Cal (Logan Marshall-Green) opened up about his past in Marshals Season 1 Episode 4 by revealing a big secret to Belle (Arielle Kebbel). Marshals creator and showrunner Spencer Hudnut tells TV Insider that this is a sign of the former Navy SEAL connecting with his team, but also warns that Cal and Kayce (Luke Grimes) have some shared secrets they’re keeping from their fellow Marshals. Warning: Spoilers for MarshalsSeason 1 Episode 4 ahead.
In the March 22 episode of CBS‘s Yellowstone spinoff, Kayce and Cal searched for survivors of a helicopter crash while the rest of the team tried to clear Kayce’s name in a use-of-force complaint. The only survivor from the crash was a man named Tom Weaver (Chris Mulkey), who reminded Kayce of his late dad, John Dutton (Kevin Costner). While Cal tried to get Tom out of the passenger seat (the pilot perished), Kayce had to fight off a bear. It was out of the frying pan and into the fire. Once they got Tom out of the chopper, they had to get him down the mountain safely. They eventually succeeded, but were shot at by a man living in the woods whom they had encountered earlier.
When the dust settled, Tom’s daughter, Dolly (Ellyn Jameson), bought the team drinks in gratitude. They went to their usual bar, but this time, Cal revealed in a private moment with Belle that the bartender he’s always talking to is his estranged daughter, Maddie (Morgan Lindholm), with whom he’s trying to reconnect after being absent for much of her life. See the moment in the clip above.
Why did Cal open up to Belle specifically? Hudnut explains the significance of their friendship.
“After seeing Dolly and Tom Weaver’s close relationship earlier in the episode, it’s clear Cal’s filled with regret over not having that type of dynamic with Maddie,” Hudnut says. “I don’t think he planned to share his Maddie connection at this point, but while sitting at the bar, staring at his estranged daughter, Belle is actually the perfect audience given she’s a parent and they have discussed the collateral damage their jobs can create in their personal lives [Season 1 Episode 2], so he knows she’ll understand the complexity of his fractured relationship with Maddie. I also think this demonstrates how Cal and Belle are growing closer, both at work and in their personal lives, so showing his vulnerability to her is a big step for Cal.”
Christopher Saunders / CBS
Cal and Kayce are bonded because of their shared time in the military. While Cal is opening up to his team — which also includes Andrea (Ash Santos) and Miles (Tatanka Means) — Hudnut says he still has a lot of secrets to “atone” for.
“Cal certainly has a lot of skeletons in his closet, and as much as he sees being a Marshal as his chance to atone for past sins, there are definitely a few secrets that both Kayce and the team are unaware of, for now,” Hudnut explains.
There are layers to why Cal finds it hard to open up about his life, but he also found relief in sharing this detail with Belle.
“I think that is the challenge for Cal. As the team leader, he feels a responsibility to always seem in control and calm in the chaos, and I think that speaks to his reluctance to speak to some of the things going on in his life,” Hudnut says. “At the same time, being part of a pack helps keep Cal grounded, so this is why, in the quiet moments, away from them, we do see glimpses of the cost of putting up walls with his teammates, which is why I think a big part of Cal is relieved to share his Maddie secret with Belle.”
The episode ended with Dolly asking the widowed Kayce out, to which he said, “Maybe.”
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