Billy Bob Thornton and Demi Moore Strike First as ‘Landman’ Season 2 Thrives on Everything but Clean Energy

Tony Sokol

Everything is bigger in Texas, and “Landman” is expanding its territory in season two. The wildcat oil-drilling drama Taylor Sheridan spudded for Paramount+ is reaching peak production, and on the hunt for deeper payoffs. Now the president of M-TEX, Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thronton) is still fixing holes. Business is ruthless as usual under Cami Miller (Demi Moore), after the untimely demise of her husband, Monty Miller (Jon Hamm), at the end of season one.

The turnover at M-TEX can be emblematic, or problematic, for Cami’s run as owner of the large oil concern. Moore’s stunned and unbriefed widow makes the kind of preemptive strikes on would-be partners, investors, and creditors, as the preliminary strikes on the oil in the Patch. It is all about discovery. Then she sits back to watch them gush or come up dry. Either way, the company’s onsite attorney, Rebecca Falcone (Kayla Wallace), was hand-picked for her ability to get oil from a stone. She disembowels a visiting attorney team’s threatening response so viciously, the head of the firm offers her a job. These oil barons are unreliable and gone too soon, he advises. It is true, for Rebecca, this is the major draw for ongoing proceedings. They might stop happening any moment, but the ride is wild and the allure of oil is addictive on every level.

In a quiet moment, Sam Elliott’s character explains how the lack of moisture and dust make sunsets particularly beautiful in this part of Texas. The very things which plague these Texans during the day. This is an apt description of oil success as “Landman” moves through the transition of power, and unanticipated geological change. New to the landscape is Galino (Andy Garcia). Reputed to be a powerful drug cartel leader, he is merely an investor. Just don’t call him a gangster. Galino personally believes Tommy is better suited to the role, and would love to back him, or Cami, on any play.

The three veteran actors share a dinner which plays out like a game of chess. Tommy’s ex-wife, Angela (Ali Larter), makes the scene, but is playing hopscotch. The changing tempos and maneuverings, both polite and impolite, make for the most enjoyable moments of the season. Intrigue and good feelings mix in an after-hours atmosphere conducive to any corruption. All the while, Angela’s jealousy gets the better of Tommy and Garcia plays Galino with amused bonhomie, a gracious host to potential associates.

Beyond every revelation from the Patch, Tommy’s family still packs the heaviest surprises. Cooper (Jacob Lofland) proves he is his father’s son, bypassing any kind of fatherly advice until it is necessary, and then only heeding it reluctantly. This would probably thrill Tommy, if it weren’t for all the cleanup necessary. The obvious parallel in the personalities make the bonding moments especially gratifying, particularly one where Tommy says he is going to steal Cooper’s idea of a final resting place. 

Michelle Randolph’s ongoing interpretation of Tommy and Angela’s daughter, Ainsley, is comic gold. Whether setting up the joke, being the butt of it, or landing a punchline, the competitive cheerleader is a calisthenic talent. Ainsley is a distraction who inspires otherwise staid individuals to feats of great humor. She is a support system to everyone but her brother Cooper, who still gets punchlines off her routines. A disconnected college interview straddles agonizing sadness with the blind enthusiasm of the shockingly self-involved, but unaware, to deliver an especially memorable interaction.

“Landman” is as misogynistic as ever. Discussions on the handing down of physical attributes, or more hands-on displays, continue to plague the Norris family. Angela is physically accosted. Hilarity ensues. Ainsley confirms all the worst suspicions of selective breeding. Cooper’s girlfriend, Ariana Medina (Paulina Chávez), a widowed single mother, is verbally molested on the first day of a new job. Her responses are worth the price of admission.

Some of the best sequences come from the physical labor, and resultant danger of digging wells and what comes out of them. While there are no work fatalities of the regular cast in the early part of this season, there are some very frightening close calls. M-TEX Oil petroleum engineer, and one of Tommy’s roommates, Dale Cooper (James Jordan), saves his crew, and himself, with quick thinking and laser sharp concentration. A chemical leak leads to an extremely complex rescue, which is done so efficiently it looks commonplace. This tells more about the environment and professionals in the industry than any of the speeches, boardroom discussions, or legal arguments can make.

Sheridan’s highly successful “Yellowstone,” dredged up hits like “1883” and “1923.” In this West Texas oil industry series, Tommy warns any successful energy tycoon to get out while still ahead. Three episodes into the second season and “Landman” is already engrossing. It just keeps pumping.

“Landman” begins streaming Nov. 16 with new episodes premiering Sundays on Paramount+.