Ottis

"His home used to be in my balls." That was worth the rest of the show.

More importantly, there may be a part of the lawyer who thinks it is possible that Cooper and his dad are capable of using violence to get what they want, and they both may now view her as a potential problem. What might they do to remove her as a problem beyond getting fired? That's why she is nervous now but wasn't nervous before.

By my count, roughly half the run time of this episode was taken up by 1) Angie and Ainsley and their old people escapades, 2) Monty and his heart attack 3) Cooper and Ariana and her grief, and 4) Ainsley and her nice guy boyfriend. Good thing I had a kitchen to clean. In the part of this show I am actually interested in, and that even includes the hardass lawyer who at least is doing her job, I'm amazed at how they all drive around alone, in often deserted areas and often at night. Seems like that leaves a lot of room for mischief. If they hired security they might reduce some of that. Also? Andy Garcia looks a lot different than the last time I saw him. I believe he thinks he is writing the female characters for women viewers already. Ha, I just went back and read those comments after I wrote my draft above. Glad I'm not alone.

Google it. There have been documentaries about why Olympic coverage added "up close and personal" segments (which has since spread to other sports coverage). Lost was one of the clearest TV examples. After it became a surprise hit in season one, and before season two aired, the producers were quoted many times as saying season 2 "would be about the characters" and less about the "smoke monster" and the island. That sci-fi stuff limited the audience. Shoot, if these boards are still active for Lost, go back and read the posts that second season - especially the ep about how the male lead got a tattoo. Thankfully, we've made a lot of progress. Today tons of good action shows have female leads (Killing Eve, among them) and men and women watch shows for many reasons. But that doesn't change the past, or that some people still believe old rules of thumb. .

Maybe, but it has been part of the television approach for years. Movies, too. Why do you think so many action movies have a love interest? It's not because male viewers want it. It's an attempt to broaden (no pun intended) audience appeal. I am failing to be clear on what I am saying. I'm sure there are many women who are not amused by Angela and AInsley. It's that the traditional TV view is to "add characters" to broaden the viewing audience, and in a show that is about a man and an oil field, "broaden" would mean "more women viewers." The shame of it is, there *are* aspects of, say, Tommy's relationship with Angela that are fascinating for anyone. But they tend to be overshadowed with all the overt sexiness, and wacky hijinks. Just as, in later episodes, Cooper's

Like I posted earlier, I didn't say they wrote those characters well, lol. But I would suggest the fact they are a freakshow is part of the tapestry. Look at Monty's daughters, who in a future ep Demi Moore's characters isn't fully painted, yet, but I think the show is giving us a consistent portrait on the women in the moneyed oil and gas industry. Sure, many do. There are always different perspectives. I'm just saying that *in the television industry*, it's a thing to believe women = characters. And it's annoying. I think we agree on that.

That wasn't my point. I don't assume a large lesbian audience, LOL. My point is that the wife and daughter are part of a storytelling technique of creating "characters." Women viewers like characters. It's why Lost created a fascinating mystery in season one, then screwed it up in season two with flashbacks and "characters." It's why Olympic coverage many years ago started doing "Up Close and Personal" segments... to attract women, who were viewed as less interested in the mechanics of the sport - and in the case of Landman, the mechanics of the oil industry. I didn't say Landman did it *well.* But there are many women viewers of this show who find the dynamics of Ainsley and Tommy's on-again-off-again relationship, and Tommy's depiction of a caring father, and his daughter's portrayal of a young woman learning what the world is really like, interesting and worth watching. They dismiss the nudity. Most men don't care about any of that. They want to see more about the business of the patch, the type of work done, the dangers of it and its monetary rewards. I've made it to ep 6 in this show, and every time we go to either the wife or daughter alone in a scene or with each other, I fast forward. I don't care what they do, how much complexity they bring or what challenges they face. Note: The actors are doing a fine job, my issue is with the roles. BTW, note that a number of people have commented here that they prefer Cooper to the wife and daughter. Cooper works in the patch. What has happened to him is tied to working in the industry. It's interesting. Now, what happens to him soon is headed down the soap opera path, but this thread is before we get there. I respect the fact you think that, and remember (as I do) past primetime soap operas like Dallas and Dynesty. I never watched those shows, because they were clearly soap operas. For me, calling something a soap opera is a criticism. There is a fine line between offering engaging stories with characters you learn to care about, and jerking your audience around with cheap soap opera ploys like babies and petty jealousy and shallow manipulation. Landman is headed in the wrong direction, for me. And it pisses me off because BBT is so good.

