Billionaires and roughnecks of West Texas aim to get rich quickly with the booming oil industry, including crisis executive Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton), who wants to ensure his company makes it to the top.Landmandives into theambitions of those in the oil industry, the sacrifices that are made, and the nitty gritty ins and outs of the employees working tirelesslyfor their companies. It follows rough-around-the-edges and yet completely compelling characters for which viewers want to root but also see as abrasive and crude. While the series is a dramatized version of the oil industry, it does dive into the culture of Texas and the proud people who live there.
AndLandmanisn’t the only series showcasing those types of themes and narratives. Of course,Yellowstoneis another show that brings viewers into the world of oil, along with some morally gray characters who yell more than talk. And then there isDallas, a popular series from the1970sthat brought viewers into the oil empire run by the Ewing family. From ranches and oil to life in Texas and family dynamics, here are some shows to watch for viewers who loveLandman.
10‘The Son’ (2017)
Developed by Philipp Meyer, Brian McGreevy, Et al.
Kidnapped at 13 years old and raised by the Comanches, Eli McCullough (Pierce Brosnan) is brought up with a traditionalism that transformed him into one of the most ruthless and successful ranchers in Texas. Expanding his business empire, Eli turns to the oil industry, wanting to gain more power and influence. The conflict comes in the form of Eli’s son, Pete (Henry Garrett), who has a softer and more modern outlook on life; i.e., money and expansion aren’t everything. It brings into question the matters of right and wrong, good and bad, light and dark, and in a time, 1915, when those aspects of life were not easily defined.
The Sondives into the family dynamic of an affluent Texas family, one that was self-made and wants to keep the power they gained through hard work and determination. It is a moral analysis of the history of Texas and how a man can get swept up in making a name for himself. The themes seen throughoutThe Sonwill most likely appeal to those who enjoy the series,Landman. The show really dives intoone man’s reality as he does what he thinks is right, even if it results in his family’s ultimate demise.
9‘Joe Pickett’ (2021)
Directed by John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle
Joe Pickett (Michael Dorman) and his family have moved to Saddlestring, Wyoming, where he is overtaking the role of a game warden in Yellowstone National Park. His job is to protect the wildlife and environment within the park, so when a poacher shows up dead in his yard, Joe isn’t prepared to be swept up in an entire conspiracy revolving around some of the most prominent families in town. A man who stands on a moral high ground (and stays there), Joe doesn’t want to get swept up in the corrupt nature of his new town, and yet, he has no choice.
WhileJoe Pickettisn’t involved in the oil industry, it is a neo-Western drama that fans ofLandmanmight be interested in. The series isintense and suspenseful, leaving viewers guessing who the real villain is due to the fantastic writing. Seriously, there is no telling who the ringleader is, keeping people on their toes and rooting for the protagonist as he ventures into the world of corrupt lawmen, the rich and powerful, and the vastness of Yellowstone. The two-season series earned a100% onRotten Tomatoesand is a must-see series full of schemes, beautiful scenery, and an interesting and compelling main character.
Joe Pickett
8‘Justified’ (2010)
Developed by Graham Yost
The neo-Western crime dramaJustifiedbrings viewers into the Appalachian mountains area of eastern Kentucky, focusing on the life of Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant). An old-Western way of dealing with criminals, Raylan makes headlines for delivering a “justified” hit on a fugitive, making it, so his boss has no choice but to send him back to his hometown of Harlan, Kentucky, a place that he thought he’d never go back to. Brought up by a career criminal, Raylan’s mission was to get out of Harlan and stay out. Now, he is back and dealing with the criminals in the area.
Another series that isn’t about the oil industry,Justified,is similar toLandmanin that it revolves around a morally gray character. While Raylan is technically a lawman,he takes rules and regulations into his own hands and bends the lawto ensure the outcome he needs. He is a cunning yet confident leading man who demands attention from the residents of Harlan. With fantastic acting and electric dialogue,Justifiedis afantastic series from beginning to end.
7‘Hell on Wheels’ (2011)
Created by Joe Gayton and Tony Gayton
Former Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) is dead-set on finding the Union soldier who killed his wife and son, even though the American Civil War has come and gone. His journey doesn’t lead him to the man he is looking for, though. Instead, Bohannon stumbles upon the Union Pacific’s construction of the first transcontinental railroad. More importantly, he comes across the lawless town known as “Hell on Wheels,” a place that travels alongside the construction of the railroad across the Great Plains as it goes westward.
An American Western with plenty of fights, saloons, and gunslinging,Hell on Wheelsis all about seeking revenge and doing whatever it takes to get to the endgame, even with the psychological wounds the war has left.Bohannon’s journey in the seedy, moving town is raw and gritty, showcasing a group of characters that are pretty undesirable to the rest of the country. It is an interesting take on the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad and a series fans of Westerns, morally gray characters, and action will enjoy.
Hell on Wheels
6‘Deadwood’ (2004)
Created by David Milch
Set in the 1870s in Deadwood, South Dakota,Deadwoodfollows residents in the town, a lawless place where people come to mine. After one big gold strike, people from all overthink they’re next, coming to Deadwood for a get-rich-quick scheme, while others think they’ll be able to capitalize on the lawlessness of the town, the complete Wild West nature being a huge drawl. With depictions of real-life people, such as Sheriff Seth Bullock (Olyphant), saloon owner Al Swearengen (Ian McShane), and gunslinger Wild Bill Hickok (Keith Carradine), drama, fights, corruption, and crime are just part of everyday life.
