James Jordan’s Yellowstone Role Was Terrible – But You Have to See Him in This Taylor Sheridan Show Where He’s Totally Different!

James Jordan’s character in Yellowstone, Livestock Agent Steven Hendon, was quite a hateable role, but his other Taylor Sheridan show character is much better. James Jordan is one of the many actors who reappear in Taylor Sheridan’s shows, and he’s arguably the popular writer’s favorite collaborator. He appeared in Yellowstone and one of its spinoff shows, 1883, along with Mayor of Kingstown, Lioness, and two of Taylor Sheridan’s movies: Wind River and Those Who Wish Me Dead. Each one of those projects put Jordan in a different role and highlighted some of his versatility, but one character in particular redeemed his awful Yellowstone role.

Livestock Agent Steve Hendon wasn’t a major character in Yellowstone, but he was memorable. A big reason most Yellowstone fans remember Hendon is because he was awful: he killed a teenager while on duty, and he also beat two men to death after being told to scare them off. Steve was such a nuisance that he basically became a tertiary antagonist in Yellowstone seasons 2 and 3, even though he was working directly underneath Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes). While it isn’t Jordan’s fault that Steve was so easy to hate, it was nice that he got a chance to play an infinitely more likable character in another of Taylor Sheridan’s shows.

James Jordan’s Landman Character Is The Exact Opposite Of Steven Hendon In Yellowstone

Jordan Plays Petroleum Engineer Dale Bradley In Landman

Luckily, James Jordan’s character in Landman was the exact opposite of Steve Hendon. Where Hendon was cruel, cowardly, and self-centered, Jordan’s petroleum engineer Dale Bradley in Landman was kind, brave, and loyal to his friends. In fact, the only time Dale ever used violence in Landman was when Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton) asked him for help finding the people who beat his son, Cooper (Jacob Lofland). Even then, Dale only helped Tommy rough them up a bit, whereas Steve would have abused his power and killed them both himself.

The real sign of how different Dale and Steve were in Landman and Yellowstone is, paradoxically, how similar they are. Dale and Steve are both oafish people – Dale routinely tried to microwave beans while still in the aluminum can, for example – but Dale comes across as lovable while Steve comes across as loathsome. It’s hard not to like Dale; he’s basically the perfect friend and a great bit of comedic relief in Landman. Conversely, it’s hard not to hate Steve; he’s basically just a thorn in the side of Kayce Dutton for the earlier seasons of Yellowstone.

Landman Is The Perfect Series For Yellowstone Fans

Landman Has Everything That Made Yellowstone So Great: Stars, Drama, Action, Humor, & Great Writing

James Jordan’s characters aren’t the only reason to watch Landman after Yellowstone, however. In many ways, Landman is the perfect companion show for fans of Yellowstone. Both are written by Taylor Sheridan, meaning they both have the same compelling and almost soap opera-esque drama fueling each episode. Landman also features quite a bit of action as Tommy battles with a local cartel, which is very similar to John Dutton III’s (Kevin Costner) frequent fights with everyone who wanted his land. In fact, Tommy and John III are extremely similar characters – strong men who take the law into their own hands to protect their families and their businesses.

Taylor Sheridan’s Upcoming and Potential Series and Movies	Release Dates
6666 Yellowstone spinoff	TBD
Empire of the Summer Moon	TBD
The Madison Yellowstone spinoff	TBD
Mayor of Kingstown season 4	TBD
Tulsa King season 3	TBD
Beth Dutton & Rip Wheeler Yellowstone Spinoff	TBD
Landman season 2	TBD
1944 Yellowstone spinoff	TBD
Lioness season 3	Rumored

Landman may swap out the soaring Montana mountains for the arid plains of the West Texas oil fields, but it’s still just as good of a neo-Western as Yellowstone. Another major similarity between the shows that should appeal to Yellowstone fans is Landman‘s focus on family. John III was constantly trying to keep his family safe and provide a future for them in Yellowstone, while Tommy was trying to heal his fractured family and reconnect with his ex-wife and children in Landman. Actually, Landman is a much more heartwarming take on family drama than Yellowstone, which may even give it an edge over Taylor Sheridan’s flagship series.