Abhiroop Das
Created by Spencer Hudnut, Paramount Plus’ Marshals’ acts as both a spinoff and sequel to ‘Yellowstone,’ narrowing down its focus to the complicated life of Kayce Dutton. After the sale of his father’s ranch and a tragic passing within the family, Kayce prefers a quiet life of repetition, but that soon begins taking a visible toll on his mind and body. When Pete Calvin, a friend and former Navy SEAL teammate, returns to the scene as a US Marshal, a part of Kayce finds itself drawn to the life of thrills. Thus, the show takes a turn from country to action, with each episode tackling an investigation in and around the Broken Rock region. At the end of each day, Kayce and his teammates go to an out-of-town bar known as Bullet ‘n Barrel Saloon, which slowly transforms into a character in and of itself.
A Popular Utah Saloon Doubles as Bullet ‘n Barrel on Screen
While any episode of ‘Marshals’ is incomplete without featuring Bullet ‘n Barrel Saloon, the bar itself is fictional in nature and exists only as a part of the show and, by extension, the larger ‘Yellowstone’ universe. While the series is set in Montana, much of its filming involves real-life locations in and around Utah, and Bullet ‘n Barrel is no different. To turn this dreamy country bar into a reality, creator Spencer Hudnut and his production team set up camp in the Boneyard Saloon, which is located at 1251 Kearns Boulevard, in Park City, Utah. The area is also known as the Yard Complex, and is a short drive away from the city’s famous Ontario Mine. In the show, this bar becomes Kayce’s go-to watering hole at the heart of The Big Sky State.
To stick as close to realism as possible, the crew likely touched up and redressed select parts of the Boneyard Saloon, which involved replacing its signboard with a welcome sign. However, much of the bar’s interior design, color, and aesthetics are retained, which in turn allows the actors and crew to interact with an actual bar as a setting. Since much of the filming involved the actors in intense action sequences, the bar scenes make for a nice change of pace. On top of being a popular local hub, the Boneyard Saloon is also known for occasionally offering live music, and that aspect plays a big role in the show. Notably, singer Channing Wilson and his team perform in episodes 3 and 4 of the show, with songs such as “Gettin’ Outta My Mind” enriching the fictional storyline along the way.
Bullet ‘n Barrel Saloon is Directly Tied to Marshal’s Emotional Narrative
The world of ‘Yellowstone’ is no stranger to settings that grow on to become fan-favorites, and this includes a number of real-life bars. Many of its nightclub sequences were reportedly filmed in The Outlaw Saloon, which is situated at 1254 West 2100 South Street, in West Haven, Utah. The Crystal Bar, located at 123 East Main Street in Bozeman, Montana, is also one of the bars that can be frequently spotted in the show. The main saloon in ‘Marshals,’ however, gets a brand new identity from scratch, with its real-life location only serving as a base layer. With each episode, it becomes clear that the bar has an actual purpose in the narrative, with several characters’ arcs being tied to and punctuated by this place. Pete Calvin’s curious dynamic with the bartender and Kayce’s chance encounter with Dolly are two of many examples of that.
While Bullet ‘n Barrel Saloon might be crafted by the show’s writing team, its name bears some similarities to some real as well as some fictional bars and restaurants. Most notably, Bullet & Barrel is the name of an indoor shooting range and training facility located at 3252 Leeman Ferry Road Southwest in Huntsville, Alabama. Another close parallel comes from ‘Pathfinder Roleplaying Game,’ which features a bar named Barrel and Bullet Saloon. While both of these have overlaps in names, the bar we see in ‘Marshals’ does not appear to be inspired by either. Instead, it is more likely that its origins lie in the creator’s decision not to rely on established locations from ‘Yellowstone’ and instead create a fresh identity for Kayce’s story, starting with a new watering hole.
Read More: Where Are Beth and Rip? Why Are Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser Not in Marshals?
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