Landman Recap: Never Grow Up

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Does the show Landman explore the idea of death? It certainly seems to, starting with the very first episode. The oil rig explosion that killed Elvio immediately highlighted the real dangers faced by those working in the oil industry. The show suggests that oil, while essential to life, also carries the risk of death.

The second season really emphasizes how quickly things can change, both at work and in people’s personal lives. Recently, a dangerous gas leak left a young worker named Jerrell permanently blind, which made the crew leader, Boss, question whether he wanted to continue working in the oil fields. By the episode “Forever Is an Instant,” he’s seriously considering leaving the job altogether. At a party celebrating 20 years of service at M-Tex, he seems peaceful and thankful – both for the generous gifts he received (including an expensive Rolex from Tommy, delivered by Dale) and for simply being alive.

Unlike other scenes with the crew, which often feel random, this one feels meaningful. That’s largely because we know Dale well – much better than characters like King and BR. His viewpoint is interesting because while most of the crew wants to retire once they’ve earned enough money, Dale sees his work as an obsession he can’t break. He feels like he’s destined to continue, even if it means risking his life – he accepts the dangers as part of the job.

My boss is eager to spend more time with his family, and Cooper and Ariana are both keen to move forward with their lives. I don’t quite understand the hurry, especially considering Ariana is still grieving her husband, who passed away less than a year ago. But I guess that experience made her realize how important it is to pursue happiness now, instead of waiting for it. So, Cooper gets an engagement ring from his mother, buys some inexpensive roses, and proposes to Ariana at home – a meaningful place, since she really values being at home. She’s already said the proposal itself doesn’t need to be elaborate; it’s they who will make the marriage special. (Honestly, that sounds a bit cheesy.)

Despite starting with a frustrating argument, this episode has a surprisingly romantic feel. It plays out a bit like a modern Curb Your Enthusiasm scene: Tommy accidentally embarrasses a hotel waitress, which sets off Angela for seemingly no reason. She even tells him to ‘deal with’ his breakfast! Angela remains upset with Tommy throughout the entire episode, even after they’re home for dinner—though she pointedly serves him an omelet instead of the planned tacos.

The recent conflict between the characters is just a setup for a heartwarming scene where Tommy and Angela reconnect. While taking Angela for a walk, Tommy expresses how much he values having her back in his life after their divorce, playfully calling her a “beautiful tornado” and admitting he doesn’t deserve her. He even promises to fulfill her every wish. Meanwhile, Ainsley, who wholeheartedly supports their relationship, observes this from a distance and shares her belief with Dale, Nate, and T.L. that maintaining a childlike wonder is key to lasting happiness and a strong connection.

Tommy’s ability to be genuine and open comes from his father, who provides valuable guidance. Just yesterday (in the story’s timeline), T.L. encouraged Tommy to try proposing again, but this time, his advice was more profound: instead of fixating on difficulties, Tommy should cherish the small, peaceful moments between them. Though he once struggled with drinking and wasn’t always there for his son, T.L.’s hardships have made him determined to appreciate every remaining moment—to truly enjoy simple pleasures like food, music, and happiness.

T.L. might be a little two-faced, still holding onto resentment from his past with Nash. However, he’s right about Tommy – Tommy is so focused on his work and struggles with anger that he doesn’t realize how much he already has. While T.L.’s stern advice could become tiresome, it’s nice to see Tommy taking some time to reflect on things.

This week, Tommy’s involvement in the Rebecca storyline becomes more meaningful. His relationship with Charlie is going well, but he’s hesitant to guarantee the success of M-Tex’s new offshore oil rig project. It’s a gamble with potentially huge payoffs, but also significant risk – there’s only a 10% chance of finding gas, and failure would cost the company $400 million.

I recently saw a scene where Rebecca filled Nate in on some important developments, and honestly, it’s where the story took a really unexpected turn. For once, things actually went well between these two – they usually can’t agree on anything! They hatched a plan to stall the lawsuit, making the plaintiffs actually start drilling, and it all hinged on something Rebecca pointed out way back at the beginning of the season. Basically, the insurance company messed up by paying Monty’s claim directly. It’s like they broke their own rules before even dealing with M-Tex. They figured a jury of everyday people would see how fishy it looked for an insurance company to just send a check straight to the claimant instead of going through the proper channels.

As Rebecca is leaving, Nate asks her to sign a conflict of interest form revealing her relationship with a coworker she supervises. This form will become part of her official record and be shown to the company board. What’s unsettling isn’t just the form itself, but Nate’s attitude – he’s applying the rules very strictly to Rebecca, seemingly more so than to others. It feels like there’s some underlying resentment, maybe a lack of respect for younger female lawyers, and a desire to embarrass one who’s proven more successful than him. It’s unclear where the story is headed, or if it will be satisfying, but I’m intrigued to find out.

Rebecca was really shaken up and felt the need to explain her worth to Tommy, even going to his house to do so. It was heartwarming to see Tommy comfort her, inviting her in for tacos with a genuinely kind smile. While he didn’t directly confront Nate about his behavior towards Rebecca, he did stand up for her, playfully suggesting that work might be the only place she could realistically meet someone.

I was hoping the argument between Tommy and Nate would get more heated, and it might later on. However, both Tommy and I realize Rebecca is perfectly capable of handling herself. In fact, she could easily get back at Nate if she wanted to, and I wouldn’t mind seeing it. Rebecca thrives on proving people wrong, and she’s not afraid to use a little spite to get what she wants.

Boomtown

I found Ali Larter’s serious delivery of the line, “You’ve really gotta love a man to look at him from there,” quite funny.

• T.L. peed on a snake, so that happened.

It was good to see Angela so protective of Cooper, even if it meant standing up to Ainsley. Her threat to playfully scold Ainsley after she kept teasing Cooper felt particularly satisfying. Hopefully, these two siblings can resolve their issues soon, though.

I couldn’t believe Nate pretended to realize Rebecca was cheating just because of a silly detail – someone didn’t call her ‘Charlie’.

Is Taylor Sheridan taking issue with company policies about workplace relationships? I’m on Rebecca’s side, but I’m also expecting him to misrepresent the issue or create a false argument.

I finally saw Bad Santa last week, and Billy Bob Thornton was fantastic! Interestingly, his character in the show Landman is often similar – it’s also fun to watch him play someone who seems constantly annoyed with everyone around him.

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2025-12-29 01:58