‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 Scores Major Viewership Record Despite Kevin Costner’s Absence

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As a devoted fan of the captivating world of Yellowstone, I find myself deeply engrossed in the intricate tapestry of its storylines and the unyielding allure of its characters. The recent developments in Season 5 have left me both exhilarated and perplexed.

The fifth season of Yellowstone is still pulling in large numbers of viewers ever since its comeback, with a record-breaking 12.1 million viewers watching the 12th episode titled “Counting Coup,” written by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson. This latest installment aired on December 1st. However, the following episode, “Give the World Away” from December 8th left many fans in shock as a preview for the “series finale” was labeled as the “season finale” instead.

Initially, it was said that Season 5B would be the final six episodes for the popular drama Yellowstone, due to the unexpected exit of lead actor Kevin Costner. However, a surprise twist occurred when character Kayce (played by Luke Grimes) presented an ingenious plan to save the Dutton Ranch, which resulted in a touching kiss between him and his sister Beth (Kelly Reilly). Instead of wrapping up the series as anticipated, a “season finale” was hinted at in footage, leaving viewers in suspense about what’s next for this captivating show.

Currently, there’s no confirmed news that “Yellowstone” will carry on, but it seems unlikely that the people in charge would hint at a “season finale” if another season wasn’t on the horizon. Therefore, fans may be wondering: If “Yellowstone” Season 6 is to happen, how will Season 5B conclude? Will Jamie (Wes Bentley) eventually have to answer for his actions and deal with the anger of Kayce and Beth, or must viewers keep waiting for the rebellious Dutton brother to receive the justice they feel he deserves?

‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 Continues to Score Despite Kevin Costner’s Absence

In the second part of “Yellowstone” Season 5, which premiered on Sunday, November 10, viewers eagerly tuned back in, despite the lack of the Dutton family’s patriarch, played by Kevin Costner. Interestingly, the death of John Dutton was unveiled right from the start, and a staggering 16.4 million viewers found themselves back in Montana to witness this dramatic turn of events. Remarkably, even Costner himself wasn’t privy to his character’s fate before the episode was broadcasted. In an interview on “The Michael Smerconish Program,” Costner shared that he too was left guessing about his character’s destiny.

I wasn’t aware it aired last night. It took me by surprise, to say the least. Honestly, I’ve been noticing ads featuring my face everywhere, and I thought, ‘Well, that doesn’t look like me.’ I haven’t been part of this season yet. Yet, I didn’t realize until yesterday that it was happening…

So no, I found out about it this morning, actually […] I heard it’s a suicide. So, that doesn’t make me want to rush to go see it [laughter]. Well, they’re pretty smart people. Maybe it’s a red herring. Who knows? They’re very good. And they’ll figure that out.”

Luke Grimes, who plays the respected Dutton brother Kayce, has taken on an even more significant part in “Yellowstone” during Season 5. Despite Beth (Reilly) declaring that she’ll handle Jamie’s affairs, Kayce has demonstrated his toughness by personally handling those responsible for staging his father’s fake suicide. However, Grimes acknowledges a shift in dynamics now that Costner is no longer involved. Grimes shared this insight during an interview with PEOPLE.

[Costner] not returning seemed like we had to truly handle the situation ourselves. I always knew that the patriarch would eventually depart from the storyline. The focus was always going to be on what the children and family would do without their pillar of strength. […] He’s quite a significant figure, indeed an iconic one. His absence left a unique void in the storytelling process.

The last episode of the TV series “Yellowstone,” labeled as its season finale, is set to air this coming Sunday, December 15, on the Paramount Network at 8 p.m., both Eastern and Pacific Time. Afterward, viewers may find a glimmer of expectation and clarity regarding the show’s potential continuation or if it might be replaced by a “Yellowstone” spin-off instead. The creators need to tread carefully with Sunday’s finale, as dissatisfied fans could imagine themselves heading to the legendary train station if an optimistic ending isn’t delivered to the devoted audience of this neo-Western drama.

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2024-12-11 16:03