Landman Season 2 Review: Taylor Sheridan’s Best New Series Takes A Major Step Backwards

by

Taylor Sheridan’s shows often start a little slowly as they get going, but Landman was a refreshing change. It was his most humorous series yet, focusing on the oil business in West Texas through the eyes of Billy Bob Thornton’s character, Tommy Norris, while still keeping the story engaging and the characters’ fates uncertain.

The first season of Landman had its flaws. The show leaned too heavily into the sexualization of Tommy’s teenage daughter, Ainsley (played by Michelle Randolph of 1923), which became uncomfortable. Ali Larter’s character, Angela, Tommy’s complicated wife, often felt like a caricature of a reality TV personality. Perhaps the biggest mistake was underusing Demi Moore, a talented actress, who only appeared in a small portion of the season with limited lines.

Season 2 of Landman builds on the events of the first season, leading to stronger stories and more developed characters. Following Monty’s death, Cami Miller, played by Moore, takes on a more powerful role. Meanwhile, Ainsley’s high school graduation allows for more mature and engaging storylines.

Right from the start, season 2 feels a bit unsteady (judging by the first two episodes). While it’s great to see Moore with a bigger part, many of the other characters are either repeating old, predictable plots or are actually taking steps backward, making this season somewhat uneven.

Demi Moore Finally Has An Actual Role In Landman Season 2

Moore’s part in the first season of the show coincided with a comeback for her as an actress. That year, she also appeared in Ryan Murphy’s Feud: Capote vs. The Swans and began her work on Sheridan’s series, culminating in an Oscar nomination for The Substance. However, her character, Cami, felt underdeveloped compared to these roles, primarily existing to support Jon Hamm’s character and focus on her concerns about Monty’s illness.

It’s not certain if the writers always planned a strong storyline for Moore this season, or if they responded to feedback from season one, but it’s great to see her finally take center stage in Landman season two. The episode really highlights her independence and sharp business skills as she confronts a room full of bankers eager to take advantage of her company after Monty’s death and debts. She powerfully defends herself and dismantles the arguments of those who tried to undermine her emotionally just moments before.

The show initially focuses on Thornton and his family’s problems, but it doesn’t ignore Moore’s character. While she’s clearly still grieving her husband’s death, the series avoids portraying her as simply a heartbroken widow. Instead, it shows her actively and interestingly involved in the family business, refusing to be defined solely by her loss.

Sheridan Forgot Women Don’t Have To Be Nagging Worrywarts?

Even with efforts to develop Moore’s character this season, the writing team continues to underdevelop the other female characters. What initially impressed me about Yellowstone was its strong, multi-faceted female characters – beyond just Beth Reilly – who weren’t simply defined by their relationships to the men in the story as either victims or villains.

Season one of Landman didn’t give some of its female characters much to do, which made the show feel very focused on male perspectives, with the exceptions of Paulina Chavez as Ariana and Kayla Wallace as Rebecca. In season two, Rebecca continues to be a strong and compelling character, confidently navigating challenging situations – whether it’s legal meetings where she’s out of her depth, or dismissive phone calls. Kayla Wallace consistently delivers a smart and engaging performance.

Ariana’s character has faced a significant and somewhat unfair shift between the first and second seasons. While the actress continues to portray her as a caring single mother with nuance, the direction her relationship with Cooper has taken feels abrupt and relies too much on explaining things to the audience rather than letting the story unfold naturally.

The character of Angela, played by Ali Larter, is still a weak point in the show due to the writing. Larter does a good job with the role, and that’s what prevents Angela from being completely unlikeable. However, any progress the character made in the first season has been undone, as the writing has turned her back into a stereotypical, complaining wife.

The first episode focuses heavily on a disagreement between her and Tommy about finding a place to live near their daughter Ainsley’s college in Fort Worth, and it comes across as sexist. Tommy doesn’t offer any real reasons against the move, and instead repeatedly blames her period, suggesting she’ll change her mind if they just wait. This feels dismissive and unfair.

The show quickly falls into a predictable pattern of arguments followed by make-up sex, and it appears the creator isn’t interested in letting Angela develop as a character. Instead, the male characters are consistently portrayed as the more emotionally stable ones. This is particularly clear when Angela responds to Tommy’s suggestion of skipping foreplay, asking, “Where’s the fun in that?” I strongly disagree with this idea – a healthy relationship doesn’t need toxicity or drama to be enjoyable.

Season 2’s New Characters Make For Some Solid Worldbuilding

The first couple of episodes haven’t been as captivating as season one, but season two is starting to show promise with some new characters. Notably, Sam Elliott—familiar to fans of Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe from 1883—joins the cast as Tommy’s long-lost father, who resides in a care home.

The first couple of episodes don’t really create a strong emotional connection with the characters until Elliott appears. He’s given some very sad news that makes you think about his life and the difficult situation he’s in. The actor delivers a truly captivating performance, bringing a lot of depth to his character’s sadness, and it makes you want to see what happens with him and Tommy.

Okay, so Andy Garcia isn’t totally new, he popped up at the end of last season, but wow, he really makes an impact this time around. His character, Gallino, is genuinely intimidating, and the way he starts doing business with someone connected to Tommy? That instantly raised the stakes for Tommy – and honestly, for the whole season. It’s going to be interesting to see how things play out now that he’s a bigger player.

Landman season 2 premieres on Paramount+ on November 16.

Read More

2025-11-12 10:59