Beware The Second Beating – As the sixth episode of Landman begins, Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton) wakes up Angela (Ali Larter) when they arrive. Angela needs to get to Victor’s place so she can have a talk with him. She doesn’t want to leave her Bentley behind. Cami (Demi Moore) greets Tommy. She invites him in and he begins waiting for his meeting with Monty (Jon Hamm). Tommy tells him the man was standing on something he shouldn’t have been standing on. The pipes came in a mixed bundle which is not what they ordered. Monty says they’ll take care of the family. They talk about their daughters. Tommy tells Monty that the lawyer is a pit bull. They begin talking about the Hermosa Field lease. Tommy says that land is the distribution route for drugs headed north.

They want compensation for the product that was lost. Monty says he’ll make a few calls. While Tommy waits, he receives multiple missed calls from Sheriff Walt Joeberg (Mark Collie). Nathan (Colm Feore) and Rebecca Falcone (Kayla Wallace) talk about speaking to the loved ones of the deceased individuals. Nathan asks her to leave the lawyer out on the porch. They go inside where they speak to Ariana (Paulina Chavez). Nathan tells them about the death policies they had for $25,000. They will remain on the health insurance policy for 18 months. Then, Nathan shows them the bereavement offer for $250,000. Isabel (Rosemary Dominguez) and the others discuss the offer in Spanish. Nathan says there’s no catch and they don’t want anything from them. After the other two sign the paper, Ariana asks what indemnify means. Nathan says that refers to liability and waving assertions of culpability. Ariana wants to know more.

Nathan says it means they can’t decide in ten years that the accident was their fault. Ariana questions whether it was their fault. Nathan claims it wasn’t anyone’s fault. Rebecca says they’d have to prove it. Nathan admits none of them wants to fight. Rebecca says it’s cheaper to pay than trying to prove it was their fault. Ariana steps out of the room. When she tries to call Cooper, Sheriff Joeberg answers his phone. She learns that someone hurt Cooper really bad. The Sheriff asks if she knows anyone who would want to do that. Ariana admits she knows someone. She mentions Manuel Lopez (J.R. Villarreal) and says he threatened Cooper (Jacob Lofland) with a gun at her house. Sheriff Joeberg wants her last name because he’s going to need a statement from her. Ariana tells him to come to the hospital and get it. She learns Cooper is at Midland General. Ariana storms out of the house without signing the paperwork.

Nathan asks if everything is okay. Angela visits Luke’s place only to find that the locks have been changed. Madison (Carly Christopher) opens the door and says she’s an associate with Brown, Mayer, and Hammond. Nelson Means (Jonathan Runyon) introduces himself and explains Victor has asked them to assist in the dissolution of their marriage. Nelson mentions the infidelity clause of their prenup. Angela claims having sex with her ex-husband is not adultery. Nelson says all community property will revert to Mr. Ramsey. The Bentley was a gift so it is her property. Nelson goes through the other items she will receive. Angela will receive child support payments for Ainsley. Victor has also written a letter to her. Angela signs. She’s told the keys are in the vehicle. Angela learns that other girls have already moved in. She grabs a couple of bottles of wine before leaving.

Tommy and Monty talk about the green initiatives. Monty thinks Russia and Saudi Arabia are just manipulating oil demand. Nate calls Monty so he can speak to Tommy who learns about Cooper being attacked last night. Tommy is told to call the Sheriff. In the car, Angela calls Tommy to complain about how she feels. Tommy tells her there’s an emergency so he has to call her back. When Tommy gets in touch with the Sheriff, Walt tells him they found Cooper unconscious in his trailer. EMS said he had a collapsed lung and they’re worried about shots to his head. Walt admits it was bad. He asks Tommy if he knows Manuel Lopez. Tommy says they’ll both handle it. Walt asks Tommy to leave him something to arrest. When Angela calls back, she learns about Cooper and is told to head to the hospital. At the hospital, Ariana, Dale (James Jordan), and Ainsley (Michelle Randolph) learn that Cooper is in recovery although his right lung collapsed.

