Taylor Sheridan’s Landman came roaring into Paramount+ last year like a West Texas oil rig on fire, but now, halfway through Season 2, the reaction online has… shifted quite a bit, and series star Billy Bob Thornton isn’t pretending he doesn’t see it. Season 2 of Landman, which premiered on November 16, 2025, has been noticeably more divisive than the show’s explosive debut. While Season 1 followed Thornton’s Tommy Norris as a boots-on-the-ground landman solving oilfield disasters, Season 2 moved him upstairs — literally — into the role of M-Tex Oil’s president, and that promotion has fundamentally changed the show. Now, Tommy is busy navigating boardroom politics and trying to solve financial deals rather than dealing with rig firings, and that’s a big problem for a lot of fans. But should we be surprised?

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly before the season even premiered, Thornton flat-out told viewers to brace themselves. He described Season 2 as a “slow burn,” explaining that once the world and characters were established in Season 1, Taylor Sheridan wanted to pivot toward relationships and internal conflicts instead of constant chaos.

“Now that the audience knows all the characters, Taylor was able to really dive into the relationships more. Last season, we had to explain what this business was all about and who the people are. This season, he was able to really focus in the first few episodes on the family dynamic and the business dynamic. But this one really ramps up as it goes on, and there’s more and more intensity.”

Why Is Landman Being Criticized?

Online reactions have been split straight down the middle. Some viewers still think Landman is one of the best shows on TV. Others feel like it’s lost what made it addictive — the high-octane disasters, the gritty fieldwork, and Tommy being the guy who swoops in to stop everything from exploding, but now he’s the guy signing papers.

Sheridan’s recent shows have all run into the same problem. Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2, 1923 Season 2, and now Landman Season 2 have all been accused of dragging their feet early on — spending too much time on side stories, family drama, and long-term setups while viewers wait for the big moments. In Landman’s case, that means way more time with Tommy’s family — Angela (Ali Larter), Ainsley (Michelle Randolph), Cooper (Jacob Lofland), and Ariana (Paulina Chavez) — and far less time in the brutal, cinematic oilfields that defined Season 1. However, that’s also meant the addition of the mercurial and magnificent Sam Elliott as Tommy’s father.

Why the Landman Season Finale Saved the Entire Season

For much of the season, Landman divided viewers with its abrasive characters, chaotic pacing, and unapologetically raw portrayal of the oil world. But the season finale did what the earlier episodes only hinted at — it made everything click.

First, the finale reframed Tommy Norris. What once felt like reckless bravado was revealed as survival instinct. Billy Bob Thornton’s final moments added emotional weight and consequence, turning a loud character into a layered one.

Second, the ending validated the chaos. The boom-and-bust madness, moral compromises, and volatile relationships weren’t random — they were the point. The finale tied those threads together, showing that instability isn’t bad writing; it’s the reality of the oil business.

Third, the stakes finally felt real. Loss, power shifts, and hard decisions landed with impact, proving that actions all season actually mattered. The show stopped posturing and started delivering payoff.

Finally, the finale reasserted Taylor Sheridan’s intent: Landman was never meant to be polished or likable — it was meant to be authentic. By ending without easy redemption or clean resolutions, the show stayed true to its world.

In the end, the finale didn’t just conclude the season — it retroactively justified it, transforming a divisive run into a deliberate slow burn.