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Taylor Sheridan is no stranger to major TV hits. Yellowstone remains one of the biggest TV shows of all time, breaking countless records for the Paramount Network and Paramount+ during its five-season run (even if Season 5 couldn't stick the landing). Beyond that, Spec Ops: Lioness, Landman, and the Yellowstone sequel, Marshals, have all been gigantic hits. But Taylor Sheridan's newest western series is so popular, it has officially broken a 2026 record. Unsurprisingly, it's another Yellowstone spin-off. But the sequel took the two best characters from the original series (sorry, Kevin Costner) and moved them out of Montana to start their own ranch.
If you haven't guessed already, we're talking about Taylor Sheridan's iconic Dutton Ranch. The second sequel to Yellowstone (following Marshals), Dutton Ranch stars Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, who reprise their roles as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, respectively. After debuting on May 15, Dutton Ranch rounded out its first season after nine episodes, concluding on Jul 3. During that time span, it amassed so many viewers that it has officially become one of the biggest shows of the entire year.
The Nielsen company recently published its latest multi-platform viewership numbers for the 2025/26 TV season, and Dutton Ranch has cracked the top 10. The final season of Stranger Things dominates the top spot. But Dutton Ranch isn't too far behind. The Yellowstone sequel is the sixth most-watched TV show of the 2025/26 season, raking in 19.2 million viewers over a 35-day period. In fact, Taylor Sheridan has a trifecta on his hands within the streaming charts, as Landman is in fourth with 19.8 million, and Marshals is in fifth with 19.3 million.
'Dutton Ranch' Is the Best 'Yellowstone' Spin-Off So Far
Dutton Ranch and Marshals are the only two sequels, but Sheridan has already released several other spin-offs. He's taken us back in time with 1883 and 1923, and told a Yellowstone-adjacent story in the underrated The Madison. But of them all, his latest is certainly his greatest.
Marshals was the target of much criticism from the fan base, predominantly due to questionable writing decisions to bridge the gap between the sequel and Yellowstone's plot. Dutton Ranch was the most-hyped sequel, as everybody was desperate to rejoin Beth and Rip for more ranching criminality. It's safe to say the sequel didn't disappoint. As well as its sky-high viewership, it holds an 89% Rotten Tomatoes score, with an 84% audience rating.
The 'Yellowstone' Franchise Could Run Forever
It's going to take something a lot stronger than Yellowstone's weak final season to kill the franchise. Both Dutton Ranch and Marshals have been confirmed for new seasons. Taylor Sheridan is also going to take us back in time once more, as the long-delayed 1944 prequel finally appears to be moving forward. As well as new seasons for the already established sequels, the release of The Madison earlier this year also set a precedent for more modern-day spin-offs and adjacent shows. One such series is 6666, which will focus on the titular Texas Ranch, which first appeared in Yellowstone.
