The Landman TV series, directed by Taylor Sheridan, takes place in the oil fields of West Texas. It follows the highs and lows of the "landman" profession. After Paramount+ set its highest-ever streaming numbers with Landman's second season, the streaming service announced it would renew for season 3, just three weeks after the new season's premiere. The season 2 premiere alone garnered 9.2 million views globally, increasing the show's viewership by almost 30%.
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As it turns out, not only is a new season on the horizon for the show, but a particular university is offering a class inspired by the series. Appropriately, the school is also in Texas, and the class gives students real-life insight into what being a "landman" looks like.
The main job of a landman is to be the middleman between companies seeking to drill oil and the landowners. Tommy Norris, who's played by Billy Bob Thornton on the show, handles several crises just like this. Some of these include, but are not limited to, negotiating contracts and overseeing roughnecks (oil field workers). In Season 2, his character is promoted to President of Texas M Oil.
TCU To Be the Site of New 'Landman' Inspired Class
At TCU, or Texas Christian University, Tom Seng plans to teach a class called "Land Management and Land Administration." The class will include an eight-week seminar that covers and expands upon what much of the show already focuses on. In an interview with KERA News, Seng touched on the reality of working as a landman today. He also admitted the fact that, it's not quite as glamorous as Billy Bob Thornton makes it look on television.
Seng, who worked for 30 years as a natural gas trader, has worked with several landmen over the years. But, as younger generations become interested in the profession, he feels it's essential to educate them on what the job requires now.
"Today's landman," he explained, "is probably further away from the Billy Bob Thornton character than they were, let's say 20 years ago." He added, "I think students want to truly understand: 'OK, I saw the series; it was really fun. '"But what is this really about?"
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