‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ Becomes The Year’s Most-Watched Series Premiere For Paramount+

Katie Campione
·3 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: Lawmen: Bass Reeves locked down a new record for Paramount+.

The anthology series — which is produced by Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios — is now the steamer’s most-watched series premiere globally this year.

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The first two episodes amassed a collective 7.5M viewers across the world in the first 7 days across Paramount+ and broadcast sampling run on CBS, according to Paramount Global.

That spells more than double the 3.55M viewers that tuned in live + same-day, for the back-to-back broadcast premiere on CBS, Nielsen reported. After debuting on Paramount+ on November 5, the two episodes received a broadcast run on November 12, following an episode of Yellowstone.

Other series that premiered on Paramount+ this year include Taylor Sheridan’s Special Ops: Lioness, which also debuted to an audience record in July.

“Our goal at Yoruba Saxon is simple, to normalize the marginalized for a global audience. The international embrace of Lawmen: Bass Reeves shows that borders are no boundary to a fresh perspective on a great story,” David Oyelowo, executive producer and star, said in a statement.

Lawmen: Bass Reeves is an anthology series, with the first season revealing the untold story of the most legendary lawman in the Old West. This installment follows the journey of Reeves (Oyelowo) and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as the first Black U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi. Despite arresting over 3,000 outlaws during the course of his career, the weight of the badge was heavy, and he wrestled with its moral and spiritual cost to his beloved family.

Future iterations of the series will follow other iconic lawmen and outlaws who have impacted history.

In addition to Oyelowo, the first season also stars Lauren E. Banks, Demi Singleton, Forrest Goodluck, Emmy Award winner Barry Pepper, Grantham Coleman, Donald Sutherland and Dennis Quaid. The cast includes also Shea Whigham and Garrett Hedlund as guest stars, and, in recurring roles, Joaquina Kalukango, Lonnie Chavis, Tosin Morohunfola, Dale Dickey, Rob Morgan, Ryan O’Nan, Margot Bingham, Mo Brings Plenty, Justin Hurtt-Dunkley and Bill Dawes.

Lawmen: Bass Reeves was created for television by executive producer and showrunner Chad Feehan. The remaining six episodes are rolling out weekly on Sundays on Paramount+, with the finale airing December 17.

“Bass Reeves is an American hero and the first Black U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River; we are honored to amplify his powerful story based on the creative vision of David Oyelowo, Chad Feehan and our brilliant partner Taylor Sheridan,” said Chris McCarthy, President/CEO, SHOWTIME & MTV Entertainment Studios.  “The record setting performance of LAWMEN: BASS REEVES catapulted it into the top five most streamed shows in the U.S. and is just another proof point of how our unique multi-platform approach continues to be a competitive advantage,” said Chris McCarthy, President/CEO, SHOWTIME & MTV Entertainment Studios.

Added Domenic DiMeglio, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Paramount Streaming: “We’re so thrilled with the response this series has garnered from viewers around the globe. The incredible story of Bass Reeves was not widely known and thanks to David’s passionate efforts to bring this story to life, audiences are now learning more about the fascinating and inspiring man that was Bass Reeves and his contributions to history.”

The series is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios, Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch Productions and Oyelowo’s Yoruba Saxon, and is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution outside of Paramount+ international markets.

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