How Yellowstone’s CBS Success Could Help The Final Season 5 Episodes Become A Major TV Event (At Least I Hope)

Not much exists that can hinder Yellowstone’s popularity, it seems, whether it’s COVID delays, behind-the-scenes chaos, or entertainment industry strikes. Case in point: the western drama has continued to amass an entirely new audience of millions thanks to CBS’ no-brainer decision to air Yellowstone repeats during the largely depleted fall TV season. It’s so popular, in fact, that the network confirmed the weekly episodes will keep on coming each weekend, and if this trend continues, I’m extremely hopeful it could help turn the final Season 5 episodes into a bonafide mega television event for 2024, assuming it’s even contractually possible. 

Yellowstone Season 2 Repeats Confirmed For CBS

Considering the SAG-AFTRA strike facing bad news all around, it was somewhat expected for CBS to continue its Yellowstone ratings success in one way or another, even if it just meant re-airing the first season all over again. But the network confirmed on October 20 that the Season 1 finale, “The Unraveling Pt. 2,” would be followed up that next Sunday night by the Season 2 premiere, “A Thundering.” As such, viewers who only started watching the initial season during its broadcast debut won’t need to go through the months-long wait to see how the Duttons’ worries shake out. 

The Season 2 announcement is proof that CBS is feeling the Kevin Costner-starring series’ Midas Touch, and even though the ongoing strike no doubt still has a lot to do with why Yellowstone comes off as such an A+ schedule-filler, I have to imagine that the wheels are turning in many execs’ minds regarding how to continue replicating this franchise-building monolith’s forward momentum in the months to come. The best way to do that, one would think, is to keep airing all of the existing episodes that have already been produced. And what then?

Could Yellowstone's Final Episodes Air On CBS Instead Of Paramount Network?

Though Taylor Sheridan understandably hasn’t spoken out freely about where he’s at regarding the scripts for Yellowstone’s final six episodes, one can optimistically hope that he and other producers are aiming to get the production process started as soon as guild actors can return to work. But even with a generous timeline, it would likely still be months into 2024 before filming would be completed, and that would need to be followed by post-production duties. (Not that this show features CGI robots that require teams of VFX artists.) Which means CBS would theoretically be able to get through many more weeks of Yellowstone’s core run before those final six episodes would be ready to air. 

And I’m aware Yellowstone’s back half of Season 5 was already going to be worthy of Major TV Event status when there were plans for it to have aired on Paramount Network in 2023, even before it was confirmed those eps would conclude the flagship series altogether. (With the caveat of a sequel series order with Matthew McConaughey as a reported lead.) But now that we’re at a juncture where the series has proven itself to be a ratings king even despite a second-run airing, is it possible that Paramount’s big bosses will promote the western by giving the upcoming episodes the biggest possible audience from the jump by having them debut in CBS’ primetime lineup? 

Even if the currently unproduced eps aired simultaneously across CBS, Paramount Network, CMT and the show’s other familiar spots — as opposed to shifting solely to the Eye — that would be a massive boost in viewership even beyond the competition-topping numbers that Yellowstone already boasted. This could legitimately feel like a return to TV ratings from 15-20 years ago, when shows like American Idol and Lost were crushing it on a weekly basis. 

Bringing Yellowstone To CBS Might Get Kevin Costner Excited Again

Amidst all of the behind-the-scenes reports and rumors that started flying around after the midseason finale, one general thesis that emerged revolved around Kevin Costner’s goals of spending less time playing John Dutton, and more time working on other creative passions, such as his upcoming Horizon: An American Saga feature, which is meant to anchor a set of four films. But maybe if CBS and Paramount come to an agreement before Taylor Sheridan & Co. get back to filming Season 5’s final eps, it could help boost not only Costner’s morale and excitement to close out John Dutton’s story, but also the rest of the cast and crew.

Not that I'm doubting the Oscar winner's commitment to the role as far as what the finished product will look like, since Costner can fart out performances that put other actors to shame. But as far as his own interests and pleasure are concerned when it comes to this show's future, I have to think getting an upgraded TV slot would add that much more positivity to that mindset. And then if that ended up working, who knows how it might effect what Paramount does with other upcoming Yellowstone series.

I think there’s only one way Yellowstone should end when it comes to closing out John Dutton’s story, and I can think of no better way for that to reach audiences than through the biggest platform possible. But only time will tell if that hope will come to fruition, or die on the vine.

Yellowstone will continue airing on CBS for at least the duration of Season 2, which will kick off on Sunday, October 29, at 9:00 p.m. ET. Head to our 2023 TV premiere schedule to see what other arrivals are on the horizon (not the American saga kind).