10 Excellent TV Shows on Paramount+ That Every Subscriber Should Watch at Least Once

Paramount+ has made a name for itself in the streaming landscape thanks to some of its unique pillars. Though the likes of Star Trek used to stream on Netflix, Paramount+ is now the only place where you can watch every episode of every series, in addition to brand new shows that are still premiering within the franchise. Furthermore, original crime dramas from Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan have become one of the streamer’s biggest support systems. Finally, one of the things that separates Paramount+ from the other streamers is the inclusion of the Showtime library, featuring classics from the past 25 years but also the

With a bevy of choice in front of them however, Paramount+ subscribers have countless options in front of them and frankly there’s not always a clear idea of what they should watch next.

1) Escape at Dannemora

Before getting sci-fi fans stirred up with the Apple TV+ series Severance, Ben Stiller made a huge splash in television with this Showtime miniseries. Starring Benicio del Toro, Patricia Arquette, and Paul Dano, all of whom were nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards, the series is based on the true story of two inmates that escaped from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, and the twisted story that lead to that point, the series is a tense mystery that spends its episodes fully showing the big picture to the audience in surprising ways. Though the pacing may not be as exciting for some, the way that Escape at Dannemora unfolds its storytelling across seven hours is a rewarding drama for any patient viewer.

2) Bargain

Paramount+ subscribers may have seen this one available, but this South Korean drama is unlike anything else available on the streamer. As a baseline set up, that might reveal some of its surprises, Bargain is a thriller series about black market organ traffickers that are meeting in secret, only for their location to become compromised by an earthquake. Like a disaster movie starring seedy elements of the criminal underground, Bargain really is one of the most unique titles on the streamer purely from a plot perspective. Even when compared to any other series though, there’s nothing quite like it. To make this one even more enticing, Bargain currently holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

3) Evil

Don’t let the title or the fact this is a supernatural-thriller TV series fool you, Evil is absolutely a drama that even non-horror fans can find appealing. Yes, the series does follow a group sanctioned by the Catholic church to look into the supernatural, but it also features a demon that eats popcorn. Viewers that are looking for a bigger procedural show but are hoping to find something that’s not just a police series should dive into Evil. Though some may think of Evil as a successor to something like The X-Files, there’s an even deeper thematic arc being played with as the series wrestles with ideological questions through the lens of supernatural TV show.

4) Mayor of Kingstown

Taylor Sheridan’s first non-Yellowstone TV series, Mayor of Kingstown is a crime thriller that takes a uniquely American idea to heart. Focusing on the McLusky family, who own a major stake in private prisons that populate the titular town, the series tracks the ins and outs not only of police and prison drama, but the larger capitalist nature of the for-profit prison industry. Star Jeremy Renner, often unfairly not thought of highly as a performer, delivers an electric performance in the series, the one that may well define him more so than any of his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

5) Lioness

As if the stacked cast of the series alone wasn’t a reason to watch (it features Zoe Saldana, Nicole Kidman, and Morgan Freeman), Lioness scratches an itch that almost no other show even on TV right now can satisfy. The series follows a CIA team composed of female soldiers and operatives that work to squash the war on terror, which can naturally be interpreted a certain kind of way, but these aren’t just undercover agents that don’t know how to handle themselves in a fire fight.

Yellowstone fans may jump over based on Taylor Sheridan’s name, and though this is a different kind of thriller series, the creator is tapping into the same mindset that brought us Sicario and less so the Montana crime series. With two seasons released so far and a third on the way, this is not only a unique one on Paramount+ but streaming as a whole.

6) Twin Peaks

David Lynch and Mark Frost’s epic ’90s TV series redefined the entire medium of television, but with no context of the larger picture of Twin Peaks that feels like a empty praise. Twin Peaks took the storytelling sensibilities that Lynch had pioneered on the big screen in films like Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, and Blue Velvet, and imbued them with the tradition of long-form television storytelling. This gave way to a mystery series that was lovingly inspired by soap operas, where storylines and characters kept up across years and new faces appeared with frequency. Even if you think you already know the big twists of Twin Peak‘s reveals, watching the show will prove to you that it’s all about the journey, not the destination.

The good news for viewers that dive into the original series is that Paramount+ is also streaming the 2017 follow-up, Twin Peaks: The Return. The bad news is that the prequel feature film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, is not available on the platform.

7) Killing Eve

Killing Eve has one of the most unique tones that spy-thriller series has ever had. Starring Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri, an MI5 analyst, and Jodie Comer as Villanelle, a trained assassin, the series sees these two characters become obsessed with each other albeit from totally different angles. Eve begins tracking Villanelle because of her elusive nature and realizing that a series of killings are all connected to one person. Villanelle on the other hand is flattered by the recognition she’s getting from Eve and hopes to flip it into a bit of a cat and mouse game between them.

Comer’s distinct performance as the evasive and clever Villanelle is one of the most unpredictable characters in modern television, which is saying something for a series that features more surprise cliffhangers than you might expect. Though later seasons of the series aren’t as well received as its first two, Paramount+ subscribers have a distinctly fun and engaging spy thriller at their fingertips, and it may not stick around long.

8) Dexter

The flagship drama for Showtime defined the premium cable network during its initial run from 2006 to 2013. Even with the reputation it has developed for its conclusion, Dexter remains a worthwhile watch and one that will keep viewers fully engaged by the thriller elements that are always evolving. TV may be littered with anti-hero protagonists, but Michael C. Hall’s Dexter is always entertaining even when the story surrounding him isn’t as fulfilling.

The good news of course is that if you find yourself unhappy, or, on the flipside, completely compelled, by the finale of the main series, there’s even more where that came from. Paramount+ is also streaming the first sequel series, Dexter: New Blood, plus the most recent follow-up series, Dexter: Resurrection. Furthermore, a prequel series, Dexter: Original Sin, is also available.

9) Freaks and Geeks

Watching Freaks and Geeks in 2025 however will be like a wild time capsule, not only because it was a short-lived but highly influential show but that it became the springboard for countless careers including Linda Cardellini, James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and Busy Philipps. Across just 18 episodes, enough to knock out in a weekend if you don’t leave the catch, this

Though distinctly set in the backdrop of the 1980s and everything that came with being in high school of that time, what has made Freaks and Geeks such a longstanding text in tv comedy is that it is a timeless story. No matter if you’re 17 or 57, there’s someone to relate, a story that is enduring, heartfelt, and funny.

10) Penny Dreadful

Another Showtime hit that is slyly hiding on Paramount+, Penny Dreadful is exactly what horror fans want on TV. Set in Victorian England, the period drama weaves together a narrative that features vampires, a werewolf, Frankenstein’s monster, and plenty of other surprises along the way. Anchored by compelling performances from Eva Green, Timothy Dalton, and Josh Hartnett, this is yet another show that has no contemporaries on streaming, meaning that watching it on Paramount+ is nearly mandatory. Penny Dreadful may not be for everyone, but those that love a weird concept and gothic aesthetics will have three full seasons to bask in.

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