To be clear, Taylor Sheridan isn’t outright saying that today’s film and television critics are irrelevant. This cliche belongs to Joe Rogan.
But Taylor has no doubt that Joe Rogan took the words right out of his mouth. This isn’t a podcast fanatic; However, this being TV Fanatic, Taylor’s inclusion of these remarks is highly relatable and happens to be true.
It’s unfortunate that Taylor Sheridan is classified as a conservative because now everyone has to have a label, whether it makes sense or not.
Since Yellowstone didn’t follow the Disney model, which produced such brilliant artistic achievements as “The Acolyte” and (full of irony) “She-Hulk,” Taylor must be a dangerous right-winger.
The reality is much different, at least for those who actually watched Yellowstone or Taylor’s other notable achievements, such as Kingston Mayor Sicario and Tulsa King. Taylor may be correct in her assertions, but at the same time he is not a Republican operative.
cultivated intelligence
It’s difficult to outline the antecedents of Taylor Sheridan’s comments without indulging in the political nature of the television critic industry. But I’ll get to that later. Furthermore, it’s not always as overtly political as it seems.
In many cases, these studios are well aware that they’re putting out garbage. However, with a legion of critics ready to sacrifice themselves on the altar of the almighty “impression rating,” there’s hope for even the worst-case scenario.
“They’re baffled by its success. They can’t understand it. The New York Times published multiple articles, and they were writing this article about, ‘How is this shit so popular?’
-Taylor Sheridan on the Joe Rogan Podcast
Someone should make a documentary about the bubble in which many well-known senior commentators lived. Sheridan rightly refers to the “disconnect” between the entertainment industry, critics who fawn over its products, and audiences.
Once you’ve tasted caviar, it’s hard to go back to eating frozen tilapia fillets on your Taco Tuesday. The growing gulf between critics and audiences is of their own making.
The problem with living in a bubble is that it’s easy to forget what’s outside. Peripheral vision gives way to tunnel vision.
When an 85% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes is compared to a 30% audience score, never doubt that fact. There is no contemplation, no self-reflection. There is a huge lack of understanding as to why the 45% gap exists.
Professional critics are paid
To be honest, there is simply no way around this question. Someone is footing the bill, and the value of critics increases with the wave of social media.
The divisive nature of the times we live in does not allow for deviation from the status quo. Independent thought is of little value to this field.
Expressing views that run counter to the collective spectacle is one of the most effective ways to stem the flow of currency, no matter which side you are on. As the old saying goes, “getting along makes you get along,” mostly because it’s so rewarding.
Fortunately, audiences caught on to this approach much faster and objected vehemently. So what’s the point of being a critic if critical decisions rarely meet with the audience’s approval, forcing the audience to ignore them?
Furthermore, no one is looking to Claudia Puig or Ben Mankiewicz to sway movie decisions. Most people are hopping on YouTube and TikTok, catching word of mouth, or making decisions based on trailers.
No entity is more familiar with this than The Walt Disney Studios. Audiences and reviews for Disney shows and movies tend to vary widely. Doubt any other studio has as many.
For the most part, viewers can be of two minds about what most critics think of Disney or Disney-backed productions.
cultural divide
This is not to take sides, at least not from the author’s perspective. However, for some people, it is.
Critics are too concerned with whether television and film productions conform to a certain cultural standard that changes like a chameleon from month to month, rather than with the value and merit of the product.
Unfortunately, we live in an age of division across philosophical, moral, cultural and political oceans. In the case of Taylor Sheridan, this cultural divide unduly affected his creative work.
While Yellowstone is far from a right-wing utopia, critics like to conflate Yellowstone with center-right thinking. In fact, it’s rare for a show to so fluidly showcase all aspects of both sides without overtly insulting either side.
Yellowstone is far from the brainchild of Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Taylor Sheridan made this clear in a November 2022 interview:
“This show talks about the displacement of Native Americans and the treatment of Native American women, and corporate greed and gentrification of the West, and land grabbing. Is this a Red State show?
Anyone viewing Yellowstone with an open mind must agree to this. There is simply no other solution. However, there is a deep divide between those in power and the film and television critics they employ.
Recent seasons seem to be changing some people’s minds on that front, but the distrust of today’s critics remains. Critics ratings on Tomatometer don’t matter at the moment. The show will remain one of the most popular shows on the planet.
In fact, given Yellowstone’s lack of a solid, familiar home, its continued popularity is even more surprising. Most newcomers to the show can’t figure out whether it airs on the Paramount Network, Paramount+, Peacock, CBS or anywhere else.
An expression of dissatisfaction or legitimate criticism?
Of course, appearing on the Joe Rogan Podcast isn’t going to change anyone’s opinion of Taylor Sheridan or the movies and shows he’s made and is making.
Although Joe Rogan is more of a centrist than left or right. Unfortunately, because the masses are so divided, especially the masses in Hollywood versus the masses in rural America, “centrist” is ideologically right or left, depending on where one stands.
They seem to feel the need to judge any project through the lens of today’s new “ethical issues.” What movie should we make? You can make a movie about something they support and they’ll support that movie.
-Taylor Sheridan on the Joe Rogan Podcast
As a result, critics often lambasted Yellowstone and several of Sheridan’s works for having poor character arcs, ridiculous premises, lengthy plots, and boring plots.
If this is true, what does that mean for viewers, especially as Yellowstone breaks records every season?
Either Taylor Sheridan has a solid point, or millions of viewers are highly theatrical and uninterested in creativity and artistic appeal.
This is to argue that professional television critics have little or no relevance.
Do you think critics are still relevant today? Will Taylor Sheridan become a pariah, or will his plans continue to succeed? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Watch Yellowstone Online
