Landman Surpasses Yellowstone With Strong Family Dynamic

by

Be warned, this contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 5 of Landman, titled “The Pirate Dinner.” Landman is now a more captivating and emotionally resonant family drama than Yellowstone, largely due to the compelling portrayal of the Norris family, something the Duttons were missing. Season 2 of Landman has particularly focused on Tommy Norris’s (Billy Bob Thornton) difficult history with his mother, who struggled with drug addiction, and his ailing father, T.L. Norris (Sam Elliott).

J. David Landman’s stories center on Tommy Norris, who manages both his job as President of M-Tex Oil and his work as a landman. Because Tommy insists on doing both himself, the landman is constantly traveling across West Texas, fixing problems in the oil fields and dealing with the consequences of unethical actions committed by the previous owner of M-Tex, Monty Miller (played by Jon Hamm).

Tommy’s life is already chaotic, and his family is actually making things worse, not better. His rental house in Midland, Texas, which he shares with Nate and Dale, is incredibly crowded now that his daughter, wife, and father have all moved in. However, bringing the Norris family together under one roof in Landman surprisingly gives the show an edge over Yellowstone.

Ali Larter’s Angela Is The Secret of Why Landman Is Better Than Yellowstone

What truly sets Landman apart as a family drama, compared to Yellowstone, is Tommy’s ex-wife, Angela (Ali Larter). Angela and her daughter, Ainsley (Michelle Randolph), frequently find themselves in wild storylines, leading some to believe the show’s creator, Taylor Sheridan, isn’t sure how to effectively write for these characters.

Honestly, I think Angela is what really keeps the Norris family from falling apart. Even though Tommy gets so frustrated with her – she can be really pushy and determined – it’s always because she wants what’s best for everyone. It usually shows up in these huge family dinners she plans, but things can quickly blow up if Tommy says something insensitive or gets a little too clever for his own good – then she just loses it!

The fifth episode of Landman season 2 concluded on a positive note with Angela’s “Pirate Dinner.” The event successfully brought together the Norris family, Dale, Nate, Rebecca Falcone (played by Kayla Wallace), and their neighbor Shelby (Audrey McGraw), leaving everyone – and the audience – feeling cheerful.

Unlike the warm family dinners shown in Landman, the Dutton family in Yellowstone never had a meal that didn’t end badly. Beth (Kelly Reilly) would always storm off in anger, and John (Kevin Costner) was left unhappy. This was because Yellowstone lacked a nurturing mother figure like Angela from Landman to hold the family together.

Landman Proves Taylor Sheridan Doesn’t Need Tragedy To Tell Good Family Drama

Taylor Sheridan revitalized the Western genre with Yellowstone, creating a hugely popular formula that launched his television career. Now, with Landman, he’s breaking new ground. While Landman shares some similarities with Yellowstone, it also explores themes and storylines that Yellowstone didn’t.

While Landman features a lot of intense action, including violence, explosions, and even torture – like the kidnapping of Tommy Norris in the first season’s finale – the show has so far steered clear of the constant, devastating tragedies that have plagued the Dutton family throughout the history of Yellowstone.

The Norris family offers a heartwarming and funny look at a close-knit family succeeding in modern Texas. While Tommy gets frustrated with his daughters, Angela and Ainsley, he clearly loves them, and they adore him right back. His son, Cooper, also looks up to his father and relies on him for guidance and support.

Unlike the children of John Dutton in Yellowstone, Tommy’s former wife and kids don’t hold any anger towards him, thanks to the positive influence of their mother, Angela, who provides a loving example. Landman offers a surprisingly heartwarming and satisfying family story that Yellowstone simply doesn’t deliver.

Read More

2025-12-18 23:10