Audiences Are Hate-Watching Taylor Sheridan's Divisive Neo-Western Family Saga on Streaming

Audiences Are Hate-Watching Taylor Sheridan's Divisive Neo-Western Family Saga on Streaming Everett Collection By  Chris McPherson Published 19 minutes ago Chris is a Senior News Writer for Collider. He can be found in an IMAX screen, with his eyes watering and his ears bleeding for his own pleasure. He joined the news team in 2022 and accidentally fell upwards into a senior position despite his best efforts. For reasons unknown, he enjoys analyzing box office receipts, giant sharks, and has become known as the go-to man for all things Bosch, Mission: Impossible and Christopher Nolan in Collider's news division. Recently, he found himself yeehawing along to the Dutton saga on the Yellowstone Ranch.  He is proficient in sarcasm, wit, Photoshop and working unfeasibly long hours. Amongst his passions sit the likes of the history of the Walt Disney Company, the construction of theme parks, steam trains and binge-watching Gilmore Girls with a coffee that is just hot enough to scald him. His obsession with the Apple TV+ series Silo is the subject of mockery within the Senior News channel, where his feelings about Taylor Sheridan's work are enough to make his fellow writers roll their eyes.  Sign in to your Collider account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Taylor Sheridan’s latest chapter of his gritty neo-Western oil saga is back — and viewers have a lot to say about it. Mostly negative. Landman Season 2 has only aired two episodes on Paramount+, but the response from audiences has already turned the series into the platform’s newest “hate-watch” sensation. Despite terrible audience reviews, Landman is currently #2 on Paramount+, proving that sometimes viewers tune in just to see what the chaos is about.

While Season 1 generated strong buzz and ultimately earned a 64% audience score, the reception for Season 2 is taking a nosedive. Critics initially had the new season at a fresh 81%, but between the premiere and Episode 2, that number slipped to 77% — now the lowest-rated season of Billy Bob Thornton’s acclaimed drama. Things are even rougher on the audience side. Season 2’s premiere landed at 36%, one of the harshest viewer reactions for any Sheridan project to date. The score has slowly nudged upward to 40%, but that’s still far below expectations and has dragged the show’s overall series score down to 53%.

And the feedback? Brutal. Many viewers say Season 2 feels stuck, with characters who refuse to grow or evolve. Angela (Ali Larter) and Ainsley (Michelle Randolph) are taking the brunt of the complaints, but according to Collider’s Jeff Ewing, the problem is bigger than just a few fan targets. As Ewing wrote:

“One of the biggest issues with Landman is that events happen, circumstances change, but characters largely don't. Thornton embodies his role well, but Tommy's a capable relic, dragging his feet any time something might alter his course. His ex-wife Angela is an interesting source of positivity and intensity — and Larter is regularly solid and always watchable in the role — but changes relatively little, while daughter Ainsley doesn't meaningfully evolve at all."

The result? A season that feels dramatically flat, even while wrapped in Sheridan’s trademark high-stakes oil-country drama.

Could ‘Landman’ Turn the Tide?

Even with a rocky start, the story isn’t fully told yet. Critics were given three episodes ahead of time, and the ten-episode season still has room to find its footing. Larter hinted that better things are coming — particularly through newcomer Sam Elliott, who plays T.L., a character poised to give audiences a new lens on the much-criticized Angela and Ainsley. “You can see in the way he looks at us that he sees the joy in our characters,” Larter teased. “The audience gets to see us through his eyes, and it's so special.”

Let's hope Larter is right, and the audience buys into it too. Landman streams on Paramount+. Episode 3 airs this Sunday. Stay tuned at Collider for more updates.

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Landman

Like Follow Followed TV-MA Drama Release Date November 17, 2024 Writers Taylor Sheridan, Christian Wallace

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• Billy Bob Thornton Tommy Norris
• Ali Larter Angela Norris

Genres Drama Creator(s) Taylor Sheridan, Christian Wallace Powered by Expand Collapse

• TV News
• Landman
• Taylor Sheridan

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