Entertainment
Crime Thriller Streaming Series Is A Massive Hit, One Of The Coolest Kidnapping Scenes Ever
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Ever since Taylor Sheridan introduced the world to the Dutton family of Yellowstone, he’s been on a hot streak with Jeremy Renner’s Mayor of Kingstown, Zoe Saldana’s Lioness, and Sylvester Stallone’s Tulsa King, but his latest show might be his best one yet. Landman, revels in the dirt and muck of the oil business in Texas, from roughnecks to cartels, and one very unique negotiator. The opening minutes of the first episode show how Tommy Norris is built differently since he’s conducting a negotiation with the cartel after they kidnapped him, with his hands bound, covered in a burlap sack, and yet, he’s the most dangerous man in the room.
The Bravado Of Tommy Norris
For the first four minutes of Landman, Tommy, played by Billy Bob Thornton’s immediately recognizable drawl even under the burlap sack, is explaining to the cartel how the oil company he works for is not the type of people to piss off. Restrained and surrounded, he lets them know that if anything happens to the company’s property, not only will a fleet of drones blow their homes off the map, but they’ll set up a DEA office across the street. The intricacies of a service lease are explained, the deal, which boils down to “don’t mess with us, we don’t mess with you,” gets signed, and then, finally, Tommy is freed and let go.
It’s a gutsy sequence to start a series with, becoming one of the best abduction/kidnapping scenes (or, as it turns out, a negotiation) thanks to Billy Bob Thronton’s confident line delivery, getting across that Tommy has this situation under control, all without ever letting us see his face. The threats are bombastic and grandiose, but as it turns out, that lays the groundwork for the rest of Landman. In true Taylor Sheridan fashion, while Tommy is supremely confident in his abilities and not the type of man anyone wants as an enemy, it’s when he’s finally cut free that he takes out a cigarette, and we see his beat up, haggard face and haunted eyes, that makes you question how much of his bravado is a carefully constructed charade.
A Cast That’s Rough Around The Edges
The rest of the cast of Landman is filled with equally strong personalities, including the rest of the Norris family, including Tommy’s ex Angela (Ali Larter), his son starting a career out on the oil field, Cooper (Jacob Loflund), and his headstrong, abrasive daughter, Ainsley (played by Michelle Randolph, teaming with Sheridan again after appearing in 1923). Besides Thornton, other big names appear, including Michael Pena as an oil crewman, Jon Hamm and Demi Moore as a power couple of Texas Oil, and Andy Garcia makes an appearance in the type of role he was born to play.
Only five episodes of Landman have aired to date on Paramount+, so we’re still learning the dark secrets of the oil industry and the poor souls it crushes in the name of profit, but if you wish the Duttons were a little more rough around the edges, the new characters of Sheridan’s West Texas are perfect for you.
Landman Nominated For a Golden Globe
Beyond the darkly humourous opening sequence, the show has a few other fun scenes early on, including one involving a drug-running plane, that includes twists you won’t see coming. Since this is West Texas, Billy Bob Thronton gets to be involved with the Dillon Panthers again, a fun nod to his starring role in the movie Friday Night Lights. While it’s not a true comedy, Landman embraces the soap opera roots of shows like Dallas and Dynasty, but at least here, all the wild events are grounded by the exasperated Tommy at the center of the whirlwind.
Billy Bob Thronton was also nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance as Tommy Norris, despite the fact that Landman’s first season is only halfway over. If you want to fill the Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul void in your viewing, there’s nothing better on the air right now. Once you’re caught up, you can also listen to the podcast Boomtown, which the series is based on.
You can stream the first season of Landman on Paramount+.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
Mashable Top Stories
Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
