Who Does Sam Elliott Play in Landman? The 1883 Star’s Secret Connection to Billy Bob Thornton’s Character

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With the upcoming second season of Landman, fans were thrilled to learn that Sam Elliott would be joining the cast and heading to Texas for filming. Elliott is a well-known and respected actor with a long career in film and television. Many are especially excited because he previously played a major role in 1883, the popular prequel to Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone.

After working with Sheridan before, fans were eager to find out what role Elliott would play in the second season of Landman. With Jon Hamm’s character, Monty Miller, killed off at the end of Season 1, many guessed Elliott’s character would either replace Monty or become a threat to Cami Miller’s position. However, it seems Cami has nothing to worry about. As hinted at in a previous trailer and confirmed in the Season 2 premiere, Elliott is playing Tommy’s father, T.L., focusing on the more personal side of the show’s story. As Tommy navigates new relationships – reconnecting with his ex-wife Angela and guiding his son Cooper in the oil business – T.L.’s arrival could shed light on Tommy’s past and how it shapes his future.

Sam Elliott’s Character on Landman, Explained

Fans hoping for a big impact from Elliott in the first episode of Landman Season 2 might be disappointed, but his appearance is just a glimpse of what’s to come. He’s set to form a powerful on-screen partnership, and his eventual role promises to be significant. About 30 minutes into the premiere, Elliott debuts as T.L., a resident at a Texas assisted living facility. The scene quickly establishes everything viewers need to know about his character, even without a lot of dialogue. T.L. is supposed to remain in a wheelchair, though he frequently chooses to ignore that rule.

T.L. stubbornly watches the sunset – a key moment in the episode titled “Death and a Sunset” – and delays dinner until it’s completely gone. An employee named Denise points out the sun had already set the day before, and T.L. dismissively implies she wouldn’t understand the significance of the summer solstice. Denise understandably takes offense to his condescending remark, revealing T.L.’s tendency to be blunt and insensitive.

Shortly after, T.L. learned his wife, Dorothy (or his former wife), had died peacefully in her sleep at a memory care facility. He was deeply saddened, but reacted with a dark joke, suggesting he’d only see her again in the afterlife. This hints at a difficult relationship, and may explain his son Tommy’s seemingly unemotional response to the news of his mother’s passing.

How Will T.L. Fit In Landman Season 2?

Dorothy’s death, while sad, provides a good opportunity to reunite Tommy with his father. We don’t know much about Tommy’s past, and this event can help us understand what shaped him – his struggles, beliefs, and why he makes the choices he does. Specifically, it could shed light on his drinking, his difficult marriage, and his parenting style. Since the audience never met T.L. or Dorothy, it’s reasonable to assume Tommy didn’t have close relationships with either of them.

Cooper is following in his father’s footsteps, building a career in the same field. Meanwhile, Tommy faces the challenge of being both a father and a guide to his son. This situation might lead T.L. to reveal the reasons behind their strained relationship and how their mother contributed to it. It seems T.L.’s tendency to belittle women particularly bothered Tommy, who seems to benefit from having someone he perceives as less intelligent to boost his own ego.

As a big fan of Taylor Sheridan’s work, I’ve noticed he often explores the impact fathers have on their sons, and this story seems to be diving deep into that again. We’re finally going to understand what shaped Tommy into the man he is – someone who constantly deals with crises, both at work and in his personal life. It’s like he was born right into a difficult situation and has been trying to overcome it ever since, and I’m really excited to see that backstory unfold.

New episodes of Landman premiere every Sunday on Paramount+.

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2025-11-16 11:10