Paramount+’s 88% RT Crime Hit Breaks a 7-Year Taylor Sheridan Trend

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For almost ten years, Taylor Sheridan has been crafting stories set in harsh and unforgiving landscapes, filled with conflict and complex characters. From films like Hell or High Water and Wind River to hit TV shows such as Yellowstone and Mayor of Kingstown, he’s built a modern take on Western myths, blending classic Western themes with contemporary anxieties. However, some critics have begun to question whether his unique voice is losing its impact and becoming predictable. In late 2022, he released a new series starring Sylvester Stallone in his first major TV role. This show shifts the setting from the serious, stoic world of Montana to the more chaotic and humorous atmosphere of Oklahoma, and replaces long, silent moments with witty dialogue. Instead of a traditional cowboy hero, Sheridan introduces Dwight “The General” Manfredi, a 75-year-old former convict navigating a changed world after prison. This series is highly rated, earning an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes – second only to Yellowstone among Sheridan’s work.

Previously, critics often criticized Sheridan’s tendency to reuse familiar themes, but they’ve largely welcomed this new direction. Tulsa King feels like both a natural progression of his work and a deliberate change of pace. While Sheridan has found success crafting stories set in the American West, this show demonstrates that his real strength lies in developing compelling characters, not just locations. By moving away from his usual formula and embracing new ideas, he’s regained creative flexibility. Stallone’s humor, sensitivity, and world-weariness breathe new life into Sheridan’s typical tough-guy characters, turning them into more thoughtful and self-aware individuals. This isn’t just a win for Paramount+; it’s a revitalization for Sheridan himself, proving that even talented writers need to evolve to stay relevant in today’s television landscape.

Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” Formula Grew Predictable

Taylor Sheridan quickly became known for his powerful storytelling. After films like Sicario and Hell or High Water, critics praised him as a voice for a frustrated and conflicted America. His writing blends stoic characters with intense political themes, portraying a nation struggling with its own values. The vast, harsh landscapes in his work mirror the inner turmoil of his characters. With Yellowstone, he brought this unique style to television, achieving major success. Kevin Costner’s character, John Dutton, embodies Sheridan’s core ideas: maintaining power through force, a deep connection to the land, and finding goodness even in damaged people. This success has established Sheridan as one of television’s leading writer-directors. However, his signature style is becoming predictable. His stories often revolve around similar themes – powerful fathers fighting to protect their legacies, people rigidly adhering to their beliefs, and the land representing a search for freedom. What once felt innovative – his exploration of “frontier morality” – now feels somewhat repetitive.

I’ve always been captivated by the world Taylor Sheridan creates, especially in Yellowstone and its connected stories. What really grabs me is this constant push and pull between the order we try to build and the raw power of nature. The characters – the Duttons, the McLuskys, even the local law enforcement – they all seem to play variations on themes of loyalty and anger. Honestly, it started to feel a little predictable – the slow build-up to violence, the mournful tributes to the past, that signature piano music as the sun sets. I began to wonder if even Paramount+ realized they couldn’t keep relying on the same formula forever. But what’s exciting about the spin-offs is that Sheridan takes those core values – that rugged sense of honor – and moves them into completely new settings. Instead of wide-open ranches, we see them play out in the concrete jungle, and the quiet cowboys are now clever guys with pasts. It’s not abandoning what made Yellowstone special, but reimagining it, giving it a fresh perspective.

Tulsa King Delivers Sheridan’s Story With a Twist

When Tulsa King debuted in 2022, viewers expected a typical gritty crime show. Instead, they got something that felt like a blend of Justified and Goodfellas. The show is co-directed by Taylor Sheridan and Terence Winter, a writer from Boardwalk Empire, and Winter’s talent for realistic dialogue brings a fresh energy to Sheridan’s usually stark style. This creates an instant and compelling tone. Sylvester Stallone’s character, Dwight Manfredi, isn’t the typical strong, silent type; he’s a talkative and surprisingly thoughtful criminal. He’s a man whose old-fashioned values are challenged by the modern world of the gig economy and social media. The idea of an aging mobster trying to rebuild his life in Tulsa, Oklahoma, initially seems like a parody of Sheridan’s usual themes. However, Tulsa King uses humor to highlight its serious points. While Yellowstone examines the decline of the American West, Tulsa King looks at the crumbling of the American dream itself.

Critics immediately recognized a change in Tulsa King. The show’s strong 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes feels like a fresh start for Sheridan, moving away from overly serious storytelling. The series successfully blends humor with its violence, maintaining a compelling edge. This positions Paramount+ more competitively in the streaming market. Stallone’s performance, a captivating mix of toughness and charisma, is drawing in a new, younger, and more urban audience who might not typically watch westerns. Tulsa King acts as a bridge between Sheridan’s traditional style and the current demand for shows that mix genres. The series feels spontaneous and lively, a departure from his previous work. It doesn’t abandon the western genre, but reimagines it with a modern, often absurd, twist.

