Following in the footsteps on Yellowstone and Mayor of Kingstown, Taylor Sheridan is back with Landman, a deep dive into the high-stakes world of Texas oil that drips with greed, ambition and the ever-present threat of collapse. At the center of it all is Billy Bob Thornton. He’s the charismatic but morally fluid crisis manager Tommy Norris, a man who navigates the cutthroat oil industry with the ease of a snake slithering through a brushfire.
If there’s one thing Sheridan knows how to do, it’s crafting morally complex men in a world where the law is more of a suggestion than a rulebook. Thornton is the perfect fit for this landscape—his Tommy Norris is equal parts smooth talker and ruthless tactician, someone who can shake your hand and steal your fortune all in the same motion. His performance is effortlessly compelling, bringing the perfect mix of charm and menace.
Inspired by Boomtown, the Texas Monthly podcast, the show offers a no-holds-barred look at the modern energy industry—fracking, land rights, environmental battles, and, of course, the corruption and backdoor deals that keep the machine running. The cinematography captures Texas in all its stark beauty, a land of endless wealth and just as many broken promises.
While Landman delivers all the Sheridan staples (power struggles, gripping monologues and testosterone-fueled conflicts )there’s a lingering sense of déjà vu. If you’ve seen Yellowstone or Tulsa King, you already know the rhythms: morally grey protagonist, powerful enemies, and plenty of verbal and physical showdowns. It works, but it’s hardly groundbreaking.
Ali Larter, who is best known for Final Destination and the whipped-cream bikini-wearing cheerleader from Varsity Blues, brings a sharp, steely presence to Landman. She plays Tommy Norris’ ex-wife/current wife. Sadly, her character feels a underdeveloped and shallow throughout most of the episodes, but the writing doesn’t quite give her enough room to dominate the screen the way she’s capable of.
The best storyline in season one is the budding relationship between Cooper Norris, played by Jacob Lofland, and Ariana, played by Paulina Chávez. In a series dominated by corporate greed, land disputes, and the power plays of seasoned industry sharks, their storyline brings a much-needed sense of youthful hope, ambition and the struggle to carve out a future in a world that seems rigged against them.
If you love Sheridan’s brand of storytelling, where men fight for power in industries few truly understand, then Landman will absolutely hook you. Thornton is at the top of his game, the setting is ripe for drama, and the stakes are as high as a gusher about to blow. It may not reinvent the genre, but it certainly proves that Sheridan’s empire is far from drying up.
RHFC Rating: 7/10 🍿
