‘Landman’: Sam Elliott’s Character Has a Dark Side [DUTTON RULES]

Now it all makes sense. One of Tommy Norris’ most curious personality traits from Season 1 of Landman suddenly fits as the pixels of his father TL’s character sharpen.

The life-weary apple (played by Billy Bob Thornton) does does not fall far from a nearly broken tree (Sam Elliott). Honestly, we should have seen what’s coming, but credit to Taylor Sheridan for planting seeds of an Obvious Tree and then hiding its growth behind drama, provocative female characters and a little torture.

When Does Landman Season 2 Begin?

• Landman Season 2 begins Nov. 16 on Paramount+.
• Elliott and Taylor Sheridan previously worked together on Yellowstone prequel 1883.
• The Dutton Rules podcast will break down plot details and theories weekly.

RELATED: Landman Season 2 Trailer Reveals Concerning Plot Lines

This article and episode of the Dutton Rules podcast contain no spoilers for Season 2 of Landman. Regular listeners know Billy Dukes and Adison Haager embrace all theories.

Who Does Sam Elliott Play On Landman?

Sam Elliott joined the cast of Landman last spring and worked on Season 2 throughout the year across from his old mentee Thornton. Before the show’s trailer was released, nobody had any idea who he’d play.

We now know that Elliott plays TL Norris, Tommy Norris’ father.

For reasons that will surely be made clear during Ep. 1, he’s going to start living with Tommy, Angela, Ainsley and presumably Nate and Dale. And to think, we wondered how the dinner table scenes could get any better?

Flashes of TL during two separate trailers revealing the following details:

1. He requires a wheelchair at times.
2. He’s mourning.
3. He’s not afraid to throw the first punch.
4. He has experience in the oil fields.
5. He and Tommy have a fractured relationship.

That last detail is likely to be most important, but let’s expand on No. 4 first. This week, media outlets have started to share that TL is an old Texas wildcatter, meaning he used to go around drilling wells in unexplored areas, hoping for a gusher.

It takes a certain kind of personality to live a life that risky.

His poor health (wheelchair), red eyes and willingness to punch a man in a very public setting suggest a problem with alcohol. That’s further suggested when you look back at Tommy’s history.

Throughout Season 1, he’d refer to his own addiction, at times blaming it for ruining his marriage to Angela. A running joke was his affinity for Michelob Ultra, a beer so weak he felt it didn’t count as breaking sobriety.

How many of us know a few people who are alcoholics that also grew up in a house of alcoholics?

Alcohol also could also explain father and son’s fracture relationship. This is — of course — an unproven theory, but there’s denying some darkness behind TL’s tired eyes.

Last week, the Dutton Rules team predicted Elliott would be one-season-and-done on Landman. It’s easy imagine how it could end for him.

PICTURES: Get a First Look at ‘Landman’ Season 2

Paramount has released several first-look pictures in advance of Landman Season 2, and it looks like the new season will ratchet up the crazy.

Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker

11 ‘Landman’ Facts You Definitely Didn’t Know

This list of Landman facts goes much deeper than what inspired the show, who stars in it and how big the audience is. Here you’ll learn the truth about the most memorable scenes and lines of dialogue, including that line from Ainsley Norris. You know which one we mean.Season 2 of Landman begins Nov. 16 on Paramount+. Here’s the best Landman trivia we could find as the Dutton Rules podcast team prepares for another great year.

Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes