Taylor Sheridan, the mastermind behind the wildly popular series 'Yellowstone', has made it clear that he doesn't care what the critics think. This stance is not surprising, given his consistent portrayal of city life as soulless and his anti-big city sentiment in his shows. Sheridan's latest interview on The Bill Simmons podcast further solidified his disregard for critical opinions, stating, 'The critics and me — I don't care what they think, and it annoys the s*** out of them that I don't care.'
Sheridan's shows, despite their popularity, have not won any Emmys, and the critics have not always been kind. However, his series 'Yellowstone' boasts solid Rotten Tomatoes scores, with the third season even achieving a perfect 100% rating (based on just seven reviews). 'Landman' is also 'certified fresh'. Yet, Sheridan's war with reviewers persists, likely fueled by the criticism of his one-dimensional female characters and the lack of Emmy recognition.
The writer's meeting with Demi Moore for 'Landman' exemplifies his strategy to provoke critics. Sheridan anticipated their criticism of Moore's character being underutilized and responded by crafting a narrative that would defy their expectations. He recalled telling Moore, 'Then I'm going to kill your husband and you're going to have to run the oil company.' This move, as Sheridan admitted, was designed to 'rage-bait' critics, even though he could have provided them with more episodes in advance to showcase his plan.
In 'Landman' Season 2, Sheridan's intent to annoy critics is evident in the storyline involving Michelle Randolph's Ainsley Harris and her non-binary roommate Paigyn MeesterI. The network and actors initially questioned the resolution, but Sheridan stood firm, stating, 'I want to piss you off a little, and then, how dare I? And then you watch the next week and go, 'Oh, you got me.''
Sheridan's approach to storytelling is to connect with a broad audience, as he expressed, 'I'm pretty common and I'm going to tell stories that common people are going to understand.' His goal is to engage and move viewers, not to win awards. As he puts it, 'My goal is to sit somebody on their couch and move them, make them think, make them laugh, scare the s*** out of them, excite them.'
While critics may continue to be a source of frustration for Sheridan, it is the fans of 'Yellowstone' who have often been the most critical of his work. The belief that the show lost its way has sparked debates among fans, but Sheridan remains focused on his vision, seemingly unbothered by the critics' opinions.
