CBS Officially Confirms the End of an Era for Yellowstone (& It’s About Time)

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The incredibly popular TV show Yellowstone reached new heights, becoming the most-watched show on all platforms. Starring Kevin Costner as John Dutton, the original series concluded in 2024 after five seasons. Now, Landman is the first spin-off, bringing back Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton, who now works with the US Marshals.

Despite having the lowest critic score on Rotten Tomatoes among all the Yellowstone related shows, Marshals has become the most popular. The first episode, which aired on March 1st, brought in 9.52 million viewers – making it the most-watched new scripted series on network television and the biggest premiere in the Yellowstone universe. The CBS series has continued to gain viewers since then.

Yellowstone’s Streaming Era Comes to an End With Marshals

According to Variety, the new series Marshals has become the most-watched show on TV, including both traditional channels and streaming services. Nielsen data shared with CBS shows that 26.5 million people have watched it so far this season, making it the second most popular show, just behind the final season of Stranger Things, which reached 30.6 million viewers.

The strong viewership numbers for Marshals demonstrate that traditional broadcast television can compete with streaming services, showing that Yellowstone is no longer limited by previous constraints and remains a major television show. While these initial results are based on only the first episode and could shift as the season progresses, Yellowstone‘s success is a significant achievement for CBS and network television as a whole.

The huge success of Yellowstone proves that a show originally designed for a subscription service can be adapted for regular television and still draw a large audience. Created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson, Yellowstone aired on the Paramount Network and was also available for streaming on Peacock, but viewers needed a cable subscription or a Peacock Premium account to watch.

Unlike Marshals, the Yellowstone spin-off series are designed for streaming, with the first one debuting on Paramount+. Another spin-off, Dutton Ranch, which stars Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, also streams on Paramount+. This makes Marshals the easiest Yellowstone show to watch on traditional television.

Marshals Dominated Network TV

The success of Marshals on CBS demonstrates that the Yellowstone universe can succeed on traditional television, not just streaming. This could indicate that creating spinoffs with a procedural format, based on popular franchises, is a promising strategy for broadcast networks looking to stand out in a competitive entertainment market and secure their future by leveraging well-known brands.

Despite its challenges, the show’s move towards a more standard procedural format is actually why it’s found success with CBS viewers. This means Marshals shows how to keep a show going – by using well-known titles and making them appealing to a wider audience. This is also good news for Yellowstone, which can now reach viewers on both streaming services and traditional television.

The popularity of Marshals shows that traditional distinctions between streaming and broadcast success are becoming less clear, thanks to its unique way of reaching audiences. It demonstrates that a strong franchise like Yellowstone can thrive regardless of the platform it’s on, due to its established style and broad appeal. Essentially, even with some issues, many people are still eager to watch this new series.

CBS quickly renewed the drama series after only two episodes, but it’s still unclear if Season 2 will be successful. The premiere of Dutton Ranch also gave viewers some insight into what’s next for Yellowstone, and how it compares to other popular shows on the network.

Taylor Sheridan’s shows on Paramount+, such as Landman with Billy Bob Thornton, have quickly become very popular, and the continued excitement surrounding the future of Beth and Rip in Texas shows this pattern will likely continue.

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2026-06-02 00:47