After "Landman" episode 1, I was ready to declare it "the next 'Yellowstone'." The show's debut episode wasn't perfect, but it was really good thanks to a killer performance from Billy Bob Thornton as Texas "landman" Tommy Norris.
It turned out I was right. "Landman" is, in fact, on track to be the next "Yellowstone" — if not even bigger. For context, the season 5 part 2 premiere of "Yellowstone" pulled in approximately 13.62 million viewers (h/t Variety) while the series premiere of "Landman" pulled in 14.6 million viewers in its first week on Paramount Plus (h/t Variety).
It's admittedly easy to see why Paramount's streaming service has a massive hit on its hands. Series creator Taylor Sheridan being involved gives it a big chance to be successful, and having stars like Thornton, Jon Hamm, Demi Moore and Ali Larter involved certainly doesn't hurt, even if Moore and Hamm have been on screen for maybe 15 minutes across the show's nine episodes so far. There's also something to love for everyone. Prestige TV fans get an engaging drama about the oil industry, probably peaking with the incredible episode 6, "Beware the Second Beating." Fans of Sheridan's tendency towards (sometimes soap opera-worthy) melodrama, machismo and libertarian views also get plenty of that.
@tomsguide ♬ original sound - Tom’s Guide
But as I continued watching the show's first season, I started to think that maybe this dichotomy wasn't a feature, but a bug. Sure, sometimes the relationship between Thornton's Tommy and his ex-wife turned current lover Angela (Larter) gives you some great moments, but a lot of the stuff involving Tommy's family is eye-roll-worthy to downright bad. And instead of making it a side dish to the incredible meal that is "Landman's" A-plot, Sheridan is giving us equal portions of both. And that has me seriously considering not continuing with this show after season 1.
Spoilers for "Landman" season 1 beyond this point
"Landman" flaws stem from a single problem
If you've been watching "Landman," you likely may watch the show and fully concede it's got some flaws. Tommy and Angela's relationship borders on "tradwife" in a way that's at times exasperating. Kayla Wallace's performance as Rebecca Falcone has some killer moments, particularly when she eviscerates opposing counsel in a deposition. But at other times the character is downright infuriating, and despite seemingly ready to get out of oil country as soon as possible, is now set up to be a major part of the story going forward after the events of episode 9.
Let's also not forget that Demi Moore is a potential Oscar winner who has essentially been used as set dressing so far. She could either be set for a massive role going forward, but she could also be leaving the show after episode 9's cliffhanger ending.
If watching "Landman" has taught me anything, it's that writing parts for women may not be Taylor Sheridan's strong suit
Then, there's Paulina Chávez, whose performance as the widow of oil crewman Elvio Medina has some moments but other times could be ripped straight from a soap opera. Her scenes are often saved by the fact that she gets to play off Jacob Lofland as Tommy and Angela's son Cooper Norris, who becomes her love interest after Elvio dies in an episode 1 explosion that Cooper survives.
If you've noticed a common theme here, you're correct. All these flawed performances are from women actors, but it's not their fault. If watching "Landman" has taught me anything, it's that writing parts for women may not be Taylor Sheridan's strong suit ... unless he's writing for Zoe Saldaña, who has done great work in Sheridan's movie "Sicario" and his Paramount Plus series "Lioness."
However, I think that those performances can — potentially — be fixed. These are all talented actresses. Wallace and Chávez's careers are admittedly more nascent, but we've seen Larter and Moore put on great performances more than once. Acting talent is not the problem here.
Unfortunately, I don't think the same can be said for Michelle Randolph, who plays Tommy and Angela's daughter Aynsley. For starters, at 27 years old she's simply not believable as a 17-year-old high school senior. But even if you're willing to forgive that (I certainly try to) her use as an object of sexual desire throughout the ranges from confounding, to cringeworthy to downright creepy. She's talked to her father multiple times about sexual acts she's performed with men, she's cuddled up with him in nothing but a hoodie and a pair of underwear and nearly given poor Colm Feore a heart attack with how often she's around him in either tight or very little clothing. I like to think I'm a pretty open-minded person but even my credulity has limits.
Setting all that aside, I simply haven't seen anything from Randolph's performance that indicates she's a particularly talented actor. Given how poorly her character in particular is written, I doubt I ever will.
Despite its flaws, "Landman" still has the potential for greatness
After reading that, I'm sure you're thinking "So why are you watching a show you clearly hate?" Here's the thing — I don't hate this show. There are a lot of times when I love it and plenty of times when I like it. Scenes like a plane getting crushed by an oil tanker, the beatdown Billy Bob Thornton and his men give in episode 6, Wallace's performance in episode 4 — these are all moments that remind me why I love the show.
Unfortunately, they're too often undercut by cringey moments and poor writing outside of the season's main plotline of Tommy's ongoing cold war with a Mexican cartel. And these less enjoyable moments of the show seem to be coming more frequently as the show goes on, likely because this is the show that Sheridan wants to make. I'd go as far as to say that I doubt that Sheridan has received a single note from a network executive on this show, and while the suits are often the enemy of art, everyone needs notes.
All that remains to be seen is what type of episode we get in the season finale. If we get an episode in the vein of episodes 1 or 6, then I will be first in line to watch the premiere of season 2. But if we get an episode that's heavy with the show's weaker elements, I'm not sure I can continue watching.
More from Tom's Guide
