As reviews begin rolling in for the show,Landman’s debut Rotten Tomatoes score is in and off to a strong start. Co-created by Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace, the show centers on Tommy Norris, the eponymous crisis executive whose work for an oil rig company in Texas becomes increasingly hostile as a drug cartel tries to move in on the company’s land, his son begins working as an oil crewman, and a site accident leaves him as the target to be the company’s patsy. Billy Bob Thornton leadsthe ensembleLandmancastalongside Jacob Lofland, Michelle Randolph, Ali Larter, Jon Hamm and Demi Moore, among others.
With just a few days remaining until its premiere, the firstLandmanreviews are arriving on the scene, andRotten Tomatoeshas calculated the show’s debut score. With 11 reviews calculated at the time of writing,the Sheridan-co-created drama has an 81% approval rating from critics, indicating a largely positive response to the show. Given the show has yet to premiere, though, it is likely the score will fluctuate over the next few days.
What This Means For Landman & Sheridan
The Creative Seems To Have Broken His Season 1 Curse
Though there’s a possibility for the score to drop,Landman’s debut Rotten Tomatoes score is a promising sign that Sheridan has officially broken his season 1 curse. While having an Oscar nominee to his name, and multiple hit shows ongoing,many of Sheridan’s shows found a more mixed response in their debut seasons, includingYellowstoneandthe Jeremy Renner-ledMayor of Kingstown. Check out how Sheridan’s season 1 scores compare on Rotten Tomatoes in the chart below:
57%
83%
33%
89%
1883
1923
90%
56%
79%
80%
While hisYellowstoneprequels andTulsa King, which is showrun byThe Sopranos' Terence Winter, proved to be breakout hits from the beginning with critics,others have found themselves gain favor with critics in subsequent seasons. Both the mainlineYellowstoneandLionessovercame their early critical misstepsto have seasons with a perfect 100% approval from critics, whileMayor of Kingstownhas scored progressively better reviews with each new season. EvenTulsa Kingseason 2 has landed a 100% score, a step up from its already impressive 79% in season 1.
As such, if his new show’s debut score holds firm following its premiere,Landmancould very well prove Sheridan has finally found the right formula to break his season 1 curse. While reviews are not entirely important in the grand scheme of a show’s future, particularly since Moore indicated season 2 is already in the works, having critics on the show’s side would go a long way to selling the show beyond Sheridan’s dedicated fanbase.
Our Take On Landman’s Debut Rotten Tomatoes Score
Even A Slight Dip Wouldn’t Hurt The Show’s Chances
Considering the show started at a 60% from critics when this story was first being written,Landman’s 82% does seemingly point to it being another hit for Sheridan. Even if it did dip back toward the Rotten side of the scale, however, I can’t really see it affecting the drama’s chances at success, given Sheridan has built a strong fanbase since launchingtheYellowstonefranchise, and I can’t imagine them not tuning in for at least a few episodes to see if they feel it lives up to the other neo-Western drama.
The first two episodes ofLandmanpremiere on Paramount+ on November 17, followed by new episodes every Sunday.
Landman
Cast
Set in West Texas, this series explores the world of oil rigs and the fortunes they create. It portrays a modern upstairs/downstairs narrative of roughnecks and billionaires, highlighting the profound impact on the climate, economy, and geopolitics in these boomtowns.
