10 Best TV Shows Like Lawmen Bass Reeves

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• Lawmen: Bass Reeves is a western drama that expands on the Yellowstone franchise, following the journey of the first black Deputy Marshal, Bass Reeves. It adds depth to the greater Yellowstone universe, appealing to fans of the original series.
• Fans of Lawmen: Bass Reeves can explore other great western series like Hell on Wheels, Godless, Deadwood, Justified, Longmire, and Joe Pickett. These shows offer similar themes, including historical accuracy, father-son dynamics, and the portrayal of law enforcement in the Wild West.
• For viewers looking for more classic western series, 1883 and 1923 are excellent choices. Both are part of the Yellowstone universe and share Taylor Sheridan’s creative touch. Yellowstone itself, as one of the most popular shows in recent memory, is a must-watch for fans of Lawmen: Bass Reeves due to its Western themes and Sheridan’s masterful storytelling.

Following the series finale of Lawmen: Bass Reeves, fans of the show will likely be looking for other classic Western series with similar themes to watch next. The eight-part Paramount+ series presented both historical and fictional accounts of the real-life Old West lawman, played with masterful execution by David Oyelowo. Oyelowo, who was an executive producer of the series along with Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, has hinted that further installments of Lawmen could feature other famous American lawmen throughout history.

Lawmen: Bass Reeves features the titular character’s fictional showdown with former Confederate solider turned Texas Ranger Esau Pierce (Barry Pepper), also known as the cannibalistic slave hunter Mr. Sundown. The series finale of Lawmen: Bass Reeves is set to dive into the central conflict between Bass and Pierce, who shot and killed Bass’ friend Curtis years ago. Pierce has come to represent the Devil working against Bass’ concept of faith and God in the latter half of the season, which has taken several creative liberties from the true legend of Bass Reeves.

10 Hell On Wheels

2011 – 2016

Hell on Wheels is a dark Western series that ran for 57 episodes across 5 seasons. The story follows Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount), a former Confederate soldier and slave owner who is determined to continue his way of life after the Civil War. The historical period piece has a lot of similar Western elements to Lawmen: Bass Reeves and focuses on the true construction of the first American railroad from the eastern to the western United States.

9 Godless

2017

Like Lawmen: Bass Reeves, Godless is a Western miniseries that is easy to watch in just a few or even one sitting. It takes place during the Wild West of the 1880s and has a sharp focus on the female characters who live in the small Western town of La Belle, which is unusual for the genre. Godless carries similar themes to Lawmen: Bass Reeves especially in the form of father-son dynamics and the role of being a parent set against beautiful Western landscapes.

8 Deadwood

2004 – 2006

Deadwood is often considered as one of the best Western series ever made and will certainly entertain fans of Lawmen: Bass Reeves who have yet to experience it. The show is also set in the late 1800s but takes place in South Dakota rather than Arkansas and Texas. The show is celebrated for providing some of the most realistic depictions of life during the Wild West era of American history and features outstanding performances from Timothy Olyphant and Ian McShane.

7 Billy the Kid

2022 –

Billy the Kid is a current MGM+ series that takes a deep dive into the rise of one of the Old West’s most notorious outlaws. While Billy the Kid season 1 mostly follows the origins of Billy’s legacy, season 2 dives into the action surrounding the historical Lincoln County War which Billy the Kid actually fought in. The second half of season 2 is set to return sometime in 2024, making it the perfect modern Western series to pick up after Lawmen: Bass Reeves.

6 Justified

2010 – 2015

Much like Yellowstone, Justified is a contemporary Western series set in modern times. The critically acclaimed series follows U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) who enforces his own brand of justice, which is a much different type of police work than Bass Reeves practices in the Paramount+ series. Still, Justified is a highly entertaining watch due to Marshal Givens’ unorthodox old-fashioned lawman approach set against a realistic background in rural Kentucky.

5 Longmire

2012 – 2017

Longmire is another exceptionally done contemporary Western series following a devoted Sheriff named Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) who proudly serves Absaroka County, Wyoming. There are several similarities between Sheriff Longmire and Bass Reeves as they both bear the weight of their badges while also struggling to keep up with their responsibilities as family men. For fans of the Western genre, Longmire is a can’t-miss modern take with classic themes.

4 Joe Pickett

2021 – 2023

Joe Pickett is another great Western option for Paramount+ subscribers who can immediately access the show right after the series finale of Lawmen: Bass Reeves. Joe Pickett is an action-packed drama that will likely excite viewers who may have been disappointed by the lack of adrenaline-pumping sequences in Lawmen: Bass Reeves. Joe Pickett, which has two seasons and twenty total episodes, is available to stream right now on Paramount+.

3 1883

2021

1883 is one of the most obvious choices for Lawmen: Bass Reeves fans to watch after the series finale, even if viewers have already seen the acclaimed Paramount+ limited series. Lawmen: Bass Reeves was originally announced to be a spinoff of 1883 and was reported to be directed by Taylor Sheridan. Although Sheridan only acted as an executive producer on Lawmen: Bass Reeves, the creative influence and historical similarities between the two series are impossible to miss, making it another outstanding option for Bass Reeves fans.

2 1923

2022 – 2023

Like 1883, 1923 follows the ancestors of the Dutton family set against the Old West setting. 1923 is also a part of the Yellowstone universe and is celebrated for its exceptional story, characters, action, and authenticity of the time period. Harrison Ford and Helen Miren lead the all-star cast and Taylor Sheridan also acts as the creator of the series. For people who watched and liked Lawmen: Bass Reeves but still felt like it was missing some of the brilliance of Sheridan’s personal creative touch, 1923 is an absolute must-watch even if you’ve already seen it.

1 Yellowstone

2018 –

Fans of Lawmen: Bass Reeves have to watch Yellowstone, the show that essentially brought it to life. Although Yellowstone is much more modern than Lawmen: Bass Reeves, there are still many similarities in its Western themes, fight scenes, and the various crimes that take place throughout the series. As one of the most popular television series in recent memory, Yellowstone is a groundbreaking show that had a major influence on the revival of the Western genre on television over the last few years. The show represents Taylor Sheridan’s storytelling mastery at its best, making it necessary viewing for fans of Lawmen: Bass Reeves.