Yellowstone breaks ratings record with Season 5 premiere despite Kevin Costner backlash

Yellowstone returned in style over the weekend, breaking ratings records for Paramount, in spite of the fact that lead Kevin Costner is no longer part of the show.

Yellowstone has had a troubled couple of years, with the second half of Season 5 delayed, followed by Kevin Costner’s very public departure from his role as John Dutton, the fallout from which continues to make news.

But Part 2 of Season 5 returned on Friday, via an episode that revealed Dutton’s fate, and was met with both backlash, and outrage.

But in spite of that controversy, the show posted huge numbers for Paramount, resulting in the network’s biggest premiere night ever.

According to projected numbers from VideoAmp – as reported by Variety – the Season 5 Part 2 episode was watched by 16.4 million viewers. The outlet adds that “the initial data includes CBS and eight cable networks that showed both the Yellowstone premiere and encores of it.”

To put that number in perspective, the Season 5 Part 1 premiere – which aired in November 2022 – pulled in 8.8 million viewers on the Paramount Network.

But Costner wasn’t one of those 16.4 million fans, with the actor telling SiriusXM on Monday morning: “I’m going to be perfectly honest, I didn’t know it was actually airing last night.” Warning, SPOILERS for Yellowstone ahead…

Paramount

Speaking of the way in which his character was written out, Costner said: “They’re smart people, whatever they’re doing they’ll figure it out. I had come up with two possible endings back when it wasn’t going to go as long as it did go. I heard it’s a suicide, so that doesn’t make me want to rush to go see it.

“Maybe it’s a red herring. Who knows? They’re very good and they’ll figure that out.”

Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 10 airs on November 17 on the Paramount Network. For more on the series, here’s our list of the most shocking Yellowstone deaths, or you can check out guides to Billy Klapper, Jamie’s 10-56 call, and find out how to watch Yellowstone where you are.