Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton) made a reference to Tombstone in Taylor Sheridan’s Landman, and it goes deeper than simply name-dropping the classic Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer Western. In Landman episode 4, Tommy educated Rebecca Falcone (Kayla Wallace) about the nature of boomtowns and economies that are reliant on the price of natural resources. To illustrate his point, Tommy referenced Tombstone, Arizona, the site of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and the namesake of the 1993 Western Tombstone. Tommy’s reference goes much deeper into the history of the Western town than Kurt Russell’s movie did, however.
Curiously, Tommy’s reference to Tombstone wasn’t directly meant to be about the Western movie, even though Billy Bob Thornton was in the film as Johnny Tyler and responsible for one of Tombstone’s best scenes. Instead, it was referencing the real-world town of Tombstone, Arizona and the true story that Tombstone is based on. Tommy brought the town up while talking to Rebecca Falcone (Kayla Wallace) about booms and busts in the oil industry, and there’s perhaps no other town in the United States that better fits the definition of boomtown than Tombstone.
What Happened To Tombstone
Tombstone Was A Silver Boomtown That Was Nearly Abandoned In 1886
The town of Tombstone became a boomtown after huge silver reserves were discovered there in 1879. Then, just as Tommy said in Landman, the thieves came last. In Tombstone’s case, the thieves were an outlaw gang known as the Cowboys. Wyatt Earp and his brothers became marshals of Tombstone in 1879, and battled the Cowboys until 1882, which is what the film version of Tombstone depicts. Four years after Wyatt Earp left the town, in 1886, Tombstone experienced a bust that nearly turned it into a ghost town.
In short, Tombstone, Arizona is one of the most famous boomtowns and busts in American history.
In 1884, the silver mines Tombstone depended on had reached deep enough into the earth that they struck groundwater and began to flood. In 1886, a fire destroyed the pumps installed to remove the water. That, coupled with a decline in the price of silver, was enough to make most of the silver mining companies leave Tombstone (via Jeff Egerton). Tombstone held on by a thread, though even in 2020 its population only reached about 1,300 (via U.S. Census Bureau). In short, Tombstone, Arizona is one of the most famous boomtowns and busts in American history.
Landman’s Tombstone Reference Highlights Sheridan’s Western Influences
Taylor Sheridan Likely Drew Inspiration From Kurt Russell’s Tombstone, Even If He Wasn’t Directly Referencing It
While it was more of a reference to the town than the film, Landman’s reference to Tombstone still shows how much of an impact the Western had on Taylor Sheridan. Tombstone is filled with great quotes and hilarious jokes, and Landman is one of Sheridan’s sharpest and wittiest shows. It’s quite possible that he took inspiration from Val Kilmer’s best moments as Doc Holliday when creating Tommy’s sense of humor. Aside from Tombstone, it’s also very clear that Sheridan has a general love for Westerns. Most of his shows take place in the West, and even the ones that don’t feature cowboy-like protagonists.
Is Landman’s Town Headed For Another Bust?
Tommy’s Tombstone Reference May Be Foreshadowing Landman’s Future
Tommy’s reference to Tombstone and his talk about booms and busts may have been more than just an Easter egg; it may have been a hint of things to come. Landman has already gone to great lengths to show the tragedies of the oil industry, from injuries to deaths and broken families. Busts are perhaps the greatest tragedy the oil industry can experience, at least in terms of scale and the sheer number of people affected at once. It’s quite possible that Landman will see Odessa, Texas experience a bust and show how Tommy deals with the fallout of it.
Showing a bust in Odessa may throw a wrench in any potential plans for Landman season 2, however. If the main setting of the show turns into a ghost town, Landman will either have to end or relocate to a new region with a new set of supporting characters. Given the success Landman has had with streaming charts – as well as the fact that Sheridan’s biggest show, Yellowstone, is ending – it doesn’t seem likely that Landman would end just to show what happens in a bust. Even if Odessa doesn’t bust in Landman, the town will always have to worry about becoming the new Tombstone.