"Yellowstone" returns this weekend for its long-awaited fourth season I've been vaguely aware of Yellowstone since it debuted on the Paramount Network in 2018. I thought, "Oh, another movie star becoming a TV star for vanity's sake."

That "vanity project" became one of the most popular shows on cable television. Its Season 3 finale drew 5.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched cable TV show of 2020. And yet, few people talk about Yellowstone. I haven't heard anyone say they are fans in real life, and there isn't much talk about it on Twitter. Contrast this with "Succession" (which has an eerily similar premise). The initial audience for Season 3 of "Succession" was 1.4 million, but every episode generated a million memes. [Yellowstone] is so popular that two spin-offs have been produced by Paramount Plus. One of them is a prequel titled "1883," starring Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. Intrigued by this television epic, I finally decided to check it out.

But to fully experience the Yellowstone Cinematic Universe, one must subscribe to three streaming services. That is annoying. And for many people with limited streaming budgets, it is simply not possible. As John Dutton once said, "The whole world is a test."

The "whole world is a test.

As a Yellowstone newbie, you should probably start with the first three seasons. It is now available exclusively on Peacock.

However, only the very first episode of season 1 is available for free. To watch the rest of season 1 and all of seasons 2 and 3, you will need Peacock Premium ($4.99/month with ads) or Peacock Premium Plus ($9.99/month without ads).

Okay, I'm subscribed to Peacock Premium. Let's say I'm caught up on Season 4 and ready to watch Season 4. That too on Peacock.

No. According to Peacock, Season 4 will eventually be offered after it finishes airing on the Paramount Network.

Those who want to see Season 4 will have to watch it on the Paramount Network. Cord-cutters like myself need a second best streaming service to replace cable TV as the second best alternative for learning about the lives and deaths of various members of the Dutton family.

I use Sling and have the Orange+Blue combo plan, but Paramount Network is not one of the 51 channels. To watch Paramount Network, you need to add the $6/month Comedy Extra package (along with MTV, TV Land, CMT, Tru TV, etc.).

You can also watch Paramount Network on Philo, FuboTV, YouTube TV, Hulu With Live TV, and DirecTV Stream.

If you're an avid Yellowstone fan, you'll be excited about two upcoming spinoffs: the first, airing first in December, is "1883," starring Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, and Sam Elliott. It is the story of the Dutton family's first time settling on the land that would become their ranch. The cast is very impressive, and it was this film that got me interested in Yellowstone in the first place.

Another spin-off is "6666," set on the Four Six Ranch in West Texas. Both are Paramount Plus originals, which means that a third streaming service is required to enjoy the entire Yellowstone Cinematic Universe.

Yellowstone is not the only film that is split between streaming services. One of the more absurd situations may be "South Park". Currently, the series' 24th season (well, except for a few episodes here and there) is streaming exclusively on HBO Max.

Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone recently signed a new "South Park" deal that extends the show through its 30th season in 2027. New episodes will air on Comedy Central, which also means that a subscription to cable or a live TV streaming service is required.

The other part of that deal is to produce 14 films for Paramount Plus. Therefore, "South Park" fans will need to use three streaming services to access the entire franchise.

(If you want to be a perfectionist, the 1999 South Park movie is streaming on Pluto TV. But who knows where it will land once it moves from Pluto)

This is the sort of thing that irritates me; I write about the streaming industry for a living. For everyone else, it must be extra confusing and frustrating.

Oh, I understand that these streaming agreements are complex and involve a lot of corporate political gamesmanship. And after all, companies want to squeeze the most dollars out of selling the rights to their IP; HBO Maxx competed against CBS All Access, the predecessor to Paramount Plus, for the catalog rights to South Park.

Whoever can "show the money" wins, but it comes at the expense of the consumer.