Paramount+'s Landman has ended its ten-episode first season on a grim note for its protagonist, Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton). Not only does Tommy now face a professional challenge in the form of a farm-out deal that will decide the fate of M-Tex, but he also faces fatal dangers that threaten him and his family. The finale of Landman Season 1 may have fans believing that the cartel is the biggest threat ahead for Thornton's character; the introduction of Andy Garcia as Galino, a powerful cartel boss, is enough to brew excitement, even though he approaches Tommy with a proposal of friendship that will have implications on the business side as well. However, long before Galino made an entry or Season 1's antagonist, Midland cartel manager Jiminez (Alex Merax), became a potent threat, another character was waiting in the wings as a potential opposing force: Kayla Wallace's ace lawyer Rebecca Falcone.
Kayla Wallace Is a Force of Nature in 'Landman' Season 1
Tommy Norris and Rebecca Falcone don't start their professional relationship on a very friendly note when Rebecca arrives to investigate the explosion that killed Tommy's son Cooper's (Jacob Lofland) entire crew. Despite Rebecca's insistence that she is on Tommy's side as a representative of M-Tex, Tommy refuses to believe that Rebecca's presence will benefit him or the company in any manner. However, later when Rebecca proves her negotiation abilities and skillfully handles the case of the crashed plane in Episode 4, she does end up impressing Tommy with her shrewd legal mind. In doing so, she also establishes how dangerous she can be in the prime of her powers, threatening the opposing legal team with consequences if they do not drop their claims. Despite Tommy's continuing apprehensions about Rebecca, it's clear that she could be a powerful ally as well as a grave threat. Rebecca has already been exposed to a lot of legal issues brewing on Tommy's playground, and if needed, she's positioned to use them against him to usurp his control over M-Tex and its operations.
Wallace's character has been a cause of concern for Tommy ever since she arrived in the Permian Basin. Throughout the season, Rebecca has been put in an opposing position to Tommy by virtue of their specific backgrounds. Rebecca mostly looks down upon oil procurement, whereas Tommy believes strongly in the ever-prevailing nature of the oil business, something he reiterates even in his last interaction with Rebecca in Season 1. When Rebecca raises concerns about the environmental consequences of fracking — a technique that Tommy intends to use to pump out oil — Tommy makes it clear that she should follow the rules of the wild if she wishes to survive in the jungle. With Rebecca now being the Vice President of Exploration, thanks to Monty Miller (Jon Hamm), the moral dilemma she faces in her final moments of the season lay the groundwork for a natural conflict between her and Tommy. Monty's decision to promote Rebecca stems not only from Rebecca's exceptional legal prowess, but also from Monty's motivation to balance Tommy in business decisions for the benefit of the company. Moreover, Rebecca's calculated approach is necessary to balance out Tommy's impulsive choices.
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Rebecca Could Give Tommy More Reasons to Worry in 'Landman' Season 2
Although Rebecca has a major problem with Tommy’s ways, viewers must not forget the character's own ruthless and questionable stance in the pursuit of getting the job done. In her interactions with the widows of Cooper’s crew, Rebecca shows a lack of any emotional consideration in negotiating the settlement, establishing that she is a business-oriented corporate professional — a reason why Monty deemed her fit to be placed in an important position in the company. Even after M-Tex company attorney Nate's (Colm Feore) repeated reminders to approach the situation with empathy, Rebecca continues to be fierce and straightforward in her handling of the negotiation, showing that she can go to any extent to achieve her goals.
Another conflict brewing between Tommy and Rebecca comes in the form of Rebecca's strong suspicions about Cooper's role in the explosion, of which he was the lone survivor. In her interaction with Cooper, Rebecca has already called into question Cooper's educational background to imply that he could have been responsible for the catastrophe. Further, Cooper's role in negotiating the settlement in favor of Elvio's (Alejandro Akara) widow, Ariana (Paulina Chavez), only intensifies the tussle between Rebecca and Cooper. With Cooper setting out to build his own oil company, it's only likely that the two will continue to cross paths. Naturally, being a protective father, Tommy might try to defend Cooper from Rebecca. As established earlier in the season, Tommy is not kind to those who try to harm his family.
Even in the Season 1 finale, Rebecca continues to cross horns with Tommy, and it is very likely that the feud between the professional allies will continue to get heated in a potential Season 2. While Tommy knows how to keep the cartel at bay, as shown in his attempts to involve the National Guard, he may not keep his defenses high in front of Rebecca, who’s supposed to be by his side. While Galino’s introduction may indicate that any relationship with the cartel is going to be complex moving forward, Rebecca will be a force to reckon with for Tommy should Landman return for a second season.
All episodes of Landman Season 1 are available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.
Landman
Release Date November 17, 2024
English (US) ·