“Set that up brilliantly”: Landman stars praise Taylor Sheridan’s gripping father-son storyline in Season 2

Landman creator Taylor Sheridan is winning appreciation for the emotional father-son arc in Season 2. Created by Christian Wallace and Taylor Sheridan, the Paramount Plus series revolves around the challenges and risks, along with the power, tied to the West Texas oil industry.

Season one, released last year, has already scored above 8 stars on IMDb, making it one of the most popular series on the network. The series features Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, and Jacob Lofland in the lead roles, with many other famous celebrities like Demi Moore, Kayla Wallace, and Mark Collie in the supporting cast.

While fans are already loving the overall storyline revolving around the industry, another story that is getting appreciated is the father-son storyline of Tommy Norris, the main character played by Billy Bob Thornton, and Cooper Norris, a character played by Jacob Lofland.

Now, with the new season, fans will also witness Tommy’s relationship with his own father, a character played by Sam Elliott.

Praising Taylor Sheridan for the storyline in a recent interview with Deadline, Thornton said:

"Taylor set that up brilliantly. I didn’t even know in the first season there’s ever going to be a father. And then all of a sudden, not only is it a father, it’s this guy. Taylor has some kind of weird Spider-Man sense about how things can trigger actors. And it’s like, you son of a bitch, you just gave me everything. I need to think about this kid. I need to think about, about my past. And it gets heavy, too."

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What can viewers expect from Landman's father-son storyline in Season 2?

In Landman‘s first season, viewers can clearly see the complicated relationship Tommy and his son Cooper shared. The series shows Cooper quitting college to become part of the oil field in order to prove himself, but it quickly becomes obvious that working under his father’s shadow wasn’t easy.

Unluckily, an accident causes a blast that kills Cooper’s entire crew, leaving him alive. While it was good news for fans that he survived, it also brought more trouble for him as he soon became a target for blame. We also see Tommy’s protective side when Cooper is attacked.

Viewers also witness how Tommy is strict on the outside. However, his fatherly side makes sure someone is always watching out for his son. From season one, one thing was clear: be it dealing with Manuel or warning Rebecca to back off, Tommy made it clear he is always there to protect his son.

Season 2 of Landman will now continue with Tommy’s relationship with his own father while showing the bond between Cooper and him, this time in more detail.

Talking about their equation, Sam Elliott told Deadline:

"You can tell he’s been chewed up and spat out. He never got over the fact that he lost his wife, even though she didn’t die until the first episode. But the fact that she turned inward, that her spirit broke earlier, and she never came out of it. My character, I spent my entire life waiting for her to come up for air, and because of that, my relationship with him [points at Billy Bob] sucked."

According to Billy Bob Thornton, Season 2 will mostly revolve around emotional healing and family bonds. Appreciating Taylor Sheridan, Thornton said:

"Taylor writes the truth, and it’s complex. Also, he writes for Sam, and he writes for me. He’s not just writing a bunch of sh*t that he’s making up, and then you can slot anybody into the f*cking part."

He added that Sam Elliott, in the first scene, sitting in a wheelchair, made the season feel personal and real. Viewers can also expect moments that explore both the challenges of aging and the equation of this father-son relationship.

Additionally, Tommy might also resolve his relationship with Cooper by trying to stick together. Maybe this time they will more openly show care for each other instead of hiding and justifying it with actions. Of course, how their relationship truly grows is something only Season 2 will reveal.

Speaking of the complicated relationship of this new father-son duo in Landman, Thornton told Deadline:

"Now it’s the father and the son, the son and the father. That’s a hell of a dynamic right there. And that makes you start thinking, because he’s been out of my life for a while, and then he comes back into it. That’s going to make you think about your own son."

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Where to watch Landman Season 2?

Landman Season 2 is now streaming on Paramount+. The new season, which premiered on November 16, features a total of ten episodes, with new ones dropping every Sunday. The season finale is set for January. One can also watch the series on Amazon Prime.

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