Taylor Sheridan’s Latest Western Is The Soap Opera Sam Elliott Once Accused Yellowstone Of Being

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Taylor Sheridan’s newest Western series shares the dramatic, sometimes over-the-top qualities that Sam Elliott once pointed out in Yellowstone. And despite that, or perhaps because of it, Yellowstone has become incredibly popular and continues to grow in viewership since its debut in 2018.

Okay, so Yellowstone itself is over, but the story isn’t stopping there. This year, we got two new shows: Marshals and The Dutton Ranch, both continuing the journeys of Kayce and Beth Dutton – basically picking up where their stories left off. And get this – there’s even more coming! A prequel called 1944 is in the works, and thankfully, Brandon Sklenar is set to reprise his role as Spencer Dutton. It’s clear the Yellowstone universe is expanding in a big way, and I’m definitely intrigued to see where they take it.

While Taylor Sheridan is known for critically acclaimed films like Sicario, many believe 1883 represents his best work as a writer and director. This powerful prequel tells the story of how the Dutton family first came to own the land that would become the Yellowstone ranch, and the heartbreaking sacrifices they made along the way.

Clocking in at ten hours long, 1883 boasts a great cast, including Sam Elliott as Shea Brennan, the tough but endearing leader of a pioneer wagon train. As the very first series to spin off from Yellowstone, it was a huge hit with both critics and viewers, proving that audiences were eager to follow Taylor Sheridan’s Western stories wherever he took them.

Sheridan also cast Elliott in his show Landman, but it’s unlikely the actor will appear in any other Yellowstone spin-offs. This is largely because Elliott isn’t a fan of the series.

Sam Elliott Dismissed Yellowstone As A Soap Opera

In a 2022 interview on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, Sam Elliott admitted he’s “not a Yellowstone fan,” and surprisingly, hadn’t even watched the series despite starring in its prequel, 1883. He clarified he had no issues with Kevin Costner or the rest of the cast, but bluntly compared Yellowstone to shows like Dallas, saying it was “just too much like… that for me.”

If you’re unfamiliar with Dallas, it was a very popular soap opera on CBS that started in the late 1970s, focusing on a wealthy oil family in Texas. While incredibly popular, it wasn’t known for being high-quality or brilliantly written. It was deliberately over-the-top and a bit of a guilty pleasure to watch, so when Elliott compares Yellowstone to Dallas, he’s not necessarily criticizing it.

Elliott’s criticisms have some merit. While Yellowstone is known for its intense drama and violence, it often veered into ridiculousness. The show became increasingly strange in later seasons, introducing odd storylines and abandoning others without explanation. A prime example is a season two plot where Kayce plants a bomb on a plane – a dramatic event that was never brought up again.

Marshals Has Become The Show Sam Elliott Accused Yellowstone Of Being

The new Yellowstone spin-off, Marshals, centers around Kayce and his work as a U.S. Marshal. While the show has been popular with viewers on CBS, critics haven’t been impressed – and with good reason. It feels like a standard CBS crime show clumsily combined with a typical Western drama, resulting in a disjointed viewing experience.

If Elliott disliked the dramatic parts of Yellowstone, he’d likely find Marshals even more frustrating. The show relies heavily on predictable plots, awkward conversations, and drawn-out romantic tension. Plus, it seems determined to include a shootout in almost every episode, even when it doesn’t make sense.

Taylor Sheridan’s Lack Of Involvement On Marshals Is Glaring

Although Taylor Sheridan’s production company is making Marshals, he isn’t actively involved in the show. Unlike Yellowstone, where he wrote every episode and directed many, he’s taking a backseat with Marshals, and it’s noticeable. The writing lacks his signature style – the snappy dialogue and clever lines – and the show feels surprisingly straightforward.

This new show tries to capitalize on the popularity of Yellowstone, presenting itself as a continuation, but it feels very different from the original. Taylor Sheridan likely prefers it that way, because even when Yellowstone was at its weakest, it was more engaging than Lawmen: Marshals often is.

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2026-04-19 02:31