With Writers’ Strike Now Official, What Will Happen With ‘Yellowstone’ Season 5? Where Can You Binge the Show Now?
The strike is on! All Hollywood writers affiliated with the Writers Guild of America left work for the picket line this week, as the guild officially went on strike to protest what it describes as unfair pay. Thanks to the normal developmental calendar and a little bit of pre-strike planning, networks and streaming services all have a pipeline of shows ready to air for the time being, but series currently in production have been left in a bit of a precarious position while waiting for the strike to end.
That’s especially true of “Yellowstone,” the hit Western drama on Paramount Network co-created by the multihyphenate Taylor Sheridan. “Yellowstone” aired the first half of its fifth season in late 2022, and was due to start airing the rest of Season 5 sometime this summer. For a variety of reasons, however, work has yet to resume on new episodes of “Yellowstone.”
Yellowstone
Follow the violent world of the Dutton family, who controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. Led by their patriarch John Dutton, the family defends their property against constant attack by land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first National Park.
Where the blame for that delay resides depends on who you ask. Many sources lay it at the feet of Kevin Costner, who plays the lead role of John Dutton in the series. Reports of Costner’s diva-like behavior and tight shooting schedule demands have been circulating since February, and Paramount is reportedly so fed-up that it is moving on from the show after this season in favor of a new spin-off starring Matthew McConaughey.
Other sources have told the New York Post that Costner was ready to resume working last year, and again in January, but that no scripts were ready. The same source told the Post that Sheridan had overburdened himself, and Costner had other commitments that required his time. As with most of these types of stories, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle, with blame to go around to every party.
If scripts for the last half of Season 5 of “Yellowstone” weren’t ready in January, however, it seems highly unlikely that they’re all finished and ready to shoot now. That’s where the writers’ strike comes in; having writers handy for last-minute rewrites is usually important for a production anyhow, but these facts make it all but impossible that “Yellowstone” will resume airing new episodes this summer. That may be a good thing, however, if it gives Costner and Sheridan time to come together, hash out their differences, and give Sheridan and the writers time to perfect the story for the back half of the season.
Where Can You Watch ‘Yellowstone’ On-Demand?
In the meantime, if you absolutely need your “Yellowstone” fix, we have some options for you. Philo is the cheapest place to see all eight episodes from the first half of Season 5 on-demand and to be ready to see the rest of the season whenever it debuts. Philo is a skinny live TV streaming service, offering over 70 channels for just $25 per month after a seven-day free trial. Philo carries Paramount Network, so if “Yellowstone” surprises fans and does return soon, you’ll be set to watch new episodes.
Seasons 1-4 of “Yellowstone” are currently available to stream on Peacock. The service runs $4.99 per month for ad-supported streaming, or $9.99 per month if you’d prefer to go ad-free. However, the new latest season of the show won’t be available to stream until roughly three months after the season concludes.
However, after you binge Seasons 1-4, Peacock has a bunch of other programs for you, including tons of live sports and news options, plus Universal movies and hit original shows like “Mrs. Davis,” “Poker Face,” and more.
Philo
Philo is a live TV streaming service designed for entertainment lovers which includes 60+ channels for $25 per month. It’s an especially attractive option for fans of live TV who don’t watch sports.