Not a lot exists that may hinder Yellowstone’s recognition, it appears, whether or not it’s COVID delays, behind-the-scenes chaos, or leisure trade strikes. Living proof: the western drama has continued to amass a completely new viewers of thousands and thousands due to CBS’ no-brainer choice to air Yellowstone repeats through the largely depleted fall TV season. It’s so widespread, in reality, that the community confirmed the weekly episodes will carry on coming every weekend, and if this development continues, I’m extraordinarily hopeful it might assist flip the last Season 5 episodes right into a bonafide mega tv occasion for 2024, assuming it’s even contractually doable.
Yellowstone Season 2 Repeats Confirmed For CBS
Contemplating the SAG-AFTRA strike going through dangerous information throughout, it was considerably anticipated for CBS to proceed its Yellowstone rankings success in a method or one other, even when it simply meant re-airing the primary season over again. However the community confirmed on October 20 that the Season 1 finale, “The Unraveling Pt. 2,” can be adopted up that subsequent Sunday night time by the Season 2 premiere, “A Thundering.” As such, viewers who solely began watching the preliminary season throughout its broadcast debut received’t must undergo 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 sequence’ Midas Contact, and although the continued strike little question nonetheless has so much to do with why Yellowstone comes off as such an A+ schedule-filler, I’ve to think about that the wheels are turning in lots of execs’ minds relating to how you can proceed replicating this franchise-building monolith’s ahead momentum within the months to return. One of the best ways to do this, one would suppose, is to maintain airing all the present episodes which have already been produced. And what then?
May Yellowstone’s Ultimate Episodes Air On CBS As a substitute Of Paramount Community?
Although Taylor Sheridan understandably hasn’t spoken out freely about the place he’s at relating to the scripts for Yellowstone’s last six episodes, one can optimistically hope that he and different producers are aiming to get the manufacturing course of began as quickly as guild actors can return to work. However even with a beneficiant timeline, it might probably nonetheless be months into 2024 earlier than filming can be accomplished, and that may have to be adopted by post-production duties. (Not that this present options CGI robots that require groups of VFX artists.) Which implies CBS would theoretically have the ability to get by way of many extra weeks of Yellowstone’s core run earlier than these last six episodes can be able to air.
And I’m conscious Yellowstone’s again half of Season 5 was already going to be worthy of Main TV Occasion standing when there have been plans for it to have aired on Paramount Community in 2023, even earlier than it was confirmed these eps would conclude the flagship sequence altogether. (With the caveat of a sequel sequence order with Matthew McConaughey as a reported lead.) However now that we’re at a juncture the place the sequence has confirmed itself to be a rankings king even regardless of a second-run airing, is it doable that Paramount’s huge bosses will promote the western by giving the upcoming episodes the largest doable viewers from the bounce by having them debut in CBS’ primetime lineup?
Even when the presently unproduced eps aired concurrently throughout CBS, Paramount Community, CMT and the present’s different acquainted spots — versus shifting solely to the Eye — that may be an enormous increase in viewership even past the competition-topping numbers that Yellowstone already boasted. This might legitimately really feel like a return to TV rankings from 15-20 years in the past, when reveals like American Idol and Misplaced had been crushing it on a weekly foundation.
Bringing Yellowstone To CBS Would possibly Get Kevin Costner Excited Once more
Amidst all the behind-the-scenes experiences and rumors that began flying round after the midseason finale, one common thesis that emerged revolved round Kevin Costner’s targets of spending much less time enjoying John Dutton, and extra time engaged on different inventive passions, akin to his upcoming Horizon: An American Saga function, which is supposed to anchor a set of 4 movies. However perhaps if CBS and Paramount come to an settlement earlier than Taylor Sheridan & Co. get again to filming Season 5’s last eps, it might assist increase not solely Costner’s morale and pleasure to shut out John Dutton’s story, but additionally the remainder of the solid and crew.
Not that I am doubting the Oscar winner’s dedication to the position so far as what the completed product will seem like, since Costner can fart out performances that put different actors to disgrace. However so far as his personal pursuits and pleasure are involved in the case of this present’s future, I’ve to suppose getting an upgraded TV slot would add that rather more positivity to that mindset. After which if that ended up working, who is aware of the way it may impact what Paramount does with different upcoming Yellowstone sequence.
I feel there’s solely a method Yellowstone ought to finish in the case of closing out John Dutton’s story, and I can consider no higher manner for that to achieve audiences than by way of the largest platform doable. However solely time will inform if that hope will come to fruition, or die on the vine.
Yellowstone will proceed airing on CBS for not less than the length of Season 2, which is able to kick off on Sunday, October 29, at 9:00 p.m. ET. Head to our 2023 TV premiere schedule to see what different arrivals are on the horizon (not the American saga variety).
