Taylor Sheridan Needs To Fix Landman’s Biggest Problem Ahead Of Season 3 Premiere

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If Taylor Sheridan wants his series Landman to regain the popularity it enjoyed during its first season, he needs to address a key problem with season 2 right away, starting with the season 3 premiere. While Landman was a huge success in 2024, largely thanks to the strong performances of Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Hamm, the second season shifted focus to supporting characters and unfortunately relied too much on predictable storylines. Despite this, Landman remains one of Sheridan’s most popular shows.

Sheridan’s shows on Paramount+ often have a big disconnect between what critics and viewers think. Audiences frequently disagree with critics’ opinions. Take Landman season 2, for example: critics said it was better than season 1, but viewers rated it much lower, giving it a score of just 48% on Rotten Tomatoes. As a critic myself, I actually agree more with the audience on this one. I felt season 2 lost what made the first season so good – its focus on crime and thrills – and became overly dramatic and slow-paced.

Taylor Sheridan Needs To Bring Back Landman’s OG Crime Thriller Elements

I was really hoping season 2 of Landman would recapture the magic of the first, and while the finale did pull things together, a lot of the season felt slow and like we were retreading old ground. I definitely missed Jon Hamm – his portrayal of Monty Miller had such a raw energy! Sam Elliott is always fantastic, but he seemed lost in his own sadness throughout the season, and couldn’t quite bring that same fire. I was excited to see Demi Moore take on a bigger role as the new president of M-Tex, and she started strong, but it quickly became clear she was overwhelmed by the job.

Andy Garcia’s character, Gallino, a powerful cartel leader, had the means to easily eliminate Tommy Norris. Surprisingly, he mostly avoids direct conflict, focusing instead on building a respectable public image rather than using his criminal connections. This shift in character motivation, along with other choices, marks a departure from the intense crime thriller elements of the first season – the very things that led to Tommy’s kidnapping. Without that focus, Landman felt less cohesive, became overly complicated, and leaned heavily into sentimental drama, ultimately hindering the series’ progress.

Landman Season 3 Must Avoid Reverting To Season 2’s Aimless Melodrama

Although Tommy’s departure in the second season finale of Landman provided a satisfying conclusion, the show needs to bring back a real sense of danger and suspense for its third season. Currently, too much of the drama happens through arguments in office settings. Landman has been compared to Dallas, and season two reinforces that comparison with conflicts that sometimes feel overly dramatic and like a soap opera.

The first part of Landman season 2 effectively explored Tommy’s difficult relationship with his father, T.L., and gradually unveiled his past. However, the latter half of the season lost some momentum, frequently shifting focus away from the main M-Tex storyline, which some viewers found annoying. Season 3 will probably delve even further into the Norris family’s relationships now that they’re all working together. Hopefully, the new season will stay more focused on the central plot and only explore personal stories when they directly contribute to the overall narrative.

As a big fan of Landman, I’d say season 2 was pretty solid overall, and I’m confident season 3 will keep its loyal audience. But honestly, I think Taylor Sheridan could really take the show to the next level by bringing back some of that thrilling crime and action we saw in the beginning. I keep thinking about that incredible scene in season one, episode eight, when Tommy sent a clear message to the cartel with that mock military exercise during a drug run! Or when he got payback for Cooper getting hurt in episode six! Season two felt a little lacking in those intense moments, and I really hope season three remembers what made the first season so gripping. Bringing back that energy would make the show even better.

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2026-05-10 23:48