Entertainment
10 Most Exciting Netflix Shows To Binge-Watch, Ranked
Netflix practically invented binge-watching. Before the streamer took over the world, watching TV was a slow experience, where the audience would wait for a new episode every week and spend months following a storyline. Netflix obviously turned that format on its head by dropping entire seasons at once and completely changing how people consume TV.
The only problem, though, is the platform’s endless catalog that makes it hard to know what is actually worth committing to. Some shows are fun for a few episodes, but only a handful are worth a full-blown marathon. This is a list of the most exciting Netflix shows that are simply impossible to quit.
10
‘A Man on the Inside’ (2024–Present)
A Man on the Inside is a warm comfort watch starring the brilliant Ted Danson as Charles Nieuwendyk, a retired engineering professor and widower whose life has become rather lonely and quiet after he loses his wife. However, things take a turn when Charles stumbles upon an unusual job listing for a private investigator and ends up working for Julie Kovalenko (Lilah Richcreek Estrada). His mission is to infiltrate the Pacific View Retirement Community in San Francisco to solve a missing necklace case. Right off the bat, the show presents an extremely likable character and a cozy mystery that only gets better with time.
The best part of the show is that it doesn’t rely solely on the case to keep the audience hooked. In fact, the mystery is actually fairly easy to guess halfway through because it’s never meant to land as a twist. The real hook is watching Charles slowly find purpose in a retirement home of all places. A Man on the Inside presents an interesting perspective on aging without turning its characters into stereotypes. The show never punches down and feels extremely sincere, especially in its more complex storylines involving dementia and memory care. All of this makes A Man on the Inside an easy binge with breezy pacing, a stacked cast, and a heartwarming story at the center.
9
‘Never Have I Ever’ (2020–2023)
There’s no denying that Netflix is almost oversaturated with teen dramas, but Never Have I Ever is definitely in a league of its own. The show, created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, can be written off as yet another coming-of-age comedy, but beneath that is a story about grief, identity, and the messy parts of growing up. The story follows Indian-American teenager Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), who is dealing with the sudden death of her father. She then sets out on a mission to reinvent her social life as a coping mechanism, which leads to a complicated yet wildly entertaining love triangle involving the popular high-school jock Paxton Hall-Yoshida (Darren Barnet) and Devi’s academic rival, Ben Gross (Jaren Lewison).
What makes Never Have I Ever such a fun watch is how the show embraces the chaos in Devi’s life. She is never presented as the perfect female lead. Instead, she is dramatic, selfish, and stubborn, but that’s exactly why she feels so real. The show’s decision to use tennis legend John McEnroe as the narrator is one of the most creative comedic choices Netflix has ever made and only reinforces Devi’s spunky personality. However, the show’s depth isn’t just limited to Devi. The supporting cast, including her best friends Eleanor (Ramona Young) and Fabiola (Lee Rodriguez), gets its own well-developed arcs, and no character in the show ever feels one-dimensional. All of this is rare for a teen TV series and makes Never Have I Ever a relatable watch for viewers of all ages. Sure, the show features its fair share of clichés, but even that becomes part of its odd charm.
8
‘Beef’ (2023–Present)
Beef is one of Netflix’s most unique shows, and that alone makes it binge-worthy. The series, created by Lee Sung Jin and produced by A24, takes a seemingly simple premise and turns it into a psychological spiral like no other. The story follows Danny Cho (Steven Yeun), a struggling Korean-American contractor drowning in debt, and Amy Lau (Ali Wong), a successful Chinese-Vietnamese American entrepreneur whose life only looks perfect from the outside. The two get into an ugly road rage incident and find themselves in an obsessive feud that grows more destructive with every episode. It’s almost like revenge starts consuming these two, and they are willing to do anything it takes to come out on top. Beef’s pacing is what makes the show so addictive.
The episodes are only around 30 minutes, but their emotional intensity leaves the audience on the edge of their seats. The characters’ thirst for revenge becomes a window into their deepest insecurities and the anger they have been repressing for years. The show has also garnered a reputation for its accurate portrayal of Asian Americans and the pressure of immigrant expectations. Of course, none of this would land without Yeun and Wong’s incredibly layered performances and their destructive chemistry. Beef is dark, funny, thrilling, and unpredictable. It’s the kind of show that practically demands to be binge-watched.
