There’s no denying that “Yellowstone” is a huge presence on television. Since premiering in 2018, the modern Western starring Kevin Costner has snowballed in popularity, having already produced two hit spin-offs — the prequel series “1883” and “1923.” Now, as fans patiently await the final installment of the show, which is set to air in late 2024, some of the void is being filled with “Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” a new limited series executive produced by “Yellowstone” mastermind Taylor Sheridan that currently streams on Paramount+.
While it isn’t directly related to “Yellowstone” or either of that show’s spin-offs, “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” fits squarely into the Western genre that Sheridan has carefully curated over the course of his career. But for “Bass Reeves,” the television mogul largely handed over many of the duties he usually assumes, instead passing the baton to Chad Feehan, who earns top billing as creator/showrunner.
Feehan took the job of making sure “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” was as accurate and as representative of the time as possible, reflecting the nuanced culture of late-19th century America, which allowed the real-life Reeves to become the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi River.
In order to do that, Feehan enlisted “Yellowstone” star Mo Brings Plenty as a consultant on the show to make sure Native Americans were respectfully depicted. During an exclusive interview with Looper, Feehan discussed how the “Yellowstone” actor helped shape the “Bass Reeves” storyline.
Feehan relied on Mo Brings Plenty’s real-life experience
Mo Brings Plenty has previously served as a consultant on “Yellowstone,” “1883,” and “1923,” bringing his experience as a member of the Lakota Nation and resident of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota to ensure authenticity when it comes to the depiction of Native Americans. It was a perspective that was also much-needed on “Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” said Chad Feehan.
“Authenticity was paramount to this series,” he explained. “We had many American Indian consultants throughout the show, but the first was Mo — who I was introduced to by Taylor — and [we] relied on him and others to make sure that we got our storytelling correct throughout the season.”
It was an undertaking that Feehan felt compelled to uphold throughout every aspect of filming, starting with the writers room. “I view television writing as a team sport,” he said. “My job was to hire the most talented, diverse, and wide array of voices as I could to be a part of the writing team. My touchstone for this series was the universality of the human condition and the thing that connects all of us as human beings, and to very carefully listen to perspectives and experiences that I couldn’t possibly know and allow those voices to shine through … I felt enormous pressure and responsibility to get it as right as we possibly could.”
In addition to his role as consultant, Mo Brings Plenty also appears onscreen in “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” as Minco Dodge, a friend of the titular character played by David Oyelowo.
“Lawmen: Bass Reeves” streams exclusively on Paramount+, with new episodes every Sunday.