Sylvester Stallone is Sheridan’s Wild Card in Tulsa King

Sylvester Stallone flips the typical action hero trope on its head. While many characters created by Taylor Sheridan are quietly threatening, Stallone brings a weary but endearing quality to his role. His character, Dwight Manfredi, is the opposite of Sheridan’s usual heroes – outgoing, self-aware, and genuinely funny. This humor doesn’t undermine the dramatic moments; it actually enhances them. Sheridan cleverly uses Stallone’s long career and iconic status, and every gesture and witty remark from Dwight feels like a commentary on the aging action star. Reportedly, Stallone frequently improvises on set, bringing a naturalness to Sheridan’s precise writing and completely changing the feel of scenes. He delivers lines that sound like a mix of deep thoughts and jokes, creating a character who seems both volatile and surprisingly grounded. Stallone reminds us that wisdom doesn’t always come across as serious; sometimes, it’s delivered with a playful smirk.

Critics agree that Sylvester Stallone’s performance is the heart of the show. What makes it work is a unique connection between Stallone and the writer, Taylor Sheridan, where they both respond to each other’s choices. Stallone’s willingness to improvise encourages Sheridan to embrace imperfection and find beauty in the unexpected. This results in a tone that’s surprisingly versatile, able to be both genuine and satirical at the same time.

Stallone’s casting also appeals to a wide range of viewers. Older audiences see a familiar face from action films of the 80s, now playing a wiser, more mature character. Younger viewers see a legendary actor playing a version of himself, but still fully embodying the role. This contrast is a key part of what makes Tulsa King so interesting. Sheridan often writes about characters who feel out of step with the times, and Stallone perfectly embodies that idea, constantly navigating the tension between the past and present.

With Stallone, Sheridan discovers the power of unpredictability. While Kevin Costner’s character in Yellowstone relies on tradition and authority, Stallone’s character survives by being adaptable. His strength isn’t about control, it’s about simply getting through it. This represents a significant change in Sheridan’s storytelling, as the classic cowboy is replaced by a more boisterous gangster, and with that change comes a sense of renewal. Stallone’s character isn’t a stoic figure, but a complex mix of contradictions, redefining what it means to be a hero in a Sheridan story.

Tulsa King Was the Change Sheridan’s Formula Needed

Taylor Sheridan’s Tulsa King represents an evolution in his storytelling, not a complete break from his style. The show incorporates humor and a city setting, showcasing his willingness to experiment. It demonstrates how streaming services can successfully blend different tones. Sheridan’s previously serious and tough characters might not appeal to viewers accustomed to a wider range of emotions, so this expansion of his typical themes is smart. He’s updated his traditional frontier values from being solitary to inclusive, and shifted his focus from defending territory to following a more nomadic narrative. Tulsa King also helps to redefine Paramount+ beyond its initial success with shows like Yellowstone and its focus on traditional American stories.

Despite being a familiar formula, the success of Taylor Sheridan’s shows allows the network to take risks and explore new directions. Viewers are consistently drawn in by his storytelling, and the network understands that keeping the content surprising is crucial. This understanding is behind the move away from simply replicating past successes and towards a broader range of stories within the ‘Sheridan-verse,’ which helps the network stand out in the crowded streaming market. Ultimately, Tulsa King isn’t groundbreaking, but proves that consistent development – rather than radical change – is the path to lasting creative success. Sheridan stays true to his signature themes of loyalty, morality, and the consequences of violence, presenting them in both serious and comedic ways. This approach honors both his audience’s expectations and his own creative vision.

Viewers remember Tulsa King as more than just a popular show for Paramount+; it marked a turning point for Taylor Sheridan. While he’s known for his strong moral code in Western dramas, Tulsa King showed his ability to play with those ideas, evolving his storytelling. The show’s humor, compassion, and strong sense of right and wrong prove that even established storytellers can grow without sacrificing their core strengths. Sheridan’s creative world expands in scope, style, and emotional depth, yet remains connected to the themes that have made him a distinctive voice in modern American storytelling.

With each new project – like Landman, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, and whatever comes next – Tulsa King represents the core of Taylor Sheridan’s creative vision. It demonstrates that changing a story doesn’t mean abandoning its essence; sometimes, it’s simply a different way of telling it. For Sheridan, moving his storytelling from the Montana landscape to the streets of Tulsa isn’t a departure from his style, but a natural evolution.

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2025-10-28 04:38