AlthoughTaylor Sheridanbegan his career as an actor, audiences today know him best for his screenwriting, particularly his modern take on the Western, such as the hit drama Yellowstone. The Yellowstone universe continues to expand—it's already led to two spinoffs, with more in the works, including the forthcoming The Madison. In addition to his TV work, Sheridan is also known for his film career, which includes his "Modern America Frontier" trilogy of Sicario, Hell or High Water and Wind River.
8 'The Last Cowboy'
2019-present
In competition docuseries The Last Cowboy, a number of contestants train horses in reining by guiding them through a series of obstacles, all leading up to the Run for a Million. The arena-based competition, created by Sheridan in 2019, sees the riders competing to win $1 million. The show has been on the air for four seasons. It first aired on Paramount, then moved to CMT starting with Season 2.
Sheridan is practically regarded as a modern-day cowboy thanks to his work in neo-Westerns, so it’s no surprise that he took elements of the genre to the world of reality TV. While that means The Last Cowboy is not as heavy on the drama and twists like his scripted series, it still provides an interesting inside look at the world of reining competitions and the work it takes to successfully train a horse and win the prize.
7 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves'
2023
Image via Paramount+
Set just after the Civil War, Lawmen: Bass Reeves tells the story of one of the first Black deputy U.S. marshals west of the Mississippi River, Bass Reeves (David Oyelowo), who began life enslaved. The series streams on Paramount+ and is based on a true story. One season has aired so far, but subsequent seasons may take an anthology approach and focus on other prominent figures of the west.
Oyelowo is fantastic as he introduces modern audiences to Reeves and helps convey what he accomplished in his storied career—although Lawmen doesn’t quite live up to its immense potential. With its Western setting and plot, and it’s no wonder Sheridan is involved, but the series is distinctly separate from the Yellowstone universe, even though it fits right in. The themes will also be familiar to Sheridan fans, particularly the theme of justice.
6 'Special Ops: Lioness'
2023
Image via Paramount+
CIA operative Joe (Zoe Saldaña) balances her personal and professional lives in spy thriller Special Ops: Lioness in her work as leader of the Lioness program in the war on terror. Nicole Kidman also stars as Joe’s boss, Kaitlyn Meade, and also features Morgan Freeman. The series is based on an actual military program and streams on Paramount+. Only one season has aired so far, with Season 2 set to air in October 2024.
Lioness won fans over quickly—the show was among Paramount+’s most watched shows when it premiered. It’s an engaging, fast-paced series, and similar to Sheridan’s other work, the show features plenty of high-stakes twists. For the most part, however, it stands out as a very different show, although rumors suggest Season 2 might be similar to his film Sicario. But with a female-centered story, it still presents something different from familiar espionage plots.
5 'Tulsa King'
2022-present
Image via Paramount+
After 25 years in prison, New York mafia boss Dwight "The General" Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone) is released and sent to Tulsa, where he begins to build a new criminal empire in Tulsa King. The series streams on Paramount+. One season has been released so far, and Season 2 will premiere in September and end in November. It will follow The General as he’s threatened by the mob in Kansas City.
Tulsa King has been a fan favorite on Paramount+ and has continued Sheridan’s trend of creating beloved dramas, and it also continues his trend of interesting characters and moral ambiguity. Dwight’s great all on his own, and the show’s villains only make things better—Season 2’s villains look to be even more formidable. The show also features the same grit which can be found in much of Sheridan’s other work.
4 'Mayor of Kingstown'
2021-present
Crime drama Mayor of Kingstown stars Jeremy Renner as the fixer and head of the McLusky family—who run Kingstown’s prison system—who tries to keep the peace in town. Season 3 saw Kingstown overrun with the Russian mob. Three seasons have aired so far, and the series has yet to be renewed for a fourth, although it seems likely. Sheridan co-created the series with Hugh Dillon, and it streams on Paramount+.
Mayor of Kingstown’s focus on the prison system in particular allows it to take a close look at issues such as systemic racism, corruption and more, including the problems inherent with the prison system functioning as a business. The show features intense storylines and interesting characters, or, as Renner himself puts it, “everyman characters in extraordinary circumstances.” Like some of Sheridan’s other projects—most notably Yellowstone—the series also deals with family dynamics, especially when business is involved.
3 '1923'
2022-present
Image via Paramount+
1923 follows the Dutton family—here, Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara (Helen Mirren)—into the 20th century with all the challenges the era brings, from the Depression to Prohibition and more, all while the ranch faces problems of drought, cattle theft and more. Like 1883, the series is narrated by Elsa Dutton (Isabel May). The show streams on Paramount+, and Season 2 will be its last with an expected air date of 2025.
While not as interesting as 1883 or Yellowstone, 1923 tells an entertaining story in its own right. By being set in a different era, the series is open to numerous storytelling possibilities, which it takes full advantage of while also moving ever closer to the current generation of the Dutton family. Ford and Mirren deliver the exact stellar performances audiences have come to expect of them, and they’re a delight to watch as they set the stage for the Dutton family to come.
As the first spinoff of Yellowstone, prequel miniseries 1883 followed an earlier generation of the Dutton family as they left behind poverty in Texas in the years after the Civil War and joined a wagon chain heading for Oregon. The family ultimately settled in Montana and began what would become John Dutton’s ranch in Yellowstone. James and Margaret Dutton were played by real-life country music couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
1883 was one of the strongest of Sheridan’s shows, especially among the others in the Yellowstone universe. Its more focused approach to storytelling made it easier to care about the characters and what they accomplished, on top of being a fascinating look at the beginnings of the Dutton family and the way we know them today. The series also featured Tom Hanks in a memorable cameo during a flashback sequence.
Neo-Western drama Yellowstone stars Kevin Costner as John Dutton, the patriarch of the Dutton family, who controls the largest ranch in the United States and is often in conflict with everyone from land developers to neighboring Native American tribes because of it. The show premiered in 2018 on Paramount. Four seasons have aired so far, as well as the first half of Season 5, with the second half expected in November 2024. Season 5 was expected to be the last, but rumors suggest it might continue with Season 6.
Yellowstone has been a huge success for Sheridan. It’s enjoyed high ratings—the Season 5 premiere was the most-watched show in all of 2022. The compelling series has kept viewers hooked with plenty of twists and turns, not to mention plenty of drama from the Dutton family, and while the family’s exploits can sometimes get a little over-the-top, they’re still entertaining to watch. Yellowstone is also notable for its gorgeous scenery, practically a character in itself.
Image by Zanda Rice
Image via Paramount+ 
Image via Paramount+ 
Image via Paramount+ 
Image via Paramount+ 
Image via Paramount 
:quality(85):upscale()/2024/10/01/898/n/1922243/acd995f066fc5c8f752d64.78249385_.jpg)
:quality(85):upscale()/2024/10/22/748/n/49351773/91b7c9cd6717d96c4691b3.90797788_.png)
English (US) ·