Tommy Norris in a cowboy hat looks over at his father T.L. Norris, who's looking away tearfully in Landman.Image via Paramount+
By
Michael Block
Published 49 minutes ago
Michael Block is a 14 time GLAM Award nominated writer, producer, and host of the podcast Block Talk. Throughout his time in the entertainment industry, he has worked on and off Broadway as a stage manager, written several produced plays, critiqued hundreds of theatrical performances, drag and cabaret shows, and has produced events randing from drag competitoons to variety concerts!
On Block Talk, he interviews nightlife personalities, covers the wide world of entertainment through features, ranking episodes, and recaps ALL of Drag Race, as well as Dragula and Survivor. He has interviewed hundreds of RuGirls that span the globe at DragCon NYC, DragCon LA, and DragCon UK.
In his free time, he makes one-of-a-kind jewelry and gift baskets with his mom. He is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.
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American entertainment has always been taken over by Westerns. During the Golden Age of Hollywood, audiences loved cowboy films. From John Wayne through Clint Eastwood, the Western genre has always had a place in our hearts. But as stories strayed away from the genre in favor of new stories, there was a Western void until the 21st century. The early 2000s brought us shows like Deadwood and Justified to help scratch that itch, but it wasn't until Taylor Sheridan showed up on horseback that the Western renaissance returned.
No one has brought Westerns to life quite like Taylor Sheridan. Through TV and film, Sheridan's expert care and vision have given audiences a newfound admiration for the genre. Need proof? Just look at the success of Yellowstone and the franchise that has emerged from it! With so many titles on his resume, which is his best Western? It's time to dissect Sheridan's extraordinary Westerns to determine the top spot.
11 'Sicario: Day of the Soldado' (2018)
Josh Brolin, Jeffrey Donovan, and Benicio del Toro in Sicario: Day of the SoldadoImage via Sony Pictures Releasing
Sequels are hard. They're notoriously not as good as the original. Such was the case for the action crime thriller Sicario: Day of the Soldado. Though not necessarily a terrible film, but compared to the rest of this list, something has to take the bottom slot. The neo-Western, directed by Stefano Sollima, follows Benicio del Toro back as Alejandro Gillick as he's called upon by FBI agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) when Mexican drug cartels start to smuggle terrorists across the U.S. border. The war begins to escalate when Gillick kidnaps a top kingpin's daughter, Isabel Reyes (Isabela Merced), to deliberately increase tension. Seen as collatoral damage, Gillick and Garver determine her fate as they question everything they are fighting for.
Still a stylish and dynamic thriller, it's less subversive than the first. If you're not a fan of having hot-button topics thrown into your action film, Sicario: Day of the Soldado is not going to be for you. Sheridan is a bit heavy-handed in his usage of pivotal themes in between the "blow things up" draw of the film. At the end of the day, the del Toro-Sheridan team-up is the draw here. It's not your typical cowboy Western, but the duo know how to make fantastic movie magic together.
10 'Tulsa King' (2022–)
Sylvester Stallone and Samuel L. Jackson talking in Tulsa King Season 3, Episode 9.Image via Paramount+
Once Yellowstone premiered, there was an immediate affinity and admiration for his television work, even if it was not as solid as its predecessors. With Tulsa King, as long as you're willing to suspect belief and go on a Western journey with Sylvester Stallone, then you might appreciate it more than others. In Tulsa King, Dwight "The General" Manfredi, an American Mafia capo, has recently been released from prison in New York and is sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma to set up a criminal syndicate out West. Realizing that his family may have betrayed him, Dwight recruits an unlikely local crew, including taxi driver Tyson Mitchell (Jay Will), dispensary owner Lawrence "Bodhi" Geigerman (Martin Starr), and bar owner Mitch Keller (Garrett Hedlund).
A bit of a fish-out-of-water story, Tulsa King blends subtle humor with the darkness of the crime drama. Stallone, in his first leading television role, has a robust presence with an ability to command the screen. The issue is that Tulsa King feels more like The Sopranos was dropped into Oklahoma simply for the juxtaposition. Nevertheless, viewers have enjoyed it enough that it's three seasons in and a spin-off, NOLA King, starring Samuel L. Jackson, is underway.
