Yellowstone’s Monica Replacement Proves Kevin Costner’s Return Is More Necessary Than Ever

Published Oct 21, 2026, 3:30 PM EDT Sean is a senior writer for ScreenRant and has been writing about new TV releases since December 2023. He has received multiple advance screenings of popular shows and ideated his own coverage read by hundreds of thousands of readers. Sean is a self-published author of a Western novel. Sean has also written award-winning opinion pieces related to local politics while getting his Bachelor's degree in journalism. Now that the Yellowstone sequel series Marshals has introduced a replacement for Kelsey Asbille's Monica Dutton, there's never been a better time for Kevin Costner's John Dutton III to return to the franchise. Though she was a central character of Yellowstone as Kayce's wife and Tate's mother, Monica didn't get to appear in any Yellowstone spinoff shows. Instead, she died of cancer between the beginning of Marshals and the ending of Yellowstone. As disappointing as it is that Monica didn't get to appear in Marshals at all, the show has at least been honoring the character's legacy. Kayce and Tate are both consumed by the grief of losing her, and she effectively haunts the overall narrative of Marshals. Even without ever appearing on-screen, Monica's absence can be keenly felt in Marshals, both in the way characters talk about her and in the way Kayce and Tate mourn her. Now, however, Marshals and Yellowstone are preparing a new character to replace Monica altogether. Interestingly, Marshals already tried to give Kayce a new love interest in Dolly Weaver, but after the ending of Marshals season 1, that pairing became all but impossible. More importantly, Marshals' new Monica replacement also proves a long-held hope for Yellowstone as a whole: that Kevin Costner's John Dutton III needs to make a comeback. Andrea Is Being Positioned As Kayce’s New Love Interest After Monica Now that Dolly Weaver is out of the picture, Marshals is setting up Andrea Cruz as Monica's replacement. Another member of the team of marshals, Andrea and Kayce have had immediate chemistry since the beginning of the show. They're very similar people, both in terms of their high-stress career choices and their respective dark pasts, they have a really engaging "will-they-won't-they" dynamic, and Luke Grimes and Ash Santos are just good together. Clearly, Marshals is laying the groundwork for Andrea and Kayce to be a slow-burn romance. While Kayce is still mourning Monica's death, Andrea chose to stay in Montana at the end of Marshals season 1, which may be a hint that she has more feelings than she's letting on. Working in close proximity to one another also gives them plenty of opportunity to foster whatever feelings they do have for one another, and a strong friendship could easily turn into a strong romance. Andrea Can Help Kayce Grieve Monica’s Death CBS (via MovieStillsDb) Andrea won't just be Kayce's new love interest after Monica, however, she could also help Kayce grieve his wife's death. The most straightforward way Andrea could do that is simply by forcing Kayce to confront his memory of Monica and her legacy. Once he starts moving on and dating again, Kayce won't be able to run from the grief he's holding onto. If he wants to start a new relationship, he'll have to learn how to deal with his last one first. Starting a relationship with Andrea will force Kayce to confront some uncomfortable questions. He'll have to figure out if he's ready to open himself up again, if he believes it's too soon to start a new relationship, and how he'll handle dating someone he's working with. Essentially, Andrea is the perfect narrative tool for Marshals to explore Kayce's internal conflict and the lingering grief and trauma he's working through. Most importantly, Andrea could be the perfect vehicle to force Kayce and Tate to have the heart-to-heart they've been avoiding. It's no secret that Kayce and Tate are clashing this season, and Monica's death is at the center of their conflict. Kayce starting to date Andrea would be the perfect excuse for him to have a frank discussion with his son and put their cards on the table. As uncomfortable as it may be, having that kind of conversation is a very necessary part of the grieving process. Kayce and Tate probably aren't going to have it themselves, but Andrea could be the catalyst. With Monica Covered, Marshals Needs To Address Kayce’s Relationship With John Dutton III Andrea works so well as a narrative device to explore Kayce's grief and Monica's legacy that it actually proves that John Dutton III should return in Marshals instead of Monica. Luke Grimes recently shared his opinion that he wants Monica to return in a flashback or vision to Kayce, but that kind of scene isn't really necessary if Andrea is going to be his romantic interest going forward. Everything that a flashback to Monica would accomplish, like forcing Kayce to move on and confront his grief, can already be accomplished through his relationship with Andrea. Kayce and Andrea already have Monica's legacy covered from a narrative standpoint, but that's only half of Marshals' overarching emotional narrative. The other half is how Kayce relates to his father and his legacy. It's fairly clear in Marshals season 2 so far that Kayce is scared of becoming his father and struggling with the Dutton family legacy. Even Tate is grappling with John's legacy and his absence. The question of whether Kayce can remain a good man or if he's doomed to become his father is one of the most engaging parts of Marshals so far. Taylor Sheridan's Upcoming Shows Title Release Date/Window Marshals season 2 October 4, 2026 Tulsa King season 4 October 16, 2026 Mayor of Kingstown season 5 Late 2026/Early 2027 Landman season 3 Early 2027 Dutton Ranch season 2 Mid-2027 Frisco King 2027 The Madison season 2 2027 Lioness season 4 TBD 1944 TBD John Dutton's legacy is at the center of Marshals, but the show doesn't have a great way to explore it right now. Unlike Andrea acting as a replacement love interest for Monica, there is no character on the show who can act as a surrogate father in John's stead. That's precisely why Kevin Costner, not Kelsey Asbille, should return to the Yellowstone universe through a flashback or vision in Marshals. Having Costner return as John would let Marshals explore the other half of its emotional story in the same depth that it's exploring Monica's absence through Andrea. John Dutton III would be the perfect narrative tool to force Kayce to confront his family's history and look at the ways he's becoming his father, especially in his relationship with Tate. Monica's side of the story of Marshals is already covered, now it's time to focus on John's side. Release Date 2026 - 2026-00-00 Network CBS Showrunner Spencer Hudnut Directors Christopher Chulack, Greg Yaitanes, Gonzalo Amat, John Erick Dowdle, Guy Ferland, Ruben Garcia, Darren Grant Writers Spencer Hudnut, Maggie Schroeder, Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr., Jim Adler, Dana Greenblatt, Tom Mularz Creator(s) Spencer Hudnut