A pivotal scene in the newest episode of Taylor Sheridan's Paramount+ drama Landman has ignited a fierce online culture war, drawing enthusiastic praise from conservative viewers and significant criticism from others.
The Viral Moment That Divided Viewers
In the episode, Michelle Randolph's character, Ainsley Norris, finds herself in conflict with a university roommate over the use of gender-neutral pronouns. The tension escalates during a subsequent conversation with a campus counsellor, where Ainsley delivers a blunt monologue that has since spread rapidly across social media.
"I don't care what someone's pronouns are," Ainsley states in the now-viral clip. "Using a plural pronoun for one person is just kind of incorrect." She later reinforces her position, adding, "I just never really understood the hoops around pronouns," framing her viewpoint as a matter of basic English grammar rather than political ideology.
Conservative Praise and Liberal Backlash
Online, right-wing commentators and fans quickly celebrated the exchange, hailing it as a rare and polite takedown of progressive language norms from within Hollywood. One supporter wrote on social media, "Paramount's Landman is going viral for having a pretty blonde actress politely school a liberal character on 'they/them' pronouns. Is wokeism beginning to lose control of Hollywood?"
Admiration extended to the show's creator, with one fan declaring, "Taylor Sheridan just out here trolling the trolls. Love it." Another connected the scene to broader industry politics, suggesting, "Since they couldn't buy Warner Brothers and Netflix won I guess they are going against the Netflix woke agenda now."
However, the reaction was not universally positive. On platforms like Reddit, many viewers accused the show of resorting to caricature. One user criticised the writing, stating, "[The roommate] was just some sort of lib-bashing caricature that they dreamed up for no real reason." Another agreed, labelling the scene "pure rage bait" and calling the portrayal of the liberal roommate "ridiculous."
Sheridan's Previous Clash with Critics
This online controversy arrives just weeks after Sheridan addressed separate criticism regarding the show's costuming. Critics had accused Landman of featuring its female stars, including Ali Larter and Michelle Randolph, in overly revealing outfits.
Sheridan responded not with a public statement, but through dialogue in a December episode. In a meta-commentary scene, Billy Bob Thornton's character Tommy Norris awkwardly confronts his ex-wife Angela (Ali Larter) about her attire, only to have Randolph's Ainsley enter wearing similarly casual clothing, prompting his comic surrender.
Randolph, 28, who plays a teenager on the West Texas-set series, told The Hollywood Reporter last year about her extensive preparation for the role. "I worked with a dialect coach, a movement coach and an acting coach," she explained, noting she had nearly a year to prepare. She emphasised her intent to create a "full human" out of Ainsley, justifying her sometimes controversial dialogue.
The actress, also known for her role in Sheridan's 1923, has been dating actor Glen Powell since October, with the couple making their first public appearance together at a Golden Globes afterparty in January.
