One 'preachy' scene in ‘Landman’ finale has fans convinced 'the show could go downhill really fast'
Taylor Sheridan has added another hit to his growing list of successful TV shows— 'Landman'. The drama series, set in West Texas, explores the challenges and conflicts arising from the region’s oil industry. Starring Billy Bob Thornton as the lead character Tommy Norris, the series recently wrapped up its first season with a well-received finale. However, not everyone is happy with how the season ended, as reported by FandomWire.
Netizens have criticized one particular scene for being too 'preachy'. They found the motivations of Rebecca Falcone, played by Kayla Wallace, inconsistent, leading to confusion in one key moment. On Reddit, user @aboveaveragewife shared their thoughts on the scene where Rebecca and Tommy meet to discuss a deal. The fan argued, "How is it that Rebecca is fine with trying to pay the families of the accident victims as little as possible and threatening them to save the oil company money but she suddenly has to potentially draw the line at negotiating a deal because she’s against fracking?" The said deal would push Tommy and his team toward using the risky method of fracking to extract oil from nearly dried-out fields. As a result, Rebecca’s speaking against fracking in the finale is baffling.
Earlier in the season, Rebecca was involved in a controversial cover-up. She helped the oil company handle the accidental death of some workers by offering minimal compensation to the victims’ families and threatening them if they refused to comply. Despite this morally questionable behavior, Rebecca’s stance in the finale caught many viewers off guard. As user @aboveaveragewife explained, Rebecca suddenly speaks out against fracking, citing its environmental impact. In the scene, Rebecca points out how fracking has caused earthquakes in Oklahoma.
Fans questioned why Rebecca would make this comment, especially since she had previously shown little regard for the consequences of her actions. One viewer noted that Rebecca even asks Dave what fracking means before making her comment, which adds to the confusion. Many fans felt this scene was out of character for her and that it was more about Taylor Sheridan inserting an environmentalist message into the show. A netizen slammed, “The whole scene felt unnecessary. Rebecca’s comment about fracking had no real motivation. It just made the character inconsistent.” Another chimed, “It’s like they wanted to make a point about fracking being bad, but it didn’t fit the story. Rebecca’s actions earlier in the season don’t line up with her sudden concern about the environment.”
This lapse in the finale isn’t new for fans of 'Landman'. Throughout the season, viewers have called out the show for being too focused on delivering environmentalist messages instead of sticking to its main plot. Some fans worry that if Sheridan continues with this tone, it might hurt the series in the long run. Despite the criticism, 'Landman' has been renewed for a second season. Many fans hope that Sheridan will focus on tightening the storylines and avoiding scenes that feel forced. With Thornton’s strong performance and the show’s intriguing premise, 'Landman' has the potential to remain a hit. However, as one Reddit user summed up, “They need to keep the story consistent. If they don’t, the show could go downhill really fast.”
