“Taylor really can’t write for female characters”: Yellowstone Fans Aren’t Impressed With How Taylor Sheridan Fleshed Out a ‘S*x Siren’ in the Show Who Some Fans Feel is Badly Miscast

Fans Criticize Taylor Sheridan’s Writing of Female Characters in Yellowstone.

Ever since it first graced our screens, Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone has garnered a dedicated fanbase with its gripping storylines and complex characters. Filled with some incredible characters, the series also has its fair share of villains who have turned out to be fan-favorite antagonists. However, one recently introduced villain seems not to be faring as well with fans.

Yellowstone

This particular villain is Sarah Atwood, portrayed by Dawn Olivieri, introduced in season five of the show. While Sheridan is celebrated for crafting engaging narratives and characters, fans lately seemed to be voicing concerns over his portrayal of female characters, particularly of Sarah, who feels miscast as well as flat.

Yellowstone S*x Siren Villain Leaves Taylor Sheridan Fans Disappointed
Dawn Olivieri as Sarah Atwood in Yellowstone [Credit: Paramount Network]

Taylor Sheridan is often hailed as a great writer, thanks to him creating some of the best TV shows and movies of all time. However, fans of Yellowstone do not seem to be happy with the addition of Sarah Atwood, season 5’s antagonist. a lawyer hired by Market Equities CEO Carline Warner, the character is one of the first antagonists featured in the show who has grown closest to the Dutton family.

Yet, fans are not happy with either the portrayal, the writing, or the casting of the character, who was supposed to be a ‘s*x siren’ villain. Several fans believe, Sarah’s character is more like that of a ‘soap character’, lacking any allure or sophistication that is generally expected of a femme fatale in a show like Yellowstone.

However, the critique does not end with Sarah, for fans believe Sheridan, in general, lacks the ability to write well-built female characters. Comparing his female characters to those of ‘Disney villains’, lacking and undeveloped, fans believe Taylor Sheridan is only apt at crafting male characters. And when it comes to well-developed, sophisticated female characters, the writer’s female characters fall short of fully fleshed-out individuals with their own agency.

Fans Believe Taylor Sheridan Cannot Write Female Characters With Finesse
Taylor Sheridan in a still from Sons of Anarchy | FX Network

Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone has several brilliant female characters, ranging from protagonists to supporting characters and antagonists. Yet, fans believe, that despite the talent for wearing intricate plots and developing complex male characters, Sheridan’s female characters often lack similar depth and nuance exhibited by their male counterparts.

While most fans continue to defend the actor-writer, fans on Reddit had much to say about Sarah and other female characters of Yellowstone.

As Yellowstone prepares to end, we only hope Taylor Sheridan will be able to better flesh out his female characters and deliver performances that resonate more with the audience. Set for more potential success in the future, seeing the many dramas Sheridan is busy creating, we hope he will be able to elevate his writing when it comes to writing more nuanced female characters.

Meanwhile, Yellowstone can be streamed on Peacock.