The Best Paramount+ Original TV Shows
When it comes to streaming services, there are so many options, but I think today we should take a look at Paramount+. The platform has tons of series to watch, but along with CBS shows and licensed content, there are awesome originals, too, like Evil and The Good Fight, all of which you can watch with an active Paramount+ subscription.
While there are plenty of new shows coming to the platform soon, and some arriving as a part of the 2024 TV premiere schedule, there are so many to watch now. For all of those who are wondering what to binge, here are the best Paramount+ TV shows right now.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
One of the newest additions to the Star Trek franchise is Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. A spinoff of Star Trek: Discovery, this series follows Christopher Pike, the iconic Captain of the USS Enterprise, as they travel the galaxy and explore new worlds that had never been touched before.
There are so many Star Trek original shows on Paramount+, from Star Trek: Picard to even an animated series, but Strange New Worlds is such a fun time because it brings back some of the classic characters that we all know from the original series, just in their younger forms. It’s received plenty of praise, and has some awesome visual effects – and it’s perfect for all the Trekkies out there. There are two seasons to stream and a third one is on the way.
Stream Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount+.
1883
If you’re a fan of Yellowstone and want to know more about the Dutton family from the original series, then 1883 is for you. This popular original on Paramount+follows the Dutton family, 125 years before the events of Yellowstone, as they set off across the Great Plains and build the legacy that you all know and love now.
1883’s debut was a huge hit for Paramount+, bringing in plenty of fans who love the original story of the Dutton family and want to know more. The show was incredibly well-received and features all the western-goodness you could expect, but further expands the world of Yellowstone.
You can also check out 1923, another spinoff of Yellowstone that stars a hat-wearing Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.
Stream 1883 on Paramount+.
Stream 1923 on Paramount+
School Spirits
Starring Peyton List, School Spirits is a teen drama mixed with the supernatural, and follows a teenager who is stuck in the afterlife and investigating her own disappearance while learning to go to a high school where plenty of other ghosts cause her even more drama – even as she gets closer to the truth of what happened to her.
As someone who really does like the best supernatural teen dramas, I’ll say that this is one that really came out of nowhere and made me like it. It’s not as gritty as some other teen dramas that have come and gone in the last few years, like Riverdale or The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, but there’s still plenty to love and enjoy – plus it was renewed for Season 2.
Stream School Spirits on Paramount+.
Mike Judge’s Beavis And Butt-Head
If you’re looking for an absolute classic series, then Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-Head is the one to look at. This new continuation of the series for the last two seasons is a part of the original show, which ran for eight seasons. It tells the story of two teenage kids who are slackers, and follows their normal daily lives in a world where television, eating, and other mundane things are their only interests.
I know from that premise it most likely doesn’t sound too appealing, but trust me when I say this is one of the most popular animated series ever, considering it was given a revival in 2022 on Paramount Plus. The series is funny as heck, and features plenty of moments that I am sure will make you hold your side from laughing so dang hard. Plus, Mike Judge has created several other iconic comedy shows, like King of the Hill, Silicon Valley, and The Goode Family, so you know Beavis and Butt-Head will be hilarious.
While MIke Judge’s Beavis and Butthead only has the two seasons that they have made on the streaming platform, it’s still a great show to watch, one where you really don’t need to be consistent to keep up with a story. And if you end up liking it, you can check out the rest of the series too, simply titled Beavis and Butt-Head.
Stream Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-Head on Paramount+.
Stream the original Beavis and Butt-Head on Paramount+.
The Stand
In this excellent miniseries that first debuted on CBS All Access before it became Paramount+, The Stand is a Stephen King adaptation of the book of the same name, focusing on a world that has been hit by a menacing plague, and the ongoing battle between good and evil and those trying to survive.
The cast is something to really love, with people such as James Marsden, Whoopi Goldberg, Nat Wolff, and so many others leading it with amazing performances. It’s well written and has so much lore that you can’t help but want to rewatch it to learn more. In my years watching his work on screen, I think it’s one of the best adaptations so far of King’s stories. And I also think it’s one of James Marsden’s best TV shows.
Stream The Stand on Paramount+.
Why Women Kill
If you ever wanted to see why some women want to kill their crappy husbands, look no further than Why Women Kill. In this dark dramedy, we get to see several broken romances that lead to many surprising events, and the women who are trying to take back control of their lives.
