Taylor Sheridan has become one of Hollywood’s most well-known film and television writers, with many of his projects featured onParamount+.Taylor Sheridan’s TV showshave skyrocketed in popularity since the release of his renowned hit,Yellowstone, a neo-Western cowboy drama starring Kevin Costner. Funnily enough,Yellowstoneis Sheridan’s only TV series not to be featured on Paramount’s streaming service, despite its prequel shows and his various other projects prominently advertised among their marquee titles.
BeforeYellowstone, Taylor Sheridan tried his hand as an actor, appearing on the popular showSons of Anarchyfor 21 episodes. He then began his career writing for films, finding a successful streak fromSicariotoHell or High WatertoWind River, all of which came out in consecutive years between 2015 and 2017. SinceYellowstone’spopularity took off,Sheridan has been actively involved in roughly three television projects per year for Paramount+, including the most recent show,Landman, which stars Billy Bob Thornton.
Landman
Cast
Set in West Texas, this series explores the world of oil rigs and the fortunes they create. It portrays a modern upstairs/downstairs narrative of roughnecks and billionaires, highlighting the profound impact on the climate, economy, and geopolitics in these boomtowns.
Landmanis Taylor Sheridan’s latest endeavor and success. Billy Bob Thornton leadsLandman’scastas Tommy Norris, acrisis management executive for an oil company whose family life and career begin to intertwine. His son desires to learn the oil industry, finding himself in a dangerous situation working the oil patches with a crew who hates him. Meanwhile, Tommy’s daughter and ex-wife return to town, hoping to begin their life anew.
All the while, Tommy is dealing with two separate crises: a truck-plane explosion on an important Texas road and a tragic accident that claimed the lives of three oil patch workers. Tommy is knee-deep in problems to solve, and pressure from oil tycoon Monty Miller (Jon Hamm) begins to crash down on him. Sheridan’s latest show bringsall the best elements of his writing, with an all-star cast of actors for an exciting new premisein the world of the Permian Basin’s oil industry.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Continuing the expanded universe of Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone franchise, Lawmen: Bass Reeves is a western drama that acts as a spin-off of 1883 and follows the titular lawman who became the first black Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi River. The show will follow his journey to becoming the lawman he was known to be, all while fleshing out the greater Yellowstone universe.
Lawmen: Bass Reevesis the TV series Taylor Sheridan was the least involved with from the Paramount+ projects to which his name is attached.Sheridan produced the 2023 miniseries, but Chad Feehan is credited as the creatorand showrunner. With that being said, the show was created with the same audience in mind and is set during the 1880s, making it a traditional Western like Sheridan’sYellowstoneprequel,1883.
Lawmen: Bass Reevesexamines the life of its titular character, thefirst African American Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi River who captured over 3,000 dangerous criminals without ever being wounded. For fans of1883and Sheridan’s shows,Bass Reevesis a critically acclaimed hit starring iconic actors like Dennis Quaid and the late great Donald Sutherland behind David Oyelowo, who expertly plays the lead star.
1883
1883 is a Western drama series set at the beginning of Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone franchise and explores the origins of the Duttons and how Yellowstone came to be. The show chronicles a generation of the Dutton family as they embark on a difficult journey to the western frontier to establish a new legacy.
The variousseasons ofYellowstonehave been hit or missfor Taylor Sheridan, despite the show’s popularity. That’s part of why the prequel miniseries1883was such a treat, as it compactedall of the best elements of the iconic neo-Western into an eight-episode epic frontiersman saga.1883expands on the Dutton family’s lore, showing John Dutton’s ancestors as they begin their journey from Texas to Oregon before settling the Yellowstone Ranch in Montana.
the series includes a brief cameo from acting legend Tom Hanks.
As mentioned,1883has all the elements that make Taylor Sheridan’s shows so enjoyable, from interpersonal drama to Western action, though the series shows them in their most raw, unfiltered form yet.1883is intense, violent, and endlessly captivating, with an excellent cast led by Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sam Elliott, and Isabel May. On an even more special note, the series includes a brief cameo from acting legend Tom Hanks.
