Through the years, I’ve misplaced monitor of what number of “Yellowstone” spinoffs Paramount is definitely making. There are the prequels “1883” and “1923” (initially titled “1932”); the upcoming sequel, “The Madison” (previously “2024”); after which there’s “6666” and “1944,” each of that are nonetheless in improvement. Finally Taylor Sheridan goes to expire of numbers, however till then, his ever-expanding Taylorverse has proven no indicators of slowing down.
Nonetheless, he’ll must excuse me for assuming “Landman” — a contemporary western set in West Texas a few no-bullshit oil firm fixer who has a daughter with oddly sexualized daddy points, a son doing the soiled work to be identical to his previous man, and an awkwardly inserted country-rock music for each awkwardly compelled joke about millennial snowflakes — shares greater than a author, director, govt producer, and creator with “Yellowstone.”
However formally, no less than, that’s all that connects the brand new Paramount+ drama with Paramount Community’s largest hit. “Landman” shouldn’t be a prequel, sequel, or spinoff. It’s an unique sequence, and regardless of its many similarities to Sheridan’s franchise tentpole, extra necessary than what they’ve in frequent could also be what drives them aside.
The place “Yellowstone” wears its wistful affections for ranchers’ dying lifestyle with a recognizable romanticism, “Landman” is bitter and hardened over the damaging work accomplished by drilling crews. Not solely is it more durable to get swept up within the day by day grind of pumping oil than it’s to see cowboys herding cattle, it’s emptier, too. After 5 episodes (or half the primary season) of harsh tonal shifts and prolonged monologues begging to be fact-checked, there’s no telling what “Landman” is even about. Someplace in there’s a tragedy: A person who was as soon as given a style of the American dream — solely to have it spoil on his tongue — can’t assist however return to the rotting buffet, looking for seconds. However that trustworthy thought is buried underneath so many outdated stereotypes, synthetic motion, and unconvincing characters, it’s not possible to belief Sheridan has something of worth to speak in his newest horse opera.
As for sheer leisure, all you’ve obtained is Billy Bob Thornton — who offers fairly a bit, all issues thought-about. Launched from underneath a sack halfway after being kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel, Tommy Norris is simply too busy and too drained for prolonged speeches, and but he continuously finds himself giving one. (Perhaps he’s busy and drained as a result of of the speeches? Exhausting to say.) Both approach, as he explains to his captor, Tommy actually isn’t anyone. He’s only a utility participant for an enormous oil firm whose job consists of two wide-ranging duties: He secures the land-lease agreements on behalf of his boss, Monty (performed by Jon Hamm, who seems to be much less like a Monty than anybody else alive, however does a nice job speaking sternly into his cellular phone for 5 minutes an episode), and he manages the individuals who work that land.
Sadly for Tommy, meaning he wants just a few signatures from the man who simply shot one in every of his personal goons within the head, and he has to maintain him joyful for nevertheless lengthy their respective companies require sharing a part of West Texas referred to as The Patch. Later, by way of voiceover, Tommy will inform us that procuring the land-lease settlement — aka being kidnapped and held at gunpoint — is the simple half. It’s managing the land that’ll “get you killed.”
And but, I’m fairly positive the kidnapping is as unhealthy because it will get. Certain, Tommy would inform you that coping with big-city attorneys (a Northwestern grad who bristles at being known as “girl”), a demanding ex-wife (who shouts at him over FaceTime earlier than exhibiting as much as seduce him in his mattress), and placing out precise oil properly fires (like in “There Will probably be Blood”!) is worse than just a few ornery coke sellers. However “Landman” strains to persuade us that watching drillers and derrickmen go about their day is extra dramatic than a runaway truck hitched to an oil tanker smashing into a non-public jet full of $30 million value of cocaine. It does attempt, however even when the results of messing up on the rig are heartbreaking, the suspense of ready for the subsequent calamity shortly goes slack.
“Landman” is way more convincing enjoying provocateur. Makes an attempt to mock informal environmentalists, uninformed ladies, and businessmen who subscribe to issues like good manners don’t precisely add up — one interplay, when a male govt claims to be offended by a joke utilizing the time period “pussy,” is so superficially designed to make enjoyable of overly delicate males that it forgets to incorporate something really offensive — however they’re so vehemently delivered by Thornton (and infrequently Hamm) that you don’t have any alternative however to concentrate. These offended males channel their know-it-all indignation with such vigor, the misogyny, xenophobia, and good-old-fashioned intolerance that goes with it’s virtually too brazen to be castigated.
Nearly. Because it’s onerous to say what “Landman” is de facto making an attempt to say, it’s equally troublesome to ascribe that means to a lot of what occurs. Is Tommy a hero or an antihero? Is he a tragic determine or an inspirational one? Is his story pure leisure, or does it wish to dig into one thing deeper concerning the state of America? In time, conclusions will possible be simpler to come back by, however for now, “Landman” isn’t enjoyable sufficient (not that it’s making an attempt to be), humorous sufficient (which it does go for), dramatic sufficient (past the dispensable cleaning soap opera components), genuine sufficient (why else spend all that point watching folks work?), or entertaining sufficient.
That final deficiency does make one factor clear: At the least we all know it’s not “Yellowstone.”
Grade: D+
“Landman” premieres Sunday, November 17 on Paramount+ with two episodes. New episodes will likely be launched weekly.