Landman Recap: Be an Adult

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Many TV dramas build to their biggest moments in the second-to-last episode of the season, like the intense battles and shocking deaths in shows such as Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, and The Wire. However, Landman is different. Tonight’s second-to-last episode of season two doesn’t feel like a big climax at all—it feels like the complete opposite, a definite letdown.

At first, I thought this storyline was working well. I liked that Rebecca quickly addresses her feelings for Charlie – she goes to apologize for distancing herself and openly admits she likes him, which is a big step for her character. While I don’t necessarily need to see Charlie make Rebecca prove her feelings, or even Rebecca in a relationship at all, the scene is sweet. They essentially agree to try a long-distance relationship while Charlie is working on the oil rig for the next six months.

The offshore drilling rig is officially starting operations! The first episode, “Plans, Tears, and Sirens,” opens with the main M-Tex team – Tommy, Rebecca, Nate, Dale, and Cami – traveling to Louisiana for a celebratory launch party. While Tommy seems worried and exhausted, still doubting they’ll find gas, Cami is incredibly optimistic about their chances. She trusts her instincts, while Tommy suspects it’s simply about the potential profits.

I’ve been rooting for Tommy and Cami’s relationship all season, and their most powerful moment came when they watched the drilling rig go by. Cami was caught up in the same thrilling feeling that led Monty to take dangerous chances, but she didn’t realize it’s what ultimately killed her husband. Tommy tried to explain this to her – he used to chase that feeling himself and lost everything because of it – but Cami believes that thrill actually allowed Monty to truly live. (While I understand her perspective, it’s also true that it did kill him, and it could end up harming her as well.) Ultimately, if Tommy won’t embrace big risks, Cami can’t keep him on as president of her company.

Okay, so Tommy getting fired was a big deal, definitely something you’d expect to happen right before the finale. But honestly, as shocking as that was, it felt almost secondary to what really drove this episode. It was all about Ainsley and watching her move into the TCU dorms for cheer camp – that was the heart of it, and it completely captivated me.

Putting aside the question of whether this storyline makes sense at all, the emotional intensity feels off from the start. The show established that Ainsley was excited to leave for college, yet she’s suddenly clinging to her parents more than usual. While Ainsley and her mom are very close, their over-the-top reaction to a week apart feels unbelievable. The goodbye scene is excessively dramatic, made worse by the overly emotional music and Angela’s forced, sentimental line about letting go. It’s unclear if this is meant to be humorous, but it fails to work as either a comedy or a serious moment.

Things get really difficult when Ainsley meets their new roommate, Paigyn, a somewhat irritable sports medicine student who doesn’t identify as strictly male or female. Paigyn is from Minneapolis and has a ferret that doesn’t always smell great. They’re vegan and would like Ainsley to avoid bringing meat or any animal products – even leather shoes – into their dorm room. Paigyn meditates daily and doesn’t enjoy music. They consider the dorm room a personal sanctuary and need it to be a calm, supportive environment for their well-being.

Honestly, the character Paigyn is remarkably unlikeable. She feels like Taylor Sheridan deliberately created her to embody every frustrating trait, almost like an exaggerated version of Piper Perabo’s character from Yellowstone. Many viewers consider her to be the worst character he’s ever written, and she managed to make that impression in just one episode—even one scene. It makes you wonder if this kind of writing will continue in the future.

It’s funny, because when you actually get to know transgender people, you see they’re just as complex, interesting, and human as anyone else. I have many friends who fit the descriptions Sheridan criticizes – whether he’s focusing on trans people, those on the left, or even people who use a lot of therapeutic language. But none of my non-binary friends get upset by words like “penetrate” or the idea of a penis. They don’t constantly talk about “safe spaces” or “the patriarchy,” and they don’t insist on avoiding animal products or dislike music. They’re just regular people.

I might be overthinking things, but Sheridan seems to be enjoying this more than anything else. However, episodes like these really reveal his personal beliefs, since he doesn’t have a writers’ room to offer different perspectives.

I’m really wondering how the story will wrap up next week, because it could have been much better. I’m still puzzled by Ainsley’s portrayal as someone unintelligent, especially considering her high ACT score, but it’s sometimes amusing to see her adjust to a new environment. Her line, “I will see they later,” did make me laugh. I actually enjoyed the scene with the admissions office, where Greta advises Ainsley to stand up for herself and talk to Paigyn about their unfair rules. It feels like that moment is setting up Ainsley to mature and learn to handle problems on her own, without relying on her mother.

Angela bursts in again, this time after talking to Ainsley. She insists Greta make an exception to the housing rules and get Ainsley a luxurious suite in town for the week. Soon after, Ainsley has left Paigyn and their pet ferret, heading to the country club with her cheerleading team, accompanied by Angela. They even decide Angela should stay close by while Ainsley is at college.

This episode is a clear step backward, and I expect the season finale will likely focus on Ainsley finally becoming more independent. However, even if things improve, the journey to get here hasn’t been worthwhile. The episode ends on a deeply unsatisfying note, with Angela intentionally misgendering Paigyn and then unfairly blaming them for their own unhappiness.

This story features a character, Paigyn, whose purpose feels unclear. It appears Paigyn was primarily created as a target for Sheridan’s frustrations, a way for him to poke fun at stereotypes he associates with young, progressive women and their use of pronouns. (It’s notable he didn’t give her blue hair!) Ideally, Paigyn should serve a narrative function by helping Ainsley distance herself from her mother and see a broader world. Growing up involves self-reflection, learning, and embracing new experiences, rather than reacting negatively to differences. However, Sheridan doesn’t seem interested in genuine introspection—except perhaps in a superficial, traditionally masculine way, like an older man lost in thought while watching the sunset.

This episode culminates in a scene reminiscent of a typical rescue trope, where the character Ariana is attacked after work. However, the focus quickly shifts from Ariana’s experience to the actions of Cooper, who arrives to save her and severely injure her attacker. While the dramatic music and security footage hint at potential repercussions for Cooper’s violence, the fact that the attacker is still alive diminishes any real sense of suspense. Ultimately, the story prioritizes Cooper’s perspective and heroic actions over Ariana’s ordeal, framing the narrative as a rescue story about a man saving his fiancée rather than a story about a woman facing harassment at work.

I was disappointed by the decision to subject Ariana to a traumatic experience simply to create drama in a slow-moving storyline, and I didn’t appreciate her being portrayed as someone who needs rescuing by Cooper. It’s an odd way to end the episode before the finale—but honestly, it feels fitting for a really strange hour of television. I’ve only given one other episode a one-star review, and that was for the penultimate episode of Yellowstone, which felt like a self-indulgent display. This episode doesn’t have a cameo from the creator, but it still feels like a look inside his mind, with characters who seem as stuck as the person writing them. And frankly, it’s unsettling. Maybe he should take his own advice and grow up.

Boomtown

I’m also not a fan of the storylines with T.L. and Cheyenne. It feels repetitive and focuses on an older man fantasizing about a relationship with a younger woman by the pool, wishing he were younger. While we learn her name is Penny and she’s saved $162,000 for travel, that’s the extent of her development. It seems like the plot might just have them run off together in the final episode, which feels predictable.

Cooper is back in charge, directing his team to resume drilling and confidently taking the lead over Boss. It’s quite a development, but it makes you wonder what new skills or lessons he’s picking up, considering his experience working with the crew last season.

She told me to behave like an adult, jokingly pointing to her driver’s license – even though it obviously doesn’t actually say that on it.

• Okay, I do want an alligator po’ boy now.

• Ainsley doesn’t know what a ferret or weasel are?

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2026-01-11 20:56