Explaining How Yellowstone's Dutton Family Came From Sons Of Anarchy

Taylor Sheridan's neo-Western drama yellow stone helped revitalize the western genre on television, but it has its roots in another neo-western that is not always recognized as such: Sons of Anarchy. Starring Kevin Costner and a talented cast, yellow stone became a huge hit thanks to its potent mix of drama, action and a heady western setting. While the cowboys, rural setting, and gunfights certainly evoke classic Western vibes, the political maneuvering and corporate espionage feel like something more modern dramatic, which is part of the reason why yellow stoneAudience demographics are very varied and diverse.

While yellow stone has its own trademark aesthetic and language, creator Taylor Sheridan draws on some of the best TV dramas of the last 30 years, which is a credit to him as showrunner. The parallels between yellow stone and FX's crime drama Sons of Anarchyfor example, they are abundant. The similarities are so abundant that Yellowstone has been referred to as "Sons of Anarchy on horseback" in certain Internet circles. Taylor Sheridan is one of TV's most talented and unique dramatic writers, for sure, and the influence of Sons of Anarchy on yellow stone it is clear.

Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan was part of the main cast of Sons Of Anarchy

Sheridan played Deputy Chief David Hale

Years before he put pen to paper yellow stoneTaylor Sheridan was a TV actor who had several minor roles to his name before Sons of Anarchy premiered in 2008. The award-winning family drama was set against the backdrop of an often violent motorcycle club's struggle to accumulate power, wealth, freedom and revenge, although not necessarily in that order. Taylor Sheridan played Deputy Sheriff David Hale in the show's first three seasonsthe law enforcer and enemy of the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club.

Sheridan's time on the main cast came to an end when his character was unceremoniously killed in a shootout, which was reportedly forced as a result of a pay dispute that caused Sheridan to leave the show (although SOAKurt Sutter's creator said Hale was killed because Sheridan wanted to pursue another project). Although never directly addressed by Sheridan, many yellow stone Fans recognize that the season 3 episode "Going Back to Cali", which shows John Dutton and the Yellowstone cowboys getting involved with a California motorcycle gang, was a reference to Sheridan's bitter departure from Sons of Anarchy.

Taylor Sheridan Cast Several Former Sons Of Anarchy Co-Stars In Yellowstone

Former SOA stars can be found in the Yellowstone timeline

In addition to the motorcyclist's call in yellow stonethere are some other notable crossovers between the two shows. For example, Sheridan used some cast members from Sons of Anarchy in the ever-growing cast of the growing yellow stone universe. One of the most prominent is Q'orianka Kilcher (The New World), who starred yellow stone as vengeful litigator and business consultant Angela Blue Thunder more than a decade after playing Chibs' daughter Kerrianne Telford in season 3 of Sons of Anarchy.

Screen legend Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day) makes appearances in both Sons of Anarchy and the yellow stone spin off 1923. He plays Sons of Anarchy San Bernadino chapter president Les Packerand in 1923 Patrick plays Sheriff William McDowell. Lamonica Garrett also appears in both universes; he ironically plays David Hale's replacement, Deputy Sheriff Cane, in Sons of Anarchywhile he played Agent Pinkerton Thomas in yellow stonespin-off 1883.

Sons Of Anarchy is considered a neo-Western genre overlap with Yellowstone

The two shows also share great similarities in plot

For most, Sons of Anarchy is considered a crime drama, more in line with gangster films and television than a Western. However, when exploring the show's themes, many of the characteristics of a western emerge. SAMCRO members are considered outlaws, a concept born directly from the Wild Westand their rebellion or subversion of the law is a consistent element of the group's activities. His brand of justice often goes beyond the law and certainly fits the definition of “frontier justice” in the West, where revenge was often carried out on a personal level.

Most importantly, Sons of Anarchy is framed around the themes of individualism and personal freedomwith the club working to stop the march of progress and change in their hometown. This is where your greatest bond with yellow stoneand why both shows can and should be considered neo-westerns with a genuine genre overlap. 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 clearly intended this or not, yellow stone is a spiritual successor of Sons of Anarchyin the theme, if not in the configuration.