Fortunately, the storm keeps her trapped on-site, where the Chairman offers her a complimentary suite.
The next day, he calls in backup. He reaches out to Miles (Tatanka Means) to come to the reservation. When in the meeting, the Chairman hails Miles’ service and his work as a U.S. Marshal. That does impress the senator enough to suggest she will do what she can to help, but there are others the Chairman will have to convince first.
When it’s done, Miles isn’t exactly pleased. He questions why he’s being used. The Chairman shares he’s being deployed as a weapon, as he will do anything to protect his people. But will Miles feel the same when called upon again?
Cold justice
Trapped in the storm, Kayce, Cal, and Lamb take shelter. But they have to go find wood to keep a fire going. While out, Cal falls into a frozen pond, and while he makes it back to the shelter, he’s in rough shape. The following morning, with Cal barely hanging on, Lamb makes his move to escape. But first, while Kayce is seeking wood, he fills Cal in on the train station.
Cal realizes that the information Lamb knows is enough to taint the Dutton family and their legacy and potentially end his law enforcement career alongside Kayce. And yet, he remains committed to the job and justice. So, when Lamb flees, Kayce and Cal split up to find him in the snowy woods. It’s Cal who locates him first.
Lamb, sensing the Marshal is still weak, goes after him. They fight, and soon Lamb lands right in the same frozen pond, this time unable to surface. As Kayce catches up, Cal assures him that they should keep the secret and protect the Dutton family legacy. But they’re not out of the woods yet. As Cal and Kayce seek their vehicle, they’re held up at gunpoint by Don Benson (Michael X. Sommers), Lamb’s partner. But before he can do anything, Belle (Arielle Kebbel) shoots him. Belle and Cruz (Ash Santos) were tracking Benson as a means of finding Lamb.
For now, they’re all safe. So, thoughts turn back to Garrett. Kayce, Cal, and Cruz head to the hospital, but it’s too late. While they were chasing bad guys, Garrett succumbed to the wounds suffered in the fire. It’s a bittersweet ending to say the least.
There was plenty of action, but this week’s episode is more about all the wounds and distractions plaguing this team of Marshals. To a man, they’re all suffering and all have a lot on their minds. That could leave the team vulnerable to all manner of threats as we head toward the final two episodes of the season.
Marshals airs Sundays on CBS and streams the following day on Paramount+. Check back next week as we recap all the action of this first season. Have a theory about the final two episodes?
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