Two Taylor Sheridan Projects Feature An Almost-Identical Plot Hole

Look, Taylor Sheridan makes great TV shows and movies, but they have a tendency to introduce ideas that go nowhere. It's why "Yellowstone" lost its way as the series progressed, despite remaining consistently entertaining in spite of its errors. On that note, let's talk about the "Yellowstone" storyline where young Tate (Brecken Merrill) is supposed to look after his horse, Lucky, only for the idea to be dropped — and how Sheridan's feature film directorial effort "Those Who Wish Me Dead" makes a similar mistake.

Tate becomes Lucky's owner in "Yellowstone" season 2 after convincing his grandfather, John Dutton (Kevin Costner), to buy it for him (so he can learn how to become a cowboy). John agrees, but he sets some rules first: Tate must feed, water, and look after the steed, or else he can expect it to die of starvation and dehydration. However, Tate gets kidnapped by the ruthless Beck brothers while feeding his horse later on in the season, and Lucky disappears into the ether without an explanation afterward.

There's an argument to be made that the Lucky storyline only exists to serve as a catalyst for Tate's kidnapping — it doesn't have to be significant. Be that as it may, not finding out what happens to the horse — not to mention Tate's lack of general screen time with the animal during season 2 — makes it feel pointless in the grand scheme of things. With that in mind, how does "Those Who Wish Me Dead" commit an identical faux pas?

"Those Who Wish Me Dead" — directed by Taylor Sheridan from a script he co-wrote with Michael Koryta and Charles Leavitt — is an entertaining thriller with some solid action sequences. The story follows Connor, a boy (Finn Little) who goes on the run in the Montana wilderness after witnessing his father's assassination. The story is simple and effective, yet Sheridan and co. make it more flawed than it has to be thanks to another teased idea about a boy bonding with a horse falling by the wayside.

The scene in question sees Connor and his (still alive) father pull over by the side of the road, leading to the former walking into a field to pet the horse. Featuring plenty of close-ups and a sense of calm, it's presented as a poignant moment. Connor's dad urges him to get away from the wild animal, but the kid assuredly tells his old man that the horse is nice — and he's right. It implies that Connor might have a spiritual bond with nature or horses that will become significant to his story later on. Then the movie continues without following up the idea from a storytelling or thematic perspective, and that's the end of it.

In Sheridan's fictional worlds, young characters bond with horses without any proper payoffs, despite initially leading viewers to believe that the ideas will have some substance. It's happened twice now, so let's hope it doesn't become a trend moving forward. Sheridan is a talented storyteller, but silly plot holes like these examples are why his work is often criticized.