7
‘Black Mirror’ (2011–Present)
Black Mirror changed the game for sci-fi TV when it premiered back in 2011. Since then, every season of the anthology series has proven to be more disturbing and thought-provoking than its predecessor. The show, created by Charlie Brooker, first aired on Channel 4 before moving to the streamer in 2016, where it instantly found a global audience. The show has become the perfect reflection of human nature and how overreliance on technology can lead to devastating consequences. Every episode tells a standalone story set in a near-future that takes everyday anxieties and transforms them into nightmares that feel terrifyingly plausible.
This is exactly what makes the sci-fi show so binge-worthy, too. Each story ranges from 40 to 90 minutes but is so packed with tension and layered storytelling that it feels nothing short of a cinematic experience. Black Mirror is the kind of show the audience can’t stop thinking about after the credits roll. Most episodes are designed to leave the viewers feeling unsettled and emotionally exhausted, but that’s where the impact of the show lies. There’s no denying that the anthology series has had an uneven run, with the latest seasons receiving more criticism than the earlier ones. However, even then, Black Mirror continues to deliver some of the most unforgettable TV of the last decade.
6
‘Baby Reindeer’ (2024)
There is so much more than meets the eye with Baby Reindeer. It’s one of Netflix’s most twisted watches in years that only leaves the audience wanting more. The series, created by and starring Richard Gadd, follows Donny Dunn, an aspiring comedian working as a bartender in London, who offers a free cup of tea to a distressed-looking woman named Martha (Jessica Gunning). That proves to be the biggest mistake of his life as Martha grows obsessed with him and begins stalking him in person and online. As Donny tries to build his comedy career, Martha’s presence begins affecting every part of his life. Now, of course, the suspense of it all is addictive.
However, this isn’t a clear victim versus predator story. The show often portrays Donny as unlikable and frustrating. In some instances, the audience is forced to question whether he is actually leading Martha on. Martha herself is also presented as a layered character who is unpredictable and volatile, but also clearly damaged and lonely. Gadd and Gunning’s performances are the heart of the story and make the chaos feel almost suffocating. Overall, Baby Reindeer is practically designed for binge-watching with its seven power-packed episodes that refuse to deliver clean answers.
5
‘Derry Girls’ (2018–2022)
Derry Girls is the kind of heartwarming show that only comes around once in a while. On the surface, it is a charming teen sitcom that’s easily bingeable. The biggest hook is its setup, of course. The show follows Erin Quinn (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), her cousin Orla (Louisa Harland), their friends Clare (Nicola Coughlan), Michelle (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell), and Michelle’s English cousin James (Dylan Llewellyn) as they attend a strict Catholic school in Northern Ireland while dealing with the perils of growing up. However, the historical backdrop of the Troubles unfolding around them gives the show an added layer of complexity. That’s not to say that Derry Girls forces politics into the story.
Instead, the show uses real-life events such as President Bill Clinton’s 1995 visit and the eventual Good Friday Agreement vote as background noise in these kids’ lives. Sure, they are living through a period of conflict, but at the end of the day, they are just teenagers trying to attend concerts and taking school dances way too seriously. The dialogue is what truly makes Derry Girls as memorable as it is. The jokes come from every direction and encapsulate the sheer madness of growing up in a world where political tension is just another part of life. This show is the definition of laugh-out-loud TV that’s grounded in reality like no other. That’s an experience that just can’t be missed.
4
‘Midnight Mass’ (2021)
Midnight Mass is what intentional horror looks like. The show slowly pulls the audience into its haunting atmosphere before they even realize what’s truly happening. The show, created and directed by Mike Flanagan, is set on Crockett Island, a small and isolated fishing community that is crumbling under poverty. The story follows Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford), who returns home after serving four years in prison for a drunk-driving accident that killed a young woman, only to find the town heavy with grief. However, everything changes when a new priest, Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater), arrives at St. Patrick’s Church.
