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Taylor Sheridan is undoubtedly the most prolific television creator in recent years, but the writer, director, and producer’s shows have almost always been absent from mainstream awards shows like the Primetime Emmys and Golden Globes. To date, his only series to find any semblance of recognition was 1923, which was nominated for Golden Globes in two major categories, one for Best Drama Series and the other for Helen Mirren’s performance. Landman* *may finally be able to break that curse.

*Landman *Season 2 is off to a hot start, filling its sizable Jon Hamm void with heightened roles from Andy Garcia and Demi Moore, as well as the addition of legendary actor Sam Elliott. While arguably past the peak of their Hollywood sway, each actor has made it clear that they’re still a scene-stealing movie star, maintaining *Landman’s *star-studded cast with some of the most distinguished talent in the industry. To no one’s surprise, it’s *Tombstone *veteran Sam Elliott who’s shone the most, arriving late to the *Landman *party but instantly proving he’s meant to be there.

Sam Elliott Deserves Awards Attention for ‘Landman’ Season 2

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As mentioned, Taylor Sheridan’s shows have been consistently snubbed by the Emmys and Golden Globes, and whether that’s deserved is an argument fans will have a wide range of responses to. While I’d certainly make the case that *1923 *deserved some respect from the Emmys and that *1883 *probably could have gotten some more attention, I’ve yet to watch an episode of his shows (I’ve seen all of them), where I’ve walked away with the distinct opinion that someone deserved an award. Until now.

*Landman *Season 2, Episode 4, is one of the most exceptional episodes of television Taylor Sheridan has ever written. Though some of its subplots toward the end of the episode, such as the extremely heavy-handed oil crew hospital scenes, or Rebecca’s new romance (which actually had some charm), were quite rough, the first half was sublime. Despite his reputation as a writer of male-oriented, rough-and-tumble shows, Sheridan consistently finds his greatest moments of success when he embraces the vulnerability of his characters.

Sam Elliott’s performance in this episode is the clear takeaway. Perhaps it’s the fact that Sam Elliott has always been a fascinating performer, but one who’s rarely gotten to truly express his chops, but I was blown away by his monologue after the funeral. On the one hand, Tommy’s lack of emotional exposition has made the death of his mother a somewhat stale emotional arc to begin the season, but this scene not only brings forth the weight I’ve been looking for but also justifies the previous ambiguity.

The stark contrast between Tommy’s story and T.L.’s tells you everything you need to know about our protagonist and why he is the way he is. This is an exceptional Tommy scene, presented primarily by T.L. The core concept of the supporting actor is to elevate the star, and Sam Elliott’s heartbreaking exhibition of grief and regret immediately adds several layers to *Landman’s *main character that weren’t there previously. If it were a one-off guest role, I’d say he had an Emmy nomination in the bag, but it’s to be seen if Sam Elliott can maintain valuable contributions throughout the season.

Release Date November 17, 2024

Writers Taylor Sheridan, Christian Wallace

Tommy Norris

Angela Norris