Obstacles like the Hollywood strikes could have derailed programming strategies across Paramount Global’s family of networks and streaming properties, but McCarthy’s plan to give streaming successes new lives on cable and broadcast nets proved to be a major success. Paramount+ original “1883,” a “Yellowstone” universe series that debuted in 2021, began airing on Paramount Network in June 2023 with bonus content and became one of the summer’s most-watched scripted series. “Yellowstone” also hit CBS in the fall and its premiere drew 6.8 million viewers. McCarthy and his team quickly made the decision to bring more of the Dutton family to those viewers, also airing episodes from the show’s second season.