Although Landman season 2 seemed like it would be able to recapture the magic of the show’s first outing in its early episodes, the Taylor Sheridan series has since struggled with critics and viewers alike. Set in West Texas, Landman is the latest Neo-Western TV series from the genre’s current king, Taylor Sheridan.
Based on the podcast series Boomtown, Landman chronicles the billionaires who run the oilfields of Texas and the troubles they face in this controversial, volatile business. With a cast that includes Sam Elliott, Jon Hamm, Demi Moore, and Billy Bob Thornton, Landman is arguably one of Taylor Sheridan’s biggest shows yet.
However, while the critical reception of Sheridan’s sprawling Yellowstone franchise remained relatively consistent throughout its seasons and spinoffs, Landman has not been so lucky. The show’s first outing was moderately well-received, with viewers highlighting Thornton’s central performance as a highlight. However, season 2’s reception was much more mixed, especially in its second half.
Why Critics & Audiences Turned On Landman Season 2
Landman season 2 initially started off strong, with the hydrogen sulfide leak of episode 3, “Almost a Home,” becoming one of the show’s most memorable dramatic tragedies. As the outing continued, season 2 arguably peaked with “The Pirate Dinner,” wherein Tommy’s attempts to do business with Andy Garcia’s Danny “Gallino” Morrell came to a head.
“The Pirate Dinner” featured plenty of dramatic moments, not the least Tommy’s admission to Cami that Gallino’s supposedly legitimate business interests were secretly a drug cartel. However, although Sheridan handled the subject of drug cartels well in the Sicario movies, this injection of urgency did not stop season 2’s story from soon going off the rails.
As noted in two separate Reddit threads, fans of the series complained that season 2’s female characters were underwritten and overused, with these thin, stereotypical characters carrying much of the story and its most pivotal plot points. Users of the site also argued that the show’s pro-oil propaganda had grown tiresome, blatant, and predictable.
From episode 6, “Dark Night of the Soul,” through to the Landman season 2 finale, the show’s reception steadily careened downhill while critics and audiences complained. The plot was somehow both too slow and too outlandish whenever its rare dramatic action did happen, and the writing of characters like Ali Larter’s Angela and Demi Moore’s Cami earned a particularly negative reception.
Landman Season 2 Is Still A Huge Hit On Paramount+
Landman season 2’s disastrous reception online, among both casual viewers and professional critics covering the series week by week, could lead viewers to assume that the show’s sophomore outing was a flop. However, this is pretty far from the truth. On the contrary, Landman season 2 is one of Paramount+’s biggest recent hits.
With ratings that rival anything in the Yellowstone franchise or Paramount+’s biggest series, South Park,Landman season 2’s reception has been superb when it comes to sheer streaming numbers. The show’s viewers are still reliably tuning in even if their reaction to the show has soured, and this makes it tough to tell where the series is heading.
Most shows would be quick to course correct if their critical reception took a nosedive, but most shows don’t have the superb ratings of Landman season 2. As such, these great global streaming ratings could lead the creators of the series to subscribe to the old maxim of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Of course, this would be a short-sighted decision.
Just because viewers were willing to stick around through Landman season 2’s struggles doesn’t mean that they will be as charitable when the show returns. Landman season 3 has already been confirmed, and the show’s ratings mean its future is secured, but failing to fix the plentiful issues in season 3 could drive away viewers.
How To Fix Landman Season 3
It is highly likely that many of Landman season 2’s viewers only stuck with the show until the finale to see if things improved. As such, there is a good chance that the comparatively strong ending will win viewers back, but Landman season 3 still must fix its recurring issues if the show wants to truly redeem itself.
The show has gotten off to a good start with Landman season 3’s new company which provides the show’s hero with a major new plan and a potential source of conflict in future outings. However, the biggest change that season 3 needs to make has less to do with specific plots and characters and more to do with the show’s pacing as a whole.
Even casual viewers could tell that season 2 was spent building toward its finale, and not in a good way. While many shows leave their biggest twists until their endings, Landman season2’s filler episodes were blatantly killing time with unnecessary plot sojourns and pointless, low-stakes stories.
Season 3 needs fewer disposable storylines and less padding, meaning more drama throughout and less reliance on a killer finale. To keep viewers invested, Landman needs to offer more than just one or two solid episodes in a season.
- Release Date
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November 17, 2024
- Writers
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Taylor Sheridan, Christian Wallace
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Billy Bob Thornton
Tommy Norris
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