A breath of fresh air for traditional commercial television was Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone, especially in an era when streaming services and binge-worthy content ruled the television landscape.
If you enjoy vintage badass Westerns with lots of revolvers and hard-boiled cowboys, you have probably heard of, if not seen, Paramount’s neo-Western drama series. Fans of the genre will find much to enjoy in this gripping drama series that brings back the glamour of Hollywood’s golden era into the present day.
But before going on to give birth to one of the best TV shows ever, Sheridan, 54, was just an actor, most known for his role in the FX drama series Sons of Anarchy (2008–2010). However, he left Kurt Sutter’s series and later said the experience motivated him to work on Yellowstone.
Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone: A Game-Changer for Television Series
Renowned for his contributions to critically acclaimed films such as Sicario and Hell or High Water, Taylor Sheridan recognized an opportunity to transform the production and consumption of television.
Frustrated by the linear format of TV and the struggle for commercial networks to compete with streaming giants like Netflix and Hulu, he set out to create a series that would not only fascinate audiences but also prove that there is still a place for traditional television in the modern era.
Sheridan’s affinity for cowboys and Westerns stems from his early years. Looper claimed that while growing up on his family’s Texas ranch, he rode horses and herded cattle. His concept for Yellowstone was greatly influenced by that way of life. Also, Game of Thrones was another source of inspiration for him.
“The linear format of TV is almost dead, and people binge-watch and it’s very hard for these commercial television channels to compete. This was my answer to Game of Throne. Not in sheer size, but in saying, ‘Hey, guys, you can do this too; a different version.’”
Sheridan further revealed that, as an actor, he appeared in a number of terrible films and television series. It was also admitted that he had no prior experience writing screenplays. Nevertheless, he decided to take a seat, write down what he was seeing, and express his thoughts about the world. He explained:
“I spent the first 20 years of my career compromising. I decided I would spend the next 20 never compromising.”
Sheridan wanted to write a story about “gentrification in the American west”, according to another Looper article. This is where the concept of Yellowstone originated:
“It is the most American of us, the West, and land developers sell that fantasy. And people who can afford the fantasy are very, very wealthy people from LA to New York, Dallas, and Florida. In the process, those land values and inheritance taxes are killing a way of life.”
Indeed, Yellowstone has proven to be a game-changer in the television world, with its unique blend of family drama, Western aesthetics, and gripping storytelling that has won the hearts of viewers worldwide.
Kurt Sutter’s Sons of Anarchy: What Was it About?
In the early years of his acting career, Taylor Sheridan made appearances in short films and recurring parts in TV shows like Veronica Mars, Walker, Texas Ranger, and most famously, Sons of Anarchy, as David Hale.
Regardless of his feelings toward it, this series was essential to the success of Sheridan’s popular show starring Kevin Costner. The story presented in Sons of Anarchy depicts the world as seen from the other side of the law, as well as the challenges faced by both men and women who come from this perspective.
At that time, it was FX’s highest-rated series, outpacing its other hits, The Shield, Nip/Tuck, and Rescue Me, with an average of 4.9 million weekly viewers during its third season. The fourth and fifth seasons that premiered on FX had the highest ratings of any telecast in the network’s history. We learned this from Deadline.
As it happens, Sheridan’s departure from Sons of Anarchy is precisely what motivated him to give up acting and try his hand at filmmaking.
Anyway, did we forget to thank Sheridan? Because of him, the future of television is looking brighter than ever.
Yellowstone is streaming on Peacock.