Cowboys, 1920s Montana, steamy romances, high-stakes drama, Brandon Sklenar, Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford? Count us—and 14 million other viewers—in! According to Paramount Global, the series finale of 1923 drew a staggering 14 million viewers globally, making it the most-watched episode of the entire show—and the entire Yellowstone universe. Here’s why the 1923 finale made TV history.
A look at how many people watched ‘1923’ Season 2
1923 Season 2 began airing on February 23, 2025, with eight episodes total. The plot follows Jacob and Cara Dutton (Ford and Mirren) as they try to defend the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch from Donald Whitfield (Timothy Dalton) and Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn). Elsewhere, the newly married Alexandra and Spencer Dutton (Julia Schlaepfer and Sklenar) try their best to reunite in Montana, and Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves) goes on the run to try to avoid Father Renaud (Sebastian Roché).
According to Paramount Global, Season 2 of 1923 saw a 46% increase in viewership, and the finale itself had 14 million viewers, 41% more than Season 1, making it the most-watched episode and season in the prequel’s history. It also has become the most-watched episode in Yellowstone history, as the highest viewed installment of that show was the Season 5 finale, which had 13.1 million viewers, according to Deadline.
This also beat out the franchise’s other prequel show, 1883, which, despite being the most-watched series premiere since 2015, only had around 4.9 million viewers, per Variety.
Why was ‘1923’ Season 2 so special?
There are several potential reasons why 1923 Season 2 was one of the most viewed television seasons of all time, earning a place in history next to things like Friends and M*A*S*H.
The first could simply be because of the cast. Since the show’s premiere in 2022, several of the stars, like Michelle Randolph and Sklenar, have gone on to star in other projects that helped them solidify themselves as household names. There are also stars like Mirren, Ford and Dalton, who have already been around the Hollywood block once or twice, allowing the show to have a built-in viewership and fan base.
The rise in viewers could also be explained by the fact that since the franchise first released Yellowstone in 2018, it has steadily gained more and more fans and publicity, something that was heightened even more when Kevin Costner announced in 2024 that he would not be returning for the show’s fifth and final season. Perhaps the most logical explanation for why the show did so well is simply that the plot is addictive. Throughout every episode, you are on the edge of your seat, needing to know who is going to live, die and reunite with their loved ones.