Following the shocking death of Monty Miller (Jon Hamm) in the Season 1 finale, Landman Season 2 introduces Tommy (Billy Bob Thorton) to a whole new side of danger and financial potential, both in his work and within his family. Paramount+ provided us with the first three episodes of the new season that starts gratingly slow, but soon picks up with an injection of new characters and promise of bigger stakes to come.
First and foremost, Landman still lives or dies by Billy Bob Thornton’s performance as Tommy, and he does not disappoint in Season 2. His dry delivery and exhaustion with everything and everyone around him is endless enjoyable to watch and makes up for many of the series’ weak spots. Tommy is moving up in the world with the help of Monty’s widow, Cami (Demi Moore), but when Gallino (Andy Garcia) unexpectedly returns, the pair seem on collision course from more than one angle. Garcia is a great foil for Thorton, and these early episodes set up some possibly fiery interactions for the rest of the season.
Not all of Tommy’s complications are business and when a loss brings Tommy’s father, T.L. (Sam Elliott), back into his family’s life, past and present collide. Elliott is used sparingly in these early episodes, but the beloved character actor with the golden voice is simply captivating. T.L. is in a bad place emotionally when we meet him, and his introspective pain is wonderfully articulated by Elliott. Hopefully, whatever upcoming payoff the character arc has is worthy of the actor, who has done terrific work for Taylor Sheridan’s TV universe thus far.
As the review mentioned earlier, Landman has its weak spots, and they’re still a problem during Season 2. Despite having some endearing character growth near the end of Season 1, Tommy’s wife Angela (Ali Larter) and daughter Ainsley (Michelle Randolph) are borderline insufferable. Larter is giving an all-in performance and can’t be faulted for the writing.
It can be tough, at times, to tell whether the audience is intended to like or hate Angela – which I’m sure in which Tommy would agree. Randolph is also a terrific actress as showcased in 1923, but the role of Ainsley is beneath her and doesn’t have the campy exuberance of Larter’s portrayal, making Ainsley even less likable. The show also completely wastes the great talents of Colm Feore again as Tommy’s roommate Nathan – not sure why they keep fixating on Nathan and Ainsley, but fingers crossed it doesn’t go somewhere creepy.
The last of the three episodes is the most intense of the group, with lives in peril and major developments with M-Tex: the company that Cami now controls. Past the slow burn premiere, the momentum is ratcheted up with each episode, setting up many intriguing pieces for what could yield a stronger overall season than the first, as long as Landman fully utilizes its fantastic new supporting cast.
Score: 3.5 out of 5