Taylor Sheridan did the one thing he swore he’d never do and 'Yellowstone' had to pay the price
When it comes to world-building on the small screen, Taylor Sheridan stands out as a true expert, as he not only made the Western genre cool again but also created a universe with his flagship show, 'Yellowstone.' As 'Maddsion' gears up for its 2025 debut and an untitled 'Yellowstone' spin-off is in the pipeline, it's clear that the neo-Western universe is set to expand further. However, Sheridan, whose stellar work has cemented his position in Hollywood, once made a statement he couldn't keep — a decision that remains one of the most criticized aspects of 'Yellowstone'.
Sheridan, who appeared in 'Yellowstone' as Rip Wheeler's (Cole Hauser) friend and a competent horse trainer, initially had no plans to act in the show. The rodeo expert turned writer and director spoke about his transition from acting in a 2016 interview with Uproxx. Sheridan expressed his reluctance to cast himself in his own projects, stating, "There are a number of people who have done that. I don’t want to be one of those guys."
However, when 'Yellowstone' season 1 premiered, Sheridan, not only broke his own rule by adding his character in the episode titled 'Coming Home', but also became the butt of constant criticism for his over-the-top antics. For the unversed, the scriptwriter, who is a skilled rodeo in real life, played Travis Wheatley, a character who drew criticism for eating up the spotlight in the final season. The tipping point for many viewers came in the penultimate episode of Yellowstone, where Bella Hadid made a cameo as his girlfriend, Sadie.
This wasn’t the only time Sheridan broke his word. The creator also went back on his promise not to tarnish John Dutton's legacy with a dramatic exit. Initially, the iconic character was shown to have died by suicide, only for it later to be revealed he was killed in his sleep—a move that drew heavy criticism from devoted fans. After it was announced that Kevin Costner would no longer be part of Yellowstone, Sheridan had explicitly stated he wouldn’t create a dramatic send-off for the character. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he remarked, "I don’t do ‘f**k you car crashes.’ Whether [Dutton’s fate] inflates [Costner’s] ego or insults is collateral damage that I don’t factor in about storytelling."
However, in 'Yellowstone' Season 5, Episode 9, Sheridan went against his promise, opening with John Dutton found dead from a gunshot wound to the head, hinting at suicide. The move not only received backlash from fans, but Kevin Costner also expressed his disinterest in watching Yellowstone's Season 5 finale during an interview on SiriusXM’s 'The Michael Smerconish Program', as per FandomWire. The actor shared, "I heard it’s a suicide, so that doesn’t make me want to rush to go see it." Though he correctly assumed John's death was a red herring, Costner acknowledged that many, both on the show and in real life, likely believed it was a suicide before learning the full story.