Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for the Landman Season 1 finale.
YellowstonecreatorTaylor Sheridan’s latest television endeavor has come to a screeching halt withLandman’s season finale, which earlier this week. Set in the oilfields of West Texas,Landmanfollows Academy Award-nominatedBilly Bob Thorntonas Tommy Norris, the manager of a fictional oil company named M-Tex. Throughout the season,the Paramount+ seriescovers the various facets of the hazardous oil business and the problems faced by Thornton’s character, despite being a veteran in his field. As the first season establishes, Tommy seems to have a legendary status in the Permian Basin, which is home to many multinational oil corporations. However, he mostly serves as the field guy for his boss and owner of M-Tex, Monty Miller (Jon Hamm), who makes the final call. Episode 9 ofLandmansets up a transfer of power that finally comes to fruition in the season finale,laying the groundwork for greater challengesfor even a gritty landman such as the famed Tommy Norris.
Why Does the Cartel Kidnap Tommy and Eventually Spare Him?
The season finale ofLandmanfinally focuses onthe tensions between Thornton’s Tommy and Alex Meraz’s Jimenez, the Midland manager of the drug cartel, after the previous nine episodes teased their rivalry. It turns out that the accidental bombing of a drug van by the National Guard, invited by Tommy, is the tipping point for Jimenez to decide that it’s time to send a message to the oil companies. Consequentially, Jimenez kidnaps Tommy and gives him a taste of some good old-school cartel-style torture before revealing his intentions to kill the landman. Although Jimenez tries to establish himself as boss, the surprise arrival of the real authority in the form ofAndy García’s Galino, a senior member of the cartel, leads to a definitive ending for Jimenez and his men.
Galino, unlike Jiminez, wants to establish a friendship with the oil companieson the principle of mutual benefit. Hence, saving Tommy is Galino’s attempt at extending an olive branch to M-Tex. Despite Tommy’s visible displeasure at maintaining any kind of relationship with the drug cartel, Galino hints that he will want to try his hand in the oil business, implying that another meeting with Tommy will be on the books soon. This development changes the course of the relationship between M-Tex and the drug cartel in West Texas for Season 2, if and when it happens. After locking horns throughout Season 1, it appears that the two parties will finally need to sit at the table — through their representatives, Tommy and Galino.
What Happens to Monty in the ‘Landman’ Season 1 Finale?
Things start on a grim note for Monty in the season finale after it’s established that he will need a heart transplant, which can only happen once his body stabilizes. With the possibility of Monty dying, the future of M-Tex lies in the hands of his closest allies — his old friend Tommy and his wifeCami (Demi Moore). Knowing the hazards of the oil business,Tommy advises Cami to get out of the businessby selling the company and to live off the resulting fortune for the rest of her life. However, Cami wants to fulfill her husband’s wish for a lasting legacy and asks Tommy to proceed with a farm-out deal that could make or break the company. Being a good friend, Tommy starts taking steps to execute the plan, even employing the help of Rebecca Falcone (Kayla Wallace), who was promoted by Monty in the previous episode.
Tommy makes barely any progress before he’s kidnapped by Jimenez and encounters Galino. With all the action keeping Tommy busy, one important development occurs in his absence.Landman’s season finale shows Monty flatlining at the hospital, with his wife and daughters crying by his bedside. With Monty’s fate all but sealed, it’s possible that Tommy will lead M-Tex, as its new president, in Season 2, with Cami serving a greater role in the decision-making process. Tommy’s actions will directly dictate the fate of M-Tex, and he will need all the help he can get — including Rebecca, who doesn’t see eye-to-eye with Tommy on most matters.
Billy Bob Thornton Reveals When ‘Landman’ Season 2 Begins Filming — If It’s Not Cancelled
Tommy Norris has a lot on his mind.
What Happens to Cooper and Ariana by ‘Landman’ Season 1’s End?
Tommy’s son, Cooper Norris (Jacob Lofland), and his developing relationship with the recently widowedAriana Medina (Paulina Chavez)remains one of the most important storylines of Season 1, althoughit takes a backseat in the finale. Despite Ariana’s apprehension regarding her association with Cooper, Cooper remains a very supportive figure in Ariana’s life.
On Ariana’s suggestion, Cooper pivots his focus toward his personal goals and his dream of running an oil company one day. To this effect, Cooper puts on his working boots and decides to kick off his master plan, with some parts of the puzzle already assembled. The finale doesn’t focus much on Cooper’s trajectory, but it remains clear thatthe next season will likely see Cooper making major career moves— some of which may even conflict with Tommy’s business plans. As for Cooper and Ariana, their romance will also need more space for further development in Season 2.
What Does the Coyote in ‘Landman’s Season 1 Finale Mean?
In Episode 9, “WolfCamp,“Tommy witnesses his neighbor killing a coyotenear the fence between their houses. On a separate occasion, Tommy notices another coyote standing outside the fence when he heads out for a smoke after a physically and emotionally tough night. This time, Tommy encourages the coyote to run away by saying, “Coyotes get shot around here.” It’s clear that Tommy finds himself relating to the coyote after Monty’s possible death, especially with a potential promotion on the line. Could Tommy be giving himself a warning to run away before he gets too engaged, even if he doesn’t have the same freedom that the coyote does? The coyote’s appearance in the final moments ofLandman’sfinale isa nod to Tommy’s awareness of the dangers that await him, his fear of what’s coming, and his helplessness in being at a difficult crossroads where his every decision will have lasting implications.
Paramount+ hasn’t confirmedLandman’s renewalfor Season 2yet, but the finale has done a great job at setting up some crucial storylines for the show’s return. The situation has become more turbulent than ever before in the Permian Basin, with a vacuum of power created by recent events. In a potentialLandmanSeason 2,Thornton’s Tommy Norris will need to get his hands dirtyif he wants to bring order back to the vast barrens of West Texas. He’s done it before, but the question is whether he’ll be able to do it again.
All episodes ofLandmanSeason 1 are available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.
In the rugged terrain of West Texas, a team of landmen work to secure oil and gas leases, acting as intermediaries between landowners and energy corporations. The narrative centers on a driven landman whose ambitions in the energy sector lead him into complex negotiations and moral quandaries. The show explores the intense competition and the far-reaching consequences of the landmen’s deals, highlighting the intersection of personal ambition and the broader effects on the community and the natural world.
