How Billy Bob Thornton Really Feels About The Success Of Taylor Sheridan's Landman

The ever-growing list of "Yellowstone" spin-offs proves that Taylor Sheridan knows how to milk a franchise, but there is more to his oeuvre than Dutton family drama. "Landman" is an oil-themed series with no connection to the "Yellowstone" universe, yet both properties are similar in the sense that they are doing huge numbers for the Paramount Network. In fact, "Landman" season 1 broke streaming records and made an unlikely fan out of Stephen King, who hates himself for enjoying Sheridan's series.

Be that as it may, Billy Bob Thornton (who plays Tommy Norris on "Landman") isn't surprised by its success ... though he was caught off-guard by its reach. As he told the Los Angeles Times:

"We knew we were making something really special. We thought people would like it. But the response has been so much beyond what we thought. Traditionally, Taylor's stuff is more of a middle-of-the-country kind of thing. But with this, it's the middle of the country, the coasts, and other countries, too. We're humbled by that. When people come up and want to talk about it, it means a lot."

As Thornton mentioned, "Yellowstone" is mostly popular in the U.S.'s so-called "flyover" states. "Landman," meanwhile, seems to be more accessible for viewers across the board — and the actor believes it's due to the series' subject matter and ability to connect with audiences on a human level.

"Landman" isn't a documentary about the oil industry, but at least the show tries to portray the industry's roughnecks and their experiences in an authentic light. Tommy Norris is also a classic underdog who must cope with politicians, lawyers, capitalists, and the cartel while trying to keep his head above water, making him easy to root for. According to Billy Bob Thornton in the aforementioned interview, these aspects of the show are why it's resonating with millions of viewers. What's more, he believes that the oil industry fascinates audiences, as it's quite fresh in the world of modern TV dramas:

"[P]eople have never had a peek behind the curtain of the oil business. Not since 'Giant' have you ever seen a lot about the oil business. That movie really struck me, and I think people wanted to see the daily life of how this stuff works. I told someone the other day that 'Landman' is 'Giant' with cursing."

Of course, Thornton's impressive performance hasn't hurt the show's success, either. However, the actor praised Taylor Sheridan for writing for him a character he can sink his teeth into, noting that he's been able to channel some of his own personality into his "Landman" performances. Tommy Norris' deadpan vulgarity and world-weary nature suits Thornton's sensibilities, and it seems like he's passionate about the character — which goes a long way.

"Landman" season 1 is available to stream on Paramount+.