Let me just say that while the premise seems super simple, the stories that are told really make you almost want to root for these women to kill these people. It will ensnare you so quickly that you’ll be wanting to plan their murders, too. Why Women Kill is a lot of fun to watch, and if you’re into dark comedy, Why Women Kill has plenty of it.
Stream Why Women Kill on Paramount+.
Frasier
Yes, you read that right. Frasier has come back, this time in the form of a streaming show. It’s a continuation of the original sitcom that lasted for more than a decade, following Kelsey Grammer as Frasier as he sets out on a new path in life, after the death of his father, as a Harvard professor to be closer to his son.
I mean, there’s really not a lot I have to say to make you watch this. If you were a fan of the original, then you’re probably going to like this one. Obviously, nothing ever beats the first show, but this one is a creature comfort that is the best way to spend a chill Saturday afternoon.
Mayor Of Kingstown
If you want a crime thriller, then Mayor of Kingstone is a great pick. The series, starring Jeremy Renner, tells the story of a fictional company town in Michigan where the business is incarcerated, which means that crime runs rampant. Renner stars as Mike McLusky, one of the main people keeping the peace of the town when order and justice is something that is not a daily occurance.
While I will say that the series had its growing pains in its first season, I actually really enjoyed the second, and Renner delivers a compelling performance. The series was renewed for a third season in September 2023, so now is the best time to watch it. There’s nothing quite as suspenseful as a crime thriller, and Mayor of Kingstown is that and more.
Stream Mayor of Kingstown on Paramount+.
The Offer
Have you ever wondered how one of the biggest movies of all time, The Godfather, got made? That’s the story The Offer tells. Through this amazing miniseries, viewers get to learn the tale of how The Godfather became one of the biggest films of all time, from its early ideas, to its complications with the mob, and everything else in-between.
The Offer is genuinely one of the best shows of television in 2022, and I mean that whole-heartedly. While it is still a drama show and there are liberties taken, as you would expect, the story is told so fantastically well that you won’t be able to turn away. The Offer cast is also so talented, with stars such as Miles Teller, Juno Temple, Matthew Goode and more giving scene-stealing performances. Trust me, if you’re a fan of The Godfather, you need to watch The Offer.
Stream The Offer on Paramount+.
Evil
If you want a drama, mixed in with some supernatural fun, look no further than Evil. Ever wonder what would happen if a skeptic about the supernatural and a priest-in-training team up to look into strange happenings that involve ghosts, demons, and more? Evil is all about that, and how no matter what, evil finds its way into everyone in some way, shape, or form.
The premise sounds super interesting. I mean, a skeptic regarding supernatural cases and a priest-in-training who believes in ghosts and demons and all of that, working together? I feel like that’s always a recipe for success. But, trust me when I say you won’t expect some of the amazing twists and turns that this show has to offer. No matter how you feel in real life about the supernatural, you’ll enjoy this show. The Evil cast is also astonishingly talented as well and pulls off this series amazingly.
There’s a fourth season in the works, so better keep an eye out for it as you watch the first three.
Criminal Minds: Evolution
They’re back – and they’re solving crime. After fifteen seasons, countless cast members leaving and returning, and so many storylines it’s almost hard to keep up with, Criminal Minds brought back some of its cast members for the spinoff, Criminal Minds: Evolution. Now, the group we all know is hunting down a new threat – a network of serial killers that was built anonymously during the pandemic.
Criminal Minds is arguably one of the most successful CBS shows of all time, and was for a reason, because of its ever-changing cast and interesting storylines, but even Criminal Minds: Evolution is worth watching as well. The addition of this new threat that had never been seen in the original show made it super intriguing to watch for any fan of the first series. And, it’s always great to see the characters you care about come back. What’s better is that it was renewed for another season.
Stream Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount+.
Rugrats
Rugrats returns – in 3D form. The Paramount+ original brings back the babies that everyone knows and loves, Tommy, Chuckie, Dil and Lil, and all their friends, as they travel on epic adventures of baby proportions, all while making it home in time for their daily naps.
Okay, so as someone who grew up watching Rugrats and had all the VHS tapes of this show, I can openly say that I do enjoy this reboot. It doesn’t give me the same feeling the original gave me, but I can’t help but smile at seeing the babies that I love so dearly. Even better is when I see a younger family member laughing at the same jokes as I did – and it makes watching this show so much fun.
