Marshals: Playing with Fire

Lucky Kayce Dutton finally gets a break from the family angst and guilt this episode. Instead, it is Belle Skinner’s turn and as far as Dutton is concerned, she is welcome to it. Of course, everyone caries their past like an albatross in creator Spencer Hudnut’s Marshals so tonight’s installment,  “Playing with Fire” certainly won’t be an exception.

Things were momentarily great. Dutton’s house guest, former SEAL teammate Garrett Garvey was really taking to ranch life and Deputy Marshal Andrea Cruz, who was just cleared to return to duty after her hostage ordeal in “In Low Places.” Then, in a flash, Garvey suffers serious burns and smoke inhalation while saving the horses from an electrical fire in the barn.

Cruz’s first gig back was supposed to be easy. She and Skinner must ride shotgun on a routine prison transfer. You know what that means. One rock slide later, we have fugitives. There was even a convicted doctor on board, but he was truly guilty and he isn’t one of the ones that got away. Instead, he helps treat an injured inmate, who also happens to be a mystery woman from Skinner’s past.

Okay, so one of the escapees also has a connection to Dutton, but who in Montana doesn’t? That will most likely drive the next episode. This time around, Skinner gets all bad family karma, which probably makes this episode the best feature opportunity yet for Arielle Kebbel. Ash Santos also nicely balances her as Cruz, unaccustomedly providing the voice of reason.

Obviously, this episode will hold serious repercussions for Garvey, Dutton, and Skinner, many of which will probably outlast the next installment, but it still stands alone relatively easily for casual viewers. There is also a fair amount of action, thanks to the manhunt. However, Gil Birmingham and Mo Brings Plenty, from the Broken Rock Reservation, have been absent for several weeks. They provide apostolic links to the mothership series (and both are terrific thesps), so they have been missed.

Still, for fans of procedurals, “Playing with Fire” provides the workmanlike action they find soothing. Like several recent episodes, it was helmed by John Erick Dowdle, the Joe Pickett co-showrunner, who clearly has an affinity for modern western themes. Recommended for fans of CBS/Paramount+ franchises like NCIS, the latest episode of Marshals airs tonight (5/3).