Paramount Network Orders Unscripted Series ‘Last Cowboy’ From ‘Yellowstone’s’ Taylor Sheridan
By Joe Otterson
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Paramount Network is doubling down on its relationship with Taylor Sheridan.
The cable network has ordered a new unscripted series created by Sheridan, the co-creator of the hit scripted series “Yellowstone.” The series is titled “The Last Cowboy.” It chronicles the lives of eight men and women who compete on the regular reining circuit, a western-based competition where riders guide horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins and stops. In conjunction with the series, Sheridan is also launching a reining event called “Run for a Million,” the sport’s first-ever, arena-based competition with a $1 million purse, marking the largest in its history. The upcoming event will take place on August 15-17, 2019 at the South Point Arena and Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, with the competition serving as the series finale.
“The grit, beauty and tenacity of the West are linked to America’s legacy and my creative drive has been to explore those, in all their complexities, in film and scripted television,” Sheridan said. “Now, with ‘The Last Cowboy’ and ‘Run for a Million,’ we’re bringing the real men and women, and their dedication to the sport of reining, to the small screen, an unmasking of the cowboy world that we hope TV audiences will enjoy.”
News of the series comes after the Season 2 premiere of “Yellowstone,” which was renewed for a third season before the second has even premiered. The show is easily the most successful launch for Paramount Network, averaging 5.1 million viewers per episode across platforms in its first season. “The Last Cowboy” joins other Paramount Network unscripted series such as “Bar Rescue,” “Lip Sync Battle,” and “Ink Master,” which are all holdovers from when the network was still Spike TV.
“The Last Cowboy” is produced Truly Original, which also produces “Ink Master,” with Glenda Hersh and Steven Weinstock serving as executive producers. , 101 Studios, and David C. Glasser serve as executive producers. Tori Socha oversees the production for Paramount Network.
