‘Landman’ Episode 5 Delivers a Terrible Omen

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james jordan as dale in landman episode 5, season 2, streaming on paramount+. photo credit: emerson miller/paramount+

The oil never shot out of the ground as high as it did in Landman last week. Episode 4 had everything: Family drama, campy villains, and teary monologues that felt worthy of a run at the Emmys in 2026. (If only awards voters would give Taylor Sheridan a fair chance!) No shade to the Yellowstone creator’s previous work, but Billy Bob Thornton and Sam Elliott are without a shred of doubt the best acting combo he’s put together yet.

So, episode 5 has a mighty tall hill to climb. Last week was partly so successful because it threw aside much of Landman season 2’s moving parts to focus on the family. There’s still the case of Monty Miller’s (Jon Hamm) missing fortune, Cooper’s (Jacob Lofland) accidental dealings with new villain Danny Morrell (Andy Garcia), and countless incidents that are stacking up lawsuits on M-Tex property. Episode 5’s task is to softly introduce those elements back in and set them on the path to their dramatic conclusions. (Hopefully, without any turbulence.)

Speaking of bumpy rides, there’s a few crashes to sort out at the top of the episode this week. Let’s start with Cooper’s drilling fiasco. As Tommy Norris explains to his son over breakfast, the young man won’t see a dime of his fortune thanks to how Morrell’s contract screwed him over. Landman’s addition of a new villain becomes Cooper’s loss after striking big on six wells, and now it’ll take M-Tex swooping in to save the day and mop up his mess.

“You got good instinct,” Tommy tells him. “And shock of all shocks, apparently you’re a hell of a salesman. So, I’m gonna hire you back and I’m gonna teach you.” Want to be a landman like your father? Time to learn from the best.

It’s perfect timing, because M-Tex lawyer Nate (Colm Feore) introduces a new kink in the machine this week. As acting president and landman of M-Tex, the problems are stacking up for Tommy faster than one man can solve them. Outside of fixing his son’s mess, there’s also the oil tanker crash, the offshore drill that was never built, and the gas leak… most of which Tommy is hearing about for the first time this week. He needs to find someone else to take over as landman—someone like his son.

Emerson Miller//Paramount

Bad news for Cooper. You’re not a millionaire. Not yet.

A Change of Tune

Rebecca (Kayla Wallace) is used to walking all over lawyers on Landman. She worked the offshore drilling deal so well in episode 3 that the other side even asked her to switch sides once she was done wiping the floor with them. This week? They’ve completely flipped. Whatever magic spell she cast on them is over. Now, they’re demanding that the problem be resolved in just 45 days. A little over a month to build a whole offshore drilling facility? Fat chance.

Later, Alan (Jim Meskimen) eventually explains where the missing $400 million went. The bad news? It’s a bunch of gobbledygook to my ears. I couldn’t explain it if I tried, but it sounds like Monty was moving around cash from investment firms to insurance companies and lord knows what else to avoid steeper taxes. Alan’s solution? File for bankruptcy. Ouch.

Meanwhile, Tommy meets with Morrell to sort out Cooper’s mess. Instead, Morrell throws another mouse trap at his feet. He met with Cami (Demi Moore) last episode and the two worked out funding for the offshore drill themselves. Tommy is furious. So much so, that he eventually tells Cami that Morrell is the leader of the Mexican cartel. Oddly, she doesn’t care. She’s on a bit of a power trip—one that will likely see her go down with the ship if she doesn’t stop pretending like she knows as much about this situation as Tommy.

“You can sit up here and play investor, but you killed a man in front of me,” Tommy tells Morrell. “I know who you are, and I know what your money is. And I can’t have it anywhere near us.”

Even so, Morrell remains confident that he’s the only person willing to front the money to save M-Tex. “I am the solution,” he says. “When you realize it, I’ll be here waiting.”

Emerson Miller//Paramount

Morell’s confidence is sky high in episode 5.

A Landman Wedding?

On top of everything else, Cooper decides that it’s time to take his relationship with Ariana (Pauline Chavez) seriously. After winning her back last week, he takes off to Corpus Cristi to meet with her father for the first time. Cooper just isn’t that great of a talker. For starters, he arrives and announces himself as “a friend of his daughters.” Ariana’s father responds, “Did something happen?” Jumpy guy, but he’s not out of line. Cooper, you need to be more direct with people if you’re going to become the next landman.

“I’m in love with your daughter, and she says she’s in love with me,” he starts. “I’d like to ask her to marry me, and I’d like to ask your permission.” There you go, Coop. Still, he doesn’t know this man, and he doesn’t know him. So, when he offers a response, it’s fair that he doesn’t exactly give Cooper his blessing the way that parents do on The Bachelor.

“I don’t have dreams for my daughter,” he says. “She does that for herself. She’s a grown woman. You don’t need my permission. She knows that. She just wanted to see if you would do it. I guess you passed the test.” Then, he offers Cooper a threat that I wish more Bachelor parents presented to someone they’ve just met: Hurt my daughter and I’ll kill you. Welcome to the family, Cooper.

Emerson Miller//Paramount

A successful dinner? In Landman?

Pirate Dinner

T.L. (Elliott) tells Angela (Ali Larter) that the best meal he ever ate was a seafood buffet. So, Angela takes that to mean they should have a “pirate dinner,” whatever that means. Tommy learns when he returns home from his clusterfuck of a day to find his house decorated like its Halloween. Angela scattered dead skeletons and buckets full of fake treasure all over the place. Shanty songs play and everyone’s sitting around the table dancing and wearing pirate hats.

Wouldn’t you believe it? For the first time in any Taylor Sheridan series, nothing goes wrong during supper. If you ask me, that’s a bad omen.