'Yellowstone' Season 5 Premiere Puts Up Monster TV Ratings
A staggering amount of people watched the start of "Yellowstone" season five.
The fifth season premiered Sunday night on the Paramount Network, and as expected, the ratings were off the charts.
More than 12 million people watched the "Yellowstone" simulcasts on Paramount Network, CMT, TV Land and Pop, according to a release from the Paramount Network. That number doesn't include people streaming the show after the fact.
Just how impressive was the start of "Yellowstone" season five? The ratings were up 53% for the premiere night simulcast in the coveted 18-34 demo, and the premiere episode on just Paramount Network was up 52% in the same demo. The original Paramount Network broadcast had 8.8 million viewers.
"Yellowstone" season five premiere puts up huge ratings. (Credit: Paramount Network)
"Yellowstone" remains an unstoppable force.
The hit show with Kevin Costner generating monster ratings isn't anything new. In 2021, season four episodes averaged north of 11 million viewers. That number made it the most-watched non-NFL event on TV.
More than 12 million people watched "Yellowstone" Sunday night. (Credit: Paramount Network)
Now, with the first two episodes of season five out, it looks like the Duttons will, once again, dominate TV.
The only show that might finish with better ratings is "House of Dragon." We'll have to wait to compare until season five is officially over.
What we can say with absolute certainty is that "Yellowstone" remains a massive TV sensation. Why is that? Well, there's a lot of reasons, but not going woke is certainly near the top of the list.
Instead of preaching to the audience, the Taylor Sheridan series just attempts to entertain viewers. Given the insane ratings year after year, I'd say his strategy has worked out well.
Why is "Yellowstone" such a massive hit? (Credit: Paramount Network)
If you haven't read my full season five premiere recap, you can check it out here. If you haven't watched the start of season five yet, I suggest you do it immediately. We're in for a crazy time.