Summary
Landman Episode 8 has the show’s usual rhythm, with little happening but a lot feeling as though it might.
Episode 8 of Landman, “Clumsy, This Life”, is one of those outings in which very little of note happens but the show mysteriously doesn’t suffer as a result. Perhaps it’s that we’re more comfortable with these characters now. Perhaps it’s because we know there will – or at least can – be serious consequences to some of the brewing subplots, which include Tommy’s struggles with the cartel and Cooper’s relationship with Ariana. Both take some turns here that will hopefully bear fruit down the line, even if we have to put up with Angela and Ainsley hanging out at the nursing home every week to pick it.
I’m going to assume at this point that Taylor Sheridan knows what he’s doing, though I’ll confess to not being able to tell precisely what it might be. With just two episodes left in the season, it could go virtually anywhere, but I’m beginning to think that it won’t be anywhere conclusive, especially with Demi Moore having apparently let slip about the existence of a second season.
Cooper Knows What’s Up
Anyway, “Clumsy, This Life” picks up where the previous episode left off, with Cooper getting involved in M-Tex trying to pay off Ariana and the other widows. Remember, this money is being framed as a generous payout in the hopes that the families don’t ask too many questions, but Cooper knows that Rebecca is radically underpaying and hoping that the pesky non-disclosure clauses will prevent M-Tex from being held liable for an accident that was clearly the fault of company negligence.
When Cooper raises this, Rebecca indirectly threatens him by implying that his being the sole survivor of the accident gives her an angle to imply that he was responsible for causing it. Instead of being scared off, though, Cooper pushes for a counter-offer, demanding $1 million per family, secure in the knowledge that the company will pay rather than risk anything coming out in court. Rebecca’s ego is badly bruised by this, especially when Monty approves the deal to Nate (although it does cost Cooper his job, which he was apparently going to quit anyway.)
Cooper and Ariana are easily the most interesting things about Landman at the moment, mostly thanks to Ariana. It would have been incredibly easy to mess this relationship up given her husband was killed three weeks prior and she’s already shacking up with someone else, but the character is very well written and Paulina Chavez’s performance is excellent. You really buy that this is a genuinely confusing predicament for both of them and when Tommy calls later to try and get to the bottom of it, he’s both oddly supportive and thoroughly confounded himself.
Ainsley and Angela Continue To Feel Misused
Ali Larter in Landman | Image via Paramount+
The quality of Cooper’s storyline in Landman Episode 8 doesn’t help Ainsley and Angela feel more valuable, though. I get that these subplots are supposed to be a little lighter and take us away from the oil drama, but there isn’t a great deal of oil drama in these episodes either, so we could probably use more of it. Ainsley, in particular, feels especially wasted on another romantic subplot with the generic local jock, Ryder, whom she met in the previous episode.
I’m glad that the show seems to have stopped needlessly sexualizing Ainsley – although it still can’t resist putting her in a bikini at every opportunity – but I’m just not that interested in the tension of whether Ryder really likes her or not.
I feel the same way about Angela constantly knocking around the nursing home. It’s well-intentioned for sure, and the old folks are good for a comedic line or two, but what’s the point of all this? It feels to me like Angela has nothing to do in this show except complain at Tommy for no reason at all.
Not So Friendly Fire
Monty’s solution to the cartel issue is to install the Texas National Guard on the patch, not in an official capacity but in a backroom handshake kind of way that allows them to do some necessary “training” in a way that safeguards the oil drills. It’s a good idea – in theory, anyway – but the stress of this and Cooper sabotaging the payouts causes what is apparently his fifth heart attack.
But it also causes another issue. At the end of Landman Episode 8 the National Guard’s “training” accidentally blows up a vehicle full of drugs and cartel members. This, far from keeping the cartel in line, is likely to escalate a war that is threatening to become very dangerous for everyone involved.
Even if that doesn’t happen, Rebecca is so wounded by Cooper’s actions that she reiterates to Tommy her intention to use his unique qualifications and sole survivor status to implicate him as a saboteur who deliberately caused the fatal accident. Tommy doesn’t take this obvious threat too kindly, but he might have too many coming from all sides to give it its due attention. It depends on how far Rebecca is willing to go.
