Taylor Sheridan’s Landman has risen sharply in popularity, overtaking MobLand to become one of Paramount+’s most-watched original series. Despite a low-profile launch, Landman climbed to the #4 spot on the platform’s rankings, pushing MobLand down to fifth place. This milestone highlights the growing success of Taylor Sheridan Landman Paramount success following a steady build in viewer interest.
MobLand, which debuted in March 2025 with considerable fanfare, initially dominated the streaming charts. Featuring high-caliber talent such as Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, and Helen Mirren, and backed by director Guy Ritchie, MobLand attracted over 8 million viewers during its first week. The show quickly became one of Paramount’s most successful original launches, gathering more than 26 million global views by mid-2025 and earning a renewal for a second season.
How Taylor Sheridan’s Unique Production Style Fueled Landman’s Rise
Unlike typical television productions, Taylor Sheridan adopts an unconventional approach to casting and scripting. For Landman, Sheridan secured Billy Bob Thornton — Angelina Jolie’s ex-husband and an acclaimed actor — before finalizing the script, tailoring the story to fit Thornton’s strengths. Sheridan explained,
“I reached out to Billy and said, I have a world I want to drag you through. I told him the world. He said, great. We made a deal and I wrote it for him. So there was no hoping he’s going to spark to it because he was already committed contractually, and I knew he would like it.”
—Taylor Sheridan, Creator
This personalized method mirrors Sheridan’s earlier work on 1883, where key actors were selected prior to script development. The success of Landman proves that Sheridan’s model of creating roles around actors’ talents can build strong audience connections, even if a show’s start is initially understated.
Comparing Landman and MobLand: Different Settings, Shared Themes of Survival and Loyalty
Despite their contrasting backdrops — London’s criminal underworld in MobLand and the Texas oilfields in Landman — the two series explore similar themes that resonate with viewers. Both dramas center on characters navigating high-stakes environments where loyalty is vital and betrayal is a constant threat. Complex protagonists face moral dilemmas, portraying realistic struggles rather than idealized heroism.
MobLand’s gritty London streets cast a dark, intense atmosphere, shaping the tone of its crime narrative, while Landman uses the rugged Texas landscape to emphasize the internal battles of its characters. Fans of MobLand’s intricate storytelling and raw character conflicts will likely find Landman equally compelling and rewarding.
Paramount+ Strengthens Its Streaming Leadership with Dual Hits
Paramount+ now hosts two powerful series drawing impressive viewership: MobLand with its record-breaking start, and Landman with its growing fanbase. As Landman rises to become the platform’s most-watched original, it confirms the strength of Taylor Sheridan’s storytelling brand, which also includes hits like Yellowstone, 1883, and 1923. This simultaneous success showcases Paramount+’s ability to offer diverse, high-quality content that appeals to a broad audience.
With both series available for streaming on Paramount+, viewers can experience two distinct but equally gripping portrayals of struggle, family, and survival. As Landman continues to generate buzz and attract viewers, its rise signals a compelling future for Sheridan’s projects and Paramount+’s expanding influence in the competitive streaming market.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Why did Taylor Sheridan quit acting?
A. The actor, expecting his first child, shared that starting a family was the main reason for changing his career path.
Q. Does Taylor Sheridan have a degree?
A. During the spring graduation, TCU gave Sheridan an honorary Doctor of Letters degree. This was to honor his major impact on the arts, the Texas film industry, the larger Fort Worth area, and TCU itself.
Q. Why did Taylor Sheridan stop acting?
A. While talking about promoting his show 1883, Sheridan mentioned to Deadline that he wasn’t paid well compared to other actors. The low salary wasn’t enough for him to stop working a second job, making it hard to stay on the show. Feeling unappreciated, he chose to stop acting and concentrate on writing instead.
Q. Why is Taylor Sheridan so rich?
A. Sheridan always appreciated being independent and working as a freelancer rather than a full-time employee. However, he chose to expand his deal with Paramount Global, which used to be Viacom CBS. This expansion reportedly earned him $200 million, a significant amount that proved useful.
