Fans of thrilling TV are probably filling their TV time with Yellowstone season 5 part 2, as the final batch of episodes for this beloved neo-Western are currently rolling out weekly. However, Peacock's new spy thriller could give it a run for its money.
Relocating the action from a Montanan ranch to... well, all over Europe, the show in question is The Day of the Jackal, which debuts on Peacock on Thursday, November 14. Five episodes are available to stream right now, while the remaining will roll out weekly.
Based on a classic 1970s novel, which was already adapted into a popular movie, The Day of the Jackal is about the titular Jackal, a top assassin who can take down any target (played by Fantastic Beasts' Eddie Redmayne). He becomes the target when a determined intelligence officer (played by No Time To Die's Lashana Lynch) sets herself the goal of taking him down, leading to a teeth-clenching ride across Europe as the Jackal tries to continue their work.
Assassins, globe-trotting chases and spies — it already sounds like a thrilling TV show, and critics and audiences agree. The Day of the Jackal is already out in the UK and Australia (it released a week earlier) and it currently enjoys an 89% critic score and 74% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Those scores give it an edge over the other show we mentioned. The newest season of Yellowstone currently has an 84% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, so it's slightly below Peacock's thriller, but its audience score of just 40% is a marked difference. Granted, these reviews cover both Part 1 (from 2022) and Part 2 (the new episodes) of the season, but most of the negative scores are new.
Lots of the new criticisms levelled at Yellowstone season 5 on Rotten Tomatoes take ire with details like sudden character deaths, a non-chronological narrative structure and a slower pace.
Many fans point out that creator Taylor Sheridan is now spread thin over many shows (including several Yellowstone spin-offs as well as Tulsa King, Lioness and the new Landman) while lead Kevin Costner departed the show in order to direct, write, produce and star in a quartet of epic western movies called Horizon: An American Saga.
But while the last few episodes of Yellowstone haven't been received well by audiences, the show as a whole is still considered a modern hit. Its overall Rotten Tomatoes audience score is much higher at 76% — yes, beating The Day of the Jackal.
While Yellowstone is created by Paramount, and streams on Paramount Plus in most countries around the world, its US streaming rights actually fall to Peacock. Season 5 part 2 isn't currently streaming, but when it does it'll sit side-by-side with The Day of the Jackal on the service. For more information on watching either show, including episode release dates, streaming options and global availability, here's how to watch Yellowstone season 5 part 2 and here's how to watch The Day of the Jackal.
