As Billy Bob Thornton steps back into the boots of a grizzled Texas oilman for Season 2 of Landman, the fictional drama is landing at a moment when the real U.S. energy industry is enjoying a noticeable shift in public mood.
The new season, premiering Sunday on Paramount+, arrives alongside a friendlier political climate in Washington and a gradual rise in Americans who say they support domestic drilling — a sentiment that had dipped sharply during years of heated environmental debate.
And the industry isn’t missing the opportunity. The American Petroleum Institute is rolling out a major ad push during the show’s airings, spotlighting real landmen whose everyday experiences loosely echo the world Sheridan portrays on screen.
Industry leaders say the cultural tide is turning. Mike Sommers, API’s president, argues that Landman is tapping into a broader moment where people are reconsidering the role of oil and gas in a future that still needs reliable energy. Even some Democratic governors — long pressured by climate activists — have recently backed or approved fossil-fuel-related projects.
But experts point out that the boom-town swagger portrayed on TV doesn’t fully reflect the messy reality facing producers today. Tariffs, uneven oil prices, and political uncertainty still cast a long shadow over the sector. And while U.S. audiences may resonate with Landman’s rugged Americana vibe, that sentiment doesn’t always carry abroad, where climate policies remain more aggressive.
True to creator Taylor Sheridan’s style, Landman blends grit, tension, and Texas bravado — complete with high-stakes drilling mishaps and larger-than-life characters. But behind the dramatization, the show is also capturing a real-world feeling: an industry sensing that, after years on the defensive, the country might be ready to rethink how it views oil, gas, and the people who pull it from the ground.