Though Paramount Network’s flagship original may be over, fans can expect several upcoming Yellowstone shows in the near future, as well as myriad more series from the mind of Taylor Sheridan. Billy Bob Thornton’s Landman, for instance, has already become Paramount+’s biggest success to date, and it’s working with a subplot that seems quite similar to one that previously drove Yellowstone’s drama: sisters hating on their brothers.
How To Watch Landman Online And Stream The New Taylor Sheridan Drama From Anywhere
Michelle Randolph’s Ainsley has been shown to have a contentious relationship with her sibling Cooper, as portrayed by Jacob Lofland, but without yet explaining what their history is, or what their hatred might stem from. Despite the differences in location and circumstances, the concept of unaddressed rifts between siblings draws immediate comparisons to the decades-long feud between Yellowstone’s Beth and Jamie Dutton. It took three seasons to fully explain why Beth begrudged Jamie, so will Landman fans be waiting just as long?
It sounds like we’ll be waiting until at least Season 2 to get answers about Ainsley and Cooper, as Randolph told TV Insider that she currently doesn’t have any concrete notions about it. In her words:
You know, I’m not entirely sure yet. That was a note that both Jacob Lofland and I got, which is funny because we get along so well in real life. He’s one of my best friends now. But our characters are, I think, a very extreme sibling relationship.
With only three episodes left to go in Landman's first season, Randolph obviously finished filming for these ten episodes long ago, so if she still doesn't know anything about it, audiences won't be enlightened either by the time the finale is done. She doesn't reveal whether or not we'll see further interactions between them, but one can hope.
Even though things got increasingly over the top with Kelly Reilly's Beth and Wes Bentley's Jamie across the fourth and fifth seasons, with quite the bloody crescendo in the finale, that rage-fueled conflict will long be one of Yellowstone's most memorable elements. So even if he didn't consciously mean to take the same route, Sheridan's instincts for sibling rivalries makes since.
That said, Ainsley and Cooper are closer to the ages Beth and Jamie were when their relationship became forked through trauma, so I can't imagine whatever happened between them will have the same oomph, but I'll hold off before committing to a judgment call.
How Ainsley Feels About Ariana, According To Michelle Randolph
Considering her feelings about her own brother, Ainsley might be expected to not give a shit about (or to have hateful feelings for) anyone Cooper gets romantic with. But despite any foul feelings, the Landman actress says her character is still somewhat protective by way of her thoughts about Paulina Chávez's Ariana. When asked how Ainsley feels about the single mother after their shared scene in the hospital, Randolph said:
She’s definitely weary of it. She doesn’t know anything. So she’s still figuring out how she feels, and she is — I mean, you should, you care about your brother. And I think, too, when she sees Ariana breastfeeding, she’s trying to connect the dots. 'What is this dynamic? Does my brother have a child? Is he dating someone with a child? What’s happening?'
Now, she didn't exactly express the idea that she would have oozed love for the kid if she learned that it was Cooper's, which it isn't, but it does seem like Ainsley may not want him to be extremely miserable unless she's the cause of the misery. Which would be unlike Beth, who presumably wished crippling pain on her brother every minute she was awake.
Hopefully we'll get more clues and answers over the coming weeks as Landman streams its remaining Season 1 episodes every Sunday for those with Paramount+ subscriptions.
