Taylor Sheridan, creator of the hit series Yellowstone, penned every episode himself after initial attempts to assemble a writers' room failed due to tight timelines. The show, now a Paramount juggernaut, was first rejected by HBO over concerns about its lead character and perceived audience. Sheridan's uncompromising vision has defined the neo-Western drama's success.
Taylor Sheridan has built a reputation for solo writing on his television projects, particularly Paramount's Yellowstone, which premiered in 2018 and became a global phenomenon. The series follows the Dutton family and their ranch in rural Montana, blending drama with Western themes.
Early development faced hurdles. Sheridan recounted to director Peter Berg, in a Gold Derby-recorded conversation, the challenges of Season 2: "We tried to put a room together, and there was no time to put a room together. So, then I wrote all of Season 2." For subsequent seasons, a hired writers' room fell short of expectations. Interrupted during the filming of his 2021 movie Those Who Wish Me Dead, Sheridan plotted and wrote episodes weekly: "And so, I wrote an episode of 'Yellowstone' every Saturday."
Before landing at Paramount, HBO passed on the project despite an initial development deal. Executives deemed Beth Dutton, played by Kelly Reilly, too abrasive: "'We think she's too abrasive. We want to tone her down. Women won't like her,'" Sheridan recalled in a 2023 Hollywood Reporter interview. He defended her appeal: "They were wrong, because Beth says the quiet part out loud every time. When someone's rude to you in a restaurant, or cuts you off in the parking lot, Beth says the thing you wish you'd said."
HBO's rejection also stemmed from the show's 'Middle America' vibe, which clashed with the network's avant-garde image. During a lunch meeting, an HBO VP told co-creator John Linson: "Look, it just feels so Middle America. We're HBO, we're avant-garde, we're trendsetters. This feels like a step backward. And frankly, I've got to be honest, I don't think anyone should be living out there [in rural Montana]. It should be a park or something."
Sheridan's approach prioritizes character-driven storytelling over traditional plotting. "I spent the first 37 years of my life compromising," he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2023. "When I quit acting, I decided that I am going to tell my stories my way, period. If you don't want me to tell them, fine. I won't compromise. There is no compromising."
With Yellowstone concluded, Sheridan is developing spin-offs like The Dutton Ranch, which he will likely write alone, though he is co-creating the Marshals spin-off with Spencer Hudnut and David C. Glasser. Reilly will reprise Beth in a forthcoming series, underscoring the character's enduring popularity.