A popular Western,Deadwoodis full of interesting and intriguing characters,diving into the aspects of trauma, greed, and how the lack of human connection can be detrimental to a person’s well-being. With grit and lawlessness, the series shows how one person’s agenda might hurt another’s livelihood, a theme that is also seen throughoutLandman. It portrays character relationships, the rise and fall of allies, and how easily people are able to manipulate others if it means they will come out on top.
5‘Elkhorn’ (2024)
Produced by Gary Tarpinian
Elkhornisa fantastic true storythat dives into the early life of Theodore Roosevelt (Mason Beals) as he leaves behind his life as one of New York’s elite in favor of moving to the American frontier of the Dakota Badlands. Once there, Roosevelt learns what it takes to be a successful rancher in such a rough climate, taking advice from lumberjack Bill Sewall (Elijah Mahar) and cowboy William Merrifield (Matt Wiggins). Together, they build what is known as Elkhorn Ranch, a sprawling property that is a target for local gunslingers and land speculators, people who want to purchase the land to expand their own.
LikeLandman,Elkhornis all about building a business and doing whatever is necessary to keep that business alive and thriving, especially when there are various obstacles trying to take everything away. The series is an interesting take on a young Roosevelt’s life, a time before he moved back to New York and pursued his political ambitions. It looks into howeven though a person is able to build and create something, there are always others out there who will have no issue taking it awayjust as quickly if it means they’ll get theirs.
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4‘Dallas’ (1978)
Created by David Jacobs
Following the affluent Ewing family in Dallas, Texas,Dallasexplores the relationships within the family, many of them feuding, while they also try to expand their immense oil and cattle-ranch empire. While the series focuses on the marital relationship of Bobby (Patrick Duffy) and Pam (Victoria Principal), two people who fell in love even though their families are complete rivals in the industry,Dallasalso dove into the dirty business schemes and ruthlessness of J.R. (Larry Hagman), the CEO of Ewing Oil and the character thatcreated one of the most prominent cliffhangers on television inthe episode “Who Shot J.R.?”
Dallaswas a landmark show that dramatized the oil industry and how money and greed can tear a family apart. A family dynamic that seems perfect on the outside and yet is full of manipulation and feuding behind closed doors, the Ewing family never failed to bring drama and produce epic narratives and cliffhangers that left viewers on the edges of their seats waiting for the next episode or season to air.
3‘1923’ (2022)
Created by Taylor Sheridan
A prequel toYellowstone,1923brings viewers back to Montana and the Dutton family. This time, the series focuses on Cara (Helen Mirren) and Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford), a married couple who deal with different trials and tribulations of the time, such as the Great Depression, drought, and even prohibition, and how it affected their home and lives in Montana. The Duttons show true resilience as they deal with the struggle of keeping their hands on their land, young ranchers who want to start building something for their family.
The series is full ofwell-developed characters who strive to create something for themselves and future generations. It showcases 20th-century America in all of its dusty and sprawling glory, with people doing their best to tear one another down in hopes of gaining something in the process.1923features a compelling narrative with twists and turns that add to the story ofYellowstonewith main characters who are actually easy to root for.
2‘1883’ (2021)
1883brings viewers into the lives of the Dutton family as they’ve never seen them before. A prequel to1923andYellowstone,1883shows the Duttons as a family fleeing poverty in Texas, journeying across the Great Plains in hopes of making a life for themselves out in Montana. This is the post-Civil War Dutton family, led by patriarch James Dillard Dutton (Tim McGraw) and his wife Margaret (Faith Hill), as they come to purchase the land that will eventually become Yellowstone Ranch. The journey is rough, though, as the Dutton clan joins a wagon train led by a former Union soldier, Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott), who has no issue reminding everyone of the danger they are most likely going to experience on their journey west.
As a real-life married couple, it is unsurprising that the on-screen chemistry between McGraw and Hill is electrifying. They bring their characters to life, the patriarch and matriarch of the Dutton familywho want nothing more than to build a successful and comfortable life for their family. It is a beautifully shot Western that is both brutal and beautiful, diving into the life of travelers on dangerous roads during the 1880s.
1‘Yellowstone’ (2018)
Created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson
Set in Montana on Yellowstone Ranch,Yellowstonefollows the affluent Dutton family, headed by patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner), a powerful family of ranchers who have more than a few chips on their shoulders. If the family isn’t dealing with their duties on the ranch, they fight with one another, staving off lumber and oil tycoons who are trying to buy their ranch out from under them, and even unsolved murders throughout the town. No matter what it is, Yellowstone Ranch seems to be in the middle of it as people and corporations try their hardest to take over the largest contiguous ranch in the United States.
A melodramatic feuding family full of controversial moments,Yellowstoneis full of tough characters who have their own plots, schemes, and agendas, doing their best to get the result they want, no matter who they hurt in the process. While the series is full of typical cowboy tropes, it does so in a modern way that doesn’t feel forced or out of place on a stereotypical Montana ranch.Yellowstoneis full of interesting characters, including the foul-mouthed takes-no-prisoners Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), and depicts the main family as a group of people who love each other (maybe) and, yet, are out for each other at the same time.
