How CBS Is Changing 'Yellowstone' for Network Broadcast
CBS is shoring up its strike-battered primetime lineup by adding the network broadcast debut of Paramount's now-controversial juggernaut Yellowstone.
If you're not familiar with the Dutton clan, now is the perfect time to catch up. The hit drama series starring Kevin Costner as the patriarch of the largest ranch in the U.S will air on Sundays beginning with Season 1.
The show, which premiered on the Paramount Network back in 2018, garnered a meager 2.1 million viewers, but the gritty drama earned critical praise and soon became the the talk around the water cooler. By the premiere of the fifth and final seaosn, the show would have over 14 million viewers.
Creator Taylor Sheridan has said he was previously rejected by other networks, including Netflix, before the series landed at Paramount Network. Sheridan has since signed a multi-year deal and has created a full slate of shows for Paramount+ including Mayor of Kingstown with Jeremy Renner, Tulsa King with Sylvester Stallone, Special Ops: Lioness with Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman and 1923 with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.
Related: The Complete List of Shows Taylor Sheridan Is Making for Paramount
With the ongoing writers and actors strikes, networks have had to shuffle their fall schedules, holding premieres for midseason, moving up established series with banked episodes and adding content from other countries like CBS' new NCIS: Sydney spinoff.
Viewers who might not subscribe to the Paramount Network will get to watch Yellowstone on CBS, but what changes can we expect? Yellowstone isn't really a "family-friendly" show. There's plenty of violence, profanity and even some nudity. Here's how we think CBS might change Yellowstone for network broadcast.
What is Yellowstone's TV rating?
Yellowstone as it aired on basic cable is rated TV-MA. The edited for network version airing on CBS is rated TV-14.
Will Yellowstone be edited to fit CBS' broadcast parameters?
There will be some edits—for both time and content—but it's hard to believe CBS will leave a lot on the cutting room floor. Networks follow broadcast standards for language, violence and sexual content with the three broadcast networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) being more conservative than cable networks like Paramount, FX and AMC.
A representative from CBS confirmed to Country Living that changes are "minor and the integrity of the original series will be preserved."
That likely means the F-bombs will be muted, sexual content will be pixelated some of the violence like the Beck brothers brutal attack on Beth will be trimmed.
Related: Where Is Yellowstone Filmed? Everything You Need to Know About the Real-Life Chief Joseph Ranch
What time will Yellowstone air on CBS?
Yellowstone premiered on CBS on Sunday, Sept. 17 at 8:30 p.m. beginning with the Season 1 pilot. Episodes will air weekly on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
Is there profanity on Yellowstone?
The profanity on Yellowstone is practically a character of its own! While all the characters drop the F-bomb every so often, the character of Rip (Cole Hauser) seems to be a master of using profanity in the most colorful of ways. In terms of profanity, Rip is the Roy Kent of Yellowstone. While CBS may allow some of the lesser profanities go, they'll likely mute the F-bombs.
Related: More Bad News for Yellowstone Fans!
Is there nudity on Yellowstone?
There is some nudity on Yellowstone, but nothing egregious in this writer's opinion. Most scenes involving nudity on the show are fairly discreet, but there are a handful of nude scenes that are pretty blazon. One scene that comes to mind involves Beth (Kelly Reilly) taking a bath outside back in the early days of the show. A scene like that will likely to include a soft blur to air on CBS or if deemed non-essential to move the story forward, it may be removed altogether.
Related: Yellowstone Star Hints at Show's Future: 'There May Be More Things to Come'
What about the violence on Yellowstone?
Yellowstone just wouldn't be Yellowstone without its brawls and fisticuffs. Some of the violence is pretty graphic so we expect a quicker cut away from the blood and gore or more blurring or other edits so that the stab wounds, gunshots and such won't appear as violent.
Related: Here’s Every Song from All Five Seasons of Yellowstone
Do all the episodes of Yellowstone run an hour?
The beauty of streaming and cable networks is that they don't always adhere to broadcast standards for a one-hour shows.
Many episodes of Yellowstone run a solid 60 minutes with no commercial breaks while some episodes run much shorter. That will require a bit of trimming to fit into the traditional 42-minute network episode unless CBS gives the series more than one time slot.
Note to CBS: You've got hours of primetime programming to fill this fall so why not give Yellowstone a 90-minute or two-hour block of time. We can almost guarantee fans won't complain about a little extra Costner of their screens.
Next, 11 Western TV Shows That Will Remind You of Yellowstone
