Taylor Sheridan doesn't do things halfway. If you've been following the massive footprint he’s left on Paramount+ with Yellowstone, 1882, and Tulsa King, you already know the drill. It’s gritty. It’s expensive. It’s usually set in a place where the dirt is as much a character as the actors. His latest venture, Landman, takes us right into the heart of the Permian Basin in West Texas. It’s a world of boomtowns, roughnecks, and billion-dollar gambles. But before you clear your weekend to binge the whole thing, you probably want to know the Landman number of episodes so you can pace yourself properly.
Basically, the first season of Landman consists of 10 episodes.
This isn't some 22-episode network slog that drags on through the spring. Sheridan likes his storytelling tight and cinematic. The season kicked off with a two-episode premiere on November 17, 2024. From there, it shifted into a weekly release schedule. If you’re a fan of the "appointment television" vibe, this is it. If you’re the type who likes to wait until the whole thing is finished so you can watch it in one caffeine-fueled sitting, you’re looking at a late January finish line for the first season.
Why 10 Episodes is the Sweet Spot for Landman
Modern prestige TV has settled on this number for a reason. It’s long enough to build a world but short enough to keep the budget from spiraling into the stratosphere. And believe me, the budget for Landman is visible in every frame. We’re talking about massive oil rigs, sweeping Texas landscapes, and a cast that includes Billy Bob Thornton, Jon Hamm, and Demi Moore. You don't get those names for a 24-episode run.
Billy Bob Thornton plays Tommy Norris. He’s a crisis manager for an oil company. Think of him as a "fixer" but with more grease and a lot more stress. The Landman number of episodes allows the show to explore the micro-details of the oil business—the actual "landmen" who negotiate the rights to drill—while keeping the overarching drama high-stakes.
Most people don't realize how much work goes into the logistics of a show like this. Sheridan actually films on location. The dust is real. The heat is real. If they tried to stretch this to 15 or 20 episodes, the production value would take a massive hit. Plus, Sheridan is notoriously busy. The guy is writing, producing, and sometimes directing half a dozen shows at once. A 10-episode limit is basically the only way he stays sane while maintaining that "Sheridan-verse" quality people expect.
Breaking Down the Release Schedule
Paramount+ follows a pretty predictable pattern these days. They want to keep you subscribed for more than just one month. By dropping the first two episodes at once, they hook you. Then, they slow-roll the rest.
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The rollout looks like this:
- Episodes 1 & 2: The big introduction.
- Episodes 3 through 9: The meat of the story, released weekly.
- Episode 10: The season finale.
Because the Landman number of episodes is capped at ten, every single hour has to pull its weight. There’s no room for "filler" episodes where nothing happens. In Yellowstone, we sometimes get these long montages of cowboys just being cowboys. In Landman, the pace feels a bit more frantic, mirroring the boom-or-bust energy of the oil fields. It’s a pressure cooker.
Does it feel too short?
Honestly, some fans might think so. When you're dealing with a world as complex as the Texas oil industry, ten hours barely scratches the surface. You've got the billionaire executives living in Fort Worth glass towers on one side. On the other, you've got the laborers risking their lives on the rigs. Tommy Norris sits right in the middle, trying to keep both sides from blowing up—sometimes literally.
But there’s a benefit to this brevity. It forces the writers to focus on the character arcs. We see Tommy’s relationship with his son, who is trying to follow in his footsteps, and his daughter, who is navigating her own path. We see the corporate maneuvering of Jon Hamm's character, Monty Miller. If this were a longer season, we’d probably get bogged down in technical jargon about mineral rights. Instead, we get the human drama.
The Financial Stakes Behind the Scenes
Sheridan’s deal with Paramount is legendary. We are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars. Because of that, the Landman number of episodes is as much a business decision as a creative one. Each episode is rumored to cost upwards of $10 million. You do the math. A 10-episode season is a $100 million investment.
The show is based on the "Boomtown" podcast. If you haven't heard it, it's worth a listen. It provides the factual backbone for the series. The podcast goes deep into the history of the Permian Basin, the environmental impact, and the sheer amount of money flowing through West Texas. Sheridan takes those facts and wraps them in a rugged, fictional narrative.
