Landman made a name for itself as a series that could rival the booming popularity of a series like Yellowstone; but now, after the immense success of the first season, the show’s sophomore outing has proved controversial to even Landman’s most dedicated followers. Season 2’s penultimate outing, “Plans, Tears and Sirens” premiered on Jan. 11, and has accrued the series’ lowest episode rating yet on IMDb with a staggering 6.8.

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By Nick Rodriguez

As Landman is closing out its second season, many fans are ready to start seeing some real growth from its core cast of characters. “Plans, Tears and Sirens” had plenty of opportunities to show this growth, but instead, it appears that the show opted for shallow digs at a left-leaning caricature and uncharacteristic violence in lieu of a more nuanced approach. So what went wrong? Has the series taken a turn for the worse, or, as some fans have speculated, is this the inevitable direction the series has been taking for some time?

Paigyn’s Storyline Feels Like a Cheap Shot

Paigyn and Ainsley in a dorm room in Landman

One of this episode’s main plot threads includes Tommy’s daughter Ainsley heading to a cheerleading summer camp at TCU. After a drawn out, tear-filled goodbye scene with Angela, Ainsley is paired with a non-binary roommate named Paigyn. If the name wasn’t keying viewers in enough, they are depicted as an unlikeable, godless vegan who meditates and doesn’t like music. It seems that there wasn’t any attempt to flesh out this character further than using them as a punching bag, a fact that was not lost on viewers and left a sour taste in many of their mouths.

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By Renan Fontes

Ainsley clearly has a lot to learn as one of Landman’s younger, more naive cast members, and this could have been the perfect opportunity to do so. Paigyn presents a clear challenge to Ainsley (and in turn, many viewers’) beliefs, and rather than simply having Ainsley run away from the problem her new roommate presented, she could have taken the opportunity to come halfway.

In fairness, that would have also included Paigyn themself being presented as more than a flat rendering of all the things right-leaning viewers tend to dislike about queer and left-leaning people, which they were not. The whole scenario felt like a cheap shot to win points with the show’s viewing base, rather than a thoughtful depiction of opposing viewpoints that concluded with both characters having learned something from one another. There was plenty of room for growth here, not just in a one-episode arc for a side character, but for one of the series’ mainstays in Ainsley - another opportunity squandered from a show that already feels like it’s starting to lose its footing.

Cooper’s Violent Outburst Felt Out of Character

Cooper hugs Ariana in the alley behind the bar in Landman

So far, Tommy and Angela’s son Cooper has been depicted as a nice kid. It seems the writers wanted an opportunity to show his tougher side in this episode, however: one night, outside the bar, Ariana steps outside and is assaulted by an obsessive customer whom she has already turned down in the past. Cooper just so happens to be swinging by the bar at the time of the attack, and narrowly saves Ariana from being assaulted. What’s more, he starts beating the attacker within an inch of his life, only stopping when Ariana begs him to.

This is another moment in the episode which didn’t exactly land with fans. While Cooper would of course defend Ariana, or anyone else being attacked in a situation like this, fans are unsure about the execution. Having Cooper completely snap feels out of line with his character up until this point, and diminishes his personality to have him default to the usual “tough guy” archetype. Many fans feel this moment could have been handled differently, and that it was a bit of a shortcut to having Cooper develop in a way which didn’t feel natural or earned.

Given the complex nature of Cooper and Ariana’s relationship, it feels like both of these characters deserved a more nuanced approach to their growing closer together that didn’t involve a violent outburst on Cooper’s part. It’ll be interesting to see if both of these characters will reckon with the shift in Cooper’s character, or if it will be swept away as another instance included for momentary shock value.

A Lot is Riding on the Upcoming Finale, "Tragedy and Flies"

With the Season 2 finale looming ahead on Sunday, Jan. 18, fans are hoping that Landman’s next chapter can stick the landing and send this season off right. But, many are obviously skeptical, given the show’s most recent blunders. The series has already been renewed for a third season, so there’s no risk of the show being canceled as of now, but losing out on hard-won faith from fans isn’t something to be taken lightly, either.

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By Renan Fontes

Here’s hoping the showrunners can turn things around, and the series will stay on track as one of the most compelling dramas in TV right now. The neo-Western looks like it’s here to stay, but if Landman can’t get things back on track, its tenure may be looking shorter than other series in the Yellowstone universe.

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