Tulsa King
Starring Sylvester Stallone in his first scripted television series ever, Tulsa King follows Dwight Manfredi, otherwise known as “The General.” While he was famous in New York City for this time as a Mafia capo, he had to serve a 25 year long sentence in prison, and when he gets out, he’s sent all the way to Tulsa, Oklahoma by his boss. But even there, he finds a way to become the king of the criminal world there – rather, the Tulsa King.
If we’re being completely honest, I love this series. I really do. I’m not a huge fan of mafia stories, just because I feel like it’s a genre that has been done to death, but Tulsa King does it in a way that really stands out. Stallone is really good in his leading role, and gives an authentic performance, but the addition of the story happening in a place like Tulsa adds to it, because you would never expect it to be there. Super good series – and it’s renewed for a Season 2.
Stream Tulsa King on Paramount+.
Are You The One?
I may not be the biggest reality TV buff, but I do enjoy this series. Are You The One? is a continuation of the famous reality show that has been ongoing for several seasons now, and is a competition where people are paired up in a matchmaking algorithm and the group of contestants has to figure out who the perfect matches are, and if they win, they get a huge prize.
The show doesn’t originally come from Paramount+, as it first appeared on MTV, but I seriously love the new version of it now where there are all different sexualities included and it feels like there is more drama than anyone could have expected. I’ll gladly watch this again for all the tea that gets spilled.
Stream Are You The One? on Paramount+.
The Good Fight
The Good Fight is one of those dramas where you want to stay for the whole ride. The series, which is a sequel to The Good Wife, follows the story of Diane Lockhart, played by Christine Baranski, who was a prestigious partner at a law firm. But soon, she ends up losing all her money – as well as her employment – when a scandal occurs involving her mentee/goddaughter, forcing them to rethink their lives moving forward. This leads them to join one of the biggest law firms in Chicago.
I will say that for a series like this, you have to be into politics and the legalities of the world, because there’s a lot of jargon and story around that. But, if you enjoyed The Good Wife, I have a feeling this will be your next best series to watch. With six seasons total, The Good Fight offers an enriching story, brilliant acting, and plenty of drama for anyone to enjoy.
Stream The Good Fight on Paramount+.
SEAL Team
If you’re looking for a fantastic military drama, be sure to check out SEAL Team. In this popular show that moved over to Paramount+ in 2021, we follow the story of a unit that works in the United States Navy SEALS. And while we get the chance to see them out in the field, taking out threats and planning some of the most dangerous missions known to man, we also get a look into their personal lives and how their devotion to their country affects them.
SEAL Team was originally on CBS, but was later moved over to the streaming platform to become an original show, and honestly, I can see why, because I think it’s seriously so good. I’m not even a huge fan of military shows and yet I still find myself coming back each season to watch it because the characters are very compelling and tell a bold story, one I can appreciate. With six seasons to watch, this is a great time to binge it. A seventh season is on the way, and it’s going to be the final season, so better to binge through all six, if you’re up for the challenge.
Stream SEAL Team on Paramount+.
South Park Specials
Last but not least, we have to talk about the South Park specials on Paramount+. The creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, got a huge deal with Paramount a few years back, and now, we’ve gotten some hilarious specials from them that are exclusive for the platform, two of which take a hilarious look at COVID-19 through the eyes of our favorite South Park characters, and one talking about streaming services and the war for the best one out there – using the metaphor of actual water streams.
This isn’t even the end of all the South Park specials that are planned for the platform, but I can tell you I’ve laughed so incredibly hard at these first four, and they’ve made my day over and over again whenever I get the chance to revisit this town. In this day and age where the actual show is only releasing a few episodes per season, I’m quite thankful for these specials – and if you’re a fan of South Park, you should certainly check them out, too.
Stream the South Park: Post Covid special on Paramount+.
Stream the South Park: Post Covid: The Return of Covid special on Paramount+.
Stream the South Park: The Streaming Wars Part 1 special on Paramount+.
Stream the South Park: The Streaming Wars Part 2 special on Paramount+.
Stream the South Park: Joining the Pandaverse special on Paramount+.
Stream the South Park (Not Suitable for Children) special on Paramount+.
With the amount of content that’s available, I wouldn’t be surprised if this list needs updating not too long from now to accommodate even more amazing originals. Even so, at least now you have an idea of what the streaming platform has to offer – it’s up to you to pick which show to watch first.
