Landman Season 2’s Finale Exposes Taylor Sheridan’s Greatest Weakness: Pacing

Be warned, this article reveals major spoilers for the season 2 finale of Landman. While the finale was a strong conclusion to the season, it also highlighted a recurring issue in Taylor Sheridan’s writing. Sheridan has become a prominent Hollywood writer in recent years, and his Western shows are considered among the best ever made, earning him a dedicated fanbase.

Every writer has areas for improvement, and Taylor Sheridan is no exception. While reviews of Landman season 2 often pointed out it wasn’t as strong as the first season, and the ending of Yellowstone season 5 received some criticism (though not entirely due to Sheridan), Landman season 2 really revealed a consistent weakness in his writing, which could affect his future projects.

Landman Season 2 Was Very Underwhelming Until The Finale

The season 2 finale of Landman was excellent, bringing many storylines to a close and setting up a new oil company as the main focus for season 3. It was full of suspense, genuine emotion, and a powerful message. However, the biggest issue is that the strong finale didn’t make up for the previous eight episodes, which were mostly disappointing.

Season 2 of Landman started off promisingly, introducing new challenges for Tommy involving an offshore oil rig and his father. However, after a strong first episode, the season lost its way. The following eight episodes felt slow and lacked the excitement and humor of the first, focusing instead on uninteresting relationships and lengthy conversations. Both critics and viewers agreed that the season didn’t live up to its potential, despite a decent finale.

The second season of Landman really struggled with its pacing, as evidenced by several issues. Some storylines, like the one between Cooper and Ariana, felt unnecessarily slow, while others, such as TL’s relationship with Cheyenne, seemed to exist only to fill time. The show also introduced plot points, like the H2S gas leak, that were never resolved. Ultimately, these pacing problems led to a disappointing season.

Taylor Sheridan Is Great At Beginnings & Endings, But Not Middles

Image by Yeider Chacon

The second season of Landman follows a pattern common in Taylor Sheridan’s series. Typically, his shows start strong, then get bogged down in slow, unfocused episodes before finishing with an exciting finale. 1923 season 2 received similar criticism, particularly regarding Spencer Dutton’s drawn-out journey, and Yellowstone season 5 also suffered from the same pacing problems.

Taylor Sheridan is a strong storyteller when it comes to starting and finishing his shows, but the episodes in between often fall flat. He excels at creating impactful beginnings and conclusions, however, he struggles to maintain that same energy throughout an entire season. Many episodes feel unnecessarily drawn out and serve only to connect the beginning to the end, rather than being engaging stories in themselves.

Taylor Sheridan Should Refocus On Movies, Not TV

Taylor Sheridan’s tendency to let stories drag is more noticeable in his TV work because of the longer format. When he wrote films like Hell or High Water and Wind River, he was limited to a two-hour runtime, which didn’t highlight this weakness. However, with a 10-hour TV series, the slow pace becomes much more apparent. Even in a well-paced movie like Sicario, stretching the story out to that length would likely result in a sluggish middle section.

To avoid the issues seen in the second season of Landman, Taylor Sheridan would be better off focusing on making movies again. His writing excels at telling concise, complete stories, and doesn’t need the extended format of a television series. For example, a key romantic moment, like Cooper and Ariana’s engagement, would feel more impactful in a movie, and unnecessary storylines, such as Rebecca’s relationship with Charlie, would likely be cut to keep the story focused.

Taylor Sheridan’s Upcoming and Potential Series and Movies Release Dates
6666 Yellowstone spinoff TBD
Empire of the Summer Moon TBD
Y: Marshals Kayce Dutton spinoff March 1, 2026
The Madison Yellowstone spinoff TBD
Beth Dutton & Rip Wheeler Yellowstone spinoff TBD
1944 Yellowstone spinoff TBD
Lioness season 3 Rumored
F.A.S.T. TBD

I’d prefer Taylor Sheridan focus on making a film like Hell or High Water instead of continuing with Landman. He’s a talented writer with the ability to tell incredible stories, but the current TV format seems to be holding him back. Hopefully, as his contract with Paramount nears its end, he’ll regain the creative freedom to work on movies again, rather than more seasons of shows like Landman.

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2026-01-21 15:03