Marshals: How The Yellowstone Spin-Off Completely Wastes An Action Vet Guest Star

Spoilers follow.

Chad Michael Collins, star of the long-running "Sniper" franchise, guest stars in the debut episode of "Marshals." But if you're excited to see this underappreciated action veteran showcase his talents in a more high-profile setting, you'll likely be disappointed to find that he lasts about five minutes.

The main series may be over, but a slew of "Yellowstone" spin-offs are on the way and "Marshals" is up first. It follows Luke Grimes' Kayce Dutton as he joins an elite group of U.S. Marshals in Montana and while anticipation has been high and there's plenty working in the show's favor, the CBS series has also made a few gaffes right out the gate.

For one thing, episode 1 confirms that "Marshals" is indeed missing an original "Yellowstone" cast member in Kelsey Asbille, who played Kayce's wife Monica Dutton on "Yellowstone." Evidently, Monica died off-screen between the two shows, which isn't the most respectful way to say goodbye to a character that was a part of the mothership series since the very beginning, even if Monica wasn't exactly a fan favorite. Another thing potentially working against "Marshals" is the fact "Yellowstone" creator and writer Taylor Sheridan is only serving as executive producer on the series, leaving writing duties down to the credited creator, former "SEAL Team" showrunner Spencer Hudnut.

Now, the first episode has reintroduced us to Kayce as a single dad who's a little too easily convinced to join the U.S. Marshals after enduring five seasons of non-stop drama in "Yellowstone." That very same episode also wastes its guest star in what is surely yet another mark against the CBS series.

Back in 1993, Tri-Star Pictures put out "Sniper," which starred Tom Berenger as elite marksman Master Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Beckett. The film saw Berenger's soldier embark on a mission to Panama alongside fellow-sniper Richard Miller (Billy Zane). Roger Ebert liked the movie but "Sniper" made just $18 million at the box office — though, with a budget of $5.3 million that wasn't exactly a disaster. Still, Tri-Star felt that if there was going to be a "Sniper" franchise it was going to be of the direct-to-video variety.

Since '93, that franchise has produced more than 10 further movies, with Berenger departing after 2004's "Sniper 3" (he returned in later films). When the next movie, 2011's "Sniper: Reloaded," arrived, a new franchise star emerged: Chad Michael Collins. The actor played Beckett's estranged son, Gunnery Sergeant Brandon Beckett, a Force Reconnaissance Scout Sniper in the Marine Corps who in "Reloaded" is tasked with extracting a Belgian farmer from a hostile environment in the Congo.

Ever since, Collins has remained the face of the "Sniper" franchise, which has become nothing short of sprawling. He most recently reprised the role of Beckett in 2025's "Sniper: The Last Stand" and has been the grounding element of a franchise that has undergone multiple reinventions and tonal shifts. If you want to acquaint yourself with the series, the best way to watch the "Sniper" films is to start at the beginning and work your way through. It's worth doing if you're a fan of B-movie actioners of this sort, and regardless of what the reviews say, Collins has always delivered in the lead role. In episode 1 of "Marshals," however, he isn't given much of a chance to do the same.

In 2023 two films from the "Sniper" franchise hit the Netflix Top 10, proving that this long-running saga still very much retained its appeal. Meanwhile, 2017's "Sniper: Ultimate Kill" even made /Film's list of the best sniper movies of all time. But Chad Michael Collins isn't only known for playing Gunnery Sergeant Brandon Beckett. His other biggest role is that of Alex Keller, aka "Echo 3-1," in three "Call of Duty" games. Chances are, if you're a gamer, you and Collins have been through the fog of war together.

So, to see Collins crop up in the first episode of a highly-anticipated spin-off from one of the biggest shows of all time is an exciting moment. Unfortunately, he's not given much to do in the "Marshals" premiere, which sees Kayce Dutton join a U.S. Marshal unit run by his former Navy SEAL colleague Pete Calvin (Logan Marshall-Green). The team attend a protest on the Broken Rock Reservation, which as it happens Kayce refers to as "a sniper's dream" in what may have been a nod to Collins' franchise. After a bomb is detonated at the protest, Kayce and co. hunt down the anti-government militia responsible, who are led by none other than Collins' Owen Kilborn. 

Sadly, the guest star doesn't get more than a single line. Once the Marshals enter his hideout, Kilborn runs and is eventually cornered by Kayce and Pete. "Drop it, or she's dead," he warns before Kayce shoots and drops him. That's pretty much it. A veteran of the action genre given less than 30 seconds of screen time, which isn't the only disappointing aspect of the "Marshals" premiere. Hey, at least the 12th "Sniper" film is due to arrive in 2026.