Fans Have Noticed Striking Similarities Between ‘Landman’ and ‘Yellowstone

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As a dedicated fan of Taylor Sheridan’s work and someone who has spent countless hours streaming his shows on Paramount+, I must admit I was taken aback by the repeated dialogue in Landman. Having followed Sheridan’s career since his Yellowstone days, I can’t help but feel that he’s a bit too comfortable with his favorite lines.

In the ongoing work of prolific television writer Taylor Sheridan, there’s speculation about a potential connection between his series “Yellowstone” and “Landman”. Some viewers believe they spotted a similar dialogue in the fourth episode of “Landman” that echoes a line spoken by Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) from “Yellowstone”. This resemblance has sparked discussions ranging from it being a subtle Easter Egg, to accusations of Sheridan’s writing being repetitive or lazy.

In Sheridan’s plan to interlink some of his Yellowstone spin-offs like 6666 and The Madison, a careful examination of recurring dialogues might provide clarity on the subject matter. Whether it’s an Easter egg or a consequence of hurried storytelling, it becomes evident that the working-class characters in Landman and Yellowstone hold little regard for those with academic backgrounds.

‘Landman’ Isn’t Another ‘Yellowstone’ Spin-Off

On November 17, 2024, “Landman” debuted on Paramount+, the latest television series created by Taylor Sheridan. Inspired by the “Boomtown” podcast by Christian Wallace, the plot revolves around Tommy Norris (played by Billy Bob Thornton), a crisis manager for a prosperous oil company in West Texas. However, when an accident claims lives near one of Norris’ oil drilling sites, a city lawyer named Rebecca Fallcone steps in to probe the matter.

In this series, we delve into the lives of the diverse employees and team members who frequently face dangerous situations as they extract oil and gas from beneath the earth, like Tommy’s son Cooper (Jacob Lofland) who ascends through the ranks to become a skilled Derrickhand. Meanwhile, Tommy strives to maintain harmony with his former spouse Angela (Ali Larter) and finds time for his daughter Ainsley (Michelle Randolph) outside of work.

Landman is the eighth television series that Sheridan has written since the year 2008. After penning numerous films, Sheridan’s prior and ongoing television works encompass Yellowstone and its offshoots, 1883 and 1923, as well as The Last Cowboy, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, and Lioness. Moreover, Sheridan has several more television series in development, such as 2024, 6666, and The Madison.

6666 and The Madison are sequels or spin-offs from the highly successful and long-running TV series Yellowstone, which is Taylor Sheridan’s most notable creation. Given that he has spent considerable time writing dialogue for the Yellowstone characters since 2018, it wouldn’t be surprising if a line of dialogue from Landman were similar to something previously used.

Landman Repeats Yellowstone Dialog Almost Verbatim

In the fourth episode of Season 1 of “Landman,” titled “The Sting of Second Chances,” Rebecca Falcone persists in probing the fatal incident linked to Norris’ oil business. During their conversation, Rebecca criticizes a local for their legal credentials and threatens, in a strong manner, “I will display your law degrees above my toilet.

Reddit users with keen ears spotted that Rebecca’s quote bears a striking resemblance to something Beth Dutton said in Yellowstone Season 3: “I’ll hang your diploma above my toilet.” The delicious irony of an episode titled “The Sting of Second Chances” is evident, as Sheridan finds himself on the receiving end of the sting after repeating the same dialogue a second time. Even more ironic, Redditor Lazy_Recognition_633 pointed out, “I caught that right away! Haha, it’s too funny!

It’s plausible that the line was intentionally inserted as a tribute or “Easter Egg” to Yellowstone fans. However, many Reddit users are skeptical about this theory. After the original poster commented, “Damn, I like this show, but that was really lazy,” others shared their thoughts on the matter. BirdValaBrain echoed these sentiments, stating:

Sure thing! “I concur. It seems like the same kind of rant we often hear from Beth on Yellowstone, but it’s coming from another character this time. I must admit, these repetitive scenes featuring the Sheridans are starting to feel a bit stale.

Redditor ilovemischief doubled down, stating:

I noticed that as well. It feels a bit repetitive. It’s like they were particularly fond of that dialogue in Yellowstone and felt compelled to use it again. I don’t have an issue with Sheridan having multiple shows, but if the content is just reused without much variation…it loses some appeal.

In movies or TV shows, using dialogue repeated by characters isn’t a novel concept – even Joel and Ethan Coen, who Sheridan admires, frequently employ this technique. However, it becomes questionable when the exact same line is used in a different show with a new character saying it. This practice can be seen as sloppy at best and downright lazy at its worst.

This Isn’t the Only Happened It’s Happened

Some Reddit users have countered the claim that Sheridan’s writing is lazy, pointing out that reusing lines in different shows isn’t necessarily a sign of carelessness. As Anorak27s argues, “Isn’t it possible that this line has been used before?” F1grid echoes this view, mentioning that lawyers have often used the same line prior to the shows. However, without solid proof, the argument remains weak. Interestingly, only one Redditor proposes that the repeated dialogue serves as an Easter Egg, suggesting, “I interpret it more as an Easter egg than lazy writing. Time will tell if this holds true in future scripts.

If viewers hadn’t noticed the repeated dialog, another recurring motif between Landman and Yellowstone would have gained more attention. The same Reddit thread pokes fun at how often Taylor Sheridan incorporates rattlesnakes into his writing, regardless of the TV series he’s working on. As Manacit writes, “Don’t forget the rattlesnakes. Taylor really wants you to know they have rattlesnakes in Texas.” The post elicited the cheeky response, “TS must own a rattlesnake prop company.”

Given that we haven’t yet seen the entire first season of Landman, it’s challenging to confirm whether the repeated dialogue is a reference to Yellowstone, often known as an ‘Easter Egg’. To put it simply, it seems highly unlikely for two distinct characters on separate TV shows to mention hanging a law degree or diploma above the toilet by coincidence. This detail appears too specific not to be intentional.

Given the numerous series Sheridan manages at once, it’s not surprising that he resorted to an old favorite line he used to write, possibly due to being pressed for time or simply lazy.

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2024-12-07 23:02