“Give The World Away” ranks lowest among Yellowstone episodes, with a 7.1, compared to the show’s overall 8.6 rating and some fan-favorite episodes, which score as high as 9.2. The reason for this low rating is due to the heavy focus on Travis Wheatley, played by none other than Taylor Sheridan himself. Wheatley wasn’t a new character; he’d sporadically appeared throughout Yellowstone as an old friend of Costner’s John Dutton. It was the way that Wheatley’s character was utilized throughout the episode that seemed to turn fans off, and for good reason.
‘Yellowstone’s Penultimate Episode Feels Like a Monument to Taylor Sheridan
From the minute that Travis Wheatley appears on-screen, it feels less like Taylor Sheridan is scripting an episode of Yellowstone and more of a monument to his own ego. Wheatley is shown smoking cigars, with a vest open to reveal his muscles. He manages to impress Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) with his bull-riding skills, which isn’t an easy feat as Beth tends to be fairly stone-faced. Perhaps the most over-the-top scene is Wheatley’s introduction, in which he plays strip poker with three women, including his girlfriend Sadie (played by supermodel Bella Hadid). It feels like Sheridan is trying to build a backdoor pilot for a Travis Wheatley show.
“So much of this episode feels like a tribute to a supporting character who never did anything to deserve it … besides be played by the creator and writer of the show.”
The irony is that Sheridan’s shift from writing to acting stemmed from his frustration that he wasn’t getting to flex his creative muscles. “When you’re acting on a TV show [like I was], I’m not getting to tell a [story]. I was selling ad space at the end of the day. I was moving plot. I wasn’t telling a story,” he said in an interview. “Give The World Away” is strong proof that Sheridan’s talents lie behind the camera, rather than in front of it.
Taylor Sheridan Continues to Dominate TV After ‘Yellowstone’
Sheridan also sent ripples running through Hollywood when it was announced that he’d signed a lucrative new deal at Universal, effectively stripping Paramount and any future Yellowstone work from the creative voice that helped bring it to life. Before Sheridan departs Paramount in 2028, he’ll tackle a major movie project when he helps co-write the script for Call of Duty. Whatever happens next in Sheridan’s career, hopefully, he will stick to writing, directing, and executive producing rather than taking a central role.
