If you asked someone what Landman is about, they’d more than likely respond with “It’s about oil.” The series is based on a podcast about oil, and chronicles the life of the titular landman, Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton) — even if it exaggerates some of the details about what a landman actually does. The Season 2 finale, “Handsome Touched Me,” reveals the truth: Landman is a series about power, and what people will do to achieve it. This harsh truth is revealed during a pivotal scene with Tommy and Cami Miller (Demi Moore).
Up to this point, Cami’s been wrestling with whether to pull the trigger on an offshore drilling rig. The pros: she could strike oil and reap the rewards. The cons: the chances of striking oil are around 10 percent. On top of that, Tommy is following the advice of Cami’s late husband, Monty (Jon Hamm), and is willing to take a sure payout in court rather than risk everything. Cami decides to go through with drilling in a four-minute sequence that is laced with plenty of tension.
Demi Moore Delivers One of Her Best Performances in ‘Landman’ Season 2
Cami’s decision is born out of a seemingly minor moment. While she’s dining at a bar, a handsome stranger approaches her and tries to wipe her face. This sends her breaking down, sobbing in the bathroom, rivaling nearly any scene in The Substance (minus the mind-melting body horror). It’s not just the fact that a stranger invaded her personal space; it’s the fact that he felt entitled to that touch, which showcases the power imbalance between men and women in society. The one thing that Cami can control is the decisions at her company, so, in a way, her decision to open up the rig is exerting her own form of power.
‘Landman’s Biggest Twist May Have Just Solved the Show’s Demi Moore Problem
The stage is set for Moore and her character to finally find their true potential.
Speaking of power, the dynamic between Tommy and Cami takes a hard shift in “Handsome Touched Me.” During their argument, he says that if he’s able to sell her company, she can live a life of success. Cami’s response is short and sharp: “I want success. Get that for me.” She’s not willing to let anybody walk over her, not even Tommy, and winds up firing him in the next episode, “Plans, Tears, and Sirens.” Yet Tommy is the one person whom Cami can confide in, as she talks to him about the encounter with the handsome stranger. This back and forth doesn’t just let Thornton and Moore play off of each other, but provides Landman with some of its best moments.
‘Landman’ Season 3 Will Explore The Power Balance Between Certain Characters
If the Season 2 finale of Landman is anything to go by, the power dynamic between certain characters is about to take a massive shift. After he’s fired by Cami, Tommy goes to mobster Gallino (Andy Garcia) and convinces him to invest in his new company. This investment comes with a dangerous downside, as Gallino warns Tommy that if he fails, he’s coming after whoever he loves the most. Once again, Tommy found himself on the lower end of a totem pole in the oil world. That’s not the only change in the works: Ali Larter, who plays Tommy’s ex-wife Angela, has also teased that more changes are in the works for Landman Season 3.
Looking at the body of Taylor Sheridan‘s work, it’s become pretty clear that he is invested in exploring the ups and downs of power, no matter the setting. Mayor of Kingstown showcases corruption and the prison complex going hand in hand, Tulsa King is all about forming a criminal empire and the setbacks that come with it, and people made Yellowstone a smash hit because of the power struggles that happened in and out of the Dutton family. Landman is probably the one series that takes this maxim to its extreme, and Cami’s big decision to start drilling is the perfect example of this. If Season 3 wants to win back fans, it should lean more into the different dynamics at play.
Landman is now streaming on Paramount+
- Release Date
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November 17, 2024
- Network
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Paramount
