Okay, folks, consider yourselves warned – spoilers ahead for the Landman season 2 finale! It wasn’t just Billy Bob Thornton’s character, Tommy, going through big stuff. The finale really shook things up for a lot of people, and I’m here to break down what happened.
In the newest episode of Taylor Sheridan’s Western drama, Tommy, now president of M-Tex Oil after Monty’s death, struggled to keep the company from failing. Despite his efforts, he faced resistance from Monty’s widow, Cami, and manipulation from cartel boss Gallino, ultimately leading to his dismissal. This left Tommy considering his future and what he wants to do next.
The season 2 finale of Landman sees Tommy cleverly exploit a technicality in Cooper’s oil well agreements. He then partners with Gallino, establishing a new company called CTT Oil Exploration and Cattle to secure funding for continued drilling. Tommy builds a team by appointing Cooper as President, Nate as Treasurer, Rebecca as COO and legal counsel, Ariana for office management, and bringing Dale, Boss, T.L., BR, and King on to work the drilling rigs.
Following the season finale of Landman, Grant Hermanns from ScreenRant spoke with James Jordan about the episode. Jordan, a long-time collaborator with Taylor Sheridan, explained that a central idea of this season is “family” and “loyalty.” The show explores what these concepts mean in different relationships – friendship, work, and family ties like those between parents, children, and lawyers.
Tommy really gave Dale a purpose and a good life, and Dale is loyal because of that. In the show’s finale, there’s a moment where I ask Dale, “What about you?” There’s a pause, and our director, Stephen Kay, really highlighted it. Everyone was excited about the new venture – CTT Oil Exploration & Cattle – and Tommy turns to Dale, asking the same question. Dale immediately responds, saying he’s completely committed and will follow Tommy anywhere.
Jordan highlighted Dale accepting Tommy’s job offer as a heartwarming example of the strong bonds between the rig workers. He emphasized how crucial teamwork is when lives are constantly at risk. Workers often rely on each other for survival, and Tommy is a true partner to Dale, both on the job and in providing him with a stable career and a sense of purpose.
Regarding season 3 of Landman, Taylor Sheridan hinted that Dale’s new work situation – under Sam Elliott’s T.L. and Jacob Lofland’s Cooper – could be a source of humor, as the experienced T.L. might resist taking direction from Dale. However, Sheridan admitted that the season hadn’t been written yet, so they didn’t know for sure how the story would unfold. He only had a general feeling about how Dale would adapt to his new team.
Emerson Miller/Paramount+
Jordan reflected on how the first season of the show offered a look into the oil industry, noting that Sheridan enjoys introducing audiences to unfamiliar worlds. While season 1 focused on the lives of those working on oil rigs, season 2 shifted its focus to the relationships between the characters, exploring what binds them together as a family and why they’re all connected.
As a big fan of ‘Landman,’ I’m really intrigued by what Jordan says about season 3. He thinks it’s going to pull back the curtain on the business of oil and gas, and how everything actually gets financed. We got a little taste of that in season 2, seeing characters like Gallino, Cami, and Tommy talking about M-Tex’s money problems, and even Cooper starting to think about profits, losses, and the costs involved with his new wells. It sounds like season 3 will really dive deep into that side of things.
I believe season three will focus on the challenges of building a company from scratch – figuring out how to make it successful and how to compete with M-Tex Oil while still meeting our commitments to our partners. I’m really looking forward to getting started, hopefully sometime in early summer. Right now, my priority is finishing season three of Lioness, which should take about six weeks. After that, as soon as Taylor finishes writing season three, we’ll jump into it and get it released as quickly as possible.
Oil Is In Dale’s Blood As Much As It Is In The Ground
Emerson Miller/Paramount+
I really love watching Dale in all sorts of situations – from the tough, gritty work on the oil rigs and dealing with dangerous stuff like H2S gas, to the really funny and chaotic family dinners with Angela. It makes me wonder, what scenes did the actors enjoy filming the most on this show?
Honestly, every episode is great, and it all comes down to Taylor’s incredible writing. It’s the foundation of everything. Whenever he delivers a new script, you just know it’s going to be fantastic. I can’t choose a favorite because each one is a unique and exciting experience. Working on the technical aspects with the crew is fascinating, and it really shines a light on the challenging work done on the rig. We also get to show the real dangers of the job. But what I really look forward to are the scenes where Dale gets to go home to his family. When those are scheduled, I get really excited. We usually dedicate a whole day to filming them because everyone is constantly making each other laugh, and we have to work hard to keep a straight face. Those scenes are a highlight for a few reasons: I get to see everyone, the writing is superb, and it’s amazing to watch Billy Bob and Ali interact – it’s like watching a competitive match where you’re just an observer. They’re definitely the best part of the show for me.
ScreenRant commented that the actor’s impressive range is a highlight of the show, but the dinner scenes are particularly enjoyable to watch.
The writing is really what makes it all work. Taylor Sheridan is amazing at getting to know his actors and then tailoring the dialogue to fit their individual strengths. When I read my lines as Dale, it just feels natural because of that. Most of my preparation focuses on the technical aspects – memorizing lines, finding the right emotional state, and perfecting the accent. But the words themselves flow easily because Taylor has captured Dale’s unique way of speaking based on my performance. Honestly, Taylor deserves all the credit. Plus, the entire cast has great chemistry. We all genuinely get along, which means the laughter and emotional moments you see on screen feel real and aren’t forced. It’s more like going to work to have fun than actually working.
ScreenRant asked about a specific scene where Dale is at his boss’s barbecue, thinking about his job and why he plans to stay. The interviewer noted that the writing for both Dale and Taylor seemed to perfectly suit the actors. They wanted to know what it was like approaching that scene, and what Dale might be feeling as he considers his future.
Emerson Miller/Paramount+
That’s a great point. It makes me think of a training camp we held in January 2024, where we brought in real oilfield workers – roughnecks, engineers, and scientists – for about ten days. I met guys who’d been doing this since they were 18 and were now in their 60s. Some had never even left Texas except for jobs in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. This work truly becomes their whole life, a huge part of who they are. I think Dale is simply pointing out that it’s okay to step away when you reach that point of burnout – something we all experience in our careers.
I understand why he keeps going back, even though it’s incredibly demanding. This work, these crews, the oil fields – it’s deeply ingrained in who he is, it’s in his nature. Taylor beautifully captures that when she says it’s all he has. He tells Angela he works these long, grueling days because it’s truly everything to him, and he can’t just walk away. He might hold on too tightly sometimes, but that’s alright; Dale is strong enough to handle it. That scene really shows how much passion he still has for this life, even after all these years, for being out there and working as a roughneck.
Be sure to dive into some of our previous Landman season 2 coverage with:
- Our full guide to the Landman season 2 finale
- Jacob Lofland on Cooper’s mental state after killing Ariana’s attacker
- Lofland on Taylor Sheridan’s upcoming Paramount exit
- Lofland on Tommy’s new oil company and how it will change Cooper
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2026-02-13 19:43