Is Yellowstone On Paramount Plus and Will 1883 Be There?

Yellowstone is the biggest show that the Paramount Network has had in recent years. It is basically Paramount’s Game of Thrones in terms of how it is capable of pulling in viewers. And because the Paramount Network is gaining traction due to its host of original content, it has its own streaming service called Paramount Plus. So, if you want to catch Yellowstone, can you watch it on Paramount Plus? 

Yellowstone is not available on Paramount Plus. Instead, it is only available on the Paramount Network cable channel and on the streaming service Peacock. The reason why Yellowstone is only available on Peacock is that ViacomCBS, the umbrella company, licensed Yellowstone to it.

It might seem odd that Yellowstone is not on Paramount Plus. After all, Paramount owns Yellowstone. This makes it unusual for Yellowstone to be on any streaming service other than the one that Paramount owns. Nevertheless, if you want to catch Yellowstone on a streaming service, Peacock is the best place, in case you aren’t able to watch it on TV.

Can you watch Yellowstone on Paramount Plus?

When it comes to streaming services nowadays, the market has become quite saturated after a few years of it getting dominated by larger names. That said, the Paramount Network is making its name in the streaming service market through its partner platform called Paramount Plus. And when it comes to the Paramount Network, it is difficult to not think of Yellowstone.

Yellowstone is one of the most popular television drama series today, and it is actually Paramount Network’s most successful series. This series has only gotten better and better every season and is promising to be even better as its latest season progresses. And if you haven’t seen Yellowstone, it is best for you to start now while you aren’t that far behind yet.

So, if you want to watch Yellowstone, it might seem obvious that you can catch it on Paramount Plus. After all, Paramount Plus is owned by ViacomCBS, which is the same company that owns the Paramount Network. But does that actually mean that Yellowstone is available on Paramount Plus?

As odd as it might sound, Yellowstone is not on Paramount Plus. Instead, Yellowstone is actually on Peacock, which is a rival streaming service. All of the first three seasons of Yellowstone are on Peacock. Meanwhile, the ongoing fourth season can be seen on the Paramount Network channel and app and not on Paramount Plus, and the same season will be available on Peacock after its conclusion. That means that none of the main Yellowstone content can be watched on Paramount Plus.

Why isn’t Yellowstone on Paramount Plus?

Now that you know that Yellowstone, as popular as it is, isn’t on the Paramount Plus streaming service, you might be wondering why it is on Peacock instead. At first, it won’t make sense for it to be on a rival streaming service, but you will understand why ViacomCBS made the decision to license Yellowstone over to Peacock.

The most basic reason why Yellowstone is not on Paramount Plus and is on Peacock instead is that ViacomCBS believes that Yellowstone will reach more viewers if it is on another streaming service. And more viewers means that it will make more money in the long run because ViacomCBS could now make money off of Yellowstone through both the Paramount Network cable channel and the licensing deal with Peacock, which is owned by NBC.

If you think about it, it actually makes sense because ViacomCBS doesn’t want to show Yellowstone on its own streaming service. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone with them because keeping Yellowstone within the family will minimize its reach because only those who are subscribed to Paramount Plus will be able to watch it. However, outsourcing its streaming rights to another platform will allow it to reach more audiences because it will now be available to those who are on Peacock.

Of course, this isn’t a practice that is new when it comes to ViacomCBS. South Park, which is shown on Comedy Central and is also owned by ViacomCBS, is available for streaming on HBO Max instead of on Paramount Plus. The same logic applies here as ViacomCBS believes that it can make more money when they allow other streaming services to show some of its content.

Meanwhile, ViacomCBS would like to focus more on showcasing original content on Paramount Plus so that they could rally subscribers over to their streaming service without having to bank on tried and tested names such as Yellowstone. It is similar to how Disney keeps its original content on Disney+ but isn’t shy about showcasing some of its other content on other streaming services through licensing rights that can also make some money for the company.

Will 1883 be on Paramount Plus?

While Yellowstone may not be on Paramount Plus, the good news is that a spin-off series based on the same universe as Yellowstone will be available on the streaming service. That said spin-off series is 1883.

1883 is a show that traces the Dutton family (the main family in Yellowstone) roots back to the year 1883 when the ranch was still in its early stages. In a sense, 1883 is more of a prequel series that is set more than a century before the events of Yellowstone. So, while Yellowstone isn’t on Paramount Plus, the good news is that 1883 will be available on the streaming site as a show that is branded as a Paramount Plus original.

Once completed, 1883 is set to premiere on Paramount Plus on December 19, 2021. Streaming 1883 on the Paramount Plus will allow ViacomCBS to bank on the Yellowstone name without necessarily streaming Yellowstone on Paramount Plus. As such, 1883 and its connection to Yellowstone may be strong enough to garner the attention of Yellowstone fans, who might want to subscribe to Paramount Plus to watch the spin-off.

Where can you watch Yellowstone?

If you want to watch the latest episodes of Yellowstone, you can only do so on the Paramount Network’s channel and app. Meanwhile, the older seasons can be streamed through Peacock. After the conclusion of the latest season, the episodes will migrate to Peacock as well.