Midnight Mass might feel slow in the beginning due to its lack of jumpscares and twists that keep the viewers guessing. Every conversation in the show builds toward something bigger, though, and once the supernatural events begin, the narrative turns into a chilling exploration of what happens when belief turns into obsession. Slowly, the island starts viewing Father Paul as a God. Linklater’s passionate yet terrifying performance gives the story its intensity. Midnight Mass takes a familiar horror setup and turns it into something far more disturbing than one might think. The supernatural horror isn’t even the scariest part of it all as the story progresses. By the time the show ends, the island collapses into absolute fanaticism. The payoff is brutal while also feeling completely earned.
3
‘Squid Game’ (2021–2025)
Squid Game is another show that practically demands to be watched till the end, thanks to its impossibly high stakes. The Korean survival thriller, created, written, and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, centers around a secret competition where 456 desperate people compete against each other to win a life-changing cash prize. However, the catch is that if they lose a game, they die. The series follows Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), a debt-ridden gambler and struggling father, as he enters the games to turn his luck around, only to realize what he really is up against. Squid Games is addictive right from the start. The infamous Red Light Green Light sequence sets the show’s tone, and the audience instantly understands the kind of pressure the contestants are facing.
What’s extremely unsettling is that the competition forces these people to play childhood games that feel deceptively simple, but the way the contestants start panicking, calculating, and betraying each other under pressure stands as a sharp contrast to that. Every episode ends with a new moral dilemma that forces the viewer to keep watching, even when the narrative feels heavy. Despite all its gore, Squid Game is extremely emotionally grounded and reminds the audience that the contestants are real people with real lives outside the arena. Ultimately, the show is an intense commentary on capitalism, which means that even when the games end, the horror doesn’t fully go away.
2
‘Dept. Q’ (2025–Present)
Dept. Q is a crime thriller that everyone is bound to enjoy. The show, based on Jussi Adler-Olsen’s Department Q novels, follows Detective Chief Inspector Carl Morck (Matthew Goode), a skilled investigator who returns to duty after surviving an ambush shooting that left him physically wounded and drowning in guilt. The incident resulted in his partner James Hardy (Jamie Sives) being paralyzed, and the death of another young. All of this makes Morck’s forced comeback feel like a punishment more than anything else. The detective is forced to lead the police department’s latest PR project, Department Q, a cold-case unit created for the Scottish government to have unsolved crimes cleared for good headlines.
However, instead of being given actual resources, Morck is given a basement office and left to deal with piles and piles of neglected case files. However, things change when he slowly assembles a team of damaged outsiders, and together, they start digging into an unsolved case surrounded by corruption and personal vendettas that are yet to be uncovered. The show balances its procedural beats with layered character drama, and both narratives are equally gripping. Dept. Q is sharp, sarcastic, and surprisingly funny even in its bleak moments, and that makes it the perfect watch for anyone who appreciates a good mystery.
1
‘Stranger Things’ (2016–2025)
Stranger Things is and always will be one of Netflix’s breakout hits. The sci-fi series, created by the Duffer Brothers, is a warm, nostalgic, coming-of-age story with supernatural horror elements to deliver a truly unique narrative. The show is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, and opens with the mysterious vanishing of a young boy named Will Byers (Noah Schnapp). Will’s disappearance sends his mother Joyce (Winona Ryder) into a spiral, and police officer Jim Hopper (David Harbour) is forced to handle the case that makes no logical sense. At the same time, Will’s friends stumble across a strange girl named Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) who possesses strange psychic powers and might be the key to finding Will and bringing him back.
Stranger Things hooks viewers in with this high-stakes premise that slowly works backwards to reveal that Hawkins is home to a secret government facility that accidentally opens a portal to an alternate dimension known as the Upside Down. Every season deepens the lore of this nightmare world and the monsters that reside within it, including the Demogorgons, the Mind Flayer, and eventually, Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). The mystery constantly keeps expanding into a full-blown sci-fi epic that unfolds across five seasons that balance horror and conspiracy with the ups and downs of growing up. The show thrives on the chemistry between its core ensemble, and that’s only possible because of how realistic and natural the characters are written to be. Stranger Things is a once-in-a-lifetime watch that leans into emotion and spectacle in a way that has never been done on TV before.
Stranger Things
- Release Date
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2016 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz
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The man who held Paula Deen at gunpoint died from cardiovascular disease, a natural cause … TMZ has learned.
