Yellowstone Season 2 CBS Premiere Confirmed As Season 5 Part 2 Remains On Hiatus

CBS confirms Yellowstone season 2's premiere date following the show's record-breaking syndicated run and as the season 5 part 2 hiatus continues.

Aaron OzrovitzOctober 21, 2023

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Yellowstone season 2’s premiere date on CBS has been confirmed after the show’s successful syndicated run on the network.
The show’s popularity has led to the development of spin-offs such as 1883 and 1923, with the latter having a season 2 in the works.
CBS’s syndication of Yellowstone is part of its efforts to fill its Fall 2023 schedule due to strikes in the industry, and the show’s success on the network suggests it has a good chance for long-term syndication.

After setting multiple records during its syndicated run, CBS has confirmed Yellowstone season 2’s premiere date on the network. The saga of the Dutton family as they fight to defend their massive Montana property against encroaching developers and the bordering Broken Rock Indian Reservation has been a smash hit for the Paramount Network since its 2018 review, overcoming early mixed reviews to deliver better-received subsequent seasons and setting multiple viewership records. In addition to the upcoming season 5 part 2, Yellowstone also launched a franchise of spinoffs including 1883 and 1923, the latter of which has a season 2 in development.

Ahead of the season 1 finale airing on the network, CBS has officially confirmed Yellowstone season 2’s premiere date. The episode, entitled “A Thundering”, is set to release on Sunday, October 29 at 9 p.m. EST. Part 2 of the season 1 finale, entitled “The Unraveling”, is currently scheduled to air on CBS on Sunday, October 22 in the same time slot as its upcoming successor.

How Many Yellowstone Seasons Will Air On CBS?

Though an unequivocal hit for the studio, Yellowstone‘s CBS syndicated run was originally cited as being part of the network’s efforts to fill its Fall 2023 schedule with programming in the wake of the writers and actors strikes keeping any new episodes of such hit shows as Ghosts and NCIS from being produced. The Writers Guild of America did successfully come to a close in October as the organization was met with a fair deal from the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers (AMPTP), but SAG-AFTRA remains on strike as multiple attempts to negotiate a new contract have stalled between the studios and the group.

Even if SAG-AFTRA were to reach a deal by the end of October, reports throughout the strikes have indicated that new seasons of major shows would be truncated, featuring far fewer episodes than their normal counts. This would go a long way into ensuring they could return for the Spring 2024 release calendar on major networks, but wouldn’t guarantee every show’s production. Given Yellowstone has five-and-a-half seasons already produced and having released on its home channel of the Paramount Network, it seems conceivable that CBS could look to fill their calendar with the remaining 28 episodes of the neo-Western drama.

The other element working in Yellowstone‘s long-term syndication chances on CBS is the success it’s already enjoyed on the network. The syndicated season 1 premiere drew in over 6.6 million viewers on the network, a 132% increase from its original premiere on the Paramount Network, with a subsequent analysis revealing half of the audience had never seen the show before. While it’s unclear whether the show’s season 2 CBS premiere will be met with the same level of success, the high anticipation for Yellowstone season 5 part 2 amid its hiatus and Kevin Costner BTS drama may continue to draw in those wanting to revisit their favorite show.