1923
1923 is a series following the Dutton family during the early twentieth century. It explores the challenges they face amidst pandemics, the end of Prohibition, historic drought, and the Great Depression, as they struggle to maintain their home in the mountain west.
After1883, theYellowstonefranchise skips ahead 40 years to the Prohibition era and the early stages of the Great Depression in1923. The show boastsTaylor Sheridan’s most impressive cast yet, starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren in its leading roles, along withGame of Thronesstar Jerome Flynn, James Bond actor Timothy Dalton, and more. ThesecondYellowstoneprequel, which awaits its second season in early 2025, is another critically acclaimed hit for Sheridan.
Taylor Sheridan’s New TV Secret Weapon Is Landman’s Michelle Randolph
Portraying Elizabeth Strafford in 1923 and Ainsley Norris in Landman, Michelle Randolph is a big reason to watch both Taylor Sheridan shows.
1923was met with acclaim at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards, with nominations for Best Television Series and Best Actress (for Helen Mirren). The star power alone is enough to make the series as compelling as its predecessors, putting Harrison Ford’s acting chops on display as few projects have before. He and Mirren are both unbelievable with Sheridan’s dialogue, making it a must-watch forYellowstonefans or Western fans, as it doesn’t require having seen the original show.
Tulsa King
Tulsa King follows New York mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi, who, after 25 years in prison, is exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, by his boss. Faced with the possibility of betrayal, he assembles a crew of unlikely characters to establish a criminal empire in unfamiliar territory.
Tulsa Kingis yet another Taylor Sheridan series to bring acting royalty to the small screen,giving Sylvester Stallone a chance to flaunt his acting capabilities as an aging mobster. Many of Sheridan’s projects involved organized crime in some capacity, butTulsa Kingis the first to focus on the Italian mafia. Like with Ford in1923,Tulsa Kingbrings out a side of Sylvester Stallone that even the most devout fans of theRockyandRambofranchises will be shocked by.
Tulsa King’sreviews have been solid across both seasons, with the recent sophomore season boasting a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with one review (viaJoBlo) even hailing it as"the best mob series to hit the air since The Sopranos.“That’s high praise for Sheridan and Stallone, who have decades of mafia movies and shows to live up to.
Mayor of Kingstown
Mayor of Kingstown, released in 2021, is a crime thriller series set in a small Michigan town where the McClusky family wields influence among police, criminals, and politicians. As power brokers, they navigate the complexities of a community reliant on the business of incarceration.
Mayor of Kingstownis a collaboration between Taylor Sheridan and singer Hugh Dillon, who co-created and also stars in one of the leading roles. The main appeal of Sheridan’s first TV series to hit Paramount+ is Jeremy Renner, who’s best known for his work inThe Avengersmovies as well as Taylor Sheridan’sWind River. For an actor who’s commonly been relegated to supporting roles in popular films likeMission: Impossible 4andThe Town, theseries provides Renner a chance to demonstrate how great he can be, and he doesn’t disappoint.
Outside ofYellowstone,Mayor of Kingstownis Sheridan’s longest-running TV series, with three seasons already available. For those who love the longer format ofYellowstoneover a miniseries likeLawmenor1883, this show is the best option currently.Mayor of Kingstownallows its audience to connect with an ensemble cast of complex characters, and though its Rotten Tomatoes score isn’t outstanding, it has a far more appealing 81% Audience Score.
Lioness
Special Ops: Lioness is a Paramount+ original series starring Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman. The series centers on a marine and a CIA agent who work together with the daughter of a dangerous terrorist group to destroy the organization. Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone co-creator) and Jill Wagner created the series, which was directed by Paul Cameron and Anthony Byrne.
