Steven Spielberg’s 2-Part Sci-Fi Series Comeback Blocked by Taylor Sheridan's Western Empire

It's unusual for original programming to be this dominant on Paramount+, even though there are plenty of franchise options on the platform. Paramount+ is, after all, the home to Star Trek. The sci-fi franchise is being spearheaded by Alex Kurtzman, but it is his counterpart on the streamer, Taylor Sheridan, who typically commands the larger viewership. Sheridan has created just as many shows as Kurtzman for Paramount+, but each of them is infinitely more popular than anything in the new Star Trek universe. Plus, Sheridan's shows are all original. And aside from a couple, they're all Westerns — a genre that was thought to be largely dormant. Sheridan revived the genre with his magnum opus, Yellowstone, which has spawned a string of well-received spin-offs over the last few years. During this time, his shows have overwhelmed virtually every other title on Paramount+, including the Star Trek series and another high-profile sci-fi show that was canceled after only two seasons.