The doctors are also going to monitor his brain swelling. Ainsley and Ariana try to find out who they are. At one point, Ainsley notices Ariana is using a breast pump in the lobby room. Then, they’re told Cooper has been taken to a room. Angela calls Tommy who gives her an update. Tommy thinks Cooper should work with him now so he can be protected. She says she’ll wait for him before they go inside. Tommy calls Theodore Ramone. When Tommy gets in touch with Boss (Mustafa Speaks), he tells him about Manuel and Antonio attacking Cooper. Boss promises to have this handled before dawn. Tommy says he’s had his chance. He wants five thumpers that don’t play in their side of the sandbox and keep his phone on. Dale and the others check on Cooper. Dale and Ainsley wait outside. When they’re alone, Cooper tells Ariana it wasn’t her fault. She apologizes anyway. He believes Manuel did this for himself.

When Tommy and Angela go inside, Ainsley tells them Cooper is talking to his girlfriend. Walt tells Tommy that Cooper is either really tough or lucky. He also thinks Cooper is talking with his girlfriend. Tommy goes into Cooper’s room and finds him with Ariana. Cooper is sleeping. Tommy asks her about her boy and how she’s holding up. Angela comes in crying and causing a scene. Tommy tells her to take a Xanax and come back. Ariana decides to get back to her son. In private, Cooper tells Tommy that nothing is going on with Ariana. Tommy says Ariana is not his concern. The people who did this to him are his main concern. Cooper tells him it was the maintenance crew for the buffalo field. Tommy urges him to move slowly with Ariana because she’s hurting in a way he can’t understand. Cooper claims it’s not like that. Tommy gets a call from the security guard (Jason Small) confirming Manuel just got to his trailer with his roommate. He tells the man to turn the cameras off and not to turn them back on until he says.

Tommy tells Walt to give him a ten-minute head start and meet him at the man camp. Tommy tells Angela she can go see Cooper before leaving with Dale. Antonio (Octavio Rodriguez) and Manuel hear a knock at the door. Tommy and the others attack Manuel as soon as he opens the door. They go after Antonio next. Tommy tells Antonio to call his friends. Boss offers to take him in the back when he doesn’t want to call his friends. Tommy tells Manuel that he’s fired. By noon tomorrow, he’ll be on a no-hire list for every oil company in the Permian Basin. The Sheriff is coming to toss this place. Tommy warns him he’s going to violate his parole and he could get up to 30 years. He’s going to take 30 years of Manuel’s life. If he comes back, he’s going to take the rest of it. The Sheriff and others arrive to search the place and arrest Manuel. Boss returns and says Antonio wrote down the names.

The Sheriff wants Antonio to repeat those names. Dale tells Tommy he hasn’t done anything like that since 2016. He believes this place is getting wild again. Tommy says he needs to get Cooper out of there before someone kills him. He doesn’t believe Cooper is mean enough for this place.

 

Landman Review

The sixth episode of Landman was probably one of the most worthwhile episodes of the season so far although it leaves many concerns. The episode was wise putting the nonsense first and leaving Cooper’s situation until the midway point. That made the latter portion of the episode more fulfilling than the rest.

Nevertheless, we really have to bend reality to accept what is happening here. That may be easier for some viewers than others. Still, we have to question the freedom Tommy would have in terms of dispensing his own justice. A bigger issue is that we really don’t know where the series is going after this. Cooper’s story has been the only real redeeming element of the series up until this point.

Cooper’s relationship with Ariana will likely remain a big factor, but his oilfield future is questionable. He’s also not going to have the same rivalries and conflicts that made his story interesting in the first place. The episode was good although it still had room for improvement.

Every time it tried to reach an emotional high with Cooper, the over-the-top Angela got in the way and this happened multiple times throughout the episode. There were multiple phone calls in which she was a nuisance. At the hospital, he had a dumb conversation about potato chips and an outrageous yelling scene in Cooper’s room.

With a bit more sophistication and class, the episode easily could’ve been better. Sadly, Angela’s antics may very well overshadow everything for some viewers. The episode scores a 6 out of 10. Recaps of Landman can be found here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here. Join the discussion here.