Taylor Sheridan never stops working. We are lucky that the multi-hyphenate talent has given us everything from historical epics to contemporary melodramas while developing a roster of writers and directors he can rely on to shepherd his various ideas into popular television programming. Through his various series, Sheridan has been more hands-on with some than others, and Landman benefits from having his involvement as a writer on all ten episodes and director on the first two. Landman is not only another solid entry in Sheridan’s expanding roster of projects but also his best series since the first season of Yellowstone (READ OUR REVIEW).
Based on Christian Wallace’s podcast Boomtown, Landman follows Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton), a veteran of the oil business, as he fixes the day-to-day operational challenges for his boss, Monty Miller (Jon Hamm). These problems range from dealing with legal challenges, the death of oil engineers, and negotiating with Mexican drug lords using the West Texas land that Norris’ employers are drilling on. Tommy must also contend with his son Cooper (Jacob Lofland) working the high-risk life of an oil engineer while his daughter Ainsley (Michelle Randolph) and his ex-wife Angela (Ali Larter) complicate his home life. It is a high-stakes glimpse into the working-class world of those who get us the fuel we need daily with the risks the rich and powerful must face.
I chatted about Landman with the series stars, including Billy Bob Thornton and Ali Larter. Billy Bob Thornton talked about the unexpected humor inside the deeply dramatic world of Tommy Norris. In contrast, Ali Larter talked about Angela as more than a cliche ex-wife character. Taylor Sheridan collaborator James Jordan talked about what sets this series apart from Yellowstone, while Mark Collie talked about his Sheriff character and how he channeled the role. Jacob Lofland talked about the arduous life Cooper has chosen to lead. Kayla Wallace talked about her character Rebecca Falcone and whether she could hold her own opposite Kelly Reilly’s Beth Dutton. Paulina Chavez discussed the honor of playing her character of Paulina. Check out the full interviews in the embed above.
Landman is now streaming on Paramount+.