Even though it premiered all the way back in 2018, Yellowstone has gained new fans in recent months as the Taylor Sheridan-created western for the first time has been airing on CBS. Since September, the Paramount Network original series has aired all of Yellowstone season 1, Yellowstone season 2 and Yellowstone season 3 for anyone with access to CBS to enjoy. But is Yellowstone season 4 coming to CBS?
For anyone that has still yet to catch up with Yellowstone in the six years since its initial premiere and the four months since it debuted on CBS, the series stars Kevin Costner as John Dutton, the patriarch of a ranching family that owns one of the largest ranches in the US. However, with that comes the dangers of those who would try and take the land from him and his family, which John will do just about anything to protect. In addition to Costner, Yellowstone stars Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Luke Grimes, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille, Gil Birmingham and more.
Yellowstone season 4 is the last full season of the show that has already aired (Yellowstone season 5 only aired half of its episodes when it initially premiered in 2022), so will CBS be sharing that with its viewers at any time in the future?
Is Yellowstone season 4 coming to CBS?
In short, we don't know. CBS has made no official comment on whether Yellowstone season 4 will air on CBS or not. What to Watch has reached out for any info but as of publication has not heard back.
The previous seasons of Yellowstone have aired in pretty quick succession. When Yellowstone season 1 ended its run on CBS, season 2 started airing the very next week. While season 3 arrived after a short break for the holidays and the Golden Globes, CBS did not wait long to confirm that season 3 was on its way after Yellowstone season 2 aired its final episode. However, the TV landscape is different as we await to hear the decision on Yellowstone season 4.
When it was announced that Yellowstone would air on CBS, it was done to help fill out the CBS primetime TV schedule while the 2023 Hollywood strikes for new labor agreements delayed CBS's original programming slate from premiering in the fall. By airing Yellowstone, which originally aired on cable channel Paramount Network, the network could offer something that would be new to at least some viewers.
The strategy worked, as the Yellowstone season 1 premiere drew 6.83 million viewers, per CBS. Through the airing of Yellowstone season 2 episodes, The Wrap reported the show had an average of 5.04 million viewers per episode.
But the strikes are over now and the usual slate of CBS shows are scheduled to return in February. That includes Ghosts season 3, Young Sheldon season 7, NCIS season 21, Fire Country season 2, Blue Bloods season 14 and, most notably for Yellowstone, The Equalizer season 4, new series Tracker and CSI: Vegas season 3, which all air on Sunday, when Yellowstone typically aired on CBS.
With the TV schedule from February until about May pretty much booked with these shows, it doesn't seem like Yellowstone could fit between now and then. However, that does not mean Yellowstone season 4 is never going to air on CBS. The summer months are often quieter and could give CBS a chance to air Yellowstone season 4 if they so choose. That could also be a good opportunity for promotion of Yellowstone season 5, which is planning to return with its final batch of episodes in fall 2024.
Can't wait that long to continue the Dutton's saga? Your options then for watching Yellowstone season 4 and Yellowstone season 5 are either Paramount Network, which often airs episodes and marathons of the show, or to stream it on Peacock, which has every episode to date available for subscribers. (Just in case any UK Yellowstone fans are reading this, the western is available to stream on Paramount Plus for you.)
If and when CBS announces that Yellowstone season 4 is coming to the network, we’ll update this post with that information.
