Best Shows on Paramount+ Australia Right Now (February 2026)

Paramount+ is the quiet achiever of Australian streaming. At just $7.99/mo (Essential with Ads) to $12.99/mo (Premium), it is comfortably the cheapest mainstream option, and its library is deeper than most people realise. It is the home of the Yellowstone expanded universe, the entire Star Trek franchise, and a surprisingly strong slate of reality programming. It will never be your primary streaming service, but as a budget-friendly complement to a bigger platform, it is hard to beat for the price.

Our Top Pick: Lioness (Seasons 1-2)

Taylor Sheridan’s espionage thriller Lioness is the best show most Australians have not watched. Zoe Saldana leads a CIA programme that recruits women to befriend and infiltrate the inner circles of terrorist organisations. It is gripping, morally complex, and anchored by a cast that includes Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman in supporting roles. Season 2 broadens the scope considerably, and Saldana commands every scene with a quiet intensity that recalls peak Homeland. If you think Paramount+ is just reality telly and Star Trek reruns, this will change your mind entirely.

The Full List

1. Lioness (Seasons 1-2) - Zoe Saldana leads a covert CIA programme in this tense, smartly written espionage thriller from Taylor Sheridan. It is the best original series Paramount+ has produced, with a stacked supporting cast to match. Thriller, Espionage, Drama

2. Tulsa King (Seasons 1-2) - Sylvester Stallone plays a New York mafia capo exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he sets about building a new criminal empire. It is far better and funnier than it has any right to be, and Stallone is clearly having the time of his life. Crime, Comedy-Drama

3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Seasons 1-3) - The Star Trek series that finally recaptured the spirit of the original. Anson Mount’s Captain Pike is endlessly watchable, the episodic format is a welcome throwback, and it balances adventure with genuine emotional depth. Sci-Fi, Adventure

4. 1923 (Seasons 1-2) - Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren in the Yellowstone prequel set during Prohibition and the Great Depression. It is sweeping, cinematic, and Ford gives one of his most engaged performances in years. Also available on Stan. Drama, Western, Period

5. Survivor (Australian and US Seasons) - The granddaddy of reality competition shows remains compulsive viewing. Both the Australian and US versions are available, with the Aussie edition offering longer seasons and more strategic gameplay. Reality, Competition

6. Yellowjackets (Seasons 1-2) - A high school girls’ football team survives a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness, told in parallel with their adult lives decades later. It is Lost meets Lord of the Flies with a feminist edge, and the dual timelines are handled brilliantly. Drama, Thriller, Mystery

7. Lawmen: Bass Reeves - David Oyelowo stars as the legendary first Black US Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi. A gorgeously shot, long-overdue historical drama that takes a more grounded, character-driven approach than most westerns. Drama, Western, Historical

8. Evil (Complete Series) - A forensic psychologist, a priest-in-training, and a tech expert investigate purported miracles, demonic possession, and other unexplained phenomena. It starts as a case-of-the-week procedural and evolves into something genuinely unnerving and wildly original. Horror, Drama, Supernatural

9. The Challenge (Multiple Seasons) - MTV’s long-running reality competition is a glorious, chaotic mess of athletic challenges, strategic betrayals, and interpersonal drama. It is the reality show for people who think they are too smart for reality shows. Reality, Competition

10. Mayor of Kingstown (Seasons 1-3) - Jeremy Renner navigates the corrupt power structures of a Michigan town economically dependent on its prison system. Another Taylor Sheridan joint, darker and grittier than Yellowstone, with Renner doing excellent work. Crime, Drama, Thriller

New This Month

• The Franchise - A behind-the-scenes comedy about the making of a dysfunctional superhero film, created by Jon Brown with Armando Iannucci producing. Himesh Patel leads a sharp ensemble in what is essentially Veep meets the MCU.
• Landman - Billy Bob Thornton stars in Taylor Sheridan’s drama about the West Texas oil boom. It is sprawling, occasionally messy, but anchored by a magnetic lead performance and stunning desert cinematography.
• RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars (Season 10) - The latest all-stars instalment brings back fan favourites for another round of charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent. Essential viewing for Drag Race devotees.

Is Paramount+ Worth It?

At $7.99/mo, Paramount+ is the easiest low-risk streaming subscription in Australia. You are not going to find the same depth of prestige content as Binge or the sheer volume of Netflix, but you will find a surprisingly solid library anchored by Lioness, the Yellowstone universe, and the entire Star Trek back catalogue. The reality TV offering is also stronger than any other platform if that is your thing. It works best as a second or third subscription alongside a heavier hitter, and at this price point, there is very little reason not to give it a go. The $12.99/mo Premium tier adds 4K and offline downloads, which is still cheaper than the basic plans on most rival services.