With Landman over and all eyes on Season 2, it’s time to reflect on one of the show’s worst characters and how they could be improved with one significant change – and no, it’s not Ainsley.
While Landman has become a streaming success, it hasn’t avoided the usual Taylor Sheridan criticisms. Hypersexualized and wasted characters were part of the package, and while Tommy’s teenage daughter Ainsley got a lot of flak, there’s another character who’s guilty of being an even bigger failure: Angela.
Tommy’s ex-wife Angela showed up over FaceTime chats initially but soon ditched her new life and wealthy husband to reunite with the landman. She brought plenty of chaos with her, and ended up being something of an obstacle while Tommy was simply trying to…well, not die.
There still is hope for Angela. With an enthusiastic performance from Ali Larter and the makings of a Beth Dutton-style character, she has all the ingredients to become one of the most memorable Sheridan characters to date. But to do this, the next season of Landman would need to make some changes.
Why Angela is worse than Ainsley
“But wait,” you might be saying. “How can Angela possibly be worse than Ainsley?” Well, it’s a good question. Throughout Landman’s 10-episode run, Ainsley had received the most complaints. And rightly so – her dialog is, at worst, unbearably cringeworthy and uncomfortable, and at best, completely forgettable.
But Angela is always roped into the biggest criticisms of the series, since she and Ainsley spend the most time together. What’s more, she gets far more of the blame, often encouraging and rejoicing in Ainsley’s behaviour.
It’s no secret that most of the backlash comes from Tommy’s family. Cooper and Ainsley are one problem, but being the second head of the house, Angela is frequently targeted as an “unnecessary” character. The problem is that she isn’t unnecessary at all. (More on that later.)
But above all this, the biggest insult when it comes to Angela is the wasted potential. Much like the complaints about Demi Moore’s lack of screentime in the show, Larter could be used far more effectively. Her performance isn’t bad – in fact, it’s pretty perfect for the high-maintenance and impulsive Angela.
However, Angela is reduced to a limited range of habits: storming away from the dinner table, having flirty/angry conversations over the phone with Tommy, or working out at the gym. She could be so much more, and that’s where Season 2 has some work to do.
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Landman Season 2 could change everything
Perhaps it’s a bit premature to get into the nitty gritty of what a second season could do better, considering Season 2 hasn’t even been greenlit yet. But with Landman’s success, a renewal is looking likely, and there’s no time like the present to think about what could be improved.
When it comes to Angela, Landman needs to take advantage of the new shift in power following Episode 10. Monty is dead, leaving Tommy and Cami to sort his affairs and finalize one last mega farm-out deal. What’s more, Rebecca has also been promoted, which will no doubt cause new conflict between the higher-ups. Both Norris kids are preoccupied now as well, with Cooper starting on his own business venture and Ainsley getting invested in a new romance.
The only person who really doesn’t have anything to do is Angela. But by making her more of an ally to Tommy and his work, she could serve a much higher purpose. Tommy is now being flanked by two powerful women: Cami and Rebecca. If he were to have Angela, a formidable personality, backing him in the new dynamic, that would make for some great drama.
Angela even has a reason to protect her interests. She was left nothing (apart from her Bentley) in the divorce from her latest husband, and could take a more active part in securing her family’s future by working alongside Tommy. Put simply, I’d much rather see Angela viciously butting heads with Rebecca than crying over another failed family dinner.
Of course, Angela could never be another Beth Dutton. But that’s not who she is. She could be a much better character than she is, though. She’s already integral to Tommy’s journey, unknowingly reminding him that his business in the oil industry is a means to an end. This, plus Tommy’s revelation (thanks to Jerry Jones), means family is becoming increasingly important to him.
Angela is important, but she’s not being treated as such. And in order to get her to where she needs to be, Sheridan needs to trust that Mrs. Norris can do a lot more than just organize field trips to strip clubs in the middle of the day.
For more, check out our guide to upcoming Sheridan shows, like 6666, The Madison, and 1944. You can also keep tabs on all the new TV shows coming out this month.
