Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western dramaYellowstonehelped to revitalize the Western genre in television, but it has its roots in another neo-Western that isn’t always recognized as such:Sons of Anarchy. Starring Kevin Costner anda talented ensemble cast,Yellowstonebecame a runaway success thanks to its potent mix of drama, action, and an intoxicating Western setting. While the cowboys, rural setting, and gunfights certainly conjure classic Western vibes, the political maneuvering and corporate espionage ring of more modern dramatic fare, which is part of whyYellowstone’s audience demographicsare so varied and diverse.
WhileYellowstonehas its own trademark aesthetic and lingo,creator Taylor Sheridandoes draw on some of the best TV dramas of the last 30 years, which is a credit to him as a showrunner. The parallels betweenYellowstoneand FX’s crime dramaSons of Anarchy, for example, are plentiful. The similarities are so abundant that Yellowstone has been referred to as “Sons of Anarchyon horses” in certain circles of the internet. Taylor Sheridan is one of TV’s most talented and unique dramatic writers, to be sure, and the influence ofSons of AnarchyonYellowstoneis clear.
Why Taylor Sheridan’s Acting Role In Yellowstone Season 5 Was So Divisive
Yellowstone season 5 featured plenty of drama and some surprising twists and turns, but Taylor Sheridan’s role proved more divisive than expected.
Yellowstone Creator Taylor Sheridan Was Part Of The Main Sons Of Anarchy Cast
Sheridan Played Deputy Chief David Hale
Years before he put pen to paper onYellowstone, Taylor Sheridan was a working TV actor who had a number of smaller roles to his name beforeSons of Anarchydebuted in 2008. The award-winning family drama was set against the backdrop of an oftentimes violent motorcycle club’s struggle to accumulate power, wealth, freedom, and revenge, although not necessarily in that order.Taylor Sheridan portrayed Deputy Sheriff David Hale for the first three seasons of the show, the straight-edge enforcer of the law and frenemy of the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club.
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Sheridan’s time in the main cast came to an end when his character wasunceremoniously killed in a drive-by, whichwas reportedly forced as a result of a salary dispute which saw Sheridan leave the show(althoughSOA’s creator Kurt Sutter has said Hale was killed because Sheridan wanted to pursue another project). While it was never directly addressed by Sheridan, manyYellowstonefans acknowledge that the season 3 episode “Going Back to Cali”, which sees John Dutton and the Yellowstone cowboys tangle with a biker gang from California, was a reference to Sheridan’s bitter exit fromSons of Anarchy.
Taylor Sheridan Cast Several Former Sons Of Anarchy Co-stars In Yellowstone
Former SOA Stars Can Be Found Across The Yellowstone Timeline
In addition to the biker call-out inYellowstone, there are a few other notable cross-overs between the two shows. For example, Sheridan has used a few cast members fromSons of Anarchyin the ever-expanding cast of the growingYellowstoneuniverse. One of the most prominent isQ’orianka Kilcher (The New World), who starred inYellowstoneas the vengeful litigator and business consultant Angela Blue Thundermore than a decade after playing Chibs' daughter Kerrianne Telford in season 3 ofSons of Anarchy.
TV and film producer John Linson has acted as an executive producer onSons of Anarchyalong withYellowstoneand all of its spinoffs.
Screen legend Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day) makes appearances in bothSons of Anarchyand theYellowstonespin-off1923.He plays the president of the Sons of Anarchy San Bernadino chapter, Les Packer, and in1923Patrick portrays Sheriff William McDowell. Lamonica Garrett also features in both universes; he somewhat ironically plays David Hale’s replacement, Deputy Sheriff Cane, inSons of Anarchy, while he played Pinkerton Agent Thomas inYellowstone’s spinoff1883.
Sons Of Anarchy Is Considered A Neo-Western Overlapping In Genre With Yellowstone
The Two Shows Share Major Plot Similarities As Well
To most,Sons of Anarchyis considered a crime drama, more in line with gangster movies and television than a Western. However, in exploring the themes of the show, many of the hallmarks of a Western emerge.The members of SAMCRO are considered outlaws, a concept born straight out of Old West, and their rebellion against or subversion of the law is a consistent element of the group’s activities. Their brand of justice often falls outside the law, and certainly fits the definition of the “frontier justice” of the West, where vengeance was often carried out on a personal level.
There are several character parallels in the two shows, most prominently the relationship between Clay Morrow and Jax Teller reflected in John Dutton’s relationship with his son Kayce.
Most importantly,Sons of Anarchyis framed around the themes of individualism and personal freedom, with the club working to impede the march of progress and change in their hometown. Therein lies its greatest tie toYellowstone, and why both shows can and should be considered neo-Westerns with a genuine overlap in genre. John Dutton and his family work to keep the ranch pristine and preserve their way of life, just as the Sons of Anarchy do. Whether Taylor Sheridan distinctly intended it to or not,Yellowstoneis a spiritual successor toSons of Anarchy, in theme if not setting.
Yellowstone
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Yellowstone follows the Dutton family, led by patriarch John Dutton, as they defend their expansive ranch against external threats from land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park. Released on July 12, 2025, this series examines the complex dynamics and violent conflicts surrounding the largest contiguous ranch in the United States.
