Yellowstone's Big Comeback: A Record-Breaking Return

The hit show Yellowstone made a massive comeback on Sunday, with its Season 5 Part 2 premiere drawing an incredible 16. 4 million viewers across different channels. This impressive number was revealed by Paramount, surpassing all previous records for the show's premiere nights. The premiere was broadcast on both CBS and eight cable networks, and the initial data includes both the first airing and the encores. Interestingly, Paramount is currently not using data from Nielsen, as their contract has expired. Instead, they are relying on projections from VideoAmp. The initial airing on CBS alone attracted 5. 4 million viewers, which is quite notable. The Season 5 premiere that aired back in November 2022 had already set a high bar, with 8. 8 million viewers on Paramount Network, marking a 10% increase from the previous season. This latest episode marks the first for Yellowstone without its lead star, Kevin Costner, who portrayed patriarch John Dutton for over five seasons. Costner's departure was due to scheduling conflicts with his film project, "Horizon. " In a recent interview, Costner shared that he hasn’t seen the episode yet and is curious to find out how the writers will handle his character’s exit. He expressed trust in the show's writers, saying they are smart and that the handling of his character's departure is their decision. Costner emphasized that the scheduling conflicts made it challenging for him to continue.