Eugene Thomas King Jr. died from hypertensive and arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the New York City Medical Examiner’s Officer tells us.
According to the Mayo Clinic, hypertensive and arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease is caused when high-blood pressure damages the arteries and causes plaque to build up. This is considered a natural cause of death by the M.E.
We broke the story … King was found unresponsive in his Brooklyn apartment just after 5 PM on Thursday. Emergency Medical Service personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
Back in 1987, King committed armed robbery … and Deen, who was working as a bank teller at the time, says he held a gun to her head. He was caught and sentenced to 25 years in prison for that crime and another robbery.
In 2013 — after Deen used a racial slur — King came to her defense … claiming she was being “persecuted” for making one small mistake in judgment and reacting out of anger. In the same Inside Edition interview, he apologized once again for holding her at gunpoint.
Eugene was 75.
Wu-Tang Clan cofounder Oliver “Power” Grant died after a “courageous” battle with pancreatic cancer … his family said on Saturday.
In a joint statement given to Rolling Stone, Grant’s family and his rap group revealed his illness — telling the outlet he was a “true fighter until the end.”
Oliver will be remembered as a “global architect of culture” whose legacy will continue on forever.
Wu-Tang Clan announced Grant’s death earlier this week … and popular members like Method Man and GZA jumped on social media to shout out their longtime friend — with the latter even saying the group wouldn’t have succeeded without him.
While Grant wasn’t a performing member of WTC, he helped the group achieve stardom in their early years … helping finance their first single, “Protect Ya Neck.”
He was also an executive producer on “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” … which Rolling Stone ranked as the 27th greatest album ever in 2023.
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Grant also helped create “Wu Wear” … the collective’s streetwear brand, which influenced fashion and funded the group during their first few years.
Oliver was just 52 years old.
RIP
Michael J. Fox
Role in ‘Shrinking’ Bigger than Just a Job …
Reveals Inspiration
Published
@LionsShareNews / Backgrid
Michael J. Fox says his part in the hit TV show “Shrinking” wasn’t just a small little acting gig … but something much more.
Photographers caught up with the movie and TV star at LAX Saturday … and he was asked what it was like playing Jerry on the show — a man with Parkinson’s disease, just like himself.
Take a listen for yourself … Michael says this part was more than just a TV role to him — though he also added it’s nice to go to set and do the work.
Fox was also asked about his legacy … to which he responded he’s not worried what people think about him after he’s dead.
MJF dove into who inspires him, too … especially since he’s an inspiration to so many — and, he points to Freddie Roach, a well-known boxing trainer who also has Parkinson’s.
Basically, don’t try to shrink the importance of this role, Michael says … it’s an important one.
Kylie Kelce offered rare insight into her family life with husband, Jason Kelce, as the pair raise four daughters together.
During an appearance in Jennifer Garner’s Instagram video series “Naptime Cook Club,” shared by the actress on Sunday, March 1, Kylie, 33, was quizzed by Garner, 53, about how she copes day-to-day with “so many” children.
“Yeah, they just keep multiplying,” joked Kylie, who was dressed casually in denim jeans and a gray T-shirt. Garner, whose lighthearted social media series offers simple meal ideas for parents to prepare at home while their “kid is down for a nap,” then asked whether Kylie had any children of her own who still took a daily nap.
“We still have one napper,” Kylie said, pinpointing her youngest child, Finnley, 11 months. Kylie and Jason, 38, also share Bennett, 2, Elliotte, 4, and Wyatt, 5.
Kylie Kelce misses “girl dinner” — and it’s all thanks to her four kids. “I would say that feeding your children is one of the most underrated, difficult parts of parenting,” Kelce, 33, shared on the Thursday, July 31, episode of her “Not Gonna Lie” podcast. “It’s difficult because, before I had children, I could […]
A surprised Garner then confirmed with Kylie, “Your two-year-old doesn’t nap?” to which the “Not Gonna Lie” podcast host replied, “No, she’s busy. She’s got things to do.”
Kylie also joked about her kitchen skills, revealing that she isn’t entirely polished with a knife in hand. “I watch so many cooking shows, including yours [Garner’s], that I am afraid that someone will see me with a knife,” Kylie said.
