Yellowstone is not available on Paramount Plus because of a specific streaming rights agreement made years ago, designating Peacock as the exclusive streaming home for completed seasons of the popular series.
The Streaming Deal Explained
Despite Yellowstone airing new episodes on Paramount Network (a cable channel owned by Paramount Global, the same parent company as Paramount+), the past seasons of the show stream exclusively on Peacock. This is due to a deal struck in early 2020 between the owners of Paramount Network and NBCUniversal, the company behind Peacock. Under this agreement, Peacock secured the rights to be the sole streaming partner for all completed seasons of Yellowstone.
This means that while new episodes debut weekly on Paramount Network, and content related to the Yellowstone universe (like its prequel series) is available on Paramount+, the main Yellowstone series itself cannot be found on Paramount+.
Where to Watch Yellowstone
To clarify where viewers can find different parts of the Yellowstone saga, here's a breakdown:
| Content Type | Where to Watch | Details |
|---|---|---|
| All Completed Seasons of Yellowstone | Peacock (Premium subscription required) | This includes every season from the first up to the most recently completed one. |
| New Episodes of Yellowstone | Paramount Network (live TV via cable/satellite/live TV streaming services) | New episodes premiere weekly on the cable channel. They typically become available on Peacock the day after their initial airing. |
| Yellowstone Prequel Series | Paramount+ | This includes series like 1883 and 1923, which are exclusive to Paramount+. |
This distinction is a common source of confusion for fans, as it seems counterintuitive for a flagship show to not be on its parent company's primary streaming service. However, such pre-existing licensing agreements are a strategic business move made to maximize revenue from popular titles.