9 'Wind River' (2017)
Elizabeth Olsen as Jane Banner and Jeremy Renner as Cory Lambert holding a gun, outdoors in Wind River.Image via The Weinstein Company
Not all Westerns need to be big and bold. Sometimes subtly is key to success. The neo-Western murder mystery Wind River reunites Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen as Carey Lambert, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tracker, and Jane Banner, an FBI agent, as they attempt to solve the murder of Natalie Hanson (Kelsey Asbille), a young Indigenous woman on Wyoming's Wind River Indian Reservation. The deeper their investigation goes, the deeper the cover-up grows involving a group of oil workers who sexually assaulted the victim and murdered her boyfriend, Matt (Jon Bernthal).
With a violent confrontation at the end, Wind River is a smart and tactful story that dives into the real-life issues surrounding violence against Indigenous women and the lack of attention given to similar cases. By acknowledging systemic neglect and violence, Wind River balances a solid story with a harsh reality that deserves to be given a larger spotlight. The sole reason why Wind River drops to this spot is simply because the other entries are a tad better.
8 'The Last Cowboy' (2019–)
Taylor Sheridan in a shirt with brand logos and a cowboy hat looking at the camera in The Last Cowboy.Image via CMT
For those who've been watching The Road on CBS, you might not be shocked at the documentary-style storytelling in a competition series, but look back at The Last Cowboy and you'll understand. The first reality series that Sheridan created, The Last Cowboy chronicles the elite Western horse riding competition of horse reigning. Upping the ante, The Last Cowboy brings the "Run for a Million" into focus, where the arena-based reigning competition entices the contestants with a million dollar prize. Fans of horse competitions get an inside glimpse into behind-the-scenes of the daily lives of the horsemen as they train and make preparations for the main event.
The Last Cowboy has been entertaining audiences on CMT since 2019, as its currently in its sixth triumphant season. It's more than just cowboy hats and spurs, it's a way of life. The series shows Sheridan's appreciation for these individuals, who have clearly inspired many of the characters he's created over the years. There's a fearlessness in the riders that is inspiring. Putting a spotlight on the sport is major, which is why it's been an appealing series for so long. These are the real cowboys of today.
7 'Lawman: Bass Reeves' (2023)
David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves pointing a rifle in the Lawmen: Bass Reeves finale.Image via Paramount+
It's safe to say that Lawman: Bass Reeves is one of the most divisive Sheridan series in the sense that fans either love it or hate it. There's either an admiration for it or simply disdain. Maybe it's due to comparison to the other series, but Lawman: Bass Reeves deserves its flowers. Depicting the life of Bass Reeves (David Oyelowo), the first African American Deputy U.S. Marshall west of the Mississippi River, the series chronicles his journey from enslavement to becoming the legendary lawman who served for more than three decades in the Indian Territory.
With fictional elements sprinkled in, Lawman: Bass Reeves depicts the realities of racial violence, though the complexities have been minimized greatly. Oyelowo is remarkable as the titular character. He is more than capable of carrying the gritty untold story. Beautifully filmed, Lawman: Bass Reeves' slower pace may have caused some to pass the series by. The series has not officially been renewed with Bass Reeves as a central character as it's set to be an anthology series. That being said, we're still waiting for more.
6 'Hell or High Water' (2016)
Ben Foster's Tanner standing with Chris Pine's Toby look at something off-screen in Hell or High Water.Image via Lionsgate
The will to survive is at the center of 2016's neo-Western crime drama, Hell or High Water. Toby Howard (Chris Pine) is a divorced father eager to make a better life for his son. Tanner Howard (Ben Foster) is an ex-convict with a short temper and a loose trigger finger. The brothers come together as they are on a mission to save their family ranch. The only way to do so is to carry out a string of bank robberies. As they are pursued by two Texas Rangers, Marcus Hamilton and Alberto Parker (Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham), the Howard brothers prepare for a final showdown with a crafty lawman who's not ready to ride off into the sunset.
With a 97% Rotten Tomatoes score, this film is one of Sheridan's best in his career, even beyond his Westerns. The entire cast is made up of extraordinary performers who capture the heart of the material. Foster and Pine have brilliant chemistry, and Bridges is brilliant in his pursuit. It's a well-crafted Western heist thriller that focuses deeply on the rich characters as opposed to a series of gunfights for the sake of action. When action is deserved, it's presented. Perhaps the film came out a tad too soon before the Western boom returned. Present Hell or High Water today, it's likely the stunning cinematography and complexity of its narrative would have landed in the conversation of top-tier mainstream hits.