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Comparing Landman to Other Sheridan Shows
If you're trying to figure out if the Landman number of episodes will satisfy your craving for drama, look at his track record.
- 1883 was 10 episodes. It felt like a complete, devastating movie.
- 1923 was 8 episodes in its first season.
- Mayor of Kingstown usually sticks to the 10-episode format.
It’s a formula that works. It allows for a high-octane finale that usually leaves things on a massive cliffhanger, ensuring that fans scream for a second season. Given the early reception and the star power involved, a Season 2 of Landman seems like a safe bet, though nothing is ever guaranteed in the streaming world.
What about a Season 2?
While we are focused on the Landman number of episodes for the debut season, rumors are already swirling about the future. Sheridan tends to write these shows as multi-season arcs. Tommy Norris isn't a character you can "solve" in ten hours. His problems are systemic. The oil industry doesn't just stop. It keeps pumping until the well runs dry.
If a second season is greenlit, expect another 10-episode order. It’s the standard operating procedure for Paramount’s big-budget originals. It keeps the quality high and the "binge-ability" factor high.
The Experience of West Texas
What makes Landman different from something like Dallas is the grit. This isn't about people drinking martinis by the pool. Well, some of them are, but the show focuses on the people getting their hands dirty. The Landman number of episodes gives us enough time to see the transition from the boardroom to the mud-slicked rig floor.
The cinematography captures the vastness of the Permian Basin. It’s a landscape that can make a human being look very, very small. Tommy Norris has to navigate this landscape while dealing with the fact that everyone wants a piece of the pie. The "landman" is the one who secures the leases. He’s the one who talks the ranchers into letting the oil companies onto their land. It’s a job that requires a silver tongue and a thick skin.
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Navigating the Landman Schedule
If you're planning to watch, here is the best way to handle the Landman number of episodes release.
First, don't rush the first two episodes. There is a lot of world-building. Sheridan introduces a dozen characters and several competing plotlines within the first sixty minutes. If you blink, you’ll miss why a certain lease is important or why a particular roughneck is causing trouble.
Second, pay attention to the dialogue. Sheridan is known for his "cowboy poetry." Some people find it a bit much, but it’s his signature style. The characters talk in grand, sweeping statements about life, work, and the land. In a 10-episode season, these speeches often foreshadow where the story is going.
Third, watch it on the biggest screen you have. The production value is why the Landman number of episodes is kept relatively low. They are shooting for the "big screen" feel on a streaming budget. The shots of the oil rigs at night, lit up like alien cities in the middle of the desert, are genuinely stunning.
Final Thoughts on the Episode Count
Is 10 episodes enough? In the era of TikTok and 30-second clips, ten hours of television is actually a massive commitment. But for a story this big, it feels just right. It avoids the bloat of old-school television while providing more depth than a standard two-hour movie could ever manage.
The Landman number of episodes reflects a shift in how we consume stories. We want quality over quantity. We want to see Billy Bob Thornton chew the scenery without the plot spinning its wheels for three months. By the time you reach the finale, you’ll likely feel like you’ve been through the ringer along with the characters. That’s the Sheridan way.
Next Steps for Landman Fans
If you've already started the season and find yourself wanting more context, here’s how to dive deeper into the world:
- Listen to the Boomtown Podcast: Since the show is based on this reporting by Christian Wallace, it's the best way to separate the Hollywood drama from the real-world mechanics of the Permian Basin.
- Track the Weekly Drops: Set a reminder for Sunday nights. Paramount+ usually drops new episodes at 3:00 AM ET / 12:00 AM PT.
- Watch the Supporting Cast: Keep an eye on the younger actors playing Tommy's children (Jacob Lofland and Michelle Randolph). Their storylines are often where the real emotional stakes of the season reside.
- Explore Sheridan’s Other Work: If you finish the 10 episodes and need another fix, Lioness or Lawmen: Bass Reeves offer similar high-stakes storytelling in very different settings.
The oil fields are waiting. Just make sure you’ve got enough gas in the tank to make it through all ten episodes. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.