Taylor Sheridan's new western series is perfect for Yellowstone fans

Taylor Sheridan definitely ruined Yellowstone in Season 5but the prolific showrunner is still delivering hit TV shows and securing future projects that will hopefully make fans forget about his worst creative moments. Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser are slated to return for the Yellowstone spinoffwhile Season 2 of “The Madison,” “6666” and “1923” will further expand the popular world of the neo-Western franchise. Still, Sheridan has another successful show on Paramount+ that will appeal to fans of his brand of dramatic storytelling, though it's more about oilmen than cowboys.

Landman stars Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris, an oil company fixer who has to juggle his busy work with raising his teenage daughter and another affair with his ex-wife. A typical day in the life of Norris will see him dealing with some undesirables, most of whom he likes more than his daughter's boyfriends. He is also a great Dr. Pepper fan, and he drops the soda's name often enough for detractors to assume it is another example of Sheridan loading up his shows with product placement.

Despite being the successful CEO of a billion-dollar company, Norris also boasts bravado and spends his days tutoring wealthy tycoons, politicians and criminals with his dry wit and no-nonsense attitude. He could easily choose a member of the Dutton family in “Yellowstone,” and that's not the only thing “Landman” has in common with Sheridan's other series.

Tommy Norris is similar to John Dutton (Kevin Costner) in “Yellowstone” in that they are both stoic and fearless. “Landman” makes this clear in the opening scene of episode 1, where Norris is tied up in a cartel base with a hood over his head. A guy gets shot, but Norris only cares about emptying his bladder. Eventually, the cartel boss arrives and Norris bluntly informs the criminal that his crew is on his company's land, and they part ways with a mutual understanding. Immediately, “Landman” establishes the world of organized crime and, well, the land. Sound familiar?

While the crime element is exciting, “Landman” also highlights the industry's challenges that inform the story. “Yellowstone” killed off Colby Mayfield (Denim Richards) to illustrate the dangers of ranching. The first episode of “Landman” ends with an oil rig explosion that kills three men due to a similar effect. Norris' son Cooper (John Lofland) is the sole survivor, and the episode portrays him as an incompetent laborer who only got the job because of his dad. As the series goes on, however, he gets better at it, an arc reminiscent of Jimmy Heardstrom's (Jefferson White) journey from lovable loser to dignified rancher in “Yellowstone.”

Overall, Landman is another Sheridan series that explores corporatism, politics, crime and family values ​​in a world that bears some similarities to the Old West. The drama is similar to “Yellowstone” in many ways, but it has enough original elements to set it apart from the rest of the creator's work. What's more, “Landman” is better than “Yellowstone” Season 5, so that's a bonus.