Before he was a big-time television writer and producer,Taylor Sheridantried to be a successful actor. He didn’t find the glory he craved, but, unlike many other actors who normally have to settle for obscure productions, Sheridan was lucky enough to have tiny roles in popular shows. His screen debut came inWalker, Texas Ranger.TheYellowstonecreator then went on to star in shows likeStar Trek: Enterprise, NYPD Blue, CSI: NY, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,andVeronica Mars.
NCIS: Los Angeles
Sheridan’s biggest acting obligation came when he was cast as Deputy David Hale in the FX crime dramaSons of Anarchy. This was the only time he got to play a character in more than 20 episodes, and he received wide praise for brilliantly channeling his character’s black-and-white views. However, this wasn’t enough for Sheridan, who started considering a career in writing. His final appearance in a show produced by another person came onNCIS: Los Angeles. Sheridan appeared in the episode “Enemy Within,” portraying a Navy Captain.
The NCIS Team Attempts To Foil an Assassination Plot in “The Enemy Within”
“The Enemy Within” aired on August 25, 2025, and was one of the highest-rated episodes of Season 2. According to Nielsen data,it was viewed by approximately 17 million people, an impressive figure, considering it aired towards the end of a very lengthy season. Whilst it is impossible to take some scenes seriously (in classic network fashion, a few plot contrivances are ludicrous and push the credulity to the elastic limit),the episode succeeds in holding the viewer’s attention with its engaging, geopolitical narrative and magnetic performances from everyone, including Sheridan.
Events kick off withthe NCIS team investigating the disappearance of a Navy Intelligence commander. Moodily lit with some eerie expressionistic brushes, this somber opening doesn’t exactly send a shiver down the spine, but establishes a suitably oppressive mood for what follows. Our missing man was last seen at the Malibu pier, delivering a mysterious envelope to a man who was later murdered. The team discovers thatthe commander had been monitoring a Venezuelan presidential candidate whom the U.S strongly supports. The politician is expected to visit Los Angeles for a series of meetings.
Taylor Sheridan Appeared in a Beloved Crime Mystery Series Way Before His ‘Yellowstone’ Fame
Though he is now known for his dazzling work behind the camera, Hollywood great Taylor Sheridan got his start in the beloved series ‘Veronica Mars.’
Many plausible and fanciful theories are put forward, but the team goes with the more sensible one:the commander disappeared because he uncovered a major conspiracy involving a potential assassination plot. The plot thickens when the NCIS team finds several clues in the commander’s room, including the itinerary of the politician’s visit. It soon becomes clear that covert operatives have been hired to take down the emerging South American leader.
After digging into local Cuban expatriate circles, investigators Callen (Chris O’Donnell) and Hanna (LL Cool J)probe local Cuban expatriate circles and pinpoint an exiled Venezuelan man who is linked to radical elements that are against the candidate’s political views. Meanwhile, two other NCIS officers are almost killed by the driver of a pickup truck, suggesting that dirty elements are monitoring the team and are willing to kill to prevent an investigation.
The team soon acquires more information, learning thatthe commander might have gone undercover to investigate the threat and that the politician is going to be targeted at a rally. More investigations reveal that the killer is closely linked to the commander. How will they stop the madness, given that there will be serious political consequences if the assassination happens?
Sheridan Plays It Safe in “The Enemy Within”
The recurring cast is charming as ever in “The Enemy Within,” and Sheridan steps up to the plate with memorable supporting work. Heplays Navy Captain Jennings, a Naval Intelligence Officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency who only appears for a few minutes, briefing Special Agents Callen and Hanna about the missing Naval lieutenant commander.
With a little help from a memorably creepy score, the episode comes off as an expertly woven thriller that chills the blood and leaves us imagining we might all be mere cogs in one mega conspiracy. Sheridan’s fans won’t get to enjoy much from him here, a perfect role for the actor since it was much in line withwhat he had done until that point. He was an easy shoo-in for the role of someone who says “this happened, so we need to do this,” andNCIS: LAwas the kind of milieu in which the actor appeared most at home, ashe had been typecast as military figures and cops, roles that tended to suit him well given his all-American looks.
Taylor Sheridan Starred With Chuck Norris in This Forgotten TV Episode
Taylor Sheridan’s resume stretches as far back as the mid-’90s when he starred alongside Chuck Norris in an episode of ‘Walker, Texas Ranger.’
Whilst it may not live up to the sheer excellence of the earlier work, Sheridan’s performance is still highly entertaining. TheNCISproducers must have been huge fans ofSons of Anarchy,since Jennings does pretty much what we’d expect David Hale to do. The latter had been superb as the only straight lawman in a fictional town, his Columbo-like persistence impressive as he waded into labyrinths of gang schemes to unravel well-orchestrated robberies and murders. The former simplyreveals that something has happened, action needs to be taken, and there’s no time to waste. He is simply a tool here, existing to set up a larger story.
It would have been great if Sheridan had been given more responsibility, considering how good the episode is. But as minimal as the role is, it’s still an important part of his resume.
“The Enemy Within” Marked the Beginning of Taylor Sheridan’s Flirtation With the Military
Ever since he starred inNCIS,Taylor Sheridan has continued to honor the military through his work. He has never openly expressed his appreciation for servicemen, yetthe love is evident in his movies and TV shows where military personnel are portrayed authentically and heroically through storylines that emphasize their bravery, resilience, sacrifice, and humanity.Sheridan also tends to condemn the weak aspects of the broader institutions through which these men and women serve.
TakeSpecial Ops: Lioness, whereSheridan frequently glorifies the collaborative process between the Special Forces and America’s intelligence system. In the same show, the character Joe is depicted as valiant and jingoistic, yet he never hesitates to question the motives of the higher-ups. The show as a whole asks a few questions about U.S. interventions in the Middle East and several other countries in the world. At the same time, the dedication, skill, and efficiency of military institutions are never put into doubt.
The Shocking Reason Taylor Sheridan Left ‘Sons of Anarchy,’ Explained
Award-winning writer and director Taylor Sheridan got his big break on the hit drama ‘Sons of Anarchy.’ So, why did he quit in the middle of the show?
We could also take a peek intoYellowstone,where John Dutton’s youngest son, Kayce Dutton, is a former Navy SEAL suffering from PTSD. It is often suggested that his loyalty and bravery are tied to his military background. So is his occasionally erratic behavior.
It would be a crime to leave outWithout Remorse, starring Michael B. Jordan, whereSheridan eschews soppy sentimentality and embraces chilly realism throughout the proceedings. Consequently, we are treated to one of the drabbest and most crushingly prosaic of his works.
The TV titan could have been forgiven for passing on the Tom Clancy adaptation, considering that he had his own good things going when the movie was made, but he gladly agreed to step in and rewrite the script when the producers were looking for someone to boost the quality. Hechanged a few things from the book, crafting a unique tale that underscores the often unappreciated sacrifices of military personnel. Sheridan also has a role as a paramilitary field officer with the CIA’s Special Activities Division in12 Strong, a film about a Special Forces team sent to Afghanistan immediately after 9/11.
All of Taylor Sheridan’s military-related work came afterNCIS, so it can be safely concluded that the long-running procedural either cultivated the love for servicemen in him or reminded him of how many sacrifices the protectors go through. Whatever the reason, we are glad that it happened, and we’ll likely be treated to more war-related tales from him in the future.
