No duh, Paramount is going to keep shoving Yellowstone on to CBS

At least 10 million new viewers have checked the cable hit out since it started being used to shore up the network's schedule

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No duh, Paramount is going to keep shoving Yellowstone on to CBS
Kevin Costner in Yellowstone Photo: Paramount

It’s always been a little weird that one of the biggest TV dramas on the planet has its home on a channel as little-known as the Paramount Network. Sure, Yellowstone was a gamble when it was first launched on the cable network—untested showrunner, expensive cast, the Western of it all—but it’s since become a massive hit, with its various spin-off projects mostly migrating to places where Paramount, the company, would actually like viewers to be tuning in. (Mostly, Paramount+.) But Taylor Sheridan’s mothership series remains the primary responsibility of the channel that was known, for many years, as Spike—at least, until a few weeks ago, when Paramount began funneling the show on to CBS proper, thanks in part to being content-starved for its fall schedule by the recent WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

The gambit worked, obviously: 20 million people reportedly watched at least one episode of the show’s first season when it was rebroadcast on CBS, at least half of whom had never clicked up the dial to Paramount Network to check it out before. Hence the not wholly surprising news that the “experiment” will continue, and that the show’s second season will begin airing on the mainstream network on October 29th—just a week after the finale of season 1 rolls, in what we guess is the “regular old TV” version of a binge-watch.

The move comes as Yellowstone inches toward its overall series finale; the show is technically in the midst of its fifth season at the moment, although it hasn’t run new episodes since New Year’s Day of this year. The show’s final half-season is expected to be a contentious one, most especially due to news that star Kevin Costner was departing the series, which reportedly led to its ultimate cancellation.

[via Variety]

9 Comments

  • bupkuszen-av says:

    They copied The Sopranos on this, too, only a season earlier.Just have the evil stepson do the rest in and be done with it…

  • legospaceman-av says:

    CBS started showing the UK version of Ghosts which the US version is based on to fill in air time due to the strikes.

  • daveassist-av says:

    Unlike some media outlets, some executives don’t see a money-making hit and immediately decide to cancel it for a quick tax bonus?

  • jodyjm13-av says:

    Cable-only series aimed at an older demographic gains viewers when it migrates to an over-the-air network?Wow. Never would have seen that coming. Such a shock.

  • tman7943-av says:

    Show isn’t that good. Weak, repetitive storylines and way too much violence in a society that feeds on violence today. I would rather watch a good old movie with good actors.

    • drew8mr-av says:

      Just random violence too, that happens then is never spoken of again.

    • poopjk-av says:

      Yeah I’ve tried to watch it and a couple times and flat-out didn’t think much of it. The clips I see people sharing consistently rub me the wrong way.But I’m not even remotely surprised it has been wildly popular with the demographic it has. 

    • GameDevBurnout-av says:

      On the other hand, its really god damned great? Compelling characters that are awful to the core in utterly relatable ways. Its watching Rome burn. I can’t stop looking. And the scenery is so pretty.We *loved* it.

    • shillydevane2-av says:

      OK Grandpa.

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