4 sizzling Paramount+ shows to watch this weekend (May 15-17)

Credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+ Published May 15, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT Derek Malcolm has been covering the worlds of tech and entertainment for more than two decades. Before coming to How-To Geek in 2025, Derek was a contributing editor and writer for the A/V and Home Theater section at Digital Trends, where he wrangled and wrote everything from what to watch on Netflix to reviews, explainers, and guides on the latest Bluetooth speakers, turntables, projectors, and other A/V gear. Based in Toronto, Derek graduated from Humber College's Journalism program in 1999, after which he started covering the worlds of music, movies, TV, and celebrity for publications such as TV Guide, Hello! magazine, and Inside Entertainment. He then got the bug for covering tech and gadgets in 2006, when he served as editor-in-chief of Canadian tech magazine Connected for more than a decade. An avid skier, when all the snow's gone Derek can be found at home spinning vinyl with his daughter or cheering on his favorite F1 team, McLaren. Sign in to your How-To Geek account Today's a big day on Paramount+, the premiere of Taylor Sheridan's wildly anticipated new Yellowstone sequel series, Dutton Ranch, has arrived on the streaming service, and I've got the details for you below. It's probably going to be on the watch list for most P+ subscribers this weekend, but if dusty ranch dramas aren't your bale of hay, I've got some other suggestions, new and old, for you too—including a long-running coming-of-age drama series with a final season on the horizon, a chilling docuseries about dark, hidden family secrets, and for those missing football right now, a classic series is nw on Paramount+. 4 Dutton Ranch Beth and Rip swap Montana for Texas troubles It's the first official sequel to Taylor Sheridan's smash-hit ranch epic Yellowstone, and so far, it's off to a good start. Dutton Ranch picks up a year after the events of the Yellowstone finale, and plucks two fan-favorite characters to keep the drama fires lit as Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) leave Montana behind and head to South Texas for a fresh start on their own sprawling 7,000-acre ranch. But what would a Sheridan series be without the conniving, feuding, backstabbing, and power struggles? We're in for a ton of that, in the first episodes even, as Beth and Rip slam headfirst into Annette Bening, who brings the fire as rival rancher Beulah Jackson—hopefully things will blaze between her and firecracker, Beth. Ed Harris also co-stars, but this time he's not a man-in-black bad guy; he plays nice-guy veterinarian Everett McKinney. The two-episode premiere aired today, with new episodes coming every Friday until July 3. Dutton Ranch Release Date May 15, 2026 Network Paramount+ Showrunner Chad Feehan 3 The Chi Catch up on this gold-star series before its final season starts Emmy-winner Lena Waithe is the mastermind behind the critically-acclaimed drama The Chi. If you haven't checked this show out yet, Waithe and her team have crafted a deeply emotional and often intense South Side Chicago-set series that has spanned seven excellent seasons, with its eighth and final season beginning May 22nd on Paramount+, making it the perfect time to get caught up. The Chi is billed as a coming-of-age story that follows the lives of a group of tight-knit neighbors, friends, and family members, and how their lives collide, often in very bad ways, and how the decisions and actions they take can ripple through everyone. The most consistent anchor across the seven seasons has been Emmett (Jackob Latimore), who has grown from a young sneakerhead to husband, father, and small-business owner. He's surrounded by an ensemble of stellar actors, including Birgundi Baker, Luke James, Shamon Brown Jr., Michael V. Epps, Hannaha Hall, and Jason Weaver. Season one holds an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes. The Chi Release Date 2018 - 2026-00-00 2 My Killer Father: The Green Hollow Murders An Iowa true-crime mystery you can't shake I watch a lot of documentaries for this job, but every so often, one comes along that is just chilling and bizarre and makes you shake your head. Paramount+'s newest true-crime docuseries, My Killer Father: The Green Hollow Murders, is one such docuseries. Told in three parts, My Killer Father tells the story of the so-called "Monster of Green Hollow," an Iowa man named Donald