There’s something so comforting about a classic Western, partly because they fit a reliable formula. They take place, typically, in the American south, and they focus on outlaws, local sheriffs and farmers, and other characters that have stood the test of time. So if you have a Paramount+ subscription, what should you watch if you’re interested in Westerns?
Well, you’re in luck … especially if you’re looking for a long-form Western story. The Western genre is, of course, a big-screen staple, but across decades and in recent years — due in large part to a guy you may have heard of named Taylor Sheridan — Western TV shows and miniseries have become exceedingly popular. Because we’re talking about Paramount+ here, you probably know that Sheridan’s presence will loom large over this list, but truthfully, you cannot talk about Western TV shows without invoking his name. From a classic favorite to a handful of Sheridan shows, here are the best Western television shows you can stream on Paramount+.
Gunsmoke
The only non-Taylor Sheridan inclusion on this list is also one of the most famous Western TV shows ever made. “Gunsmoke,” which actually began its life in the early 1950s as a radio drama, made the jump to television in 1955 and ran for a whopping 20 years, 20 seasons, and 635 episodes before hanging up its cowboy hat in 1975. Throughout the show’s lengthy, then-record setting run (it’s still one of the longest-running American television shows in the history of the medium), the lead character, U.S. marshal Matt Dillon, is played by James Arness, and the story takes place in Dodge City, Kansas shortly after the end of the Civil War. Flanked by allies that include deputies Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver), Chester’s eventual replacement Festus Haggen (Ken Curtis), saloon proprietor (and surrogate wife to Matt) Kitty Russell (Amanda Blake), and local doctor Galen “Doc” Adams (Milburn Stone), Matt helps the citizens of Dodge City stay safe as outsiders visit their town.
“Gunsmoke” does on for so long, though, that Matt doesn’t always present as the main character despite beginning the story as its protagonist; in later seasons, actors like Burt Reynolds, Roger Ewing, and Buck Taylor pop in and out, and the whole thing becomes more of an anthology. Regardless, “Gunsmoke” is great, and there’s a lot of it to watch … all of which is on Paramount+, of course. (This makes sense, as the series originally aired on CBS.)
Yellowstone
You simply cannot talk about modern Western shows — or, for that matter, Westerns you can find on Paramount+ — without addressing “Yellowstone,” the proverbial elephant in the room. Created, of course, by Taylor Sheridan alongside John Linson, “Yellowstone” introduces audiences around the world to the Dutton family, led by patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner). As the proprietor and owner of Montana’s largest cattle ranch in an area called Darby — which is bordered by Native American reservations and, you guessed it, Yellowstone Park — the widowed John also has to deal with his difficult and dramatic family.
So who’s who in the Dutton clan? There’s John’s adopted son James Michael “Jamie” Dutton (Wes Bentley), a lawyer whose biological father is tertiary character Garrett Russell (Will Patton), John’s domineering only daughter Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), and his ethical-to-a-fault youngest son Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes). (If you’re a fan of the original series “Marshals,” that show follows Kayce’s story as he becomes a U.S. marshal.) This, by the way, only scratches the surface of the sprawling cast of “Yellowstone,” which also includes actors like Cole Hauser, Danny Huston, Kelsey Asbille, and Gil Birmingham, just to name a few.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably aware that, after it premiered on the Paramount Network in 2018, “Yellowstone” became one of the most popular Western TV shows of all time … and inspired a ton of spin-offs, many of which are listed here. If you want to experience all five seasons for yourself, though, head to Paramount+ and relive “Yellowstone” in all its glory.
Landman
Hilariously, “Landman” is technically unrelated to the larger “Yellowstone” franchise but was also created by Taylor Sheridan, who, for the remainder of his career, will be known for his Westerns made in conjunction with Paramount. This series, which was co-created by Sheridan and Christian Wallace is adapted from Wallace’s popular podcast “Boomtown,” and started airing in 2024, stars Billy Bob Thornton as a “landman,” a term for an oil and gas company employee who performs a wide variety of jobs for the corporations, named Tommy Norris, who lives and works in West Texas oilfields. (In “Boomtown,” Wallace chronicles the race in this particular part of the Lonestar State to tap massive amounts of oil for, well, massive amounts of profit.)
Though Tommy is somewhat challenged by newcomer and lawyer Rebecca Falcone (Kayla Wallace), who questions the environmental impact of his work, he’s also confident in his work and accompanied by colleagues like Monty Miller and his wife Cami (Jon Hamm and Demi Moore) and his family, including Tommy’s ex-wife Angela (Ali Larter) and their children Cooper and Ainsley (Jacob Lofland and Michelle Randolph). Then there’s also Tommy’s domineering father, Thomas “T.L.” Norris, who joins “Landman” in Season 2 and is played by living legend Sam Elliott. “Landman” might not be part of the “Yellowstone” universe, but it’s still a Sheridan special, and it’s streaming on Paramount+.
After “Yellowstone” became such a massive success, spin-offs were imminent — and the first one is “1883,” a prequel set generations before John Dutton is even a twinkle in his father’s (or grandfather’s, or great-grandfather’s) eye. Set as an older generation of Duttons travel from Tennessee to Texas and, subsequently, to the promised land of Oregon, “1883” stars Sam Elliott (a frequent Sheridan collaborator) as Shea Brennan, a veteran of the Civil War’s Union Army, and country star turned actor Tim McGraw as James Dillard Dutton, a veteran of the Confederacy who also happens to be John Dutton’s great-grandfather. These two industry heavyweights are joined by Faith Hill (McGraw’s long-time real-life wife) as James’ wife Margaret, Dawn Oliveri as James’ widowed sister Claire Dutton, Isabel May as James and Margaret’s headstrong daughter Elsa Dutton, and a handful of others playing characters who either clash with the Duttons or aid them on their journey.
“1883” only lasts for one season, but that makes sense; it only needs one season to explain how the Duttons end up in Montana in possession of Dutton Ranch. The show’s ending sets up the next property perfectly, and you can enjoy this one season wonder on Paramount+ if you love “Yellowstone.”
When it comes to the Taylor Sheridan cinematic universe, “1923” — which premiered in 2022 and ultimately spanned two seasons before wrapping up in early 2025 — is the most tangled up in the lore, so to speak. Not only is it, of course, a spin-off of “Yellowstone,” but it’s also a prequel to that show centered on (once again) the Dutton family, and it’s a sequel to the aforementioned “1883.”
“1923” stars Oscar winner Helen Mirren and the legendary Harrison Ford as Cara Dutton and Jacob Dutton (the latter of whom is the brother of Tim McGraw’s James), a childless couple who live on the Montana ranch with their surrogate children, including Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar), the son of James and Margaret from “1883,” and his brother John Dutton Sr. (James Badge Dale). As the Duttons endure historical events like Prohibition, the looming Great Depression, and inter-family drama, they still manage to endure … which we know because the family sticks around long enough to still be running Dutton Ranch by the time we get to “Yellowstone.” The cast of “1923,” which is simply astounding, also includes Timothy Dalton, Michelle Randolph, Julia Schlaepfer, Jerome Flynn, Isabel May (reprising her role as Elsa Dutton and acting as narrator), Robert Patrick, and Jennifer Ehle. If you’re already immersed in the Dutton drama, you won’t want to miss “1923.”
