This week, viewers can return to the world of West Texas’ competitive oil industry with the premiere of Season 2 of Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman.'
Starring Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter and Demi Moore, the first season of this Paramount+ drama ended with quite a few revelations — in the form of character deaths and corporate takeovers — so, many of the returning players will be cast into new dynamics. But also, there’s a batch of fresh faces — like Sam Elliott as Thornton’s father — that will also be added to the mix.
“When you have characters in a movie or anything, if you don't know where they came from, if you don't know some of their history, it's harder for the audience to understand how they got to where they are and who they are,” explains Thornton.
Thornton’s Tommy Norris is part of the M-Tex Oil company, and those who tuned in to see the conclusion of the first season saw Norris propelled into a new role, one with more responsibility. What viewers didn’t see, is a huge part of the character's dynamics before he stepped into his role on the land. But we get a slice of just that when Elliott’s T.L. Norris steps on to the screen. And the strained relationship plays a pivotal role in the sophomore season.
“It helps you as an actor, also,” continues Thornton when talking about showing some of his character’s past. “It's like, okay, I see. And I draw on my own life a little bit in it actually, with the difficulties I have with my own father. And so it's a cathartic experience, both as a human and an actor.”
Outside of Sheridan’s universe, Thornton and Elliott are just 11 years apart. But after Elliott appeared in ‘1883,’ Sheridan had remarked that the writing was on the wall, and no one else could step into the role of Norris’ paternal influence but him. And despite it being their first on-screen project together, the duo of actors have also known each other for decades, which helped establish the relationship with ease.
“The thing that most interested me in the very beginning, I mean this guy is out in the middle of nowhere living in this nursing home. And I'm looking as I see that scene myself, like I'm ancient, and that was something to adjust to. But the thing that really appealed to me when I started to get the other episodes that came, was the arc that this character played,” explains Elliott when talking about what first interested him in the role.
“You see him in the beginning and you know that it's a fractured relationship that he's got with his son. You don't really know why, but you find out through all the ensuing episodes and without giving any of that away right now, it's an incredible arc to play because the character does grow... the relationship grows, it falters, but it grows and it's very much like real life if you're interested in repairing an old relationship that fell apart somewhere along the way.”
‘Landman’ Season 2 doesn’t just expand Tommy’s world either. The second chapter of the show will bring in obstacles from the corporate world, the power struggle of oil politics, and even threats from the cartel.
This season’s logline notes Tommy is “closer to his breaking point than ever”, and audiences will get to see first hand just how that all unfolds when the show returns to the streaming service this month.
'Landman’ Season 2 premieres Nov. 16 exclusively on Paramount+
