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Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Landman season 1, episode 6!Despite its ups and downs, Landman has always been about the Norris family. Tommy (Billy Bob Thornton) trying to make amends with his ex-wife, Angela (Ali Larter), and daughter, Ainsley (Michelle Randolph), has been one of the show's core elements. Another is his relationship with Cooper (Jacob Lofland), whose decision to quit college and work the patch has been a contentious subject for the pair. However, the end of Landman episode 5 saw Cooper injured by Manuel (J.R. Villarreal) and his gang for trying to help Ariana (Paulina Chavez).
Set in West Texas, this series explores the world of oil rigs and the fortunes they create. It portrays a modern upstairs/downstairs narrative of roughnecks and billionaires, highlighting the profound impact on the climate, economy, and geopolitics in these boomtowns.
Release Date November 17, 2024
Character(s) Tommy Norris , Angela Norris , Cooper Norris , Rebecca Falcone , Sheriff Walt Joeberg , Dale Bradley , Cami Miller , Monty Miller , Nathan , Ellie , Dakota Loving , Abilene , Barney , Isabel , Boss , Manuel , Antonio , Armando , Luis Medina , Jimenez , Elvio Medina
Creator(s) Taylor Sheridan , Christian Wallace
Seasons 1
This leads into the events of episode 6, "Beware the Second Beating," which tells its story in two parts. The first half of the episode sees Tommy meet face-to-face with Monty (Jon Hamm), discussing what to do about cartel members threatening oil production on their land. But the second half truly puts the series into perspective, with Tommy learning about his son's life-threatening condition after the fight. It's here the family aspects shine, renewing focus on the Norris family's darkest hour yet.
Tommy & Angela Are Contrasting Forces That Make For A Strong Team
The Pair Take Care Of Business In Their Own Ways
Before learning their son is in the hospital, Tommy meets with Monty while Angela goes to her current husband's home to pick up her car. Speaking together, it's clear the oil industry professionals are on the same page, wanting to ensure their product isn't threatened by outside forces. While not a core part of the episode, seeing the two physically together for the first time better highlights their professional relationship than their constant phone calls have. It brings the core cast of Landman closer and makes the threat to the patch feel even more important.
On the opposite end of this is Angela's return to her husband's home, only to be ambushed by divorce lawyers who end up taking away much of what she has. But because she's able to keep her car, she's satisfied. While this scene was a rather quick way of wrapping up this storyline, it managed to illustrate Angela's own no-nonsense attitude when attempting to benefit from her current situation. It's the most confident she's been throughout the show, illustrating why she and Tommy are so good for each other, despite their prior divorce.
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However, their connection becomes stronger when Tommy learns Cooper is in the hospital with a collapsed lung and other life-threatening injuries. Much like other Taylor Sheridan TV shows when crises occur, this sudden development becomes the most urgent part of the episode. Tommy's phone call with Angela is highly memorable, as it's the first time she's been put into a stressful situation with her family. Her reaction is muted compared to her typical overconfidence, elevating the grim reality of the scene as Cooper's final fate remains unknown.
Cooper's Near-Death Experience Shows The Love Tommy Has For His Son
He's Vengeful When His Family Gets Harmed
At the hospital, Tommy ends up getting filled in on everything that happened through Ariana's presence. There's a touching scene by Cooper's hospital bed where Tommy asks her how she's doing, clearly distraught and blaming herself for his son's condition. She replies with, "You know," as if to brush him off, but he responds by saying, "No, I don't know. But I can imagine." The line highlights that, despite his abrasive demeanor, the oilfield manager has sympathy for the young girl, something amplified by the company's offer of $250,000 for what happened.
Ariana didn't accept the oil company's offer of $250,000 after learning she couldn't sue for negligence, a storyline the show will likely come back to in its upcoming episodes.
Tommy also learns Manuel and Antonio (Octavio Rodriguez) were behind Cooper's beating, organizing with Sheriff Walt Joeberg (Mark Collie) to ambush them in their trailer without police presence. The protagonists' willingness to bend the law for revenge shows how much he puts family first, elevated by his calm demeanor while trying to keep Angela from getting too worked up over the situation. It also expertly avoids any possible drama surrounding Ariana calling Cooper, tackling the storyline in a mature manner that subverts dramatic expectations.
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This culminates in the scene where Tommy and Boss (Mustafa Speaks) break into Manuel and Antonio's trailer, where the main character lays out what's going to happen to them. His detailed explanation emphasizes how big a mistake Manuel made, while also showing the love Tommy has for his family through his typical abrasive lens. It's a strong scene that stayed with me after the episode was over. It expertly emphasizes why this episode was one of the best in the series so far.
Landman Episode 6's Final Scene Is Heartbreaking & Important
Tommy Reveals What He Truly Thinks Of His Son
However, the most memorable part of the episode comes at the very end, when Tommy is talking with Dale (James Jordan) about Cooper's recent hospital stints and run-ins with people like Manuel. He laments his son "just ain't mean enough," which holds two layers of tragedy. Tommy knows his son can't survive in the patch because of his inherent goodness, which others can take advantage of. But, if he wants to survive, it means he'd need to give up what makes him good. This multifaceted heartbreak sets the stage for some potentially emotional moments in the show's remaining episodes.
Upcoming Episodes Of Landman | Release Date |
Season 1, Episode 7: All Roads Lead to a Hole | 12-22-2024 |
Season 1, Episode 8: TBA | 12-29-2024 |
Season 1, Episode 9: WolfCamp | 01-05-2025 |
Season 1, Episode 10: The Crumbs of Hope | 01-12-2025 |
By pulling back from the larger story and focusing on the Norris family, Landman helps bring everyone together in important, heartfelt ways that still remain true to their rougher edges. But it doesn't shy away from the heartbreak Tommy feels, nor the tragedy of Cooper's character, both elevating the series and its focus on family. With four episodes left, the show can still continue this story while also tying in larger threats to the patch, and how both conflicts may intersect with each other.
New episodes of Landman are available to stream every Sunday on Paramount+.
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8/10
Landman
Pros
- Tommy and Angela's independent stories show how similar they really are.
- Cooper's injury brings the family together in emotionally resonant scenes.
- Tommy's revenge against Manuel shows how his abrasiveness doesn't come without love.
- The final scene offers multilayered tragedy to the show's father-son dynamic.
English (US) ·