In the age of neo-Westerns we presently find ourselves, perhaps no streaming giant has a finer collection of modern television horse operas than Paramount+. Not only does this streaming platform feature the near-full catalog of Taylor Sheridan dramas (sorry, Yellowstone), but it also offers some of the best non-Sheridan works out there. While perhaps not as popular as Netflix or HBO Max, Paramount+ remains the streaming home of some of the best Western TV shows out there.
But just because a Western show is on Paramount+ does not mean it’s perfect. After all, Landman has been considered a neo-Western by some, and it features its own share of disappointments. Likewise, Hell on Wheels falls more in line with traditional Western definitions and yet still has a few holes of its own. So, with that in mind, here are the Paramount+ Westerns that we’re proud to give 10/10 status, believing that these are the cream of the streaming platform’s abundant Western crop.
1
‘Joe Pickett’ (2021–2023)
Although it only ran for two seasons in the early 2020s, Joe Pickett is a neo-Western mystery drama that is just about everything you could hope for. Originally a Spectrum series, it moved to Paramount+ for its second season, which pushed the show’s titular Wyoming game warden (played by Michael Dorman) further into the wilderness than ever; the series cast includes Julianna Guill, Sharon Lawrence, and David Alan Grier. The way the show expertly blends the Pickett family’s life with the thrilling mysteries of the great outdoors makes this a must-watch on the streamer.
Based on the book series by C. J. Box, Joe Pickett tackles a new case per season that forces Joe to confront his troubled past in order to ensure his family’s future. Unlike some of the more nihilistic takes on the modern West, this series speaks to the traditional Western hero, with Joe exuding all the qualities of the type of lawman seen in the Westerns of the ’50s and ’60s. It’s certainly a trek into the wild worth taking.
2
‘1923’ (2022–2025)
The second prequel in Taylor Sheridan’s larger Yellowstone universe, 1923 is a two-season prequel drama that admittedly leaps outside the typical period constraints that most Westerns follow, though it does so in a way that still feels both historical and thrilling. As the Duttons of this age — led by Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren — face those who would steal their land from beneath their fallen corpses, Sheridan uses this prequel series to speak to a lesser-known period of Montana history. Saddle up, this one’s intense.
During America’s Prohibition, Big Sky Country was already in a Great Depression of its own, and we can see the desperation throughout. Everything from the violent outbursts by rival sheepherders, the poor treatment of Native American women, the globetrotting adventures of a World War I vet (played by Brandon Sklenar), and the depravity of a villain who wishes to gobble up all of Paradise Valley for himself, is on full display here. 1923 tells as fantastic and heart-wrenching story of love, loss, redemption, and sacrifice that’s far better than Yellowstone.
3
‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ (2023)
