Warning: This story contains spoilers from the season finale of “Landman.”

Billy Bob Thornton knew his latest series, Landman, would resonate with viewers. Like the blockbuster hit “Yellowstone,” the western drama about a fixer for a Texas oil company fits comfortably into the Taylor Sheridan universe, anchored in the writer-producer’s distinctive sense for gritty, no-nonsense heroes and stories that have a lot of country verve. Music, sex and violence.

But even Thornton, who plays chain-smoking crisis manager Tommy Norris in the series, is overwhelmed by the impressive ratings of “Landman,” whose season one finale aired Sunday. After premiering in November, the series attracted 14.9 million households in its first four weeks and became streaming service Paramount+’s most popular original project.

“I’ve been in some iconic films over the years where the response has been pretty great,” Thornton told The Times in a recent video call. “But I’ve never seen anything like it. Every day, wherever I go, people come up to me and recite lines to me. In other words, we are overwhelmed by it.”

Although no decision has been announced on whether Landman will return, Thornton said he was pleased with how the freshman season ended.

The turbulent finale offers a flurry of important developments. Monty Miller, the president of the M-Tex oil company, played by Jon Hamm, dies of a heart attack, but not before handing over control of the company to Norris. Miller’s widow Cami (Golden Globe winner Demi Moore), who has largely been on the sidelines, is becoming more involved in the company. A gang of cartel thugs captures Norris and tortures him. The episode also introduced Andy Garcia as Galino, a powerful and cunning cartel boss.

During the interview, Thornton, who continues to perform with his rock band Boxmasters, talked about the season and finale, working with Sheridan and his thoughts on a possible second season.

Are you surprised by the reception of “Landman”?

We knew we were going to do something really special. We thought people would like it. But the response went far beyond what we thought. Traditionally, Taylor’s music is more of a middle-class thing. But that means the middle of the country, the coasts and other countries too. That makes us humble. If people want to come and talk about it, that means a lot. There’s something very real about it. You can tell they’re not just handing you a list of goods because they’re standing right in front of you.

What do you think viewers connect with?

Taylor wrote to a man who has so much pressure on him. Every day he carries the world on his shoulders. There is no peace in his life. And Tommy strives for success. He doesn’t want to be seen as a failure to his boss who ultimately dies. The torch is handed to him. I don’t think he wants to be in this position, but he knows he has to be and he’s probably the right person for it.

Plus, people have never seen the behind-the-scenes of the oil business. Since “Giant,” we haven’t seen much about the oil business. This movie really impressed me and I think people wanted to see how this stuff works in everyday life. I recently told someone that “Landman” was a “giant” by swearing.

And they seem to enjoy your performance.

I have always believed that a piece should be natural and organic, no matter what it is. Taylor wrote great dialogue. Every now and then I throw one of mine in there. I would describe my roles in “Goliath” and “Landman” as the right pair of shoes. They fit into the same world. I try to empathize with every character I play. If you play yourself, it will be a stronger performance. I’m very happy that Taylor thought of me.

There’s a lot to reveal in the finale.

I think Taylor ended the season very well while also giving the show a chance to continue. The best thing about the finale for me is that Tommy is facing the rest of his life. He faces serious reflection and must question his philosophical beliefs about who he is and how he fits into this world. He also introduced Andy Garcia’s character. It is the calm before the storm, and the storm has already happened.

What would you like to see as the show continues?

I would definitely hope that the family dynamic continues and deepens. I would also hope that we explore the strange situation that Tommy finds himself in versus Andy’s character. Does he go home at night feeling guilty and wondering, “Am I in cahoots with criminals?” I guess I am.” How will this work? Tommy doesn’t have to deal with henchmen anymore. He knew how to deal with them. But now he has a smart guy on the other side of the law who is his equal. We are in a chess game and I hope this gets sorted out.