🎬 Taylor Sheridan Strikes Oil Again with ‘Landman’

Paramount+ Premieres a Gritty New Drama Set in the Heart of Texas Oil Country

When Landman premiered on Paramount+ this week, it arrived with all the hallmarks of a Taylor Sheridan production: dusty boots, moral gray zones, and the gnawing question of how far people will go for power. But this time, Sheridan trades Montana’s sprawling ranches for the oil rigs and pumpjacks of West Texas—and the result is a compelling, slow-burn drama that proves he still has fresh fuel in the tank.

🔹 From Yellowstone to the Oil Fields

Known for juggernauts like Yellowstone, 1883, and Mayor of Kingstown, Sheridan has carved a niche as the go-to creator for gritty, Americana-fueled storytelling. Landman, his fourth original series for Paramount+, is based on the hit Texas Monthly podcast Boomtown by Christian Wallace. That source material gives this new series a semi-journalistic texture—richer in real-world nuance than some of Sheridan’s previous, more mythic outings.

Unlike Yellowstone’s cowboy feuds and land battles, Landman dives into the complex ecosystem of the oil industry: wildcatters, roughnecks, corporate greed, and the everyday people caught in between. It’s an ambitious switch, but one Sheridan seems uniquely qualified to tackle.

🔹 A Cast That Delivers the Punch

Anchoring the series is Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris, a grizzled landman navigating backroom deals and backstabbers with equal ease. Thornton brings gravitas and swagger to the role, playing Tommy as a man both broken by and bound to the land. Ali Larter, Demián Bichir, and newcomer Michelle Randolph round out the cast with strong performances that make the oil boom feel personal.

The writing is tight, dialogue crisp, and cinematography drenched in Lone Star authenticity. The drilling rigs at sunset, the flicker of gas flares, and the skeletal skyline of man camps all lend visual weight to a series deeply rooted in place.

🔹 Same Sheridan DNA, Fresh Terrain

Though Landman carries the same themes Sheridan fans have come to expect—loyalty, power, betrayal—it does so with a different rhythm. The stakes are not rooted in family dynasties or generational land rights, but in economic desperation, corporate corruption, and environmental risk. The podcast origins shine through, particularly in moments that echo real-life stories from the Permian Basin.

There’s an almost documentary-like undertone to the show’s first episode, with voiceovers and flashbacks that lend journalistic weight to what might otherwise feel like another primetime soap. But make no mistake: this is still a Sheridan show—there are guns, secrets, and gravel-voiced monologues galore.

⭐ VERDICT: 4/5 STARS

“Landman” delivers a compelling premiere fueled by fact-based storytelling, excellent performances, and Sheridan’s signature grit. It may not reinvent the wheel, but it brings a new vehicle to Sheridan’s expanding universe—one riding rough through Texas oil country.

Next Episode Drops: Nov. 24
Streaming On: Paramount+
Created By: Taylor Sheridan
Based On: Boomtown by Christian Wallace

📍 Stay tuned for episode-by-episode breakdowns every week in the Entertainment section of The Texas Tribune.