You Probably Missed How Taylor Sheridan’s Landman Season 2 Just Made the Nearly Naked Controversy Canon

Quick heads-up: spoilers for Landman season 2, episode 6. Taylor Sheridan clearly heard the chatter about the show dressing its women like they are headed to a neon-lit rodeo at noon, and instead of ducking it, the series walks right into the storm. The result is pointed, funny, and a little uncomfortable by design.

The scene everyone is going to argue about

In episode 6, Billy Bob Thornton's Tommy comes downstairs, sees his ex-wife Angela (Ali Larter) wearing what is essentially a suggestion of an outfit, and asks her to please put on actual clothes before joining the family. She fires back, he explains there are other people around, and yes, he means his dad — played by Sam Elliott — who could not be less bothered. Then their daughter Ainsley (Michelle Randolph) appears in basically the same outfit, and Tommy just taps out.

"I give up. I love you both and there is nothing I can do about that. I f*cking surrender."

It plays like the show answering its critics in real time: acknowledging the discomfort, then turning it into a character beat instead of a PR statement.

Why this moment exists at all

Landman, which premiered in November 2024 on Paramount+, has taken heat since day one for outfitting Ainsley in revealing looks while tossing her into very adult conversations. Season 2 does not retreat from that; it engages with it. The actors have been talking about their approach too, and the behind-the-scenes context helps the scene land with more intention than shock value.

Michelle Randolph on building Ainsley beyond the wardrobe

Randolph came in after working with Sheridan on 1923, but says this one demanded way more. She told THR the role required "10 times more prep" than anything she has done for him before. Shooting in Texas and sparring with Larter, Thornton, and Jacob Lofland helped her lock the character down as a person and not just a vibe.

Her take: Ainsley is 17, impulsive, and free, but not clueless. Randolph argues the character understands how her parents tick and sometimes uses that to her advantage. She hopes the show keeps widening the lens so viewers see who Ainsley is beyond the outfits and the snappy lines.

Randolph also knows some of Ainsley's dialogue is going to make people flinch. She is fine with that. In her words, her job was to honor the script; she cannot control how anyone interprets the character, and if it sparks debate, that is part of the gig.

Ali Larter says Angela is a beautiful mess on purpose

Larter did not tiptoe into this role. Angela first popped up over FaceTime with a whole lot of attitude, then quickly became one of the show's most volatile characters. Larter likes to describe her as a reverse-engineer of a trophy wife: she is circling back to the man she loves, still loves looking good, and still loves a great meal. The chaos and the glam are both part of the point.

Underneath the loud choices, Larter insists Angela is cracked in specific ways Sheridan reveals slowly. Season 1 ended with her putting herself out there for reconciliation and getting emotional resistance from Tommy in return. On set, Larter and Thornton built trust fast despite being total opposites in real life, and that push-pull is all over their scenes.

Larter also noted they are shooting season 2 in Fort Worth, Texas, and Angela is not about to quiet down. Expect more provocation, but also more of the vulnerable places where Angela crumbles.

So, is Landman poking the bear or asking smarter questions?

With episode 6, it feels like both. The show is deliberately pressing on a sore spot — how it dresses its women — and folding that tension into family dynamics rather than pretending it is not there. Whether that move challenges your discomfort or just provokes it probably depends on where you land with these characters.

Landman seasons 1 and 2 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+.