The Dec. 1 episode hit a high in three-day ratings for the second half of season five.
Yellowstone‘s record-setting return to Paramount Network hasn’t really cooled off in subsequent weeks.
The drama has continued to pull in big audiences in subsequent weeks, and the Dec. 1 episode, “Counting Coup,” hit a season high in viewers over three days. According to VideoAmp ratings data, the episode drew 12.1 million viewers on Paramount Network and CMT, the largest audience over those two networks since the show’s Nov. 10 return from a nearly two-year hiatus.
The season 5B premiere hauled in some 16.4 million viewers on its first night, but that tally included an eight-network simulcast for the initial airing, encores and an additional showing on CBS, which by itself accounted for about a third of the total.
The four episodes of Yellowstone through Dec. 1 are averaging 11.4 million viewers on Paramount Network and CMT after three days, according to VideoAmp. Numbers for Sunday’s str!p poker-heavy episode weren’t in as of publication time.
Paramount Global isn’t currently using Nielsen ratings for its linear networks due to a contract dispute, but Nielsen’s same-day totals show steady growth week to week for Yellowstone. Counting just initial airings on Paramount Network and CMT, the show has grown from 6.66 million same-day viewers for the season 5B premiere on Nov. 10 to 7.83 million on Dec. 1, an improvement of 18 percent over four weeks.
There are a total of six episodes in the back half of season 5; the fifth episode that aired on December 8 ended with Luke Grimes’ Kayce hinting to a solution that would save the beleaguered ranch. There was also lots of love for Taylor Sheridan’s alter ego on the show, Travis Wheatley.
As an aside, Paramount also reported that these final episodes of Yellowstone have been the most social in the series history.
Fans of the Yellowstone-verse won’t have to wait long for more entertainment: Paramount+ set a February premiere date for Season 2 of Sheridan‘s Yellowstone prequel series 1923 starring Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford.
The second season will launch Sunday Feb. 23 with new episodes dropping weekly. In Season 2, a cruel winter brings new challenges and unfinished business to Jacob (Ford) and Cara (Mirren) back at Dutton ranch. With harsh conditions and adversaries threatening to end the Dutton legacy, Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) embarks on an arduous journey home, racing against time to save his family in Montana. Meanwhile, Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) sets off on her own harrowing trans-Atlantic journey to find Spencer and reclaim their love.
