Landman: Taylor Sheridan Stepping Away Handed Stephen Kay the One Power Move Season 2 Needed
Landman has already carved its name into Paramount+ history as the most-watched original series, and Season 2 didn’t waste time breaking records. With Taylor Sheridan stepping back from directing, Stephen Kay helms the season with full creative control. During a recent Gold Derby virtual panel, he discussed the creative decisions shaping the new season.
Stepping up as the sole director, he likened his approach to running a season as one big movie. Kay said:
Honestly, for me it’s not that different. He and I have known each other for a long time and we talked. He was on set probably 90 percent of the time last year in Season 1, just as a producer and as a friend and as an extra set of eyes.
Running the season like one big movie lets Kay plant seeds early and watch them bloom later. Instead of rushing the story or chasing big, dramatic moments, he can sit with the characters and let their relationships unfold naturally, which is a blessing for both the cast and the crew.
Stephen Kay on Slow-Burn Storytelling in Landman Season 2
Stephen Kay’s signature approach in Landman Season 2 is patience over flashy dramatics. In the same interview, he emphasized that every scene is about the people, not the explosions.
I think it’s this season is all a risk because it’s not a big flashy, splashy season. What we’re doing is saying that we hope you love these people. I think every scene we approach from the inside out. There’s an old expression that character is fate. And we make it that the character is going to take the people where they end up going.
He’s taking the inside-out approach, meaning the story flows from the characters’ feelings and choices rather than from external drama or contrived events. By sitting with quiet, emotional moments, like Sam Elliott and Billy Bob Thornton staring at the sun, he’s trusting that the small, human details will hit harder than any explosion or twist.
And we take our time, which in this world is also a risk. We will just sit with Sam and Billy looking out at the sun and there’s no rushing it. There’s no like, got to get to the next scene. We got to find some drama. Something should blow up so we can move it along. We’re not doing that.
He also stressed the value of authenticity on location:
It’s invaluable. We’ve been trying to do that since Yellowstone. If I open this drawer, there’s going to be something in here that’s specific. That’s important.
He compares the set to a “breathing organism”, meaning it’s part of the story itself, not just background. When actors interact with the environment naturally, combined with the music and mood, the scene gains a heartbeat, a sense of life that the audience can feel. He added:
I get the real joy of then starting to play with Andrew’s stuff on in it and all of a sudden you feel the heartbeat and you go, ‘Oh, it’s alive.’ I think that’s the goal of this whole show. To me, it’s all about being human and authentic and everybody involved in this production, starting at the top with Taylor. Everybody is striving for authenticity and humanity. And I think that’s what the show is.
Kay points out that this approach makes the storytelling human and authentic, which is what the show is ultimately about.
Showrunner Explains Landman’s Future Without Taylor Sheridan
As Taylor Sheridan steps away from Paramount after his TV contract ends in 2028, Landman’s long-term direction may shift, but not immediately. In a chat with ScreenRant, co-creator Christian Wallace assured fans:
Well, that’s way beyond my pay grade, first of all, but in the day-to-day and the reality of right now, we still have a lot of runway. That contract is not ending anytime soon, and so we’re just going to keep doing exactly what we’ve been doing. Nothing at all has changed, so that’s for a future person to worry about.
Cast members Mustafa Speaks and Mark Collie shared optimism about the series’ trajectory, as the former said:
Speaking to how it’s going to change without Taylor, I can’t, but I just know with Taylor, there’s always going to be a level of excitement, always going to be a level of unpredictability and intensity that the fans always know and love.
With Sheridan’s eventual departure approaching, Landman seems poised to maintain its intensity and narrative depth under Wallace’s guidance, promising viewers an evolving, yet familiar, neo-Western landscape. Will Landman Season 2 continue to balance the human stories or will the absence of Sheridan’s direct touch tilt the series in unexpected directions?
Can Landman maintain its record-breaking momentum without Sheridan calling the shots on set? Drop your thoughts below!
Landman Season 2 is now streaming exclusively on Paramount+.
