Overview of ‘Landman’ is Back! Plus, ‘Pluribus’ Episode 3 and ‘Poker Face’ Searches for a New Home
This Ringer episode of The Watch (hosts Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald) covers three main items: industry news about Poker Face’s uncertain future after Peacock dropped it; a detailed discussion and critique of the season‑two premiere of Taylor Sheridan’s Landman; and reactions to Episode 3 (“Grenade”) of Vince Gilligan’s Pluribus. The conversation mixes plot recap, performance notes, tonal critique, and speculation about business/creative decisions.
Hosts & episode format
- Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald (joined remotely from LA/London banter).
- Structure: Quick sponsor ad banter → industry news (Poker Face) → deep dives into Landman S2 premiere → Pluribus Ep3 discussion → listener/viewing prompts.
- Tone: conversational, often digressive; combines close reading of episodes with broader TV‑industry context.
News: Poker Face — what happened and why it matters
- What happened: Peacock reportedly passed on continuing Poker Face. Natasha Lyonne is stepping away from the lead role (Charlie). Rian Johnson is shopping the series to other buyers and has pitched a rotating‑lead concept (actors take turns playing Charlie, akin to Doctor Who). Peter Dinklage has been suggested as a potential new Charlie.
- Rights situation: MRC (independent studio that produced the show) retains the rights and can pitch/sell the show elsewhere — this makes a pickup plausible.
- Analysis / likelihood:
- Pros for a pickup: big names attached (Johnson, Lyonne’s season library), MRC ownership, format that could be attractive as evergreen library TV.
- Cons: show’s inconsistent tempo (long gaps between seasons), decreased procedural reliability in S2 (celebrity guest turn), creators’ availability, and possible fatigue/streamer calculation about long‑term commitment.
- Hosts’ lean: skeptical but think Netflix could be the most likely home if numbers/budget align; overall outcome uncertain.
Landman — Season 2 premiere recap & critique
Quick recap (major beats)
- Picks up after Season 1: Monty (major oil figure) is dead (heart attack). Tommy has become de facto president of operations. Demi Moore’s Cammie is introduced as Monty’s widow and takes an aggressive role in the company.
- New/returning characters: Cammie (Demi Moore), Tommy (Billy Bob Thornton), a cameo/credit for Andy Garcia (little/no screen time this ep), Sam Elliott appears (portrayed as Tommy’s father — hosts debate the odd age casting), Cooper/son subplot hinted at, Tommy’s daughter and her college application scene.
- Key scene: an extended 11+ minute dinner sequence centered on a cacio e pepe with white truffle — serves less as plot engine and more as a long, theatrical monologue about gender, menstruation, class and taste.
What the hosts liked
- Performances: Demi Moore’s introduction is widely praised; Ali Larter is singled out as a committed and charismatic presence; Sam Elliott and other supporting actors add texture.
- Formal boldness: Sheridan’s willingness to let scenes breathe, take formal swings, and prioritize atmosphere/worldbuilding over conventional plot mechanics.
Criticisms / concerns
- Tonal and thematic trouble: hosts express discomfort with how the show treats women — frequent lecture scenes by male characters, some moments that feel misogynistic or gratuitously uncomfortable.
- Plot pacing/logic: some character beats feel underdeveloped (e.g., Cooper’s motivations barely addressed in the big dinner scene), odd casting/age choices (Sam Elliott’s role), and scenes that function as monologues rather than forward momentum.
- The long dinner sequence: polarizing — admired for audacity and performance, criticized for not advancing stakes and for awkward gendered content (menstruation monologue, tone toward women).
Overall read
- Landman remains provocative and watchable because of its tonal commitment and strong performances, but it also amplifies the series’ structural and ethical faults (heavy lecturing, uneven plotting). It’s a show you might find fascinating to discuss but also frustrating.
Pluribus — Episode 3 (“Grenade”): key takeaways
Recap
- Episode opens with a flashback to Carol and Helen’s time in Norway (Northern Lights sequence).
- The episode is more of a chamber piece than a propulsive plot episode: it explores the friction between Carol (an individual with emotional volatility) and “the others” (a collective system with its own rules).
- Central motif: Carol asks for a grenade — a demand that reveals her unique leverage over the systems/people around her.
What works
- Craft & performances: praised for filmmaking, Ray Seahorn’s performance (Carol) gets strong applause; visual/tonal craftsmanship reminiscent of Gilligan’s best work.
- Themes: the episode interrogates power, individuality vs. collective governance, and what it means when one person’s irrationality becomes leverage over many.
What gives the hosts pause
- Draft‑like quality: some felt this episode read like a sketchbook of ideas — ambitious and rich but not always as tightly plotted as earlier episodes. The show is balancing “standalone weirdness” and serialized stakes, which creates tonal oscillation.
- Small authenticity quibbles (e.g., a Norwegian tipping moment) noted by viewers with regional experience — minor but illustrative of how granular details can read as inauthentic.
Overall read
- Pluribus remains compelling and confident; Episode 3 deepens the central tension (Carol vs. The Others) and demonstrates Gilligan’s willingness to let episodes breathe, even when that loosens narrative drive.
Notable quotes & memorable moments
- Hosts’ blunt reaction to Landman’s tone: “The only thing that I can think of that hates young women more than Cammie is the television show Landman.” (reflects strong discomfort with certain scenes)
- The extended cacio e pepe / menstruation dinner — framed as both a formal audacious sequence and a polarizing, indulgent scene.
- Poker Face business note: Rian Johnson proposing rotating leads (Doctor Who‑style) if the show finds a new home.
Recommendations & takeaways for viewers
- Poker Face: follow industry news — a pickup is possible but not guaranteed. If you enjoyed the first two seasons, watch the library while you can; Netflix is the most plausible suitor if the economics/rights align.
- Landman S2: watch if you appreciate bold, theatrical TV and strong performances (Demi Moore, Ali Larter). Expect long monologues, tonal excess, scenes that prioritize mood/worldbuilding over tight plotting, and content that may make some viewers uncomfortable.
- Pluribus: keep watching — it’s still one of the more interesting prestige TV experiments of the season. Expect chamber pieces that complicate a central serialized mystery.
- If you’re team “discuss after watching”: these shows reward post‑viewing conversation — they’re designed to provoke.
Final note from the hosts
- The episode closes with more banter, birthday wishes for Chris, and plans to reconvene (Thursday) to discuss further episodes. The hosts emphasize that these shows are as much about the conversation they create as their narrative content.