Lioness Creator Taylor Sheridan Faced One Major Challenge With The Paramount+ Series

Taylor Sheridan's shows once enjoyed a reputation for being the products of a cowboy who rode solo and rejected writers' rooms. However, "Lioness" — his star-studded Paramount+ series about CIA operatives — ultimately forced him to work with others, as it became untenable for him to work alone on his many series.

As Sheridan told Variety, opening the doors of "Lioness" to other collaborators presented him with new challenges he hadn't yet encountered while making his own shows.

"How am I at delegating?" he wondered. "How am I at expressing myself to these writers in a way that they understand, that they can then execute the draft and hold my vision? We'll find out."

This decision was a major turning point for the "Lioness" creator's career at the time. Not long before signing up for the series, Sheridan wrote every episode of "Yellowstone" after trying — and failing — to work with other writers in the past. Be that as it may, his reputation for being a control freak might be overblown by some.

Taylor Sheridan likes telling stories his way, but that doesn't mean he automatically rejects ideas others have to offer. In an interview with USA Today, "Lioness" star Zoe Saldaña revealed that Sheridan takes her suggestions seriously, dispelling the rumors that he's an authoritarian when it comes to telling stories on the small screen.

"Believe it or not, that cowboy knows how to play well with others," Saldaña said. "I'm humbled by the amount of consideration I receive."

Some of Sheridan's other shows, like "Tulsa King" and "Mayor of Kingstown," also feature contributions from different writers, but Sheridan still plays an important role in each show's development and creative direction. What's more, Sheridan has loosened his grip on "Yellowstone" projects, with Spencer Hudnut spearheading CBS' "Marshals" spin-off about Luke Grimes' Kayce Dutton.