'Mayor of Kingstown,' 'The Game,' 'SEAL Team' Renewed at Paramount+Paramount+ executives were armed with the news of its first, albeit virtual, presentation to the Television Critics Association on Tuesday.

Nicole Clemens and Tanya Giles, meeting with the press for the first time since taking on the roles of head of original writing and director of programming, respectively, at the streaming service, announced the renewal of three of the major programs of the extended service. Returning in subsequent seasons are Mayor of Kingstown, Taylor Sheridan's Jeremy Renner vehicle, Yellowstone creator; The Game, the revival of the iconic BET show from powerhouse Mara Brock Akil; and CBS television SEAL Team. All three shows are produced by two of ViacomCBS's most valuable brands – MTV Entertainment and CBS Studios – and reflect the importance of ownership in the streaming era.On the development front, Clemens announced three "priority" projects for the streamer from Paramount Television Studios — the in-house studio she continues to oversee alongside its original Paramount+ duties. The studio continues to mine the IP with Clemens unveiling an update of the 1980 John Travolta and Debra Winger Western co-written by Summering duo James Ponsoldt and Benjamin Percy. (Par TV previously developed a movie update for Fox in 2015 but didn't move forward.) Additionally, Dear White People showrunner Justin Simien brought back PTVS's previously announced Flashdance update. into one of his first projects since signing an overall deal with the studio last year. Clemens also revealed plans for Guru Nation, a half-hour documentary-style comedy from Bob Odenkirk, David Cross and Bill Odenkirk, with the duo Mr. Show will star as rival cult masters manipulate the minds of their deluded followers. Jason Woliner (Borat 2) will direct.

On the renewal front, Kingstown debuted in November and, according to the streamer, ranks as the top original scripted drama on Paramount+ since the former CBS All Access rebranded a year ago. years ago into the hub for all things ViacomCBS. The streamer used the linear power of the Kevin Costner Western to launch Kingstown, drawing viewers to Paramount+ for future episodes. A month later, the 1883 prequel to Yellowstone debuted on the platform, where ViacomCBS is continuing to expand the franchise into more spin-offs in an effort to retain subscribers and limit churn.The renewal of Kingstown is notable because Sheridan has been working on the series for more than two years, during which time the show has been moved to a streaming service from Paramount Network and the showrunner has faced many challenges. executive changes as ViacomCBS repositions to prioritize streaming. Sheridan is easily one of ViacomCBS's most valuable hosts — he's on his second nine-figure overall deal there — and controls the Yellowstone franchise. While the show continues to see linear ratings soar and break through in the awards circuit, NBCUniversal's rival streamer Peacock has acquired the SVOD rights to the series. Executives reportedly tried to buy back those rights, but Peacock was unwilling to participate in the program. (While Paramount+ is finding its big breakout success, Peacock, as Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw writes, is losing the streaming war.)

Kingstown comes on the heels of Renner reprising his Marvel hero in Hawkeye for Disney+ with a cast that includes Dianne Wiest and Kyle Chandler. Between its linear sampling and its general Sheridan pedigree, the series helped serve as a bridge to 1883. The second drama and Kingstown ranked first and second among original series viewed Paramount+'s most. (The streamer, like others, does not disclose specific viewership data.) Kingstown and 1883 were the first scripted originals. Sheridan debuted on Paramount+ as the streamer sought to build a franchise without its flagship series.

"With Mayor Kingstown, Taylor Sheridan and [co-creator] Hugh Dillon deliver a nuanced depiction of America's harsh prison system," Giles said. "The outstanding team and cast, including Jeremy Renner and Dianne Wiest, have delivered a dramatic, thought-provoking film that will leave audiences captivated and hungry for more. We are delighted to be home to the expanding Taylor Sheridan Universe and we look forward to bringing fans back to Kingstown next season."

Meanwhile, The Game will return for a second season on the streaming service after its original six seasons airing on