Landman vs. Yellowstone — Can It Take the Crown?
1. Audience & Ratings
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The premiere of Landman averaged 14.6 million global viewers across streaming and linear in its first week—a record for a Paramount+ original. Reddit+12Reddit+12Reddit+12Wikipedia+15Collider+15Collider+1
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Week 2 viewership grew by 60%, proving it wasn’t just hype. ColliderTaste of Country
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By contrast, Yellowstone‘s most-watched episode (its series finale) drew about 8.1 million across Paramount Network and CMT. Reddit+4Reddit+4Wikipedia+4
2. Critical Reception
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Landman holds a 78% Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Metacritic average 60/100), indicating generally positive reviews. New York Post+15Wikipedia+15newsweek.com+15
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Yellowstone began with modest reviews (around 56% for season one), though later seasons earned acclaim (up to 91%). Collider+2Collider+2
3. Viewer Reactions & Fan Comparisons
Reddit fans have been vocal:
“Landman is crazy good. Can’t wait for next season. Billy Bob nails it…” Reddit+4Reddit+4EW.com+4Reddit+15Reddit+15Reddit+15
“Landman is better in every way.” Reddit
“Yellowstone is a lot less nuanced. … Landman has more believable stakes.” Reddit+5Reddit+5Reddit+5
But criticism exists too:
“Every woman on Landman is a terrible one‑dimensional cliché…” Reddit+1Reddit+1
“Underdeveloped sideplots, rushed relationships… the wife and daughter are annoying.” Reddit+3Reddit+3Reddit+3
4. Style & Themes
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Both shows are Taylor Sheridan dramas anchored by rugged individualism and family turmoil in rural America.
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Landman trades Montana ranching for the gritty oilfields of West Texas, delivering exciting new stakes: land rights spills, corporate intrigue, cartel threats. The Times
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Critics note that while Landman echoes Yellowstone, it’s sharper from the start, starring a magnetic Billy Bob Thornton. The TimesDecider
Summary Table
| Category | Landman | Yellowstone |
|---|---|---|
| Premiere Viewers | 14.6 million global first week | ~8.1 million (series finale across platforms) |
| Critical Score | Rotten Tomatoes: ~78%; Metacritic: ~60 | RT ~56% Season 1 → 84–91% in later seasons |
| Fan Sentiment | Highly positive; praise for style & Thornton | Legacy following; mixed response in S5+ |
| Criticism | Weak writing on female roles, sideplots | Some found later seasons over-the-top |
| Genre & Tone | High-stakes oil industry drama | Neo-Western ranch saga with family feuds |
Verdict: Is Landman About to Take the Crown?
While Landman is off to one of the strongest starts ever seen on Paramount+, especially in viewership, it’s still early days. Yellowstone built its legacy over five seasons and multiple spin-offs, becoming a cultural juggernaut.
Landman may not have reached Yellowstone’s long-term cultural footprint yet—but with smarter writing, character depth, and sustained ratings momentum, it has every chance to surpass its predecessor. For now, it’s no question that Landman is being hailed as the most promising of Sheridan’s post-Yellowstone era.
