Billy Bob’s boomtown: Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’ and the triumph of traditional values
Who's accountable for the results?
Now that football season is over and we, at least those of us who religiously follow the NFL, have more time to watch other things, the question is, “Well, what should we watch?” For me, the answer is clear: Landman! It’s my favorite current show — it’s basically like what would happen if one of those dysfunctional White Lotus families were transplanted onto a Texas oil field. (Which, for me, means I can’t watch it without a drink — dry January be damned.)
For those of you who may have not seen it yet, it stars Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris, a grizzled crisis manager in the Permian Basin who juggles oil rigs, cartel threats, a crabby but wise old father (Sam Elliott, starting in the second season), a wild but loving wife who’s still technically his ex-wife (a terrific Ali Larter), and enough roughneck banter to make you feel like you’re getting immersion lessons in Texas-speak.
The show, created by Taylor Sheridan, the same guy behind Yellowstone, dropped on Paramount+ in late 2024 and has already powered through two seasons, with a third on the way. In addition to the high-stakes plotlines and Thornton’s pitch-perfect drawl, Landman also packs a punch that hits home for conservatives. It’s a rare Hollywood production that doesn’t just tolerate red-state values — it celebrates them with the kind of unfiltered authenticity that’s been missing from screens for years. If you’re a conservative who’s tired of being force-fed progressive lectures, or even if you’re on the fence, this show might just win you over. Here’s why.
The oil patch as America’s backbone
Step into the world of Landman, and you’re immediately immersed in the raw, unforgiving reality of West Texas oil country. Thornton’s Tommy isn’t some corporate suit sipping lattes in a boardroom — he’s out there in the field fixing blowouts, negotiating with landowners, and staring down dangers that could end a man’s life in an instant. The series doesn’t shy away from showing the oil industry as a vital engine of American prosperity, where hard work and ingenuity pull black gold from the earth and fuel the nation.
(Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images)
One episode opens with a rig explosion that sends workers scrambling, highlighting the peril and precision required in this line of work. Tommy arrives on scene barking orders and piecing together the chaos, all while delivering lines like “getting oil out of the ground is the most dangerous job in the world. We don’t do it ’cause …
Who's accountable for the results?
Now that football season is over and we, at least those of us who religiously follow the NFL, have more time to watch other things, the question is, “Well, what should we watch?” For me, the answer is clear: Landman! It’s my favorite current show — it’s basically like what would happen if one of those dysfunctional White Lotus families were transplanted onto a Texas oil field. (Which, for me, means I can’t watch it without a drink — dry January be damned.)
For those of you who may have not seen it yet, it stars Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris, a grizzled crisis manager in the Permian Basin who juggles oil rigs, cartel threats, a crabby but wise old father (Sam Elliott, starting in the second season), a wild but loving wife who’s still technically his ex-wife (a terrific Ali Larter), and enough roughneck banter to make you feel like you’re getting immersion lessons in Texas-speak.
The show, created by Taylor Sheridan, the same guy behind Yellowstone, dropped on Paramount+ in late 2024 and has already powered through two seasons, with a third on the way. In addition to the high-stakes plotlines and Thornton’s pitch-perfect drawl, Landman also packs a punch that hits home for conservatives. It’s a rare Hollywood production that doesn’t just tolerate red-state values — it celebrates them with the kind of unfiltered authenticity that’s been missing from screens for years. If you’re a conservative who’s tired of being force-fed progressive lectures, or even if you’re on the fence, this show might just win you over. Here’s why.
The oil patch as America’s backbone
Step into the world of Landman, and you’re immediately immersed in the raw, unforgiving reality of West Texas oil country. Thornton’s Tommy isn’t some corporate suit sipping lattes in a boardroom — he’s out there in the field fixing blowouts, negotiating with landowners, and staring down dangers that could end a man’s life in an instant. The series doesn’t shy away from showing the oil industry as a vital engine of American prosperity, where hard work and ingenuity pull black gold from the earth and fuel the nation.
(Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images)
One episode opens with a rig explosion that sends workers scrambling, highlighting the peril and precision required in this line of work. Tommy arrives on scene barking orders and piecing together the chaos, all while delivering lines like “getting oil out of the ground is the most dangerous job in the world. We don’t do it ’cause …
Billy Bob’s boomtown: Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’ and the triumph of traditional values
Who's accountable for the results?
Now that football season is over and we, at least those of us who religiously follow the NFL, have more time to watch other things, the question is, “Well, what should we watch?” For me, the answer is clear: Landman! It’s my favorite current show — it’s basically like what would happen if one of those dysfunctional White Lotus families were transplanted onto a Texas oil field. (Which, for me, means I can’t watch it without a drink — dry January be damned.)
For those of you who may have not seen it yet, it stars Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris, a grizzled crisis manager in the Permian Basin who juggles oil rigs, cartel threats, a crabby but wise old father (Sam Elliott, starting in the second season), a wild but loving wife who’s still technically his ex-wife (a terrific Ali Larter), and enough roughneck banter to make you feel like you’re getting immersion lessons in Texas-speak.
The show, created by Taylor Sheridan, the same guy behind Yellowstone, dropped on Paramount+ in late 2024 and has already powered through two seasons, with a third on the way. In addition to the high-stakes plotlines and Thornton’s pitch-perfect drawl, Landman also packs a punch that hits home for conservatives. It’s a rare Hollywood production that doesn’t just tolerate red-state values — it celebrates them with the kind of unfiltered authenticity that’s been missing from screens for years. If you’re a conservative who’s tired of being force-fed progressive lectures, or even if you’re on the fence, this show might just win you over. Here’s why.
The oil patch as America’s backbone
Step into the world of Landman, and you’re immediately immersed in the raw, unforgiving reality of West Texas oil country. Thornton’s Tommy isn’t some corporate suit sipping lattes in a boardroom — he’s out there in the field fixing blowouts, negotiating with landowners, and staring down dangers that could end a man’s life in an instant. The series doesn’t shy away from showing the oil industry as a vital engine of American prosperity, where hard work and ingenuity pull black gold from the earth and fuel the nation.
(Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images)
One episode opens with a rig explosion that sends workers scrambling, highlighting the peril and precision required in this line of work. Tommy arrives on scene barking orders and piecing together the chaos, all while delivering lines like “getting oil out of the ground is the most dangerous job in the world. We don’t do it ’cause …
