Don’t Mess with Texas: A Hot Take on “Landman”

I have a couple of notes from the new Paramount Plus TV show "Landman".

The Show

A lot of people in Texas, and specifically the West Texas and Basin areas are talking about the new show starring Billy Bob Thorton called, "Landman" IMDB describes the show this way:

A modern-day tale of fortune seeking in the world of West Texas oil rigs.

I wouldn't say that description is wrong. I think the story is a little, and I mean an eensy amount more human and engaging than that, but just a smidge.

Billy Bob

What I think will make this post interesting is, I'm only two episodes in. Now before you walk away and jeer, streaming services are really adding up for a lot of people, so I thought I'd give you a hot take before you sign up.  Let me sum it up this, anytime Billy Bob Thorton is on screen the show is fantastic. Thorton is almost in full "Bad Santa" mode here and there's nothing better than a crusty, witty, and abrasive Billy Bob Thorton.

Everyone Else

The second most interesting part of the show is the end of the first episode, and I really don't want to give it away. So far, John Hamm as his boss seems wasted. The parts with Billy Bobs wife and daughter are sexy...but really seem unnecessary.  I'm not even sure why Demi Moore showed up while the first two episodes filmed.

Other Stuff

There are a couple of things that bothered me about these episodes. There's a lot they get right, so much that it makes the mistakes even more prevalent. It may be minor to you but it bothers me that the daughter orders here Whataburger "Animal Style", which is an In-N-Out Burger thing (meaning at least one writer is probably from California). I know that's weird but it took me out of the episode. The other thing that bothers me is there are very long segments that seem like they're trying to sell me country music. I guess those segments are supposed to set the scene, but I can't help think, "C'mon, let's get on with it".

Epilogue

I liked that they obviously had a real oilman telling his story during one scene, but boy did it stick out like a fly in a milk bowl. It's fun that the kid wears a Texas Tech hat. It's also kind of accurate that there's a slam on Odessa when talking about driving there versus Midland (it may not be accurate, but that's the kind of trash that's talked there).  So is the show worth watching? Well, there's some Permian Basin landscape and local references there, and Billy Bob is fantastic, but as you might have gathered, there's a grip load of padding.

Final Judgement

I tapped out of another Taylor Sheridan joint called "Tulsa King" because it got too silly in episode two of season two. I think that happened because they really didn't know where they were going. That's where I'm at with this show. It's good, it's entertaining, but I'll have to wait until the end of the season before I say it's a "must watch". Right now, I could kind of take it or leave it and just watch Bad Santa again.