Are Taylor Sheridan's Landman And Yellowstone Connected?

Taylor Sheridan's "Yellowstone" franchise is an expansive beast that currently boasts three shows with more on the way, but is his "Landman" series secretly set in the same universe as his Western soap operas? After all, "Landman" is the perfect viewing for fans of "Yellowstone," as both series explore similar themes and center their stories around tough individuals with stressful lives in dangerous worlds. As it stands, though, Sheridan has yet to confirm if both series are part of the same franchise, but "Yellowstone" might have been on his mind when he created "Landman."

"Yellowstone" tells the story of the Dutton family as they fight to protect their ranch from greedy capitalists and powerful criminals who want to turn it into lucrative businesses. "Landman," meanwhile, sees Billy Bob Thornton play an executive for a Texas-based oil company, which brings him into contact with other ruthless business peeps and the cartel. That said, while both series contain heightened drama and over-the-top storylines, they also portray their characters' respective professions authentically, making them feel tonally similar.

What's more, "Landman" and "Yellowstone" both focus on the unstable relationship between the environment, land, and commerce, and it's not unusual for people to get killed off in brutal ways. However, it also seems that Sheridan has repurposed elements of his hit cowboy franchise for his oil drama.

"Landman" and "Yellowstone" are thematically connected, but they also contain similar scenes that can either be chalked up as lazy writing or fun Easter eggs to the wider Sheridanverse. For example, "Landman" season 1 episode 4, "The Sting of Second Chances," sees attorney Rebecca Falcone (Kayla Wallace) bluntly tell some lawyers that she's going to defeat them, saying, "When this is over in seven years, you will be disbarred and I will hang your law degrees over my f**king toilet."

Of course, "Yellowstone" fans will remember a similar line from season 3's "Meaner Than Evil" episode, when Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) promises to hang an attorney's law degree above a toilet in her guest house. Even though Taylor Sheridan has sued "Yellowstone" stars in the past, his writing suggests that he isn't a fan of lawyers.

Recycled dialogue isn't the only connection between "Yellowstone" and "Landman" either, as both shows feature scenes where characters encounter rattlesnakes. However, considering that both stories are set in scorching hot southern states, it's only natural for reptiles to be hanging around in the wilderness, so maybe we can give Sheridan a pass here. Still, even Billy Bob Thornton has noticed some parallels between the shows.

Much can be said about the aforementioned similarities between "Yellowstone" and "Landman," especially since some scenes are glaringly obvious. That said, what are "Landman" star Billy Bob Thornton's thoughts on his series being compared to Taylor Sheridan's other hit drama?

While speaking to ScreenRant, Thornton noted that "Landman" and "Yellowstone" have a similar approach to characterization, which is a testament to Sheridan's abilities as a writer. In his own words:

"Well, I think one thing that's similar would be that it's about the people, and the sort of inside workings of what's going on with them all. I can't stress enough that this is not just a show saying, 'Hey, look, this is the oil business.' It's about people and what we do in life, whether good or bad. I think Taylor has a handle on human behaviour, and I think in that way, they're similar."

With "Landman" season 2 on the way, Sheridan has an opportunity to further connect both shows — or make more of an effort to try and distance them. Still, wouldn't it be fun if they actually are set in the same universe and had some crossover episodes down the line?