The Paramount Network seriesYellowstoneis something of a television phenomenon right now. Written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, the series redefined the modern Western and earned an unprecedented viewership by appealing toa long-ignored sectionof the American audience. The show is about an old ranching family in Montana, who is struggling to maintain its way of life while fighting back against a multitude of forces that seek to steal it away. But it tells this story brilliantly — it is unrelenting in its portrayal, and offers up powerful conflicts that are faced by well-developed characters.
TheYellowstoneeffect has been firmly established in the television business by this point, and its appeal has grown far beyond its core audience. Given the series’ unprecedented success, many new shows are setting their sights on similar subject matter as this one. Sheridan himself is at the helm of an entire collection of new shows, including twoYellowstonespin-offs, that have already been released. And if you’re clamoring for more while awaiting the rest ofYellowstone’s season 5, then here are 14 shows likeYellowstoneyou need to watch next.
The first major supplement to the officialYellowstone-verse,1883is a 10-episode prequel miniseries that details how the Dutton family moved to Montana. The miniseries takes place through the duration of the family’s journey, starting from Tennessee and ending up at Montana. A wonderful cast brings the story to life with Tim McGraw as James Dutton, and Sam Elliot appearing as the leader of the wagon train that leads the Duttons to Montana.1883is a worthy addition to theYellowstoneuniverse, and appears as a classic Western where the original series is perfectly situated as a modern one.
The second supplement to theYellowstoneuniverse premiered near the end of 2022, and follows the Dutton family in the titular year of 1923 facing a variety of hardships including drought and the Great Depression.1923is set to run for two seasons, and features a distinguished cast including Helen Mirren as Cara Dutton and Harrison Ford in his first major TV role as Jacob Dutton, the brother of1883’sJames Dutton. The early episodes have set up a sprawling storyline with multiple narratives, and viewers have been hooked with the intriguing promises set up in these plots.
12Succession
Successionis best described asYellowstoneset in the East Coast. The popular series features much the same drama and similar stakes asYellowstone, except that it all takes place within the context of a family at the helm of a media empire. The events in the series begin to unfold once the family patriarch, played by Brian Cox, steps down from his leading role at the conglomerate, which leads to bitter scheming and back-biting between his four children. With three seasons available to binge, a fourth season is expected tolaunch in 2023.
11Justified
Justifiedis as close as you can get to watching a Wild West-type series set in the modern day. Timothy Olyphant stars in the series as Raylan Givens, a U.S. Marshal who has no problems getting rough in order to carry out his duties. Set in the character’s hometown in eastern Kentucky, the series explores rural relationships in the same way asYellowstone, and the compelling mix of neo-Western drama and action won the series four Emmy nominations and two Emmy Awards. The series was concluded after a six-season run, and a limited sequel series titledJustified: City Primevalhas been announced to release in 2023 — making this the perfect time to get into the series.
Related:Why 1883 Proves Creator Taylor Sheridan Is the King of the Modern Western
10Mayor of Kingstown
Mayor of Kingstownis another title in Paramount’s Taylor-verse, created by Sheridan himself alongside Hugh Dillon. Similar toYellowstone, the series focuses on the drama within a high-powered family, and follows the impact of the family in their local community. Jeremy Renner stars in the movie as Mike McLusky, who takes over as the mayor of a Michigan city that is overtaken by the prison industrial complex. The series finds Renner’s character dealing with all manners of people within this system, from politicians to criminals, to maintain power.
As a crime drama with a regular family at its center,Ozarkhas much that would appeal to fans ofYellowstone. The series is led by Jason Bateman as a financial advisor, who gets entangled with a Mexican drug cartel, and moves to the Ozarks with his entire family to set up a money laundering operation for them. The series is frequented with many life-or-death stakes as this family is forced to deal with all sorts of dangerous characters. The series offers a lot of thrilling drama as every single member of the family gradually becomes entrenched in the business, including even the teenage son, played by Skylar Gaertner.Ozarkhas been a highly popular show, gaining critical acclaim for its elaborate plot and earning numerous awards and nominations.
The plot and setting ofThe Sonis closer toYellowstonethan many other series on this list. Based on the eponymous book by Philipp Meyer, the series features Pierce Brosnan as a powerful cattle baron named Eli McCollough. Family drama and modern Western themes of survival takes equal precedence in this series, as it takes place in two different timelines — the year 1849, when a young Eli is kidnapped by the Comanches, and in the early 1900s, when Eli is an established ranch owner seeking to connect with his children while protecting his empire.
Set in a small-town setting in rural Wyoming,Longmirefollows the daily life of Sheriff Walt Longmire, played by Robert Taylor. For fans ofYellowstone, the series comes with a familiar take on the modern Western, with Sheriff Longmire spending his days dealing with crime, uneasy relationships with the nearby Cheyenne reservation, and his own personal demons. Collaboration and conflict with the Cheyenne tribal police force is a recurring plot element in the series, and Longmire often works with them to solve crimes.
6Breaking Bad
Breaking Badhas been calleda Shakespearean tragedy, and has been considered as the best television series of all time. At the very least, the chronicle of Walter White’s downfall as a high school chemistry teacher-turned-drug kingpin is as close to perfect as one can get. If you haven’t watched it yet, the series will reel you in with its unforgettable performances, its timeless structure, and its haunting portrayals of themes like greed, ego, innocence, and morality.
5Bloodline
Bloodlinetakes the premise of familial secrets and criminal dealings as seen inOzark, and compresses it into a thrilling, addictive format that was described as having a “magnetic pull”. The series tells the story of the Rayburns, a family whose members are involved in all manners of professions from being the local deputy sheriff to running a seaside hotel. However, each member of the family has been affected by traumatic events that happened in their distant past. These events reach out to influence their choices in the present day, to occasionally devastating consequences.
