In “Landman: Season Two,” Tommy Norris navigates a financial crisis at M-Tex Oil after owner Monty Miller dies, leaving his wife, Cami, in charge.
In its second season, “Landman” again demonstrates that it is one heck of a show. It takes a deeper look than ever at the melting pot of pressures and problems antihero Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton), the quick-witted grease-licker for the oil company, finds himself in. The issues the company creates, the conflicts within his own family, and the mundane dangers of working in West Texas oil are all lurking in the background while “Landman” keeps the lid on the major plotlines. The season also maintains the show’s tradition of building toward a death knell for the empire, even as it keeps it from falling.
Thornton is the biggest reason the series works so effectively. No matter how downbeat, irritated, and outnumbered Tommy seems to walk into a scene, he always has just enough piss and vinegar to take control with a few well-timed quips. Thornton avoids overplaying the character, and his confidence strikes just the right note, with just the right hint of weariness underneath it all.
Whether Tommy is trying to persuade a CEO, managing a problem in the field, or just surviving a dinner with his family, Thornton imbues every scene with a natural, easygoing quality. The part is perfect for him.
Casting Sam Elliott as Tommy’s former dad, T.L., adds a little more depth to the series. It’s Sam Elliott doing his rough-and-tumble thing, but this isn’t a catch-someone-for-his-name casting; you can sense a history between the two that plays out in several of their scenes, and that feeling resonates in everything they say and do. Mostly, you feel these two have been through a lot together, and they haven’t talked about most of it.
Demi Moore’s playing a little more by giving her improved role as Cami Miller – her position of power inside the oil industry begins to matter. She plays her self-controlled character hard and strong, having to face the pain of death, could, and the hazard of cash – without letting anyone know she’s not so sure. The bigger part breathes brand new vigor into the business story and presents an incredible contrast to Tommy’s bigger, primitive strategy. Moore, Thornton, and Elliott provide the dramatic heft of the year, with each holding a different kind of control in the position.
The remaining characters continue to bring depth to the series, as this is not merely the story of one person. Kayla Wallace continues to shine as the intelligent, calm, and resourceful attorney Rebecca Falcone, who is a benefit when stressful moments occur. James Jordan remains engaging and good fun as Dale, and his allegiance to Tommy is clear, yet his comic moments provide levity without losing the show’s edge. Dale is a secondary character who can make a brief exchange truly memorable.
When “Landman”’s game is at its peak, it makes clear the oil business isn’t just about boring holes. It is about money, land, law, labor, personal loyalties, and the looming threat that a single bad call could easily cost millions…or, in some cases, a human life. In Season Two, it is this pressure that the character is put through, viewed from different perspectives. The corporate side of negotiations matters because it affects the lives of those working in the field, and the dangers faced on the ground reveal the human toll beneath the spreadsheets and stockholder meetings.
The show does get excessive at times, belaboring the spat between Tommy and his wife and daughter. The scenes begin to resemble a soap opera, recycling the same melodramatic beats despite other stories involving the oil fields and neighboring companies. Additionally, some plotlines stretch the limits of credibility, and viewers who resisted the show’s high-decibel dialogue and oversized characters in the first season probably still will.
But the series handles these excesses so convincingly that they become part of the show’s character. It is not a sober, restrained representation of the energy industry but rather a lively Texas-style soap about dangerous jobs, bad attitudes, some black humor, and characters who treat every conversation as if it were a negotiation. While it is occasionally too over-the-top to be convincing, it is rarely dull.
While the middle section spends time establishing various plotlines, the performances are so strong that the episodes can be interesting even when the story isn’t. More crucially, patience is well rewarded. As the final stretch approaches, things start to come together much more quickly on the business, family, and personal fronts, and the quality of both plot development and performances jumps up a notch. The closing episode is satisfying and assured even as it leaves some of those threads loosely hanging.
That is why “Landman: Season Two” works so well, because it gets Tommy Norris. Yes, he can identify which problems need solving for the powers-that-be, skirt under threat, and reveal the oil industry’s cruel rationale, yet he struggles to manage his own destiny. Thornton captures this contradiction brilliantly; Tommy’s bravado is fun, but the tiredness beneath it gives the series its heart.
While Season Two has plenty of side trips, the series really gets into high gear when it needs to. Again, Moore and Wallace have real chemistry; the new favorite in the ensemble is Sam Elliott; Jordan is as solid as ever; and Thornton is up to his old tricks, delivering a commanding turn as the son of the newly promoted CEO. “Landman” has found its formula again for viewers who enjoy emotionally driven dramas with plenty of corporate intrigue, family clashes, and Texas grit.
Available on Blu-ray™ and DVD September 22nd
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