I’m a Paramount Plus apologist. I do know — going by subscription numbers alone — that I’ve to be as a result of individuals don’t subscribe to the streaming service on the similar charge as Netflix or Amazon Prime, however I spend extra time within the Paramount Plus app than the opposite two. It’s obtained older reveals like Star Trek, Frasier, and Avatar: The Final Airbender, and newer splashy reveals like… the whole lot Taylor Sheridan produces and Frasier. It has a complete mess of soccer (American) and soccer (the remainder of the world), and whereas greater manufacturers like Netflix are solely now experimenting with dwell TV, Paramount Plus has been doing it from the get-go and doing it rather well.
It’s, I believe, my desert island streaming service.
Loads of new reveals aired on the service this yr. These are among the finest to take a look at when you’ve not too long ago picked up Paramount Plus or try to justify getting it so you possibly can make amends for all of the Star Trek you missed.
Star Trek: Picard
It’ll come as no shock that that is on the high of the listing. Whereas the primary two seasons have been uneven with occasional cerebral moments of Star Trek or joyous moments of nostalgia, season 3 is only a actually thrilling area journey, actually enjoyable Star Trek, and sufficient fan service to feed essentially the most die-hard The Subsequent Era fan. It makes up for each sin of its previous seasons whereas additionally establishing one of the thrilling Star Trek spinoffs in ages. I actually can’t watch for the adventures of Captain Seven of 9 on her Enterprise.
1923
Taylor Sheridan programming appears to be half of what’s out there on Paramount Plus, and that is sensible while you keep in mind Yellowstone is a monster hit. However of all of the reveals he’s making, 1923 with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren must be my favourite. The sequence is a Yellowstone prequel chronicling the Duttons’ lives throughout a second of extraordinary transition within the west. Sheep farmers and ranchers wage conflict on horseback with Tommy weapons, whereas the inheritor to the household travels throughout the continent of Africa along with his new British heiress bride to assist the household struggle its new conflict. It’s violent and goofy, but in addition one of the entertaining journey reveals on TV proper now.
College Spirits
This present seems like an American webtoon dropped at life. It’s a few teen lady, Maddie Nears, who wakes up lifeless and trapped at her college. She has to attempt to clear up her personal homicide with the assistance of the opposite ghosts dwelling within the college, together with a soccer star who died within the ‘80s (and now the stadium is named after him), a queer kid who died from a peanut allergy (and then had to watch his living classmates ruthlessly mock him), and a furious teen beatnik murdered by her guidance counselor. The show has a surprising streak of heart in it, with plenty of twists, turns, and high school romance. Curiously, you can watch the first season both on Paramount Plus (its original home) and Netflix.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
If you’ve by no means watched Star Trek and have been in search of a spot to start out, Unusual New Worlds is for you. It is a prequel to the unique Star Trek, so there are some characters it’s possible you’ll acknowledge, like Spock and Uhura (and sometimes Kirk!), and many different new characters you’ve by no means met however whom you’ll immediately adore. This present is blessedly episodic in a world the place most reveals deal with every season as one very lengthy film, which implies it could do actually enjoyable one-off episodes — like this yr’s crossover with Decrease Decks or its wonderful musical. It’s months later, and I’m nonetheless buzzing together with Spock’s clean tenor.
Frasier
Between Cheers and Frasier, Frasier Crane is likely one of the longest-running characters in TV historical past. So it’s arduous guilty Kelsey Grammer for returning to the function. In a world the place any previous present can get a sequel there’s loads of possibilities for Frasier to lose that honor. This new present has Frasier again in Boston and attempting to keep up a relationship along with his son at the same time as he grieves his father, Martin Crane (John Mahoney, who performed Martin, handed away in 2018). It doesn’t have the identical sparkle as the unique present — which appeared to catch lightning in a bottle with its mix of farce and wit — however it’s a pleasant diversion, helped alongside by a heaping dose of nostalgia.
Particular Ops: Lioness
That is one other Taylor Sheridan present with a stacked solid. This time Zoe Saldana is a CIA officer who particularly works with younger ladies spies to infiltrate terrorist organizations via the networks of wives and daughters. The present, which additionally stars Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman, takes itself completely too significantly and is usually a bit too jingoistic for my style. But that is additionally a Taylor Sheridan joint and that man actually is aware of learn how to make extremely entertaining journey reveals. So it takes itself actual critical — however is sort of all the time compelling.
Star Trek: Decrease Decks
What if the kinder episodes of Rick and Morty have been mixed with Star Trek? That’s Decrease Decks. Now in its fourth season, this animated comedy is filled with coronary heart, aliens, massive sci-fi tales, and extra Star Trek references than a fan discussion board. Its fourth season discovered the primary solid of ensigns lastly getting these coveted promotions and beginning to develop up, and it incessantly was a delicate rumination of what its like to maneuver additional alongside in your skilled profession — all whereas nonetheless doing the sort of actually enjoyable science fiction that live-action reveals might by no means pull off.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves
And let’s shut this out with one remaining Sheridan joint. This one is about Bass Reeves, one of the well-known US marshals of the American frontier, and the primary Black deputy marshal west of the Mississippi. David Oyelowo produces the present and performs Reeves with a gentle fury. It’s a captivating portrayal on the middle of a extra rote Western that’s attempting to navigate the parable of Reeves whereas setting him in a world that feels oddly post-racism in a means actuality completely was not. I discover myself incessantly struggling to grasp who the viewers for this present is — however the performances on the middle of it are terrific.