The latest episode of Landman left viewers wondering about the future of its main character. In Season 2 Episode 8, titled “Handsome Touched Me,” Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris sees his professional influence fading and his personal life demanding more attention. This shift sparks a major question: is the veteran oil fixer finally stepping back from his high-stress role? The episode mixes family drama with business risk, showing Tommy’s son rising in the company while a risky $400 million drill moves forward against his advice.
Tommy’s Shifting Role and Family Focus
Tommy Norris is no longer the central man of action this season. He is becoming more of a guiding figure, like a wise mentor who has seen it all. Episode 8 highlights this change by focusing on his efforts to help his ailing father, T.L. Norris, played by Sam Elliott.
Finding T.L. unable to get out of the family pool, Tommy helps him and suggests physical therapy. Knowing his father is too proud for a standard therapist, Tommy hires Cheyenne, a local adult dancer, to visit the house and guide T.L. through stretches. This unusual plan works, leading to a peaceful scene and a rare, warm hug between father and son. This storyline shows Tommy using his clever, unconventional problem-solving for his family’s well-being, not just company crises.
Meanwhile, Tommy’s ex-wife, Angela (Ali Larter), provides another surprising family moment. After convincing Tommy to give her $10,000 for a casino trip with retirees, she returns home having won $317,622. This massive win arrives just as Tommy’s professional power is shrinking, suggesting his luck and future might be tied closer to home than the oil field.
Business Crisis: Cami’s Big Gamble
The main business conflict of the episode centers on a critical decision for M-Tex Oil. The company faces a lawsuit over a $400 million insurance payout meant to rebuild a Gulf of Mexico rig destroyed by a hurricane. Geologist Charlie Newsom (Guy Burnet) and the company’s lawyers present the facts to owner Cami Miller (Demi Moore), Tommy, and lawyer Rebecca Falcone (Kayla Wallace).
Charlie explains the original well had likely stopped producing gas before the hurricane hit. Drilling a new one would be a wild gamble with only about a 10% chance of success. The safer option is to fight the insurance company in court for a settlement. Tommy, Rebecca, and company attorney Nate (Colm Feore) all strongly advise Cami to choose litigation.
Cami, however, makes a different choice. Still reeling from a disturbing encounter where a stranger touched her face without permission at a bar, she is determined to prove her strength and keep her word to investor Dan “Gallino” Morrell (Andy Garcia). She asks Charlie if he believes the gas is there. When he says yes, she gives the order to drill, stating, “My word will be worth something”.
Tommy warned Cami she was trading a “sure thing for a maybe,” and again suggested she let him sell the company so she could retire comfortably. Her firm response was, “I don’t want cabana boys. I want success. Get that for me”.
The End of Tommy’s Authority?
Cami’s decision marks a turning point for Tommy’s role. For the first time, he actively goes behind her back to try and stop the plan he disagrees with. He visits Gallino, pleading with him to withdraw his investment, warning the cartel boss he will lose all his money.
Gallino refuses, revealing a crushing truth for Tommy. His loan is secured by M-Tex’s oil leases, which will pay him royalties regardless. If the drill fails and M-Tex collapses, Cami has a large personal trust fund to fall back on. Gallino calmly tells Tommy the company will likely be gone in three years, and he has structured the deal so he wins either way. This moment strips Tommy of his last bit of leverage. He realizes the drilling will happen no matter what he says, and his ability to steer the company is effectively over.
A New Generation Rises at M-Tex
As Tommy’s control slips, his son Cooper (Jacob Lofland) is moving up. In this episode, Tommy officially promotes Cooper to Project Manager, putting him in charge of the rig crew he once worked on. The crew is initially hesitant, but Tommy points out Cooper’s perfect success rate with his wells, and they accept the change.
This promotion is shown as more than a simple job change. It feels like a quiet transfer of power within the company. Cooper has proven results and is building his own respect, while Tommy is increasingly sidelined on major decisions. This shift suggests the show may be preparing for a future where Cooper becomes the central figure in the M-Tex story.
Also Read:
Personal Fallout and What’s Next
The episode also deals with the collapse of another relationship. Lawyers Rebecca and Charlie have a major fight after the meeting. Rebecca blames Charlie for making the risky drill sound too good to Cami, damaging her legal strategy. Charlie retaliates with a personal attack, telling her, “What a lonely woman you’re going to be” if she cuts off everyone who disagrees with her. The comment leaves Rebecca deeply hurt, and she ends their romantic relationship.
On the flight home, a sulking Rebecca admits to Tommy that Charlie’s words were true and that’s why they stung so much. Tommy, himself dealing with defeat, offers little comfort, highlighting the episode’s theme of professional and personal isolation.
Landman Season 2 has two episodes remaining. New episodes stream every Sunday exclusively on Paramount+. The series has already been renewed for a Season 3, so Tommy’s story is not over. However, Episode 8 strongly suggests his days as the primary “fixer” at M-Tex may be ending, making room for new conflicts and characters to take the lead.
