Sam Elliott Joins Landman Season 2 as a Major Series Regular!

In the gripping first ten episodes of Landman, audiences were introduced to Tommy Norris, a man caught in the rough-and-tumble world of the Texas oil industry, as well as his close-knit yet complicated family. Viewers quickly came to know his wife, Angela (played by Ali Larter), and his daughter, Ainsley Norris (Michelle Randolph), both of whom bring their own strengths, vulnerabilities, and emotional depth to the story. Their arrival at Tommy’s home came during the tense and harrowing events of Landman season 1, a season filled with corporate intrigue, oilfield danger, and personal sacrifice.

Season 1’s finale ended on a seismic shift for the M-TEX Oil Company. The death of Monty Miller, portrayed memorably by Jon Hamm, not only shook the industry within the show but also created a power vacuum at M-TEX’s helm. In the wake of this tragedy, Tommy Norris finds himself stepping into a significantly expanded role. Rather than being out in the field every day as a landman — the fixer, negotiator, and on-the-ground problem-solver for oil company deals — Tommy is now positioned to oversee the company’s broader operations. As series co-creator Taylor Sheridan has hinted, viewers will see Tommy in season 2 occasionally swapping his rugged oil patch attire for a “sports jacket,” signaling his new responsibilities in corporate leadership.

But this transformation in Tommy’s career begs an important question: with Tommy moving upstairs to focus on executive decision-making, who will take on the gritty, day-to-day job of M-TEX’s landman? The role of a landman is not one easily filled — it requires grit, diplomacy, industry know-how, and the ability to handle high-pressure negotiations that can make or break multi-million-dollar oil deals.

Enter Sam Elliott. The legendary Western actor, whose commanding presence and gravelly voice have defined some of Hollywood’s most memorable characters, has officially joined the cast of Landman season 2. While his role has yet to be confirmed, the possibilities are tantalizing. Given his long career playing rugged, competent, and morally complex men, Elliott seems almost tailor-made to step into the boots of M-TEX’s new landman. The thought of him navigating oil leases, squaring off with rivals, and representing the company on the ground offers exactly the kind of gravitas that could fill the void left by Tommy’s promotion.

Elliott’s addition to the cast also deepens the show’s Western DNA. Landman, while rooted in the modern oil industry, shares thematic and stylistic ties with the great frontier dramas of television and cinema. There’s a constant undercurrent of risk and reward, the sense that the wide-open Texas landscape is as much a character as the people in it. Elliott’s presence would likely amplify that texture — a living embodiment of the old-school toughness and principled cunning that the job of landman demands.

If season 1 of Landman was about survival — both in the oil business and in the personal lives of its characters — then season 2 appears poised to explore transformation. Tommy Norris is now a man with more power, more influence, and, inevitably, more enemies. His wife Angela and daughter Ainsley will continue to be central figures, navigating their own challenges amid Tommy’s shifting career. With Monty Miller gone, there’s an unspoken threat that M-TEX’s leadership will be tested, both from within and from competitors eager to exploit any weakness.

The addition of Elliott could also signal a change in tone. While Thornton’s Tommy brought a blend of wry charm and sharp intelligence to the landman role, Elliott could infuse it with a more stoic, battle-hardened edge. This dynamic could open the door for intriguing clashes between old and new approaches within M-TEX — one grounded in Elliott’s traditional grit and another shaped by Tommy’s evolving, strategic perspective from the top.

Ultimately, season 2 of Landman promises to expand the show’s scope while staying true to its roots. With the family drama still at the core, the corporate chess game at M-TEX heating up, and the tantalizing possibility of Elliott as the new landman, viewers are in for another high-stakes ride through the oilfields of Texas.

In the gripping first ten episodes of Landman, audiences were introduced to Tommy Norris, a man caught in the rough-and-tumble world of the Texas oil industry, as well as his close-knit yet complicated family. Viewers quickly came to know his wife, Angela (played by Ali Larter), and his daughter, Ainsley Norris (Michelle Randolph), both of…