“You kind of were thrown into the fire into a very high-pressure, high-octane set,” Larter recalled. “It was really amazing that we had each other to lean on, and so I think that that really formed this bond [between us].”

“Taylor is masterful at casting. He just is. I don’t know how he knows who’s going to get along and what’s going to work and what doesn’t, but it just works,” Larter added. She went on to say of Randolph, “She’s a talented actress and just, [she’s] the best.”

Created by Taylor Sheridan and Christopher Wallace and based on the Boomtown podcast hosted by the latter, Landman stars Billy Bob Thornton as professional landman and oil company executive Tommy Norris, who is swept up in the local, corporate, and cartel politics that comprise the West Texas oil business. Alongside Thornton, Landman stars Larter and Randolph as Angela and Ainsley Norris, Tommy’s ex-wife and daughter, respectively.

While Landman has been something of a critical hit since its premiere, audiences have been less kind to the latest Taylor Sheridan neo-Western. As of the time of writing, Season 1 and 2 hold identical 78% “Certified Fresh” ratings via review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, as averaged across 37 and 32 verified critical reviews, respectively.

For comparison, Landman Season 2 holds a 43% audience-generated “Popcornmeter” score, as averaged across more than 500 reviews. Season 1 fared better with audiences, earning a 64% “Popcornmeter” score, as averaged across more than 1,000 reviews.

How Landman Maintains as Much Realism as Possible

 Image via Paramount

Landman co-creator Christopher Wallace recently discussed the specific role he plays in helping chart the series’ course and maintain as much realism as possible, without sacrificing any of the biting drama. While Sheridan serves as the series’ head writer, Wallace helps to develop concepts and storylines, “giving him fuel stock that he can then Taylor-ize into the greatness that is the show, and the high-stakes drama and the comedy of it all.”