As the cooking tutorial continued, Garner noted that parents may like to get up in the morning and marinade meat for extended periods of time if they have their “act together,” which drew another humorous response from Kylie.
“I’ve never felt that in my whole life [but] go on, hypothetically,” she quipped before discussing the challenges she’s faced due to Wyatt’s fussy eating habits.
“I have one child who will, actually that’s a lie, two because one can’t talk, two children who will voluntarily eat something that is green,” Kylie began. “Our toughest eater was our oldest. Once Upon a Farm pouches were great because they are not a green color. They’re beautiful colors. I tried to explain to her, like, ‘You ate veggies. You used to’ and she’s like, ‘No I didn’t.’ I’m like, ‘No, I watched it, I actually bought it.’
While Kylie had previously kept her personal and family life out of the spotlight for the most part, her “Not Gonna Lie” interviews are allowing more frequent peeks into non-professional elements of her day-to-day activities and headspace.
During the February 12 episode, she even shared that she hoped to undergo breast augmentation surgery one day. “Really, my plan is, we’re gonna end up doing this,” Kylie said to a former college roommate during the show. “To be clear, there is a rough plan that eventually I will put my boobs back where they belong. Because four kids. That’s all I have to say about that.”
Kylie, who gave birth to Finnley in March 2025, continued at the time, “I’m gonna wait until they settle because if I did [a reveal] fresh out of surgery, [my friend] would be like, ‘I don’t know why they’re at your neck.’”
Martin Short
Doesn’t Attend Actors Awards After Daughter’s Death
Published
Martin Short had a difficult last week … and decided it was best if he didn’t attend the Actors Awards Sunday.
The veteran actor was up for the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series — an award he won last year — for “Only Murders in the Building … but, he was the only one of the five nominees not at the ceremony in Los Angeles.
Seth Rogen ended up taking the trophy anyway … but, it seems clear Martin skipped the ceremony because his daughter, Katherine, passed away last week.
We broke the story … Short’s daughter died by self-inflicted gunshot wound, law enforcement sources told us. She previously revealed she suffered from mental health issues.
We spoke with a friend who remembered her as a “beautiful empathetic soul” … who said there were no indications that Katherine was suffering as she was.
Broadcastify.com
She was found behind a locked door … and a note was found at the scene.
Short had several comedy shows scheduled for this weekend … but, he postponed those shortly after Katherine was found dead.
She was 42.
RIP
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
Law Roach
Zendaya and Tom’s Wedding Already Happened …
Y’all Missed It!!!
Published
Zendaya and Tom Holland are married … so claims her longtime stylist, Law Roach.
Here’s the deal … the celebrity stylist — who started styling Zendaya way back in 2011 — spoke to Access Hollywood on the Actors Awards red carpet where he sang out “The wedding has already happened, you missed it.”
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The AH reporter asks in shock if that’s true … and, Law responds by saying it’s “very true” before walking off.
This isn’t the first time Tom and Zendaya’s relationship status has made headlines on a red carpet … remember at the Golden Globes in 2025, Zendaya had a ring on that finger — and, the next day, we found out the two were engaged.
TMZ.com
Zendaya and Tom met on the set of “Spider-Man: Homecoming” in 2016, started dating a couple years later and went public with their relationship in 2021.
We’ve reached out to Tom and Zendaya’s teams … so far, no word back.
Yellowstone‘s spinoff Marshals hinted at Monica’s shocking death — but what signs were pointing to Kelsey Asbille‘s absence?
The hit Paramount Network series introduced Us to Kayce (Luke Grimes) and Monica (Asbille), who remained at the center of the show. After initially being a teacher at a local school on the Broken Rock Indian Reservation, Monica went on to become a professor at Montana State University while weathering life with Kayce, who moved them back to the Yellowstone Ranch while figuring out a past divide with dad John (Kevin Costner).
Following John’s death, Kayce, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, became the new owner and operator of the Yellowstone Ranch. Kayce and Monica ended the show alive — and together — before Marshals checked back in on them.
