In a candid 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sheridan shared his original plan: “The plan was I would Greg Berlanti it,” he said, referencing the well-known TV producer. “I would write, cast, and direct the pilots, and then we would bring in someone as a showrunner to run a writers’ room, and I could check in and guide them.” However, he quickly realized that no other writers could truly grasp the intricacies of the Dutton family like he could. While Season 2 saw additional writing contributions, Sheridan still reworked every episode to align with his vision, underscoring his deep personal connection to the story.

Sheridan elaborated on his challenges with collaborative writing: “A writer always wants to take ownership of something they’re writing,” he explained. “If I give this directive and they’re not feeling it, then they’re going to come up with their own qualities. So for me, writers’ rooms, they haven’t worked.” This steadfast dedication to his craft extends beyond storytelling, even compelling him to charge Paramount a significant fee to utilize his own ranch as a filming location.

Sheridan’s commitment to his projects is unwavering. “I’m one of those people that’s incapable of doing something that’s not tethered to 100% of my passion,” he told the Hollywood Reporter. It’s no wonder, then, that he envisioned the end of “Yellowstone” from its inception. Despite the series’ tendency for repetitive themes and unresolved plotlines, Sheridan insists that the conclusion was always intended, including the dramatic demise of John Dutton. Whether or not Kevin Costner chose to leave the series, Sheridan was clear: “It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it,” he expressed, hinting at his frustration with elements beyond his control.

Because Taylor Sheridan is so invested in his dramatic narratives (“I’m one of those people that’s incapable doing something that’s not tethered to 100% of my passion,” he noted to the Hollywood Reporter), it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he always knew where “Yellowstone” would end from the start. 

Although the show often fell into repetitive patterns and creative pitfalls, leaving us with several loose ends after the series finale, Sheridan maintains that the ending was always where the Dutton drama was going. Yes, that even includes the murder of John Dutton, whether Kevin Costner had decided to exit the show or not. “It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it,” Sheridan explained, clearly disappointed in something beyond his creative control.

Despite this, the ultimate conclusion — with the Duttons giving up their land to the Broken Rock Indian Reservation and therefore thwarting the efforts of out-of-state developers — was always the way things were going to go. “Day one, episode one, Taylor [Sheridan] said, ‘I know exactly how this ends,’” noted executive producer David Glasser to Entertainment Weekly ahead of the series’ controversial finale. Even in the wake of Costner’s departure, Sheridan remained true to his story, weaving in prophetic elements of the Duttons’ ultimate fate through prequels like “1883” and “1923” — which he also maintains sole writing credits for.

Taylor Sheridan appears to have at least partially changed his mind about the concept of writers’ rooms over the past few years. While he never let anyone else come between himself and the larger Dutton story, either in “Yellowstone” or the two prequels, Sheridan is not the main creative force behind the upcoming “Y: Marshals” sequel series, which will follow Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) in the next stages of his life. 

While he’s listed as an executive producer of the CBS program, the sequel will mark the first time that Sheridan is not solely overseeing the writing of a “Yellowstone” universe spin-off project. In fact, he’s not even the showrunner, with former “SEAL Team” showrunner Spencer Hudnut taking over the reins.

Of course, this isn’t the first show created by Sheridan that’s featured a writers’ room which extends beyond himself. Other popular Paramount+ dramas like “Mayor of Kingstown,” “Tulsa King,” and “Lawman: Bass Reeves” were all written by others entirely, with Sheridan only overseeing the productions. Conversely, Sheridan is the sole writer of “Lioness” and “Landman” and will likely see both shows through as he did with “Yellowstone.” While Taylor Sheridan may be notorious for taking full creative control of his passion projects, it seems he still can play well with others — at least when he isn’t so consumed by his characters.