John Powers

Even as his college-age son has decided to work for him as a roughneck, he joins a Latino crew handpicked by his dad. He's being visited by his 17-year-old daughter, whose idea of higher learning is sleeping with a star quarterback. Yes, we're in the Texas of Friday Night Lights.

The presence of the kids leads his ex-wife Angela, that's Allie Larter, to fly into Midland too, bringing with her an array of skimpy outfits, party girl whoops, and though she's remarried, quiet hopes of rekindling their romance. As if that weren't enough, Tommy wonders if he's being set up to take the fall for some recent accidents.

The presence of the kids leads his ex-wife Angela, that's Allie Larter, to fly into Midland too, bringing with her an array of skimpy outfits, party girl whoops, and though she's remarried, quiet hopes of rekindling their romance. As if that weren't enough, Tommy wonders if he's being set up to take the fall for some recent accidents.

The presence of the kids leads his ex-wife Angela, that's Allie Larter, to fly into Midland too, bringing with her an array of skimpy outfits, party girl whoops, and though she's remarried, quiet hopes of rekindling their romance. As if that weren't enough, Tommy wonders if he's being set up to take the fall for some recent accidents.

He's wary when his boss sends out a brisk young lawyer, played by Kayla Wallace, who's like a barracuda that bills $900 an hour. She seems to find Tommy, indeed the whole oil business, crude. Here, they visit the site of an oil pump explosion. And as often happens on Landman, Tommy explains how things actually work.

He's wary when his boss sends out a brisk young lawyer, played by Kayla Wallace, who's like a barracuda that bills $900 an hour. She seems to find Tommy, indeed the whole oil business, crude. Here, they visit the site of an oil pump explosion. And as often happens on Landman, Tommy explains how things actually work.

He's wary when his boss sends out a brisk young lawyer, played by Kayla Wallace, who's like a barracuda that bills $900 an hour. She seems to find Tommy, indeed the whole oil business, crude. Here, they visit the site of an oil pump explosion. And as often happens on Landman, Tommy explains how things actually work.

Hollywood is no stranger to the oil business. Think of giant, and there will be blood. Yet over the decades, pop culture has grown ever less interested in depicting ordinary work and actual working people. So I was pleasantly surprised to realize that Landman doesn't focus on oil barons, but on the people involved in the violent task of wresting oil from the earth and shipping it out by tanker.

Hollywood is no stranger to the oil business. Think of giant, and there will be blood. Yet over the decades, pop culture has grown ever less interested in depicting ordinary work and actual working people. So I was pleasantly surprised to realize that Landman doesn't focus on oil barons, but on the people involved in the violent task of wresting oil from the earth and shipping it out by tanker.

Hollywood is no stranger to the oil business. Think of giant, and there will be blood. Yet over the decades, pop culture has grown ever less interested in depicting ordinary work and actual working people. So I was pleasantly surprised to realize that Landman doesn't focus on oil barons, but on the people involved in the violent task of wresting oil from the earth and shipping it out by tanker.

It's no surprise that the writer to do this would be Sheridan, who's made a mission of updating our ideas of the modern West. Clearly driven by an old-school work ethic, this is the seventh new show he's created since Yellowstone only six years ago. He tells stories that some hip reviewers write off as dead TV.

It's no surprise that the writer to do this would be Sheridan, who's made a mission of updating our ideas of the modern West. Clearly driven by an old-school work ethic, this is the seventh new show he's created since Yellowstone only six years ago. He tells stories that some hip reviewers write off as dead TV.

It's no surprise that the writer to do this would be Sheridan, who's made a mission of updating our ideas of the modern West. Clearly driven by an old-school work ethic, this is the seventh new show he's created since Yellowstone only six years ago. He tells stories that some hip reviewers write off as dead TV.

They insist that beneath a few progressive touches, such as his sympathy for the Latino workers in Landman, he's a sentimental purveyor of traditional values. Now, I like it that Tommy has a retro air to him. All grizzled expertise, he's a decent man who instinctively sides with the guys on the rigs rather than in the country clubs.

They insist that beneath a few progressive touches, such as his sympathy for the Latino workers in Landman, he's a sentimental purveyor of traditional values. Now, I like it that Tommy has a retro air to him. All grizzled expertise, he's a decent man who instinctively sides with the guys on the rigs rather than in the country clubs.

They insist that beneath a few progressive touches, such as his sympathy for the Latino workers in Landman, he's a sentimental purveyor of traditional values. Now, I like it that Tommy has a retro air to him. All grizzled expertise, he's a decent man who instinctively sides with the guys on the rigs rather than in the country clubs.

He genuinely loves his kids and ex-wife, but he's gentleman enough to remind her that he was a lousy, work-obsessed husband. played with wry, grouchy warmth by Thornton, Tommy embodies the honorable, sometimes baffled masculinity that you won't find in a ruthless SOB like Monty Miller, whose only ethical principle is keeping the cost of oil between 76 and 88 dollars a barrel.

He genuinely loves his kids and ex-wife, but he's gentleman enough to remind her that he was a lousy, work-obsessed husband. played with wry, grouchy warmth by Thornton, Tommy embodies the honorable, sometimes baffled masculinity that you won't find in a ruthless SOB like Monty Miller, whose only ethical principle is keeping the cost of oil between 76 and 88 dollars a barrel.

He genuinely loves his kids and ex-wife, but he's gentleman enough to remind her that he was a lousy, work-obsessed husband. played with wry, grouchy warmth by Thornton, Tommy embodies the honorable, sometimes baffled masculinity that you won't find in a ruthless SOB like Monty Miller, whose only ethical principle is keeping the cost of oil between 76 and 88 dollars a barrel.

While some viewers may be drawn to Landman to watch Tommy's wife and daughter flaunt their scantily clad bodies, there's more of this than is strictly necessary. The show's true interest lies in the scenes that reveal the Wild West workings of today's oil biz.