According to the official synopsis, Y: Marshals, which premieres March 1, follows Kayce as he leaves “ranching life behind to join an elite unit” of the U.S. Marshals while “combining his skills as a cowboy and Navy SEAL to bring range justice to Montana, where he and his teammates must balance family, duty and the high psychological cost that comes with serving as the last line of defense in the region’s war on violence.”
Kayce Dutton is getting his own Yellowstone spinoff, but all anyone can talk about is about how his wife, Monica, is missing from Marshals. Yellowstone, which premiered in 2018, introduced viewers to the fictional Dutton family, who own the largest ranch in Montana. When the show debuted, Kayce (Luke Grimes) and Monica’s (Kelsey Asbille) marriage […]
In addition to Grimes, the show stars Arielle Kebbel, Ash Santos, Tatanka Means, Brett Cullen and Logan Marshall Green. The sneak peeks have shown Kayce discussing new beginnings, skeletons in his closet and past trauma — while Monica is nowhere to be found.
“We definitely wanted to make sure to give it a real story and make it interesting and make it believable,” Grimes told People in June 2025 about Marshals. “If it was just like, ‘Well, he’s happy’ — we’re just going to watch him be happy? That’s not very cool. But I’ll say this, the idea that was pitched to me is very, very good and very interesting and it really roped me in and I think it will rope the audience in as well.”
He continued: “There’s going to be some familiar faces. There’s going to be a lot of new faces too, so we’ll see how that all feels. To go back into it in a new set of circumstances is going to be kind of transition.”
Keep scrolling for every sign that Yellowstone fans should have been concerned about Monica’s future:
Kelsey Asbille’s Absence as Monica Despite the Focus on Kayce’s Family
The first trailer for the show showed a wedding ring on Kayce’s finger, which could hint that he is still married — or is a widower — following the events of the Yellowstone series finale. Asbille, for her part, wasn’t announced as a cast member on Marshals, didn’t appear in any promotional footage and hasn’t broken her silence about her future with the franchise.
CBS is expanding the Yellowstone universe with a spinoff centered around Kayce Dutton — but which alums are reprising their roles on the new show? Yellowstone, which premiered in 2018, introduced viewers to the fictional Dutton family, who own the largest ranch in Montana. After finding success on Paramount, creator Taylor Sheridan grew the Yellowstone […]
The Cryptic Statements About Kayce Dutton’s Next Chapter
If Asbille’s absence from all things Marshals wasn’t enough, the CBS series leaned into ominous messaging about Kayce’s state of mind.
“I fought every day to get out of the weight of Yellowstone. I’ve lost my teammates, my parents and even my brothers,” Kayce said in a sneak peek voiceover as clips showed him going to a makeshift grave for a loved one.
Kayce hinted that he wanted to start fresh. “Sometimes good men have to do bad things,” he added. “But I am trying to find a new beginning.”
In another clip, Kayce stated that the “only thing” he “ever wanted” was “taken” from him. His friend Pete (Green) is later seen doing a “wellness check” on Kayce, who has “demons to conquer” after an offscreen situation. Kayce offered another update on his personal life, saying, “Yellowstone is gone — same for most of my family.”
Hints at a Death in the ‘Marshals’ Trailers
While a scene in the Marshals sneak peek had Kayce and son Tate (Brecken Merrill) together, they were watching a body be covered up in their home. A moment at the end of the trailer showed Kayce with a woman — who was presumably meant to be Monica — in what seemed to be either a flashback or a dream sequence.
Editor’s note: The below contains major spoilers for Marshals Episode 1.
One of the biggest questions surrounding the CBS-based Yellowstone sequel spin-off, Marshals, has been the mysterious fate of Kelsey Asbille‘s Monica Dutton. The series’ official trailer made us question her place in the narrative, and the lack of an official statement from either the network or Luke Grimes himself has been confusing to say the least. Well, making good on the title of the series premiere, “Piya Wiconi” (which means “New Beginning” in Lakota), Marshals has revealed the hard truth that Monica is dead after a sudden battle with cancer. For Yellowstone fans, it undoubtedly comes as a bit of a shock, but perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised. After all, Taylor Sheridan teased this years ago.
What Happens to Monica Dutton Between ‘Yellowstone’ and ‘Marshals’?
