Taylor Sheridan's Landman Is Inspired By A Podcast That Hardcore Fans Need To Check Out

Taylor Sheridan's "Landman" is a lot like his "Yellowstone" series, albeit with the oil industry standing in for cowboying. That said, both shows are essentially modern-day Westerns that center around families and tough characters who get caught up in crime and other types of shenanigans. What's more, their respective stories are thematically similar, exploring ideas pertaining to the environment, politics, capitalism, and communities. Despite their shared interests, however, "Yellowstone" and "Landman" aren't officially connected — and the latter holds the distinction of being somewhat adapted from a podcast about real events.

The basis of "Landman" comes from co-creator Christian Wallace's "Boomtown" podcast, in association with Imperative Entertainment and Texas Monthly. The documentary series chronicles the oil boom in West Texas and explores the impact it's had on the Lone Star State — on everything from its politics to the economy. Wallace spent a year working in the Texas old fields to get some first-hand experience, too, and his insights helped propel the podcast straight up the iTunes charts following its release.

It was only a matter of time until the show caught the attention of someone like Sheridan, and the rest is history. However, "Landman" throws in the fictional — and occasionally crude — fixer Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton), cartel violence, and unresolved sibling drama to beef up the story, so don't go into the series expecting a true-to-life adaptation of "Boomtown." Still, the podcast is essential listening for fans who want to find out more about the Texas oil industry that informs the show. Wallace, meanwhile, is surprised that so many people gravitated toward "Boomtown" in the first place.

Christian Wallace is shocked by the success of "Boomtown." During the conversation with Decider, the podcaster and "Landman" co-creator said that he never expected an oil podcast to get one listener, let alone millions. So, you can imagine his surprise when "Boomtown" became a hit and inspired Taylor Sheridan to tap him for "Landman."

"I'm from West Texas, so things that were normal to me seemed incredible to other people. At the end of the day, however, the podcast is about people and families living in an extraordinary place under extraordinary circumstances. These people are trying to live their lives, working hard to provide for those they care for. That's the heart of Boomtown, and I think that's the heart of Landman too. That theme resonates with people."

Wallace added that Sheridan is the only creator who understood "Landman" enough to turn it into the compelling, hit drama it is today. He praised the prolific showrunner for being knowledgeable about a variety of subjects, which probably helped him understand enough about the oil industry to write about it. With "Landman" season 2 officially on the way, viewers can also look forward to more oil-centric drama in the near future.