Studey, who, it was long rumored, had killed dozens of women, including three of his five wives. But no bodies were ever found, and he was never convicted. He died in 2013. But that didn’t stop one of Don’s daughters, Lucy Studey McKiddy, from telling her side of the story—that when growing up, she and her sisters would help him drag bodies across their Iowa farm to dispose of them down a well. Lucy’s story is what drives this stunning series, and the contentious fact that her sisters, including the most vocal, Susan, all say it’s a lie. Quiz8 Questions · Test Your KnowledgeThe most shocking TV cancellationsTrivia challengeFrom Deadwood to Firefly — how well do you remember the shows that ended way too soon?DramaSci-FiComedyNetworksLegacyBeginFirefly was cancelled by Fox after only one season in 2002, but how many of its 14 produced episodes actually aired during the original run?A14B9C11D7Correct! Fox aired only 11 of the 14 produced episodes, and notoriously aired them out of order, contributing to low ratings. The three unaired episodes were later released on DVD, which helped fuel the passionate fan campaign that led to the 2005 film Serenity.Not quite — Fox aired 11 of the 14 produced episodes, and made things worse by broadcasting them out of order. The remaining three episodes were eventually released on DVD, and the massive fan outcry led to the follow-up film Serenity in 2005.ContinueArrested Development was cancelled by Fox in 2006 after three seasons. Which prestigious award did the show win in its very first year, making the cancellation even more baffling?AGolden Globe for Best Comedy SeriesBPrimetime Emmy for Outstanding Comedy SeriesCSAG Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy SeriesDCritics' Choice Television Award for Best Comedy SeriesCorrect! Arrested Development won the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in its debut season, making its eventual cancellation one of the most head-scratching in TV history. Despite critical adoration, the show never found a large enough audience for Fox, and was cancelled after a shortened third season.Not quite — Arrested Development actually won the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in its very first season. Despite that critical stamp of approval, Fox cancelled it after a shortened third season due to persistently low ratings, leaving fans devastated.ContinueDeadwood was cancelled by HBO in 2006 after three seasons, leaving major storylines unresolved. How many years did fans wait before a concluding TV movie finally aired?A8 yearsB10 yearsC13 yearsD15 yearsCorrect! Fans waited a grueling 13 years for closure, with the Deadwood movie finally airing on HBO in May 2019. Creator David Milch reunited most of the original cast to wrap up the story of the camp's annexation into South Dakota, giving devoted fans the ending they had long deserved.Actually, fans had to wait 13 years for closure — the Deadwood movie finally aired on HBO in May 2019. Creator David Milch managed to reunite most of the original cast for the film, which addressed the long-dangling storylines about the town's annexation into South Dakota.ContinueFreaks and Geeks, the beloved coming-of-age series created by Paul Feig and produced by Judd Apatow, was cancelled by NBC after just one season. Which future major star played the lead character Lindsay Weir?ABusy PhilippsBLinda CardelliniCLizzy CaplanDRashida JonesCorrect! Linda Cardellini played Lindsay Weir, the academically gifted student who starts hanging out with the school's burnouts. The show's cast was stacked with future talent, including James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Jason Segel, making its one-season run one of the great what-ifs in television history.Not quite — Lindsay Weir was played by Linda Cardellini, who went on to star in ER and Bloodline, among others. The show's ensemble was remarkable in hindsight, also featuring early roles for James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Jason Segel before any of them became household names.ContinueVeronica Mars was cancelled by The CW in 2007 after three seasons. What unconventional method did creator Rob Thomas use to fund a revival movie in 2013?AA Netflix deal brokered by star Kristen BellBA record-breaking Kickstarter crowdfunding campaignCA fan subscription service run through the show's official websiteDA partnership with Warner Bros. through an Indiegogo campaignCorrect! Rob Thomas and Kristen Bell launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2013 