Paramount+ has released its latest streaming viewership numbers, and they confirm a pretty harsh reality for the streaming platform. As of writing this, the “Top TV Shows on Paramount+ on March 23, 2026 are (from 1 through 10): The Madison (#1), South Park (#2), Y: Marshals (#3), Yellowstone (#4), De Férias com o Ex: América Latina (#5), Tulsa King (#6), Acapulco Shore (#7), SpongeBob SquarePants (#8), Landman (#9), and The King of Queens (#10). Notice any strange pattern in that ranking? Because you definitely should…
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And, once you do see it, it instantly becomes clear that Paramount has a major problem with its TV/streaming content strategy.
Taylor Sheridan Is Dominating Paramount’s TV/Streaming Content
That’s right: 5 out of the Top 10 shows on Paramount+ right now are shows created by Taylor Sheridan, the creator of Yellowstone. Sheridan has gone from that groundbreaking crime-drama Western (and the prototype for modern “Dad Shows”) to creating an entire Yellowstone universe, with multiple spinoffs, including the new Y: Marshals (#3), the first spinoff set after Yellowstone, which is a broadcast hit on CBS, with the original show still pulling in significant viewership on Paramount+.
However, Paramount has put Sheridan to work developing all kinds of TV series outside the Yellowstone universe: he just launched a geriatric neo-Western series, The Madison, starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell, which is such a big breakout hit that it’s claimed the top spot. Sheridan also partnered with Sylvester Stallone to develop the mob-dramedy Tulsa King (#6), and developed the Texas oil industry drama Landman (#9), which is a consistent trending hit. This current list doesn’t even include other Sheridan series that regularly rank on Paramount+’s streaming charts when airing new seasons, including the female-led covert ops drama Lioness (with Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman), and the two Yellowstone prequel series, 1883 and 1923.
Taylor Sheridan Is Key to Paramount At A Turbulent Time
When you step back and look at it, Taylor Sheridan is arguably the one creator who is currently propping up the entire television side of Paramount+. It makes sense, as Paramount signed a nine-figure deal for a five-year extension on his contract with Paramount in 2021 (ViacomCBS at the time). That deal keeps Sheridan’s TV shows in Paramount’s hands through 2028, at which time, Sheridan starts a new five-year deal over at NBCUniversal.
That’s a tight timeline for Paramount to recoup as much value from its deal with Taylor Sheridan, at a time when streaming services need his content the most. Paramount was acquired by Skydance Media, whose owner, David Ellison, has battled his way to a winning bid to acquire Warner Bros., a merger that could shake up the entire entertainment industry. However, Sheridan taking the deal at NBCUniversal is something of a red flag for some industry analysts, who see the exodus as a clue that a creator like Sheridan doesn’t want to work under the new management.
That leaves just two years for Paramount+ to come up with a plan to replace what Sheridan brings to the table. The acquisition of Warner Bros. TV and HBO will give Paramount a whole new library of content to work with, but just integrating WB TV into the Paramount brand won’t be enough. The studio needs five more Taylor Sheridans to help make a steady run of hit programs – and it needs to start producing them sooner before later.
You can stream Taylor Sheridan content on Paramount+. Discuss your thoughts on the future of TV with us over on the ComicBook Forum!
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