I've often thought "who the hell subscribes to Paramount Plus?!" when there are already so, so many other streaming services to suck money out of the bank.
Yet here I am, having done the apparently unthinkable, and clicked that subscribe button on Paramount+ via my Amazon Prime account. Why? Because, of all places, it was a British Airways flight that tipped me over the edge.
To explain: BA has an agreement with Paramount+ to show many of its exclusive shows as part of the carriers' long-haul in-flight entertainment operations. But it's a bit of a tease, really, as you'll get the first three episodes per show – and, like me, be left wanting for more.
Well, it worked, dang it. On my return to London this week, I dialled into the 'TV' section of the 'Entertainment' screen, and it confirmed what I've been increasingly aware of – that Paramount+ actually has a load of great shows.
A load of great shows you can't get anywhere else either, which is the critical factor. Not all are world-changing, perhaps, and there are certainly some guilty pleasures in there. But, as I'll detail below, there are some top class offerings. So, for now, Paramount+ has me in its embrace...
1. Dexter: Original Sin
Speaking of guilty pleasures: I loved the original Dexter series, with Michael C Hall. Original Sin, however, goes back to the roots, to Dexter Morgan's origins, and why he became a serial killer in the first place.
It stars Patrick Gibson as the young Dexter, and Christian Slater as his Dad, Harry Morgan. Even Sarah Michelle Gellar and Patrick Dempsey are on the cast list – the show got some real talent to sign up.
Some of the Dexter series were pretty weak, and while Original Sin isn't the best, its 77% Rotten Tomatoes score shows it resonated with enough people. I'm enjoying bingeing it, frankly, and there's nowhere else to get it.
Dexter: Original Sin is actually a Showtime production, but that TV network isn't possible to obtain in the UK. It's why the "Paramount+ with Showtime" subscription is a must – yes, there are tiers to its subscription offerings.
2. Your Honor
I watched the first season of Your Honor some years ago and was really hooked. It stars Bryan Cranston as Michael Desiato, a judge whose son, Adam (played by Hunter Doohan), accidentally kills a mob boss' son in a car accident. That's when the illegal cover-up begins.
I was only alerted to the fact there was a season 2 of the show painfully late – as it really wasn't advertised here in the UK. While the original can be watched on other sources, such as Sky and NOW, the second season is very much a Paramount+ exclusive.
It didn't get renewed for season 3, which is a shame, but the rocky Rotten Tomatoes score of just 49% doesn't make that a huge surprise, I suppose. Still, I've got season 2 on my watchlist now that I'm signed up to the streamer – because the cat-and-mouse tale is an intense one and the cast is great.
3. Tulsa King
Another one that I caught on a British Airways flight some years back, which I then finished up on Amazon Prime – as the full first season of Tulsa King is available there.
Anyway, Tulsa King stars Sylvester Stallone as Dwight "The General" Manfredi, and sees the former mafia capo released from jail after a 25 year long stint. He's somewhat older now, but that's not going to stop him asserting his authority and building a crew in his neck of the woods.
It's worth watching the first season if you haven't, as Sly's balance of comedy and brutishness is an unusual yet welcome mix. The show was well received, with an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes proving that.
Season 2, however, is a Paramount+ exclusive, which you can't stream anywhere else. I've long wanted to watch the show after its September 2024 first episode air date, but at the time didn't think yet another subscription was worth it. Well, now I've changed my mind and look forward to more Sly antics.
4. Knuckles
Back to that guilty pleasure side of things: Knuckles, the spin-off show from the Sonic The Hedgehog trilogy of movies, follows the red echidna, played by Idris Elba, in his own adventures.
While Knuckles as a character is borderline annoying, and the show is clearly aimed more at kids rather than adults, it's another one that I got hooked on watching when flying over the Atlantic last year.
Except, as outlined above, I only got to see the first three episodes – and they're all short, at around half-an-hour apiece. That's why I've already smashed my way through the final episodes – there's only six in total – already, thanks to this new subscription.
You won't find Knuckles outside of Paramount+, giving yet another reason to sign up. It's not the best show you'll ever see – the 66% Rotten Tomatoes score more than hints at that – but, whatever, it's a fun, semi-mindless ride that I was totally down for.
5. Plus many more
I could hone in on a fifth and final entry for my reasons to subscribe to Paramount+, but actually there are too many shows to pick from.
Mayor of Kingstown is one of Jeremy Renner's best roles in my opinion, and I'm yet to finish that show off – so that's on the list.
There's plenty more, too, from Yellowjackets to The Agency and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Even the rights to South Park have landed with Paramount+ and I'm a big fan – so when the next season arrives this July, hopefully it'll be straight onto the streaming platform in the UK on day one.
The only issue I can foresee with Paramount+? It's not going to receive the volume of shows or movies that Netflix or Amazon Prime offer. So the changes of me remaining subscribed are slim.
But as a service to jump in and out of when a relevant show appears? I've changed my mind – I now think Paramount+ is worth it when considering the best streaming services.
