Okay, let’s talk about Taylor Sheridan.
Most people look at him and just see the man sitting on the top of the mountain with all these TV shows.
But honestly, I think there is a lot more to the story than just ‘successful writer.’ He’s a weird mix of a cowboy poet and a hard-nosed businessman.
You look at his resume, and it feels almost impossible. But there’s a catch.
A guy who used to fight fires in Texas is now the king of American TV? I mean, it’s wild.
He didn’t start with a screenplay.
He started with a construction job.
I’ve read interviews where he talks about literally holding a hammer.
But then he found his way to Hollywood.
It wasn’t instant.
He wrote a script for Sicario, which got him in the door, but nobody wanted to buy it.
Wind River came next, and that’s where he really started proving he could handle the camera.
The ‘Blue on Blue’ Phenomenon
One thing I keep coming back to when I watch his stuff is his writing style.
It’s distinct.
He has this theory, or maybe it’s just a habit, called ‘Blue on Blue.’ Basically, he creates conflict between people who are on the same side.
It’s not usually good guys vs.
bad guys.
It’s usually good guys vs.
good guys who just can’t agree on how to fix the problem.
Think about Yellowstone.
John Dutton wants to save the ranch, but his kids are ruining it.
In Sicario, the FBI is trying to help, but they are so bureaucratic they end up making things worse.
It’s frustrating to watch, but that’s the point.
It feels real.
Real life isn’t a movie where the hero shoots the villain and rides off into the sunset.
Real life is messy, and that’s exactly what Sheridan captures.
But there’s a catch.
The Writing Machine
He’s got this reputation for cranking out scripts fast.
It’s almost scary.
But you can see the pattern.
If you watch Yellowstone and then 1883 (which is actually Yellowstone prequel), the DNA is the same.
A patriarch fighting against a changing world.
A strong woman trying to hold her family together.
Sure, people call him a copycat.
They say he’s just recycling the same story over and over again.
And honestly? They have a point. And this is where things get interesting.
Yellowstone is just Brokeback Mountain but on a ranch instead of the mountains. And this is where things get interesting.
Sicario is just No Country for Old Men with a DEA agent instead of a hunter.
But you know what? Replication, when done this well, isn’t a bad thing.
It’s like a comfort food meal.
You know you’re going to like it because the chef knows exactly what you want.
His Filmography: A Quick Ranking
If you’re new to his work or trying to figure out where to start, it can be overwhelming.
There are like four shows airing at the same time on different networks.
Here is how I’d rank them if you just want the best experience.
- Sicario (2015): The movie that started it all.
Brutal, dark, and totally necessary viewing.
- Wind River (2017): Maybe his best directing work.
It’s quiet, it’s snowy, and it’s heartbreaking.
- Yellowstone (2018-Present): The cultural phenomenon.
Watch this if you like family drama mixed with cowboys.
- 1883 (2021): The prequel.
It’s better than the main show in my opinion.
It actually feels like history.
- Mayor of Kingstown (2021-Present): If you like The Wire, you’ll like this.
It’s about the criminal justice system from the inside.
Now think about that for a second.
The Business Side of Sheridan
It’s not just about art anymore; it’s about money. But there’s a catch.
He owns his own production company, Bosque Ranch.
That means he isn’t just a writer; he’s the boss.
This gives him total control.
He can greenlight a show that nobody else would watch, and then he can use his other shows to promote it.
It’s a smart strategy.
It’s a little monopolistic, sure, but in the streaming wars, you have to play dirty.
He basically controls the Western genre now.
If you want to watch a movie with horses and guns, you’re likely watching something he wrote or produced.
He’s become a gatekeeper of American nostalgia.
Is He Overrated?
Most people overlook this, but the guy is getting old.
You can only keep writing the same story for so long before it gets stale.
I feel like Yellowstone has been dragging on for a bit too long.
Sometimes I think he’s just counting the money instead of the words.
But then you watch 1923 and he reminds you why you fell in love with him in the first place.
Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren carry the show, but the world he built around them is stunning. Here’s the interesting part.
He has a knack for visual storytelling that is hard to teach.
He shows you, he doesn’t just tell you.
How to Watch (and Save Money)
Since his shows are on so many different platforms, it can get expensive.
Paramount+ has Yellowstone, but Mayor of Kingstown is on Peacock.
1923 is back on Paramount. Now think about that for a second.
It’s a headache trying to keep track of them all.
If you are serious about binge-watching his entire universe, you really need a solid VPN. Oddly enough,
Streaming prices are going up, and using a VPN to access libraries from different countries can save you a ton of cash.
It’s the best option if you want to maximize your subscription dollars without missing a single episode of his latest empire.
Future Projects
What’s next for him? There is talk of a new show involving the Lincoln family.
He’s also been trying to turn his novels into movies.
It’s ambitious, but honestly, that’s who he is.
He wants to be the George Lucas of Westerns, or maybe just a modern-day Howard Hughes.
Whether you love him or hate him, you can’t ignore him.
He has shifted the entire landscape of TV.
From the small screen to the big screen, he is the man to watch right now.
Image source: pexels.com
Image source credit: pexels.com