that raised over $5.7 million from nearly 92,000 backers, smashing its $2 million goal in under 11 hours. It became one of the most successful entertainment crowdfunding campaigns ever and led directly to the 2014 Veronica Mars movie.The answer is a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign — and it was a record-breaker. Launched in 2013 by Rob Thomas and Kristen Bell, it raised over $5.7 million from nearly 92,000 fans, obliterating its $2 million goal in less than 11 hours and proving just how passionate the fanbase still was.ContinueWestworld was cancelled by HBO in 2023 after four seasons. The show was based on a 1973 film written and directed by which legendary author and filmmaker?AStephen KingBIsaac AsimovCPhilip K. DickDMichael CrichtonCorrect! Michael Crichton wrote and directed the original 1973 Westworld film, which was actually his directorial debut. Crichton is also the mind behind Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain, and ER, making him one of the most influential science fiction storytellers of the 20th century.The original 1973 Westworld film was written and directed by Michael Crichton — it was actually his feature directorial debut. Crichton is also the creative force behind Jurassic Park and ER, cementing his legacy as one of science fiction's most visionary and commercially successful authors.ContinueAmazon cancelled its adaptation of The Wheel of Time in 2024 after three seasons, leaving the story unfinished. The series was based on a beloved book series originally begun by which author?ATerry GoodkindBRobert JordanCBrandon SandersonDGeorge R.R. MartinCorrect! The Wheel of Time book series was begun by Robert Jordan, who wrote 11 of the 14 main novels before his death in 2007. Brandon Sanderson was chosen to complete the trilogy using Jordan's notes, which is likely why Sanderson's name was a tempting wrong answer here.The series was created by Robert Jordan, who wrote 11 of the 14 main novels before passing away in 2007. Brandon Sanderson was then hand-picked to finish the series using Jordan's extensive notes, completing the final three books between 2009 and 2013.ContinueTwin Peaks was originally cancelled by ABC in 1991 after two seasons, famously ending on a deeply unsettling cliffhanger. Which network brought the show back for a celebrated third season in 2017?AHBOBNetflixCShowtimeDAMCCorrect! Showtime aired Twin Peaks: The Return in 2017, a full 26 years after the original cancellation. The 18-part limited series was directed entirely by David Lynch and widely hailed as a masterpiece of surrealist television, though it famously left audiences with even more unanswered questions than before.It was Showtime that brought Twin Peaks back in 2017 with Twin Peaks: The Return, a staggering 26 years after the original cancellation. David Lynch directed all 18 episodes himself, delivering one of the most audacious and divisive television events in recent memory.See My ScoreChallenge CompleteYour Score/ 8Thanks for playing!Try Again 1 Friday Night Lights A soothing, off-season football fix Attention football fans in a post-season funk—all five seasons (76 glorious episodes) of Friday Night Lights are now streaming on Paramount+ to bathe you in the warm glow of Kyle Chandler's coachy aura. For the uninitiated, the Emmy-winning NBC show, based on Buzz Bissinger's book and the 2005 Billy Bob Thornton movie, centers on Dillon, Texas high school football coach Eric Taylor (Chandler) and his wife Tami (Connie Britton). It digs deep into the cutthroat world of Texas high school football and everything that orbits it—marriages, family pressure, faith, class, race, and the way a whole town lives and dies by Friday night. The supporting cast was a who's who of up-and-comers you might recognize, including Taylor Kitsch as bad-boy running back Tim Riggins, Jesse Plemons as awkward nerd Landry Clarke, and Michael B. Jordan, who joins the cast in season four as diamond-in-the-rough troubled teen, Vince Howard. Panning gold from the sediment It takes a little work sometimes, but with a library the size of Paramount's, there are definitely nuggets to be found. But if you burn through the picks about this weekend or into the week, How-To Geek also mines for shows on all the other major streaming services—check them out, too. Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month Simultaneous streams 3 Live TV Select live sports (NFL on CBS & UEFA Champions League) Price Starting at $8/month or $60/year