Viewers of the new Paramount+ show Countryman praise Billy Bob Thornton’s performance – but also criticize the way the female characters were written.

The streaming service is set in West Texas Countryman as a “modern story about the search for fortune in the world of oil rigs… an up-and-down story of roughnecks and wild billionaires fueling an (oil) boom so big it’s affecting our climate, our… Economy and our geopolitics changed.”

Thornton plays Tommy Norris, an oil crisis manager trying to get his company to the top during an oil boom. He stars alongside Demi Moore, Ali Larter, Jon Hamm and Michelle Randolph.

The show is the latest work from Taylor Sheridan, the man behind it Yellowstone and its prequel series, 1883 And 1923. It is based on the documentary podcast Boomtownwhich told the story of the West Texas oil boom. Boomtown’s presenter Christian Wallace was a co-creator Countryman with Sheridan, which premiered November 17th.

Three episodes have aired so far and reviews have been mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, at the time of writing, the show has an average Tomatometer score of 75%, which is based on the collective opinions of film and television critics. A film or series is considered “fresh” if at least 60% of reviews are positive, and “rotten” if less than 60% are positive. The Popcornmeter rating, which tracks audience sentiment, is 65%.

Here are some of the standout reviews from critics and social media users. Newsweek emailed a Sheridan spokesman for comment on Wednesday.

Thoughts from critics

The Guardian gave the show three stars out of five and said as much Countryman was “absolutely full of nonsense” and his attitude towards women was “repulsive”.

The journalist wrote that everything Thornton’s character says “is quote-worthy,” but added, “You’ll understand.” CountrymanThe portrayal of his women is… well, it’s what some of the target audience might describe as a harmless throwback to a time before ordinary, humble men were castrated by Wokery, but it often comes across as an overly lecherous, targeted fantasy to men who know the world has passed them by.

However, he said, “As usual with a Sheridan creation, the old school values ​​have at their core an underdog morality that defines Tommy and….” Countryman hard to hate.”

While NPR praised Thornton’s “strong” performance and noted that “the show’s women are often caricatures”. The reporter added: “If there was only one female character on this show who was as good as Tommy, Countryman would transform from an entertaining TV drama into a riveting classic.

USA today criticized the show and wrote: “Thrown together without regard to any rational framework or even characters whose names you can remember, Countryman is Sheridan’s laziest work and his most obscene.

“The show would be bad enough if it were just boring and bland, which it is, but it contains an extremely off-putting element of the male gaze that makes the show seem like soft-core porn for old men who want to ogle it .” Teenage girls without any consequences.

diversityThe evaluation was more positive. The author said Countryman is strongest when Thornton’s “compelling screen presence” is utilized, but the female characters are “consistently absent.”

“Countryman has the male bravery and conservative milieu of Yellowstone“, Sheridan’s flagship Red State soap opera, but also builds an immersive, detailed world in the sun-drenched Permian Basin that anchors the show in observed reality,” the review reads.

Audience reviews

Online reviews from everyday viewers were also mixed, with some praising her Countryman and Sheridan and others criticize the series and its characters. Many rated Thornton but were less impressed with the way the women on the show were written.

Some people took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their thoughts, with one person writing: “Where the hell were the women in the writers room for #Landman?????? Writing for his daughter is absolute.” Horses***. What young girl talks to her father like that or dresses like that around him?”

“Done with episodes 1 and 2. There’s potential here. But we really don’t need annoying pantsless daughters and video calls from exes,” said another.

“#Landman thoroughly impressed me in the first three episodes. The entire cast plays their roles perfectly, but none better than Thornton. His delivery, demeanor and raw charisma are infectious. “Each strand of the grounded plot stands out in its own way,” with Sheridan’s DNA everywhere,” wrote another.

A third added: “Enjoy Countryman Aside from the weird daughter story, the character of #Countryman Billy Bob got me hooked!”

Viewers also took to Rotten Tomatoes to share their thoughts, where there are over 100 reviews from everyday people. Here too, opinions on the show vary.

“Sheridan Slop (strikes again). If Billy Bob Thornton didn’t star in this series, it would be completely unwatchable. She almost still is. The first episode started promisingly and intriguingly. It quickly became Sheridan’s signature sophomore slop: Insanely unrealistic dialogue.” “complete disregard for logic in several scenes, every female character is a disgusting sex pest, etc,” one person wrote, giving the series a half-star five.

“I adore Billy Bob Thornton, so I enjoy him on this show. I also love John Hamm, who is great as always. I love the good old boys dialogue and pacing. All in all, the sexual exploitation of the 17 year old.” “Old Daughter” is beyond pale, and asking veteran actors to drool over her is disgusting. “The barrel racing girls in Yellowstone were boring, but this is just scary,” someone said Countryman Posted three stars.

A four-star review states: “It has Billy Bob Thornton, and he’s based in Texas, so it’s great! They need to rethink the sexual way they wrote the role of his daughter.”

“Surprised by the audience’s 65-point rating. I absolutely love this song. My absolute favorite at the moment!” someone else wrote and gave it five stars.