Taylor Sheridan called into “The Bill Simmons Podcast” from his Wyoming ranch this week and dismissed years of mixed critical reception toward his shows, telling Simmons he has no interest in chasing Emmy Awards and admitting he sometimes deliberately provokes reviewers.
The Yellowstone co-creator, whose résumé now spans Landman, 1923, Tulsa King and Lioness, used the wide-ranging conversation to defend creative decisions that drew fire from critics, including how he handled Demi Moore’s reduced role in the first season of Landman. Sheridan said he warned Moore in advance that critics would accuse him of underwriting her part, only to kill off her husband’s character at the season’s end and hand her control of the family oil company in season two. He called the slow-burn setup intentional, even calling it a calculated jab at reviewers who he said it “annoys the shit out of” that he doesn’t care about their opinions.
He extended that defense to a storyline involving Michelle Randolph’s character and her nonbinary roommate, revealing that network executives and some cast members pushed him to resolve the relationship earlier in the season. Sheridan said he refused on purpose, wanting to needle viewers before delivering a payoff a week later.
The interview lands as Sheridan prepares to exit Paramount, where he has built his television empire over nearly a decade, for an overall deal with NBCUniversal that could be worth as much as a billion dollars once his current obligations wrap in 2028. NBCUniversal Entertainment chair Donna Langley courted him personally, including a visit to his ranch in Weatherford, Texas, while Paramount never extended a formal counteroffer, according to prior Hollywood Reporter reporting. The move followed friction with Paramount’s new ownership under David Ellison, including a dispute over scheduling conflicts involving Nicole Kidman.
Sheridan contrasted Paramount’s current hands-on style with the network’s approach when he first signed, recalling that an entire development department built to manage him was eventually eliminated because, in his telling, executives “had no job” once they realized he wouldn’t take notes. He said his only ambition is provoking an emotional reaction from viewers, not industry recognition, adding that his work isn’t built to win awards. Two of his shows, Landman and The Madison, are nonetheless considered strong contenders heading into this year’s Emmy nominations.
