Few storytellers have defined modern television the way Taylor Sheridan has. The writer, director, and creator behind Yellowstone and its sprawling prequel saga (1883, 1923) has built an empire of neo-Western storytelling. But while his work often celebrates rugged teamwork and family loyalty, behind the camera Sheridan prefers to ride solo.

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Sheridan’s Creative Control Was Never the Original Plan

When Yellowstone premiered in 2018, Sheridan initially envisioned a more traditional production model. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2023, he revealed that he had planned to “Greg Berlanti it” — referring to how Berlanti oversees multiple TV universes with showrunners and writers’ rooms managing each series.

“I would write, cast, and direct the pilots,” Sheridan explained. “Then we would bring in someone as a showrunner to run a writers’ room, and I could check in and guide them.”

But the reality didn’t match the plan. Sheridan soon realized that no matter who he hired, no one understood the Duttons the way he did. After seeing other writers’ versions of his scripts, he began rewriting nearly every line — and eventually stopped hiring outside writers altogether.

“A writer always wants to take ownership of something they’re writing,” Sheridan said. “If I give this directive and they’re not feeling it, then they’re going to come up with their own qualities. So for me, writers’ rooms, they haven’t worked.”

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Passion and Perfectionism Drive His Process

Sheridan’s commitment to total creative control isn’t just about ego — it’s about passion. “I’m one of those people incapable of doing something that isn’t tethered to 100% of my passion,” he said. That intensity has defined Yellowstone from the start, making the show both a cultural juggernaut and a source of behind-the-scenes tension.

He also admitted that he always knew exactly how the story would end. Executive producer David Glasser confirmed: “Day one, episode one, Taylor said, ‘I know exactly how this ends.’”

Even with Kevin Costner’s exit truncating John Dutton’s story, Sheridan stayed true to his original vision — closing the saga with the Dutton family surrendering their land to the Broken Rock Reservation.

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The Writer Who Does It All

Beyond Yellowstone, Sheridan maintains sole writing credit for both prequels, 1883 and 1923, and for new dramas like Lioness and Landman. His dedication to complete authorship has become part of his legend — and a reflection of his belief that storytelling should come from one voice, not a committee.

Still, Sheridan isn’t entirely a lone wolf. He has begun stepping back from certain spinoffs, including the upcoming Y: Marshals, a sequel series following Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes). This time, SEAL Team showrunner Spencer Hudnut will take over writing and production duties, marking the first Yellowstone universe project not penned by Sheridan himself.

Meanwhile, other series like Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, and Lawmen: Bass Reeves have relied on full writers’ rooms under Sheridan’s oversight — showing that while he guards the Dutton family narrative fiercely, he’s learning to share the reins elsewhere.

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A Lone Voice in a Collaborative World

Sheridan’s approach may seem extreme in an industry built on collaboration, but it’s precisely that single-minded focus that gives Yellowstone its distinctive identity. His characters live and die by loyalty, land, and legacy — and perhaps, in his mind, those principles apply to the writing process too.

As Yellowstone and its spin-offs continue to expand, Sheridan’s personal stamp remains unmistakable: cinematic realism, moral grit, and the unwavering belief that one vision, told with conviction, is worth every fight along the way.