5 'Landman' (2024–)
Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris sitting in a chair, holding his hat and talking in Landman.Image via Paramount+
Sheridan fans love the Yellowstone saga so it was going to be hard to top the original and its spin-offs. Yet, there was one show that tried: Landman. Inspired by the Texas Monthly podcast Boomtown, the Billy Bob Thornton-led series is set within the oilfields of West Texas, where roughnecks and wildcat billionaires are fueling a boom so big that it's reshaping the climate, economy, and geopolitics. Tommy Norris (Thornton), a crisis manager and landman for an oil company, is tasked with securing land leases and managing the complex and often dangerous operations. The high-stakes world of oil exploration is brought to light in this highly bingable series.
Thornton, like Kevin Costner before him, is a palatable lead that brings great depth and life into the piece. Even with a solid cast around him, Thornton stands tall. With a cast that also boasts the likes of Demi Moore, Ali Larter, Sam Elliott, Andy Garcia, and Jon Hamm, Landman has slowly risen into the ranks of Sheridan favorites. Where Landman stumbles is how the topic of oil versus renewable energy is discussed and disseminated. Whether you find the series to be too similar to Yellowstone or not, Landman has taken fans on a journey they've loved through two seasons.
4 '1923' (2022–2025)
Helen Mirren leans against Harrison Ford and they both look sad in 1923 Season 2.Image via Paramount+
Taylor Sheridan has invited audiences into the lore and mythology of the Duttons and has brilliantly traced the family back through generations in the West. As the third installment in the story, 1923 follows a new generation of Duttons as they vow to protect their Montana ranch from lawlessness, drought, and the early stages of the Great Depression. The Prohibition-era series follows Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) and his wife, Cara (Helen Mirren), as they face a series of challenges, including external conflicts with rival families and the long-lasting effects of World War I on Spencer (Brandon Sklenar). Through its grim depiction of a difficult period for Montanans, 1923 is unrelenting yet expands upon the Dutton legacy in a fascinating way.
To say this series is filled with star power is an understatement. Ford and Mirren are remarkable in the piece, expanding their prowess into a new genre. With a sprawling cast, 1923 is an epic. Depending on how you consume your Yellowstone, if you watch in chronological order, you get to see how familiar characters play into this continuing story. As we inch closer to the start of Yellowstone, this chapter continues to complete the puzzle of John Dutton's story.
3 '1883' (2021–2022)
Sam Elliott looking to the distance in 1883.Image via Paramount+
The story of establishing a life out west always begins in the 1880s, and it's no different for the Duttons. The Duttons' Yellowstone Ranch is a major player in the original series, so Taylor Sheridan decided to shed light on how the Duttons staked claim to the pivotal property with the origin story, 1883. Crossing the Great Plains from Texas to Montana, the Duttons flee a life of poverty as they embark on a treacherous trek where danger and hardship lurk around every corner. Leading the trail are James and Margaret Dutton, played by real-life couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, who are joined by a band of immigrants and a hardened cowboy, Shea Brennan, played by Sam Elliott.
The gritty, brutal depiction of westward expansion may not be new to viewers, but placing it in the context of the Duttons at the center of the story gives audiences a new vantage point. As expected, the cost of expansion doesn't mean everyone can survive. Its unflinching depiction of violence toward pioneers becomes a major factor in the heartwrenching story. There's more misery than you may wish, but Sheridan's ability to approach the material with reality is what makes the fictional story worthwhile as a stepping stone for the Duttons. It's a truly remarkable series that sets the tone, should you watch the franchise in chronological order.
2 'Sicario' (2015)
Benicio del Toro as Alejandro Gillick looking to the side, standing in a doorway in Sicario.Image via Lionsgate
Easily the most iconic and strongest film on Taylor Sheridan's resume, Sicario is an action thriller that found critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations. And rightly so. The film follows FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt), after rising in the ranks in the male-dominated profession, as she's given a top assignment. Recruited by the mysterious Matt Graver (Josh Brolin), Kate joins a task force against the escalating war on drugs along the U.S.-Mexican border. Led by the intense Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro), a former prosecutor turned assassin, the team travels across the border using one cartel boss to flush out an even bigger drug lord.
A visceral and evocative film that captures the intensity of drug raids and the dangers surrounding them, Sicario is a fiery film that is unafraid to let bullets fly. Directed exceptionally well by Denis Villeneuve, he takes Sheridan's script and infuses it with unrelenting tension through captivating storytelling. Though some may argue the film is not a typical Western, it uses the familiar tropes in a contemporary setting. Chock-full of suspense, Sicario is a hard-edged thriller that is perfect for action-lovers.
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