Taylor Sheridan’s Finest Western Work Isn’t Yellowstone — It’s the 2023 Miniseries Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Yellowstone reshaped modern television’s approach to the neo-Western and brought Sheridan widespread attention. Since then he’s broadened his output into crime dramas, military thrillers, and multiple Western installments tied to that world.
Standout Features of Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Lawmen: Bass Reeves, however, stands apart. It takes place outside the Yellowstone universe and delivers a tighter, more focused portrait of frontier justice.
The series stars David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves, a real-life lawman who became one of the first African American Deputy U.S. Marshals operating west of the Mississippi. Based in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and patrolling the Indian Territory, Reeves is credited with apprehending thousands of outlaws during his long career.
Storyline and Setting
The show follows Reeves from his early years in bondage, through his escape, and into his post–Civil War service as a federal marshal. In the unmarked and often lawless expanses of the Indian Territory, his tracking, marksmanship, and resolve made him an indispensable fi...