Those anxiously waiting for the next season ofLandmancan bide their time by checking out this five-season HBO series with a 92% onRotten Tomatoes.Landmanis the latest show inTaylor Sheridan’s exponentially expanding universe of TV shows. This 2024 series follows Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton), a petroleum Landman caught up in all sorts of illegal and legal activities and crises. Set in Sheridan’s home state of Texas,Landmanearned a 78% onRotten Tomatoes, a Golden Globe nomination for Thornton,and aLandmanseason 2, set for some unknown date.
Much like Sheridan’s other shows,Landmanis a grim series with heroes who don’t always act as heroically as one would hope. While it may be a bit of a retread, Thornton’s performance elevatesLandmanand, with only ten episodes in season 1, a lot of fans are probably hungry for something more. There are plenty of TV shows with protagonists who aren’t on the right side of the law. In fact,the list of best TV anti-heroesis virtually a list of the best TV heroes period. There’s one anti-hero TV show thatLandmanfans, in particular, will enjoy.
Boardwalk Empire Is An Ideal Watch While You Wait For Landman Season 2
The HBO Series Earned 57 Emmy Nominations
For those who are eagerly awaiting the return ofLandman,Boardwalk Empireon HBO should satisfy whatever itch they have. The five-season series premiered in September 2009 and between then and October 2014, when the finale aired,Boardwalk Empireearned 57 Emmy nominations and won 20 times and earned eight Golden Globe nominations, winning twice. As it stands, the series currently has a 92% onRotten Tomatoes. With its historical setting, fantastic ensemble, and legendary figures in production, it’s a quintessential “prestige TV” classic.
The series was created by Terence Winter, who collaborated in the beginning stages of the show with Martin Scorsese, and together, the pair put together an exciting, informative, moving, and meticulously thought-out story.Boardwalk Empireis set in Atlantic City, New Jersey during Prohibition. It stars Steve Buscemi as Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, a political figure and a ruthless mob boss who is as untouchable as he is rich. Nucky interacts with real historical figures of the era, entwining himself in real life events.
It’s a series that ends on a satisfying note, and viewers don’t have to worry about it having been canceled halfway through.
These historical figures are played by a who’s who of lauded character actors, including Michael Stuhlbarg as Arnold Rothstein, Stephen Graham as Al Capone, and Stephen Root as Gaston Means. No one is played like a caricature, and the series feels entirely grounded in reality, and yet it isn’t too dry. It’s a blend of real figures and events with thrilling stories of humanity, revenge, ambition, and love. It’s a series that ends on a satisfying note, and viewers don’t have to worry about it having been canceled halfway through.
Why HBO’s Crime Drama Will Appeal To Fans Of The Later Paramount+ Show
Boardwalk Empire And Landman Are Both About American Greed
While the settings ofLandmanandBoardwalk Empireare very different, the ideas and themes present in both shows overlap enough that fans ofLandmanshould really enjoyBoardwalk Empire. Both series star a character who works on both sides of the law. Nucky is a politician and a bootlegger. Tommy is Operations VP and has under the table deals with the cartel.Both men are constantly trying to balance the legal and illegal sides of their lives, though Nucky has far more success than Tommy ever does.
There are also the inherent similarities between oil and alcohol. These dark liquids are both incredibly valuable and addictive even, and the rights to sell them can be worth such a staggering amount of money that people lose all their humanity just to get a piece of it.Both shows are distinctly American, revealing how greed can cause incredible rot in people, communities, and even the Earth. There are a lot of differences between the two shows, so don’t go intoBoardwalk Empireexpecting a Sheridan-style series.
Boardwalk Empireis sprawling instead of hyper-focused likeLandman. Nucky may be the protagonist, but there is so much more going on than just his story. Prepare to juggle a lot of different plots while you watch it.Boardwalk Empireis also as much a look at an era as it is a person, so there’s a much more epic scope toBoardwalk Empire, and it therefore takes a little more time to get into.Landmanseason 2 should be here eventually, but until then,Boardwalk Empireis a must-see for fans.
