Why is the TV series Landman so good, and the TV series Marshalls so bad, when they were written by the same man?

[msc545]

Both of these shows were written by Taylor Sheridan, a highly prolific television writer. "Landman" focuses on the oil industry in Texas and has gained significant popularity while being very entertaining. In contrast, "Marshals" tells a straightforward story about federal marshals in Montana who are primarily involved in chasing and capturing criminals. However, the characters in "Marshals" come across as wooden, often speaking in clichés, and the storyline relies heavily on melodrama. Additionally, it is extremely violent.

I'm struggling to understand how Taylor Sheridan could produce such outstanding work with "Landman" while delivering such poor quality with "Marshals." I suspect that these shows target very different audiences, but it's difficult to say for sure. What do you think?

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Also, for all the MAGA people on here, you will love Marshals, but you won't understand Landman.

For all the other people, you will love Landman, and you will be disgusted by Marshals.

[ProbablyClueless]

It's the sense of scale. Sheridan also wrote Sicario; a fantastic movie about a cartel hitman.

Sheridan's writing style favors telling the perspective of the individual in the context of a larger machine. Sicario, Yellowstone and Landman follow those themes. The characters' motivations can be clearly discerned and empathized with by looking at the greater world they must navigate.

Marshalls, by contrast, is telling a story from the perspective of someone whose only greatest source of motivation is what they want. It's a much smaller scale story. "I am a law man ruling over my domain," versus "I am an essential cog in a machine that simultaneously cannot function without me and also doesn't care I exist."

[msc545]

I forgot about Sicario, but I've seen both releases of that, and it is in fact a terrific story. Thank you for reminding me. The cardio is also incredibly violent, but at least the violence seems to have a point.

[Staximus]

I haven’t seen either show. It probably comes down to the directors and actors if the writer is the same and one show is good and the other one sucks ass

[msc545]

I think what you said is probably accurate, but nonetheless, the writer is responsible for the dialogue and the plot. In one show, the dialogue and the plot are really outstandingly good, and in the other show they're the exact opposite, that is, outstandingly bad. I can't believe it's just the directors and the actors.

[Staximus]

The director can change the script, lines, and scenes at any time. It’s usually their interpretation of the script unless they signed a contract stating that they would follow the script to the T. Some directors even let the actors improvise their lines as they see fit

[msc545]

I didn't know that, but if that's actually the case in this instance, then you may have a good point.

[Staximus]

Some directors are very tight and controlling, dictating your facial expression, emotional reactions, your exact words, where you stand, the angle you face, want 20 takes, etc. Other directors are real loose and open to improvisation, just hand you script the day before, and when it’s time to shoot the scene, the only direction they give is “just go out there and do your thing”, “Action!” and “Cut!” In the latter cases, choosing good actors is very important. Two examples would be Stanley Kubrick was a very controlling director, Clint Eastwood is a very loose director.

[msc545]

I never thought of it that way, but your comments are very interesting.

[loveslongnails]

I don't know the answer, other than to say that he's a writer/producer and writers/ producers often create a lot material and throw it out there to see what sticks! They can also live off reputation when they have a hot show or two and get hired to write more shows in a short time.

He also wrote 1923, which had one of the BEST first seasons I've ever seen, and then trashed it with Season 2, one of the worst I've every seen. Landman is good and well acted, but realize too, that although it portrays a lot of the underbelly in the oil business, some of that is bullshit too.

In say that, I don't mean that the oil business is being wrongly portrayed in a bad light, but rather, there's misinformation being floated because it fits the script. After all, it IS a piece of fiction with a lot of truthful references in, but still a piece of fiction. That said, I do like that series a lot.

[Effably]

While I have not seen these I have written hundreds of essays by now.

The core to a strong essay is a good question. If the question is good, it will write the essay nearly on its own. You never need to stop ro wonder what to do next or question the methodology. The question itself is a constant guide that keeps it both grounded and ambitious.

In writing characters and stories I imagine it is similar. If you make an interesting character with certain traits it becomes easy to imagine how this character would respond but also difficult to break away from the responses you expect, even if the character is turning lame and boring.

So what I am getting at is that perhaps he had the wrong outset. Plus, actors will contribute a lot. If the actors care about their character and provide feedback it can help authenticity a lot.

[Sevenpointfive]

because he knows nothing about marshall's. he knows, cows, cowboys and general mafia ideas.

[msc545]

That's not really the problem with Marshals. The problem is the wooden dialogue and the simplest, simplistic plot ideas, and the really bad acting.

[Iron_Man]

Are they new shows or old I don’t know them

[msc545]

They are relatively new shows. I recommend Landman a lot, and actually, you might want to watch Marshals since it could be just a matter of taste. Please watch both and then tell me what you think of them.

[Iron_Man]

Where are they located at?

[msc545]

They are both streaming on Paramount.

[Iron_Man]

I have CBS but I don’t have Paramount

[msc545]

They might be on CBS now. I'm not sure, but you can Google them and find out.

[Iron_Man]

OK, thanks