Abhiroop Das
Created by Taylor Sheridan, the second season of ‘Landman‘ continues the story of Tommy Norris as the new president of M-Tex, following Monty Miller‘s tragic passing. After narrowly cheating death in the season one finale, he leads a life of many secrets, trying to make sense of this new era for the oil industry that his son, Cooper, is a part of. In the inaugural episode of season 2, Cooper finds success with his experimental oil rigs, but that also prompts a curious Tommy to look into the investors backing his son. This leads him to the underbelly of the company known as Sonrisa, which is seemingly led by a businessman named Dan Morrell. Thus, Tommy is swept into yet another chess match, this time with a player who is intimately familiar with. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Investor Dan Morrell is None Other than Cartel Leader Gallino in a New Guise
While Dan Morrell initially appears to be a new addition to ‘Landman’ season 2, a closer look reveals that he is none other than Gallino, the cartel higher-up who saved Tommy from certain death in the season one finale. Back then, he proposed a deal where he could enter the oil business on the cartel’s behalf, potentially minting billions in the process. In the present, he appears to have moved forward with the plan, going so far as to establish a new identity as an investor. Working with Angelus Investments, Gallino leads Sonrisa, the company that funds Cooper’s endeavors. However, with this new context at hand, the cartel leader’s actions take a sinister turn, as it is possible that he wants a roundabout connection with Tommy by offering a sweet deal to his son. However, Tommy is not too keen on this ploy and instead retaliates with aggression.
In the final moments of the first season, Gallino brings up a deal that Tommy is hardly in a position to reject. However, the seasoned landman chooses to hold his ground, and we see that conviction continues in the present. With his strategy now out in the open, Gallino tries a more direct approach to bring Tommy on board, but the latter has serious concerns about the unwanted attention colluding with drug dealers would bring to the business. The fact that Gallino has to cover up his original identity is proof enough of the shady nature of his operations. With M-Tex recently being targeted with a lawsuit, Tommy can’t really afford to make mistakes. However, Gallino refuses to relent and instead redirects his attention towards Cami, hoping to claw his way deeper into the oil industry. Whether or not he turns out to be an antagonistic force down the line largely depends on how he responds to Tommy’s counters, and vice versa.
Veteran Actor Andy Garcia Brings Gravitas to the Role of Gallino AKA Dan Morell
Although Gallino is technically introduced in the inaugural run of the show, he truly shines as a character in the second season, with Andy Garcia stepping into the role with charm and confidence. With more than a hundred acting credits under his belt, Garcia is no stranger to the craft, and yet filming for ‘Landman’ proved to be a refreshing experience. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor spoke extensively about his work on the show, as well as his chemistry with the rest of the cast. When asked about the narrative significance of his character, he expressed a desire to have a long-term impact on the show. Garcia explained, “He (Dan) won’t go down easy. But as they say, the pen is mightier than the sword. So the moment Taylor stops writing for Gallino, he’ll go down! But I’m in for the long haul.”
Alongside his role in ‘Landman,’ Andy Garcia is perhaps most famous for his iconic performance as Terry Benedict in ‘Ocean’s Eleven,’ as well as its sequels, ‘Ocean’s Twelve’ and ‘Ocean’s Thirteen.’ Some of the other hit titles he features in are ‘Untouchables,’ ‘The Godfather Part III,’ ‘New York, I Love You’ and ‘Geostorm,’ where he essays Giuseppe Petri, Vincent Mancini, Garry and Andrew Palma, respectively. Garcia is also a television legend, having famously worked in ‘For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story’ as the titular character. Some of Garcia’s other television credits include ‘Valley of the Wolves: Ambush,’ ‘Ballers,’ ‘Flipped,’ and ‘Rebel,’ where he portrays Amon, Andre Allen, Rumualdo, and Julian Cruz, respectively. For his work, Garcia has earned a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe nomination, which speaks to the sheer talent he brings to the screen as Gallino.
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