From the moment Landman starts, you can’t help but be drawn into a fascinating world of oilmen, roughnecks, cartel El Jefes, and a giant heaping spoonful of Texas drawl. Right away, the series pulls no punches and turns the tables on the viewer like no other. Think I’m wrong? Hardly.
That’s because no one can act their way out of a hood like Billy Bob Thornton does in Landman. Brought to a cartel meeting with his hands tied behind his back and his face covered, he pulls no punches. He tells the dangerous, armed guards that the land is now owned by big Texas oil, and if they don’t comply, he’ll bring the full power of the federal government down on them.
It is a stunning scene that sets up a series that is one of the best on American television.
Landman Review and Synopsis
Thornton plays Tommy Norris, a crisis executive at an oil company who literally puts out fires daily. He works for Monty (Jon Hamm), a titan of big Texas oil. He is married to Cami (The Substance’s Demi Moore). Monty sold his family’s land for hundreds of millions of dollars before the pandemic, then bought it back for pennies on the dollar afterward.
Monty admires him, and the feeling is mutual. That’s because everyone underestimates Tommy, a roughneck with a quick mind, common sense, and strategic maneuvering. However, that all goes out the window when it comes to his personal life, including his ex-wife Angela (a wonderful Ali Larter) and his bluntly upfront daughter, Ainsley (1923‘s Michelle Randolph).
To top it off, Tommy’s son, Copper (Mud’s Jacob Lofland), quit college three months before graduation to work in the oil fields—one of the most dangerous professions in the world. Tommy enlists some of his oldest and most trusted associates (including Michael Peña) to show Copper the ropes. It’s a family tradition, but one with dire consequences.
Landman is One of the Year’s Very Best Shows!
After watching Landman, it’s clear that Taylor Sheridan has established himself as one of the most distinct voices in American television. There’s nothing quite like a series from the Academy Award-nominated writer of Hell or High Water and Sicario. His shows are tough, gritty, exciting, suspenseful, and often incredibly funny.
You have the sensation known as Yellowstone and its classic Western spinoffs, which have attracted some of the biggest stars in the industry. Who else could bring Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, Kevin Costern, Zoe Saldaña, and Nicole Kidman together on streaming television? It’s the tension, pacing, and comic relief. It’s the addictive dialogue.
Yet, his characters are steeped in realism—salt of the earth, yet poetry in motion.
Is Landman Worth Watching?
Landman is a sprawling modern American tale of dreamers. Outside of Sling Blade, Thornton gives the best performance of his career. He’s charming, funny, crude, and tenacious. I’m not sure we’ve ever seen a lead character with this many flaws who isn’t a villain. His scenes with Larter are magic, and with Randolph, they are situational and rooted in discomfort.
Moore is underused in the first five episodes screened for critics. Hamm makes the most of his time as a powerful titan of industry. However, this show is about the drill jocks and the iron hands. You learn about the culture, the history, and why these men put themselves in harm’s way. There is simply nothing like Landman on television, streaming, or network.
Landman is a bold and brash series that is beautifully shot, expertly acted, and well-written. Thornton’s work is extraordinary here. Sheridan deeply explores why everything is big in Texas, including dreams, in a way that only scratches the surface.
You can stream Landman starting November 17 with a two-episode premiere, followed by new episodes each week.
Landman Review — Billy Bob Thornton Answers the Call in Taylor Sheridan’s New Series, One of the Year’s Best!
From the moment Landman begins, you can’t help but be drawn into a fascinating world of oilmen, roughnecks, cartel El Jefes, and a giant heaping spoonful of Texas drawl. Landman is a sprawling modern American tale of dreamers. A bold and brash series that is beautifully shot, expertly acted, and well-written.
