Abhiroop Das
Created by Taylor Sheridan, the second season of Paramount+’s ‘Landman‘ returns to the volatile oil industry of West Texas as Tommy Norris steps fully into his new leadership role as the President of M-Tex. With the power dynamics of the region constantly shifting and turning, new alliances are forged and old bonds are tested, and the cost of controlling the world continues to grow by the second. In the previous episode, Tommy gets T.L. into physical therapy at last, with a pole artist named Cheyenne working part-time as a therapist. Meanwhile, Newsom is brought to M-Tex to convince Cami that the offshore rig is doomed to fail. However, the plan backfires, and he is made the leader of the operation. Thus, a new horizon awaits the company, with or without Tommy’s agreement. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Newsom and Rebecca Patch Up
‘Landman’ season 2 episode 9 begins with Tomy, Dale, and Nathan getting their offshore rig plan into motion. While things are risky as is, the enormous amounts of paperwork that they have to bring together in record time only add to the hassle. Things are even more difficult for Tommy due to the developments on the home front. Ainsley is off to college for a week for her cheerleading team practice, and that means moving into one of the dorms and living side by side with a roommate. For someone who has lived her life in luxury, Ainsley is hardly prepared for the challenges ahead, and no one realizes that better than Angela. Still, with Tommy effectively not taking this seriously, she is left with no support system to rely on, which in turn adds to simmer in their relationship.
Meanwhile, Newsom is almost done packing up for what is likely to be months of being on the ocean, but things between him and Rebecca are still unresolved. Luckily, she shows up at the last minute, realizing that their budding dynamic cannot end on a sour note. In a heartfelt exchange, the duo admits to their respective mistakes and apologizes, with Rebecca finally accepting that she is smitten by Newsom and wants their relationship to continue. While he is conflicted about this, given the next six months will have him hardly landing on land, he still agrees to give their romance a shot, with a promise of restarting things properly if and when the shore is a success. Elsewhere, Ariana gets ready for a double shift at the bar, with Cooper promising to come visit at night.
Ainsley’s First Day in College Does Not Go as She Planned
Angela has a hard time bidding her daughter goodbye at the university, even if it’s just for a week. While Ainsley appears quite confident about carving her way out of things, reality comes knocking the moment she enters her dorm room. As it turns out, her roommate, Paygin, has the polar opposite personality, values, and interests, as well as a pet ferret. Within the first few minutes, the duo clashes over subjects as myriad as pronouns, veganism, and meditation hours, and it soon becomes clear that Ainsley has very little chance of leading a comfortable week in this dorm. However, her attempts at getting a different accommodation only end up working against her, and, frustrated, she dials up her mother for help, who hardly wastes a second before coming to the rescue.
On the field, Cooper now leads an M-Tex crew for the first time, with Boss leading the physical work. Cooper’s instincts guide him to a land he believes once used to be a waterbody, and while trace amounts of gas can be located near the surface, going any deeper is anyone’s guess. Although Boss and the rest have a hard time acclimatizing to new leadership, they still agree to go with Cooper’s commands, and the drilling officially begins. A similar scene unfolds by the ocean, where Cami has organized an entire watch party for the offshore drill’s inauguration. That is one way to fulfill the insurance company’s demand for a visible start of work at the rig, but Cami has several more reasons of her own, which begin to become more transparent in her hushed interactions with Tommy.
Tommy is Fired by Cami in Her First Move as a True Wildcat
Meanwhile, Angela storms the dormmaster’s office to hash out a deal that gets Ainsley the best possible ending. However, given that the teacher already has a bone to pick with the young cheerleader, negotiations prove to be difficult. But a working solution emerges in the idea of Ainsley living away from the university, so long as she has a medical clearance. With just a phone call, Angela arranges a week-long stay at the most posh hotel in the vicinity, and just like that, Ainsley moves out and invites her entire cheerleading team to a pool party. A discussion emerges about why Paygin was mean to Ainsley, and while Angela believes it was because of her personal issues spilling out into her public relations, the irony of their wealthy, shielded lifestyle is palpable.
Things aren’t going as well for Tommy, however, as Cami finally reveals why she has been avoiding him the entire day. As it turns out, this risky business deal has lit a fire in her heart, and she now understands why her husband lived and died a wildcat. However, Tommy, who once pioneered the industry, no longer feels the same fire, and that brings Cami to believe that he is not a fit for the company’s meta. With that, she declares that Tommy is fired, before leaving him by himself to process the whiplash that he has just experienced. Things are even more intense for Ariana, as she is attacked by the aggressive drinker from previous episodes, who ambushes her while she is taking a break, and then tries to sexually assault her. Luckily, Cooper makes it to the scene just in time, slamming the man to the floor and beating him to a pulp. Still, Ariana is left shaken from the incident, and it is clear that the couple has a lot to work through, going forward.
Read More: Is Landman a True Story? Is Tommy Norris Based on a Real Landman?
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