Here's How To Watch Lawmen: Bass Reeves

Television's most sprawling franchise just keeps on trucking along. In no time at all, filmmaker and prolific showrunner Taylor Sheridan has established a vice grip on dads everywhere with his incredibly popular "Yellowstone" series ... but why stop there? He's since expanded the frontier of this universe with a veritable wagon train of spin-offs, sequel series, and even prequels, all of which have enjoyed various degrees of success. Although such grand plans hit a bit of a snag in recent months, first with "Yellowstone" star Kevin Costner parting ways with the production and most recently with the news that the final batch of episodes from the parent series that started it all would be in for a lengthy delay, fans now have another thrilling and star-studded production to look forward to.

Officially titled "Lawmen: Bass Reeves," this latest series was originally conceived as a spin-off from "1883" tentatively known as "1883: The Bass Reeves Story." This has since been reimagined as a standalone show that just happens to take place in the larger "Duttonverse," but that likely does nothing to dampen the enthusiasm surrounding the production. In short, it's a great time to be a fan of this franchise, not least of all because viewers never have to go very long between installments.

Led by David Oyelowo, Donald Sutherland, Shea Whigham, Garrett Hedlund, Dennis Quaid, and more, this newest series just debuted its first two episodes this past week. Granted, if there's one drawback to having so many shows airing at practically the same time, it's that it can be tough to keep track of them all. So if you happened to miss the premiere, here's how you can watch ""Lawmen: Bass Reeves."

You have to know the drill by now, right? When "Yellowstone" first aired back in 2018 on Paramount Network, it drew in millions of viewers who turned it into an immediate ratings bonanza. Every subsequent season only broke more and more records, leading to the juggernaut that Paramount has on its hands today. Part of that success comes from a certain quality that simply can't be replicated — brand awareness — and that competitive advantage comes from audiences knowing exactly where to look to get their "Yellowstone" fix. In that light, it's no surprise that fans will have to be subscribed to the Paramount+ streaming service to check out "Lawmen: Bass Reeves," where the first two episodes have been available to stream since Sunday, November 5, 2023.

Based on the real-life historical figure, who became the first African-American lawman of such a high rank as Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi, the new series purports to tell "the untold story" behind Reeves' efforts to balance his campaign against criminals with his duty to his family. The new series is created by Chad Feehan, who also serves as showrunner, writer, and executive producer (along with Taylor Sheridan). Consisting of 10 total episodes, the season will air in weekly installments every Sunday night.

Revealing the untold story of the most legendary lawman in the Old West, LAWMEN: BASS REEVES follows the journey of Reeves (Oyelowo) and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as one of the first Black U.S. Deputy Marshals 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.