Landman Season 2 Episode 2 Recap: Family Feuds Explode on the Texas Oil Patch

Now just two episodes into the sophomore season of Landman, and it is evident that the production formula for Paramount+’s original series from Taylor Sheridan is not going to change any time soon. 

From the opening drone sequences panning over the West Texas landscape, to the backing soundtrack that ping pongs between Andrew Lockington’s haunting orchestral score and knee-slapping deep roots country music, to the gratuitous close-range camera shots of the physical demands of drilling work and oil rig operations, it does not take long to understand this is just how every chapter of this series is going to begin. 

While that can be a comfort for anyone who likes a sure thing, truth be told, what truly does a better job of keeping you coming back each week is finding how will it end. And, on that point, Taylor Sheridan is sure to have you guessing. 

“Sins of the Father,” this week’s episode released on Nov. 23, tows that familiar line. No spoilers here — you will need to tune in for yourself for the big a-ha moments. Though, fair warning, you will have to muddle through some questionable storyline fodder, at times, to get to the meat of any message from this latest oil drama, starring Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore, and Sam Elliott. 

The storyline is shaping up to be an engaging one on several fronts this season with Cooper Norris (Jacob Lofland) working to build a life in the industry apart from his father and alongside his new love, Ariana Medina, portrayed by Paulina Chavez; Cami Miller (Moore) settling in as an oil company owner following her husband’s death; and Tommy Norris (Thorton) navigating what appears to be a re-entry of his own father (Elliott) into his life. 

The episode opens somewhere out in the middle of nowhere as Cooper oversees his little company’s oil rigs on the brink of spewing forth millions across the Permian Basin. Looks like that Texas Tech geology education is paying off for Coop, after all. And, to that I say, “Wreck “Em.” As the burgeoning baron and his crew scramble to bring the well under control, Cooper sets out to calculate the Monopoly-level money he is sure to reap from his little investment. In the boom-or-bust industry that is Texas oil, it is best to celebrate wins hard before you lament the losses that are sure to hit even harder. 

In her first days at the helm of M Tex Oil, Cami Miller is hit with her first crisis call to Tommy Norris when she is served with a lawsuit stemming from an insurance payout during her late husband’s tenure. 

With her expanded presence on the screen this season, we are poised to see not only the depth of the character’s resilience in the face of loss, but also Moore’s layered portrayal of the aggrieved widow forced to dry up those tears and embrace her new role as big oil boss. Make no mistake, Demi and her alter ego, Cami, have already shown us that under that canopy of Cartier class is a butterfly made of steel that can, indeed, weather a bitter storm. 

Nevertheless, what continues to carry the series forth is the performance of Thornton as the titular character. Adaptable to any cinematic screen, Thornton brings an authentic depth and intensity to his role as the weathered landman-now-acting oil executive, giving one of his more richly textured performances, to date. Tommy is equal parts jaded, gritty, and forthright. But, for all his bravado, he also maintains a hidden strata of vulnerability buried beneath a history of disappointments and never-ending responsibilities. 

Carrying the weight of his immediate world on his surprisingly narrow shoulders as the literal backbone for both his wayward family and his demanding day job, each passing day ages him faster than his pack-a-day smoking habit.

Authentic as the day is long, Tommy does not sugarcoat the truth to make it digestible for those around him. He is the cautionary tale wrapped in the brutal reality of abandoned expectations and aspirations. Pulling no punches, he gives you his version of the truth laced with the burn of scotch-and-soda whether you want to hear it or not.  All the while his signature side eye and sneer telling you that if you believe him to be too much, you are more than welcomed to go find less.

Up until this point, the series has tip-toed around the relationship of Tommy and Cooper, with shared screen time that has come in spurts since the series premiere in 2024. However, an impromptu trip to Lamesa, Texas, to take care of family business affords us an opportunity to ride shotgun on one of the more poignant scenes between father and prodigal son — unexpected moments such as these come dangerously close to tugging at those darn heart strings. I’m not crying…are you crying?! 

However, the father-and-son dyamnic that is sure to be a fun one to watch this season is that between Tommy and T.L. Norris. Christmas has come early because to watch Thornton and Elliott portray these men together on screen is the duo that I did know I needed, but did not think I could have for this series. The two are a natural fit in these roles, displaying the quiet power struggle that is the foundation of their characters’ relationship. Through subtle movements, purposeful lines, and even well-placed moments of silence, these award-winning actors are about to give us a masterclass on chiseling through this family’s backstory this season.

Where the show goes off the proverbial rails remains in the supporting cast of ladies in the Norris family who have not quite hit their stride of meaningful content for the series’ ongoing narrative. The mother-daughter duo of Angela and Ainsley Norris continue to skirt around the satirical to take a deep dive into the absurd this week when the two tangle with the law following a nursing home dance party gone awry. Let’s just say mid-day mixed drinks and facility inspections do not blend well.

On the other side of the emotional spectrum is Kayla Wallace’s Rebecca Falconea, the spit-fire in-house counsel for M Tex, brought back in to work through the company’s looming lawsuit. As the savvy and ambitious corporate attorney, Rebecca carries confidence into every room almost as big as the chip on her shoulder to prove she belongs at the big boy table. 

If her stature is meant to be intimated sitting opposite the suits around the negotiating room — she has yet to read that memo. Wallace continues to carve out the character as the love-to-hate-her overachiever in such a way that you can find yourself hanging on her words when she nails you with a brutal reminder that beauty and brains are never mutually exclusive.

As they say, everything is big in Texas, none more so than the egos woven into the tapestry of open plains and oil-soaked dreams. Relentless, ambitious, and unforgiving. Such is life on the Patch.

Co-created by Sheridan and Christian Wallace, Landman streams each week exclusively on Paramount+.

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