Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore Show ‘Landman’ Breaks Record

The newest show on Paramount Network has become an instant hit, breaking viewing records.

Landman is a drama starring Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore, Ali Larter and Jon Hamm.

More than 14.9 million people have watched the series in its first four weeks on Paramount+, and it is now the most-viewed TV show on the streaming service, as reported by the network.

Co-created by Taylor Sheridan, the producer behind other Paramount Network hits such as Yellowstone, 1883, and 1923, the show is set in the oil rigs of boomtown West Texas.

Landman is based on the podcast Boomtown, which follows the stories of “roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics,” per Paramount Network.

Actress Michelle Randolph stars as Ainsley Norris, the daughter of Thornton’s character, and she spoke to Newsweek about landing a gig on the hit show.

“To be working with Taylor at a time when he is on top is really special because he makes some of the best shows on TV,” she said.

“People love them and they’re fun to work on. I am just so lucky.”

Randolph is not the only actor to praise the show, with Thornton vowing to come back if Landman renewed for a second season.

“I’m signed up for it. Ten years ago, it wouldn’t have been fun for me. But there’s a different perception now. All the actors want to be in streaming now. That’s where you get to develop a character. What director or writer or actor doesn’t want to be able to do a movie that they don’t cut to an hour and a half?” he told The Wrap.

“It’s a director’s dream to do 10 hours of movie. An episode can be 48 minutes long or it can be an hour and two minutes long. Unless you’re doing Marvel movies and stuff like that, the movie business is not really the place anymore.”

But the viewing records are not the only reason for celebration, as Thornton was recently nominated for a Golden Globes award for his performance in Landman.

Despite its popularity, some critics have slammed the show’s portrayal of women.

The Guardian wrote that while Landman is “absolutely packed with zingers,” its attitude towards women is “repellent.”

NPR had kind words about Thornton’s “strong” performance, but added that “the show’s women are often caricatures.” The review read: “If only there was a female character drawn as well as Tommy in this series, Landman would transform from an entertaining TV drama to a captivating classic.”