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Yellowstone might be over, but the hit drama was sure to go out.

Earlier this month, Paramount’s modern western wrapped up its fifth and final season, with the network now reporting that the finale brought in 13.1 million viewers — the most of the series.

Why it matters

According to Paramount, the second half YellowstoneThe fifth season, which premiered nearly two years after the first half, was the show’s “most watched and most social” season — bringing in 13.6 million total viewers and 619 million social media engagements.

Amid whispers of a spinoff series featuring Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and her husband Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), ratings for the wildly intense series finale suggest fans will continue to be invested in the Dutton family drama.

What to know

YellowstoneThe final season was split into two parts, with the first half ending in January 2023. The split in the season was due to various factors – including the SAG-AFTRA strike and marquee star Kevin Costner’s exit from the show amid rumors of creative differences with co-creator Taylor Sheridan – which suspended filming for the rest of the season.

The Montana drama followed the lives of the influential Dutton family, who ran the largest ranch in the country, as they struggled to protect their land and heritage from criminal agents who planned to overthrow them.

What people are saying

Kelly Reilly, who played Beth Dutton, wrote on Instagram during the finale: “Hey, I’m so deep into another role right now… but across the pond, the finale is tonight. Whatever the future holds, this is the end of the show we’ve been doing for the past seven years.

“Words can’t express how I feel about the people I’ve worked with and created over the seasons. I’ve made true lifelong friends. The support from the crew and the trust and dedication of the cast.”

Cole Hauser, who played Rip Wheeler, said People magazine in an interview published on December 15: “I think America has spoken. They still love the show. Obviously, there’s a lot of people who meet their families every Sunday, and we’re giving them the experience of taking them out of their own living rooms and putting them inside. ” Montana and entertain them and I think it’s as simple as that in the end.”

“We’ll see what happens over the next year or so and see what’s next. Hopefully we can continue to get people into living rooms and entertain them like we’ve done for the last seven years.”

What will happen next?

While Yellowstone It seems wrapped up for good, fans can turn to other shows in the same universe to keep up with the Dutton family or tune in to more Sheridan dramas.

Landmanstarring Billy Bob Thornton and Demi Moore, is another Sheridan creation airing on the Paramount Network. The show is set in the oil fields of West Texas, but fans have noticed similarities between it and Yellowstone.

February 23 highly anticipated Yellowstone spinoff 1923 is scheduled to return for its second and final season.