Landman is better than Yellowstone for one key reason

It’s a fierce competition between the most exciting (and most baffling) Taylor Sheridan shows, but when it comes to the battle between Landman and Yellowstone, there’s actually a clear winner.

The two TV shows are both part of the same package. Yes, Landman is an oil drama while Yellowstone is a ranch drama, but both feature a lot of cowboy hats, dysfunctional families, and land disputes.

At first glance, it might seem like Yellowstone is Sheridan’s champion. It became one of the most-watched shows in America, had Kevin Costner in the lead, and featured some of the most jaw-dropping and unrealistic action this side of Montana. (Where else can you watch a little boy bite a snake’s head off in a one-on-one fight to the death?)

However, Landman has Yellowstone beat on one account. And no, it’s not the sheer number of Taylor Sheridan cameos.

Landman has one thing Yellowstone doesn’t

For everything Yellowstone has, there’s one thing it’s missing: a likable main character. Or any likable characters, for that matter.

John Dutton is a modern hero to those around him, running his historic ranch with a passion for legacy and history. (As he says it himself, “I am the opposite of progress.”) He knows his way around a horse, doesn’t take any bull, and plays his children like monopoly pieces.

Paramount

He has his flaws. For one, he’s a terrible father, and despite his respect for the park, he’s a terrible landowner. But above all this, John Dutton isn’t a nice guy. Just take a look at the amount of bodies he’s piled up in the Train Station, and it’s obvious he’s morally confused.

Plus, he’s not much fun. Most of his best one-liners are mumbled or grumbled at someone, and he spends a lot of time looking pretty exasperated under his responsibilities.

Landman, on the other hand, doesn’t have this problem. Landman has Tommy Norris (played by Billy Bob Thornton) – the foul-mouthed landman who chain smokes his way to the top and can talk his way out of anything.

Much like John, Tommy isn’t a man who’s up for a debate. He’s tired, doesn’t like to be talked down to, and has to put up with more than most. But unlike John, Tommy isn’t afraid to crack a joke, and Thornton’s quick wit and pitch-perfect delivery of this material make for a much better time.

Billy Bob Thornton keeps Landman afloat

Of course, neither Yellowstone or Landman is about doing the right thing. Very few characters can actually be considered “good” or “likable” in either show, but Tommy is about as close as we get to rooting for someone.

His job involves him to deal with dangerous cartels, lawsuits from dramatic accidents, and meddling family members. It would be easy for him to play the John Dutton card, spinning thoughtful quotes and violently angry insults every which way.

Paramount

But Tommy looks just as shocked and annoyed as the viewers feel at everyone else’s mistakes, and it makes him feel like someone we can connect with. Far more so than John Dutton, who would prefer to shut himself off.

This, of course, is largely due to Thornton and his comedic ability. Landman, by most accounts, isn’t a comedy. And while other members of the cast play things a little straighter, he knows what kind of show he’s in. His irritated and flabbergasted delivery on most lines brings a levity that’s missing from most other Sheridan shows.

If the writer-creator understands what he’s got with Tommy, then he may be able to do the one thing for Landman Season 2 that he never allowed for with Yellowstone’s later seasons: allow it to get better.

For more, check out our guides to other upcoming shows, like 6666 and The Madison. You can also find out why Landman exposed Taylor Sheridan’s worst habit, and see what new TV shows are out this month.