I think that was a meta scene... it wasn't tone deaf, BBT actually began the scene by noting what he was about to say wouldn't go over well, BUT ... Tommy's whole thing is to be direct and truthful, and he knows his ex-wife. Sometimes IIWII.

It's eye candy - for women. Almost no male watching this show wants more time spent on the wife and daughter, no matter how naked they get. It's an attempt to create "characters," which is shorthand for "attract female viewers." Many shows do this, and I hate it every time they do. Landman is fascinating as a look at the oil industry at multiple levels, orbiting a great actor like BBT. No need for "characters." I never watched Yellowstone (or any of its derivatives), because it looked like a soap opera to me. I've since seen many comments and even a few reviews that say it is. I had hoped Landman would be different, but I'm getting strong soap opera vibes with the wife especially, but also the widow and the overly protective/jealous friend. Can we move on from them, please?

I don't mind the nakedness, I just don't think the amount of time spent on the wife and daughter justifies what that part of the story brings to the table. The Landman sacrificed his marriage to the job, and was a distant dad as a result. Got it. Now send them both back to Dallas or wherever. I really love the BBT parts and the glimpse into the industry, even if some parts are fictionally dramatic. But like so many shows, Landman feels the need to add "characters" who just take up valuable time. I still don't understand the airplane accident. That truck driver couldn't have avoided the plane and van? I thought it was an attack by a rival gang when it first aired, but I guess not?

There is a process to a business like this, and similar businesses. At the start you watch costs, provide specific, shared housing to the vanguard (which usually works closely together, anyway) and make sure whatever you are doing will make money. That's especially true when you are in an undeveloped area. As the business becomes established and you have a foreseeable timeline, you change the process and the higher earners start getting their own homes while the lower earners are thrilled to share the fancy house. Eventually you build a lower-cost barracks on your land for the come-and-go lower-wage workers and you get rid of the fancy house, unless it is for visiting guests. I saw this process internationally in Asia as well. The South is a weird place. Our kids grew up in the mountain west, where this behavior is viewed as odd. Then we moved to the Deepish South, and man, 8th graders wear hooker dresses to "prom." And the parents cheer them on. For a region that claims it is so conservative, the South highly sexualizes young girls (and idolizes some boys). One thing this show is doing well is showing the stress and expectations of men, vs. the way women benefit. I'm sure this won't be a popular thought, but it doesn't make it less true. Men deal with the stress and requirements of making money and being responsible, while surrounded by wives and daughters who hang out at the pool. Even the Mexican families waiting for news featured a bunch of women, waiting (NONE of them had to be elsewhere?), and we already heard that the 24yo's wife didn't work. I'm convinced this is one reason why men die younger in general.

The difference to me is, McCarthy is sometimes shouty to push the envelope. You never know how far she will go (like with the bit as the wife in the parking lot... blowing choc shake on the window felt scripted, the boobs smearing it 2x did not, nor did her then licking the milkshake off the window). Short always seems like he is following the script, he's just shouty. When he does seem to improvise, it's a tweak that he thinks works but is usually more annoying than funny, at least to me.

This was a big step down. Hey Jen, yes, they are using Lila - that is the purpose of the sisterhood! You know, thousands of years of purpose? That always trumps the individual. Don't care about pretty, petty Constantine Jr. Nor his sister. Show, focus on the big picture, not the sulky young people. BTW, do we know WHY there are rebels? What have we been shown that the imperial family doing? Is it me, or has there been a lot of redundant dialogue in this ep?

It is for me, but I'm a Dune fiend. I agree they do a poor job of providing context so that the conflict and key players are clear.

Martin Short gets on my last nerve. He's so shouty and over the top in everything, like he is always performing in a play. And most of the time he comes across catty as well. Overall I like the show. Just cringed a lot at Short. McCarthy saved a lot of it.