HBO has had an incredible run with shows like Game of Thrones and Succession delivering top-tier drama, but Paramount has released a series that manages to rival both. Warner Bros. and Paramount may not be likely to partner up anytime soon, thanks to Netflix’s WB deal, but the two networks do have a lot in common.
At least when you zoom in and look at the content produced by WB’s prestige TV network, HBO, and Paramount’s recent body of work. Both have found incredible success in dramatic and intense series, which have pulled in huge audiences and received spectacular reviews.
HBO Struck Gold With Game of Thrones & Succession
HBO has long been known as a network that consistently delivers high-end content. Thanks in part to the considerable budgets and the way these shows put that money to good use by hiring the very best talent in front of and behind the camera. And when Game of Thrones came out in 2011, one of the shows to benefit from this formula, it exploded in popularity, unlike anything that came before.
Of course, the success of the show wavered towards the end, but after an eight-season run, it’s hard to argue with the results and the viewership throughout. Then, HBO was able to get back on top with the release of Succession, another series that features intense family drama, power struggles, and compelling character arcs.
Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone Gives Paramount The Perfect Show To Rival HBO
In the wake of HBO’s phenomenal success, Paramount needed to release something that could rival these outstanding shows, and thanks to Taylor Sheridan, it certainly did. Sheridan had worked as an actor for years before making the switch to writing, and even then, it took time before Sheridan successfully got a show of his own creation made.
When Yellowstone debuted in 2018, it was immediately clear that the quality of storytelling that Sheridan could deliver was on another level. And interestingly, his series covered several similar themes to both GoT and Succession, though each of the three took place in very different settings.
The show explores complex family relationships, it doesn’t shy away from dark themes, and it is highly political as several parties compete for power. Thankfully, Paramount invested properly in Yellowstone, and the show did rise to meet that prestige threshold where it could truly shine alongside the competition.
Now, Yellowstone has grown to become a franchise, with several spin-offs and prequel shows, in addition to Taylor Sheridan delivering several more incredible shows that are disconnected from the central Sheridanverse. All things considered, Yellowstone began a new era for Paramount that saw the network rival incredible competition from HBO and beyond.
