Taylor Sheridan, the man currently cornering the market on dusty Americana, appears to have struck oil once again. Or at least struck ratings gold. Sheridan’s latest venture into the rough and tumble world of cowboys, cattle, and capitalism, “Landman,” premiered on Paramount+ on Sunday, November 17, 2024, to an impressive 5.2 million viewers globally.
That’s enough to make it the biggest global series launch on Paramount+ in two years, putting it in the company of previous Sheridan-verse hits “Tulsa King” and “1923.” In the first three days of release, it also took the title of #1 U.S. premiere in the streamer’s history. So, yeah, people watched.
The series, set against the backdrop of the West Texas oil boom, certainly doesn’t lack for star power. Billy Bob Thornton headlines, joined by Ali Larter, Demi Moore, and Jon Hamm, with Andy Garcia and Michael Peña popping in as recurring guest stars. Based on the podcast “Boomtown”, “Landman” focuses on the high-stakes world of oil drilling, showing the impact this has on the climate, economy and global politics and examining the intertwined lives of roughnecks and billionaires.
The series premiere also benefited from a linear airing immediately following the second episode of the new season of “Yellowstone.” Whether that audience overlap can consistently translate into streaming viewers remains to be seen. Still, Sheridan’s grip on the dad-TV demographic shows no signs of loosening. His ability to crank out these sprawling, gritty dramas that resonate with a massive audience is kind of remarkable. He’s carved out a distinctive niche.
“Landman” is a MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios production for Paramount+. Executive Producers are Taylor Sheridan, David C. Glasser, David Hutkin, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, Christian Wallace, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Friedman and Stephen Kay.
