Taylor Sheridan’s Forgotten ‘Yellowstone’ Spin-off Could Revive the Classic TV Western

With Marshals and Dutton Ranch currently airing their first seasons, Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe is hardly short on new branches. Still, for several years now, fans have been holding out hope that Sheridan’s proposed Texas-based 6666 spin-off might still happen. The potential series about the real-life Four Sixes Ranch in the Lone Star State would follow Jefferson White‘s Jimmy Hurdstrom as he builds a new life away from the Dutton drama that defined Yellowstone. That alone makes 6666 an intriguing expansion of the franchise, but its real promise may be bigger than another spin-off. Sheridan’s long-delayed series could be his modern answer to classic Western programs like Rawhide — a grounded, working-cowboy drama less interested in family dynasty and more focused on the day-to-day mythology of the American West.

‘Yellowstone: 6666’ Could Offer a Different Take on the Modern American West

Back in 2021, Sheridan announced that 6666 was in development, and fans wondered what the Texas-based cowboy drama would entail. As the fourth season of Yellowstone sent Jimmy down south to the Four Sixes, it seemed as if Sheridan was doing everything in his power to move at least part of the Dutton narrative to the Lone Star State. By the time Season 4 ended, Jimmy chose to remain in Texas, having gotten engaged to Emily (Kathryn Kelly) and begun a new life as a genuine cowboy in the best state for the profession. Season 5, likewise, spent a considerable amount of time down south. But with so many Yellowstone sequel spin-offs currently in development — be it CBS’s upcoming Y: Marshals, the Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser Dutton Ranch project, or The Madison, another Montana-based series about rich East Coasters moving West — 6666 could be a breath of fresh air.

So much of the greater Yellowstone universe, including its various prequels, focuses primarily on the Dutton family. In many respects, many of Sheridan’s existing shows are still too similar to Yellowstone to move beyond the boundaries that the neo-Western franchise has set for itself — the fact that 1923‘s plot is nearly identical to Yellowstone‘s is a glaring reminder that this franchise needs some fresh blood. In that sense, 6666 could very well be the answer. Some of the best material in Yellowstone‘s final three seasons, especially, was everything that occurred with the ranch hands on the open plains and in the bunkhouse. Setting a new spin-off on the Four Sixes, where we’ve seen what a large-scale cattle operation can do, is one exciting way to emphasize this tried-and-true element of Sheridan’s Western brand.

Instead of focusing on the capitalistic dangers of land-grabbing plots and hostile takeovers, 6666 is a project that has the potential to revolve around the simple Texan cowboys who produce much of the country’s beef. Not only could it further educate audiences on how the industry works, but it could also shed light on a lesser-understood profession and elevate the modern cowboy beyond rodeo kings and Old West heroes. Dealing in more intensive situations like cattle drives and battling the elements, as well as potential animal threats or cattle wrestlers, is something that Yellowstone promised from the start, only to get bogged down by its overall plot in the process. Without the need to infuse the Texan drama with the corporate side of things, we can certainly see the potential for 6666 as a drama that expands on the life and times of the modern-day American cowboy.

Taylor Sheridan’s ‘6666’ Spin-off Could Be a Serialized TV Western

Image via Paramount Plus

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This is, of course, where the Rawhide comparisons come in. If Sheridan and Paramount were to lean into the cowboy drama of it all, 6666 could be a show that not only honors one of the most important professions in America but also serves as a modern-day answer to more traditional TV Westerns, with Rawhide being perhaps the most obvious of the bunch. What made a show like Rawhide so popular for so long was that it followed no-nonsense trailboss Gil Favor (Eric Fleming), ramrod Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood), and their crew of cowboys as they traveled across the Old West, often finding themselves in peculiar situations and in the middle of introspective character dramas that kept audiences returning for more. While television (including within the Western genre) isn’t structured quite like these old network shows these days, 6666 could learn from the show that got Eastwood his start by avoiding serialization and taking each episode at a time — the same way a cowboy takes things one day at a time.

Instead of fighting off land-grabbers and real estate developers again and again, the Texas-based series could get into the nitty-gritty of cowboy life, the struggles of juggling family, and the dangers that present themselves. For eight seasons, Rawhide made an adventure out of herding cattle across the American West, and now 6666 could do something similar in the Lone Star State. Over the course of four seasons on Yellowstone, Jimmy went from being a total screw-up and an active criminal to becoming a proficient cowboy worthy of the Four Sixes brand. By the time he returns in Season 5, he’s still the butt of the joke among his Yellowstone friends, but he has made a name for himself down south for his optimistic outlook and ability to overcome the odds against him. Emphasizing this type of character in 6666 would further separate it from the nihilistic flavor of Sheridan’s other Texas-made drama, Landman, and infuse a bit more life into the Yellowstone universe.

‘Yellowstone’s ‘6666’ Spin-off Has Been in Development Hell Since 2021

If you’re anything like this author and have been holding out hope that 6666 might still happen (despite the years of radio silence on the project), the sad news is that we may be out of luck. In speaking with The Daily Mail, Jefferson White was asked if he was in the works to return for a future Yellowstone Universe spin-off. “Not that I know of now,” he told the outlet. “I kept my fingers crossed, but also, I’d be grateful if I got to do more, and I’m grateful for what I got to do.” For those hoping that Sheridan has been in contact with the star about what might become of 6666, this could be a tough blow. Some people say “no news is good news,” but the saying doesn’t rightly apply to a long-anticipated television series that has largely faded out of the public eye, especially in the aftermath of the ending of the flagship drama it planned to spin off from.

Of course, just because White doesn’t know if he’s returning for more doesn’t mean that 6666 is completely off the table. In a sit-down with The Hollywood Reporter back in 2023, Sheridan, who owns the real-life Four Sixes Ranch, expressed his admiration for the Texan operation. “I grew up in the shadow of the Four Sixes,” he explained. “This was the ranch I based [Yellowstone’s] scope and operation on, because it didn’t exist in Montana.” Back then, Sheridan had told Paramount that the network needed patience in developing the project, as he needed to make sure it was possible for the series itself to work alongside the ranch, which is still in operation. It’s clear that Sheridan cares deeply for the Four Sixes, and in wanting to make it “the most famous ranch in America,” one can understand why a television series based on the working ranch would be the way to go about that.

Yet, Sheridan’s recent breakup with Paramount doesn’t offer us much comfort as we meditate on what could be. Perhaps Sheridan would be willing to revisit this project at another point in time, divorcing it from the Yellowstone Universe entirely. On the other hand, it could be that after working at it for quite some time, it proved too tough to crack. Either way, here’s hoping that we get some sort of update on 6666 in the near future — and that if it does happen, it will echo the classic television Westerns that played during the genre’s peak.

Yellowstone is available for streaming on Peacock, while Rawhide can be streamed in its entirety on PlutoTV.