Yellowstone Has Impressive CBS Debut Amid Show’s Uncertain Future

Yellowstone made its broadcast debut on CBS this past weekend and the neo-Western drama did not disappoint — even years after it first premiered.

Season 1, Episode 1, “Daybreak,” aired on Sunday, September 17, 2023. Thanks to strong viewership numbers of 6.56 million, Yellowstone was named the top entertainment program of the week, according to Nielsen data obtained by Deadline. (Note: CBS estimates that the final number will land around 6.82 million once out-of-home viewing is factored in.)

Yellowstone’s successful debut also marks the largest audience for a scripted series on the broadcast networks since the season finale of NCIS, which aired in May 2023. Yellowstone originally premiered on Paramount
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Network back in 2018. At the time, the episode earned about 2.8 million viewers. The current showing is a 132% increase in views on CBS, Deadline also said.

CBS was forced to adjust its fall lineup in July 2023 in response to the ongoing SAG-AGTRA and Writer’s Guild of America strikes impacting television and film. The new schedule features Yellowstone as its headliner (replacing The Equalizer) along with reality television and reruns of programs like Blue Bloods, NCIS, FBI and Young Sheldon.

Created by Taylor Sheridan (Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown), the show’s success on broadcast comes during a tumultuous time for the top-rated series.

Paramount announced in May 2023 that Yellowstone is ending after Season 5 and the final part of the last season will air in November 2023. The network also said that Yellowstone will be replaced by a sequel series (likely starring Matthew McConaughey) that’s slated to premiere in December 2023. Unfortunately, we anticipate both timelines will be pushed due to the ongoing strikes.

The show’s frontrunner, Kevin Costner (who plays patriarch John Dutton III), has captured headlines recently for comments he made about his status and salary on the show. During a child support hearing on September 1, 2023, Costner testified, according to People, that he wanted to return for a sixth season, but negotiations didn’t go to plan because he was offered less money and there were “creative” issues.

Additionally, Costner said via court documents (obtained by Insider), that he is “no longer under contract” for the hit drama. Based on this fact, we don’t expect him to return for the series finale unless something changes contractually before filming resumes.

Yellowstone has two prequels, 1883 (starring Faith Hill and Tim McGraw) and 1923 (starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren), on Paramount Plus. Because of Yellowstone’s thriving debut numbers on CBS, there’s a possibility for the network to tap one or both of its prequels on broadcast television too (especially if the strikes continue into 2024).

In addition to Costner, the main Yellowstone cast includes Luke Grimes (Kayce Dutton), Kelly Reilly (Beth Dutton), Wes Bentley (Jamie Dutton), Cole Hauser (Rip Wheeler), Kelsey Asbille (Monica Long Dutton), Brecken Merrill (Tate Dutton), Jefferson White (Jimmy Hurdstrom), Danny Huston (Dan Jenkins), Gil Birmingham (Thomas Rainwater), Forrie J Smith (Lloyd Pierce), Wendy Moniz (Senator Lynelle Perry) and more.

Yellowstone airs on Sundays at 8:30 p.m. ET on CBS.