Lawmen: Bass Reeves sets record for most-watched series premiere on Paramount+

David Oyelowo not only has a hit on his hands but a record-setting hit at that. Oyelowo not only stars as the titular gun-toting sheriff in Lawmen: Bass Reeves, but he executive produces as well. Lawmen has been getting a positive reception, with a fresh Rotten Tomatoes rating of 81% and an even bigger audience score with 96%. In the review from our own Alex Maidy, he glows, “Bass Reeves is a solid first entry in what will be an interesting anthology chronicling any number of famed and infamous icons from the past. Bass Reeves is a fascinating character whose story is all but designed for a platform like this.”

According to Paramount, Lawmen: Bass Reeves has set a new record as the streamer’s most-watched global series premiere of the year. Episodes 1 and 2, which the series debuted with, have been seen by an average global audience of over 7.5M for the first seven days across Paramount+ and broadcast sampling run on CBS. Domenic DiMeglio, who is Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Paramount Streaming, shares his enthusiasm for the debut, “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.” 

Oyelowo produces the series through Yoruba Saxon in association with MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios and Bosque Ranch Productions. The Bass Reeves star states, “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.” 

Chris McCarthy, the President/CEO of Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios, also shares his excitement, “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.” He continues, “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.”

The original drama premiered exclusively on Paramount+ with two episodes on Sunday, November 5 in the U.S. Then, CBS broadcast aired a special sampling of the first two episodes on Sunday, November 12, following an episode of Yellowstone.