Paramount+ is firmly in the Taylor Sheridan business, and that’s readily apparent by the deluge of series from the prolific Yellowstone creator. Up next is Lawmen: Bass Reeves, a new anthology series whose first installment will focus on the real-life marshal played by David Oyelowo.
However, just because Lawmen is a Sheridan production, that doesn’t mean it’s connected to Yellowstone or its wildly popular 1883 spinoff. According to Lawmen creator and showrunner Chad Feehan, there was talk of linking the two series, but ultimately, it was better for Lawmen to stand on its own.
“There was conversations about a tie into 1883 before I was hired, and when I was hired I was given the freedom to craft the most compelling story that I could alongside the other writers,” Feehan told TV Insider. “I was given the opportunity, if there was a place to tie it to 1883, that was OK, but there was no obligation to do so. And so, we landed where we landed, which was our story takes place from roughly 1862 to 1877. And Bass primarily operates in [Native American] territory, which is modern day Oklahoma and Fort Smith, Arkansas. And so it didn’t feel natural or organic to bring in any of the 1883 characters to the story.”
Here’s the official synopsis:
From executive producers Taylor Sheridan and David Oyelowo comes the untold story of the most legendary lawman in the Old West: Bass Reeves. Lawmen: Bass Reeves, follows the journey of Reeves (Oyelowo) and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as the first Black U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi. Despite arresting over 3,000 outlaws during the course of his career, the weight of the badge was heavy, and he wrestled with its moral and spiritual cost to his beloved family.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves premieres November 5 on Paramount+.
(Via TV Insider)