The season premiere of Marshals picks up 15 months after the series finale of Yellowstone, “Life Is a Promise.” In the episode, Kayce, Monica, and their son Tate (Brecken Merrill) are seen making a new life for themselves on the Yellowstone East Camp. Kayce and his family had settled there after losing their second son, who they named John Dutton in honor of Kevin Costner‘s character, and secured that patch of land (including the surrounding 5,000 acres) in the land deal made with the Broken Rock Indian Reservation. In giving his family’s home to Monica’s people, this Dutton trio were able to live their lives in compromise, being a “bridge” of sorts between the Dutton’s longtime stewardship of the land and its inevitable return, which was prophesied by Lakota Chief Spotted Eagle (Graham Greene) at the end of 1883. But just because Taylor Sheridan gave Kayce, Monica, and Tate a happy ending doesn’t mean that’s how life always turns out.
In the time between Yellowstone and Marshals, Monica contracted a form of cancer that was seemingly caused by toxins that were dumped on the Rez. As the show explains it, many of these toxins have been infused into the Broken Rock water supply and soil, and, over time, have affected the Native peoples. So, when Marshals reveals that the proposed mine being built on Montana land just outside the reservation will be dumping more toxins into the water supply by way of the river, we can understand why Tate, Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), Mo (Mo Brings Plenty), and many others go to protest. Although we don’t see Monica’s battle with cancer firsthand, we can tell by the 15-month timeline — and from Tate’s comments to his father — that it was a quick and sudden decline in health. Within a short window, Monica wasted away and died, and the premiere’s opening, with Kayce alone in bed, proves that it’s still relatively recent — so recent, in fact, that Kayce and Tate are still actively struggling with this “new normal.”
With ‘Yellowstone’ Over, This Continuity Mistake Stands Out Way More Than It Should
What’s going on here?
Although it’s not exactly a secret that Monica was Yellowstone‘s most misused character, we had previously hoped that Marshals could correct this by giving her more to do now that Kayce was taking a job with the U.S. Marshals. Those hopes, however, proved false. Monica is killed off-screen before we have the chance to catch up with Kayce’s new post-Yellowstone life. That happy ending they believed they had found proved not so happy after all, and only her image is seen when Tate holds up a picture of his mother while protesting the mine. On the bright side, at least Marshals doesn’t leave us hanging. The show minces no words in regard to Monica’s fate, and Kayce’s final moments at her gravestone in the pilot prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it hasn’t been faked or otherwise concealed. Monica is dead, and according to Marshals, there’s no mystery as to how she died.
‘Marshals’ Is Exploring a New Path for Kayce Dutton by Embracing a ‘Yellowstone’ Prophecy
But longtime Yellowstone fans may have seen this coming. After all, it’s not like Taylor Sheridan doesn’t already have a history of killing off major characters in the opening episode of each new show. Even though Sheridan isn’t leading the charge on Marshals (former SEAL Team leader Spencer Hudnut is responsible for this show), that doesn’t appear to be a factor here. Frankly, any self-respecting Yellowstone fan should’ve seen this coming, if they’ve been paying close attention to Kayce’s story arc in the last few seasons of the flagship neo-Western drama. Back in the Season 4 finale, “Grass on the Streets and Weeds on the Rooftops,” Kayce has a dark vision of the future that comes with the ghostly return of his dead brother Lee (Dave Annable). When Kayce and Monica speak of it later, the Dutton heir reveals that he saw “the end of us.” Talk about a bad omen.
While there was some debate as to the meaning of this vision, most settled on the fact that “end of us” simply meant the end of the Dutton family as Yellowstone had presented them. With the death of his father and brother Jamie (Wes Bentley), and the selling of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, isn’t that enough? Marshals would have you believe otherwise. In the Yellowstone Season 5 episode “The Dream Is Not Me,” Kayce continues to interpret this vision. “In my vision, the choice that I saw was between this place and you,” Kayce tells her. While Monica believes that East Camp wasn’t a part of that vision, thinking that they may be able to have both the land and each other in the end, Marshals proves that Kayce’s instincts were correct. In the end, the choice to remain with the land, even if a small part of it, tilted the scales toward personal tragedy, inadvertently leading to Kayce’s new beginning on Marshals.
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