Lionessmight not have the best scores among Taylor Sheridan’s projects in terms of critical reviews, but the 81% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes is a testament to the dedicated fanbase the series has accumulated on Paramount+. Aside from starring Zoe Saldaña, one of the highest-grossing film actors of all time, known for theGuardians of the GalaxyandAvatarfranchises,Lionessfeatures Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman in supporting roles.
For fans of shows likeReacher,Jack Ryan, and others like it,Lionessis a great follow-up.
The action-packed spy thriller series just finished its second season, making it one of the rare modern streaming service shows to offer yearly releases. Notably, the series saw a drastic improvement in its critical reception for the second season, with a jump up to 88%. For fans of shows likeReacher,Jack Ryan, and others like it,Lionessis a great follow-up.
Hell or High Water
Hell or High Water is a modern Western crime thriller directed by David Mackenzie. Starring Chris Pine and Ben Foster as two brothers who embark on a series of bank robberies to save their family ranch, the film delves into themes of economic hardship and justice. Jeff Bridges plays a Texas Ranger nearing retirement, determined to catch them.
2016’sHell or High Wateris one of the most celebrated modern Western films, featuring an all-star cast of Chris Prine, Jeff Bridges, Ben Foster, andYellowstonestar Gil Birmingham. Though it was directed by David Mackenzie,Hell or High WaterwasTaylor Sheridan’s second feature film as a writer, and it’s his highest rated on Rotten Tomatoes, boasting a 97% score.
Hell or High Waterfeatures elements that are prominent inYellowstone,Landman, and other Sheridan series while having the added bonus of a feature film budget, allowing for more intense action. In terms of its aesthetic, the movie has commonly been compared to the Coen Brothers’No Country For Old Men. Nearly a decade later, the project is stillone of Sheridan’s crowning achievements, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
The Last Cowboy
The Last Cowboy is a documentary competition series released in 2019, centered on riders in the high-stakes sport of horse reining. It explores their dedication to preserving cowboy traditions while performing intricate patterns. The series culminates in the Run for a Million event, featuring a $1 million purse.
For the overlap of fans betweenYellowstone, Taylor Sheridan, and reality TV,The Last Cowboyis the perfect series to check out. Though it’s not as popular as his fictional works, the 2019 series isone of his longest-running projects, with its documentary competition formatoffering an exciting new ensemble each year. LikeYellowstone,The Last Cowboytruly embraces contemporary cowboy culture, celebrating the immense skill and rowdy lifestyle.
InThe Last Cowboy, contestants compete in a horse reining competition for a grand prize of $1 million. For lovers of the sport or those who found the cowboying life appealing from watchingYellowstone, Sheridan’s reality TV series offers one of the most candid inside glimpses available, showing how the athletes train and spend their time building up to a competition.
Those Who Wish Me Dead
Those Who Wish Me Dead is a thriller directed by Taylor Sheridan, starring Angelina Jolie as a smokejumper who must protect a young murder witness while a pair of assassins pursue them through a forest fire in Montana. Co-stars include Finn Little, Nicholas Hoult, and Jon Bernthal. Based on the novel by Michael Koryta, the film blends high-stakes action with a tale of survival against both man and nature.
Those Who Wish Me Deadis the third film directed by Taylor Sheridan, who co-wrote it with two collaborators. Like many of his works in the 2020s, the film offers an outstanding ensemblecast led by Angelina Jolie and also includes Jon Bernthal, Nicholas Hoult, Tyler Perry, andGame of Thronesstar Aidan Gillen. The movie is one of Sheridan’s most action-packed projects yet, with a captivating plot and outstanding characters.
Angelina Jolie plays a smokejumper, a wildland fighter, who accompanies a small child through the dangerous Montana wilderness as two hired assassins try to kill him. Meanwhile, the forest catches on fire, adding to the aesthetic and the danger. For someone wanting to enjoy a project with quintessential Taylor Sheridan elements without having to invest in a full TV series,Those Who Wish Me Deadis a solid choice.
