Landman season 2 episode 2 ending explained: What did TL tell Tommy about his mother?

Created by Taylor Sheridan, the writer behind Yellowstone, the Landman launched its first season on Paramount+ in November 2024. It tracks landmen who secure drilling rights while navigating cartel dangers and personal fallout. 

Billy Bob Thornton stars as Tommy Norris, a no-nonsense crisis manager at M-Tex Oil, alongside Ali Larter as his ex-wife Angela, Michelle Randolph as their daughter Ainsley, Jacob Lofland as son Cooper, Demi Moore as executive Cami Miller, and Jon Hamm as her late husband Monty. Sam Elliott plays Tommy's father, TL Norris, while Andy Garcia appears as cartel boss Gallino.

Season 2, which premiered on November 16, 2025, raises the stakes following Monty's death, delving into Tommy's family history. The key reveal from episode 2 hits on Tommy's past as TL tells him Dorothy battled cocaine addiction for years, transforming her from a kind partner into a harsh, unrecognisable figure. TL says the drugs "killed" the woman he married, leaving someone cruel he believed was lost forever. This comes amid funeral arrangements, shedding light on why Tommy distanced himself from her care. 

In the premiere of season 2, Tommy Norris grapples with M-Tex's leadership vacuum after Monty's death, Cami's corporate clashes, and his son Cooper's booming rig business. Family strains peak with ex-wife Angela and kids. Amid cartel threats and fracking dangers, a devastating call reveals Tommy's mother, Dorothy, died peacefully in her sleep, unearthing his haunted history with presumed father T.L. Thomas.

Landman season 2 episode 2 ending explained: A heartbreak and business deals

Episode 2, "Sins of the Father," aired November 24, 2025, on Paramount+. It starts strong with Cooper at his gushing wells, flush with cash but blind to risks. His girlfriend Ariana, scarred by her ex's rig death, freaks over the sudden wealth. She kicks him out, saying it risks their life and her kid Miguel's safety. 

At M-Tex, Cami sifts through Monty's files late at night, spotting the insurance scam on the hurricane-hit rig. They took a full $420 million payout early, sparking a lawsuit. Tommy sends lawyer Rebecca Falcone to settle: they agree to reports on a new well to avoid trial. But Nathan, the investigator, links Cooper's $48 million backers to Sonrisa, an Odessa firm that's really a cartel front.

Tommy's mother, Dorothy, dies in episode 1, so he heads to a funeral home. He picks a basic casket and minimal flowers, saying, "enough to say I tried, but not enough to say I miss her."  

He drags Cooper along to visit TL at his assisted living spot. TL, limping from old rig injuries, gripes about sunsets and calls Tommy's job a scam. The talk turns dark as TL admits Dorothy's coke habit made her vicious and how he'd come home drunk to beat "failures" out of young Tommy. This made Tommy distance himself from his parents.

Meanwhile, Angela and Ainsley volunteer at a nursing home, get arrested on the accusation of serving alcohol to the residents, when two sheriffs from Texas Health and Human Services arrive out of nowhere. It's a welcome source of comic relief amid the grind. Tommy asked the sheriffs over the phone to release them, threatening to take legal action if they didn't.

Over beers, Tommy breaks it to Cooper that Sonrisa is run by Esteban "Gallino" Glavez, the cartel enforcer Tommy clashed with in season 1. The $48 million isn't a gift; it's seed money for laundering dirty cash through Cooper's wells. Profits flow back 50-50, but the cartel calls the shots, using the sites for smuggling routes and other illicit activities.

Gallino's history with Tommy is rooted in a botched deal that left bodies, which means this isn't random. It's targeted leverage against M-Tex, forcing Tommy's hand: sever ties and watch Cooper's operation fold under debt, or cooperate and risk federal heat and family entanglement.

Tommy pulls up photos from Nathan's report: Sonrisa's Odessa office, a nondescript strip mall front with tinted windows and armed guards posing as security. The letterhead features a subtle eagle emblem, Gallino's mark from past runs. Tommy recounts a brief flashback from the season 1 finale, where Gallino pulled him from a wrecked chopper but whispered threats of "friendly" future business.

"He doesn't do favors," Tommy tells Cooper. Cooper pushes back at first, defending his independence, but the math hits: without the cash, crews walk, leases lapse and the gushers dry up in liens. The 50-50 split sounded fair on paper, but cartel math means skimmed barrels, ghosted royalties and bodies if audits dig too deep. Cooper's face drains as he realizes his "lucky strike" was bait, hooking him into a web that could bankrupt or bury the Norrises.

Landman season 2: What to expect from episode 3 

Episode 3, set to release on November 30, 2025, looks poised to explode. Tommy might cut a risky pact with Gallino to save Cooper, or go lone wolf and spark cartel payback. Cami's investigation into Monty's dirt could expose more fraud, while Angela and Ainsley's nursing home stunt backfires. 

Expect Cooper to stumble without Ariana, and TL's confessions to crack Tommy open more. Sheridan hints at bigger blowouts, mixing oil wars with Norris blood feuds.

Watch Landman, Season 2, only on Paramount+ in the US, with new episodes dropping weekly on Sundays. 

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