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Yellowstone Season 5B debut is now the show’s biggest launch to date.
According to Paramount Global, the premiere episode amassed more than 21M viewers in the three days post-debut, up 29% from its live + same-day audience, to be the best premiere night ever in the U.S. for Yellowstone.
At first glance, a 29% lift might seem a bit like small potatoes, but it’s very clear that Yellowstone had a strong same-night draw, as the series already returned to its biggest premiere night audience ever with 16.4M viewers last Sunday. The three-day numbers just seem to be the icing on the cake.
As Paramount is still locked in a battle with Nielsen, these numbers are a combination of internal data from Paramount+, based on active sub households, as well as linear figures provided by VideoAmp for the initial CBS and encore airings. Since is not possible for Paramount to determine exactly how many people were watching via streaming at any given time, these figures are an estimate.
The episode also played well with international audiences, the company says, becoming the top premiere for any series internationally in Paramount+ history. However, Paramount Global did not supply any international figures that back this up.
Yellowstone was already performing well internationally leading up to Season 5B’s launch, Paramount Global also says. Apparently, the series was the top driver of subscriptions and minutes watched across all Paramount+ international markets where the series is available, including the UK, Canada, and Ireland.
Yellowstone is also available in other international markets via SkyShowtime and Netflix.
While it didn’t provide any numbers for the international performance, the company did say that Yellowstone consumer products have been a hit not only in the U.S. but also in the UK, Australia, Canada, Europe, LATAM, Middle East, North Africa, and Asia.
Yellowstone has chronicled the Dutton family who controls the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States. Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds, and hard-earned respect – the ranch is in constant conflict with those it borders – an expanding town, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park.
While Season 5B was originally announced as Yellowstone‘s last installment, when the teaser for its Nov. 10 premiere date was unveiled in June, it did not label the new episodes as the saga’s final chapter.
Yellowstone executive producers include Sheridan, Costner, John Linson, Art Linson, David C. Glasser, Bob Yari, Stephen Kay, Michael Friedman, Christina Voros and Keith Cox. The Paramount Network series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.