The “Yellowstone” universe continues to expand — and its latest entry is already making a huge impact. The new CBS drama “Marshals” delivered an impressive start on Sunday night, drawing 9.5 million viewers for its premiere episode, according to Nielsen ratings.
The strong debut not only makes the show the biggest new broadcast series launch of the 2025–2026 television season, but also one of the most-watched scripted premieres on network television in recent years.
Biggest Broadcast Series Premiere in Seven Years
With its 9.5 million viewers, “Marshals” has achieved the largest audience for a scripted broadcast series premiere in more than seven years — excluding shows that aired directly after NFL games, which often boost ratings significantly.
The previous benchmark was set by the crime drama “FBI”, which premiered on September 25, 2018, attracting 10.1 million viewers. That series later grew into a major franchise with multiple spinoffs, including FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International.
Now, Marshals has come close to matching that level of success right out of the gate.
A Dominant Night for CBS
The show also helped CBS dominate the broadcast ratings for the week of February 23 to March 1.
The premiere episode, titled “Piya Wiconi,” maintained 99% audience retention between its two halves, meaning almost everyone who tuned in for the beginning stayed through the entire episode — a strong sign of viewer engagement.
CBS also benefited from a powerful lineup leading into and following the show:
- “60 Minutes” aired before Marshals and attracted 7.2 million viewers
- “Tracker” followed with 8.3 million viewers
- “Watson” closed the night with 4 million viewers
Overall, CBS averaged 171% more viewers than the next closest network, which was ABC with around 2.7 million viewers that evening.
The First Broadcast Series From the Yellowstone Universe
Marshals marks an important milestone for the “Yellowstone” franchise, as it becomes the first series from the universe to air on a broadcast network.
Previous shows connected to the franchise — including Yellowstone itself and its prequel series — have primarily aired on Paramount Network or Paramount+.
The new series is produced by Paramount TV Studios and 101 Studios, continuing the expansion of one of television’s most successful modern franchises.
Luke Grimes Returns as Kayce Dutton
The series brings back Luke Grimes, who reprises his role as Kayce Dutton, a fan-favorite character from the original Yellowstone series.
According to the official description, the story follows Kayce after he joins an elite unit of U.S. Marshals. Using his unique background as both a cowboy and former Navy SEAL, Kayce works to deliver justice across Montana’s rugged frontier.
The show blends crime drama with the Western tone that made Yellowstone a global hit.
Final Words
With a powerful premiere and millions of viewers tuning in, “Marshals” has already proven that the Yellowstone franchise still holds enormous appeal. The strong ratings suggest that audiences are eager to explore new stories set in the same rugged world.
If the momentum continues, Marshals could quickly become another major pillar of the expanding Yellowstone television universe.
