With the premiere of "Handsome Touched Me," the eighth episode of Landman’s second season, viewers found themselves plunged into a world where high-stakes gambles, both personal and corporate, take center stage. Airing on January 4, 2026, the episode showcased the series’ ongoing evolution—and not without controversy. As critics and fans alike have noted, Landman seems to be undergoing something of an identity crisis, shifting from the tense, cartel-driven drama of its first season to a more comedic, soap opera-like tone in its second. But even as the show’s focus wavers, the latest episode delivers plenty of drama, confrontation, and a few moments of unexpected tenderness.
The episode opens on a striking image: TL Norris, played with characteristic grit by Sam Elliott, sitting half-submerged in the pool at the M-Tex bunkhouse, jeans and all. His body may be failing him, but his mind is as sharp as ever. His son Tommy, portrayed by Billy Bob Thornton, finds him there—"Am I talking to your fucking ghost?" Tommy quips, underscoring the mix of humor and pathos that defines their relationship. As Tommy helps his father from the water, the two men slip into their regional dialects, exchanging a rare, spontaneous embrace. It’s a scene that, as Decider points out, reminds us that family, even one as battered as the Norris clan, may be the only sure bet in a world of uncertainty.
But Landman isn’t content to dwell on sentimentality for long. The show quickly shifts gears as Angela (Ali Larter) and her daughter Ainsley (Michelle Randolph) organize a casino trip for a group of care facility residents. Armed with $10,000 in cash from the Midland house safe and a margarita machine strapped to a bus seat, the duo brings a jolt of energy to the episode. Angela, ever the confident gambler, hits the roulette tables in Odessa, betting on black again and again. Her strategy pays off—she walks away with over $300,000 in winnings, prompting Ainsley to declare, "My mom’s like a superhero, if superheroes wore Tom Ford." According to Townsquare Media, this sequence serves as a reminder that beneath Angela’s flighty exterior lies a character to be taken seriously.
The casino escapade, however, is more than just comic relief. It’s emblematic of the episode’s central theme: life as a gamble. This motif is echoed in the corporate drama unfolding back at M-Tex headquarters. In a high-stakes meeting in Fort Worth, Cami (Demi Moore) faces a pivotal decision. Charlie, a professional geologist, lays out the risks of drilling a new gas well—a $400 million liability hangs in the balance. Despite warnings from Tommy and chief counsel Rebecca, Cami chooses to proceed with the drilling, trusting in Charlie’s assurances. "My word will be worth something," she asserts, staking her reputation and Monty’s legacy on what may be the ultimate wildcatting operation. As Tommy later warns her, she’s trading a "sure thing for a maybe," but Cami is undeterred: "I don’t want cabana boys. I want success. Get that for me."
This decision marks a turning point for Cami, whose expanded role in season two was supposed to bring new depth. Yet, as ScreenRant observes, her character remains frustratingly one-dimensional, driven more by emotion than by business acumen. The review laments that Demi Moore’s talents are underutilized, and the absence of Jon Hamm’s Monty—a dynamic force in season one—is keenly felt. Without Monty and the cartel storyline, the series has lost much of its original tension, becoming, in the words of the reviewer, "repetitive and tonally all over the place."
The sense of drift is not limited to the corporate plotlines. Tommy’s own journey in this episode is less about action and more about mentorship. He arranges for Cheyenne, a local dancer, to provide weekly physical therapy for TL—"No funny business! Just a regimen of approximated physical therapy and movement exercises." The resulting scenes are unexpectedly sweet, with Cheyenne unfazed by the bunkhouse’s eccentricities and TL game for pool-based aquatherapy. As Townsquare Media notes, Tommy has taken on a Ben Kenobi-like role, helping others avoid the mistakes he’s already made.
Elsewhere, the episode touches on the personal lives of other characters. Cami is shaken by a handsome stranger’s interest in her at a bar, a reminder that she may one day have to move on from Monty. Meanwhile, Rebecca and Charlie’s budding romance hits the rocks after a heated disagreement over legal strategy. "What a lonely woman you’re going to be," Charlie tells her, leaving Rebecca to admit later, "I had it coming. I’m sulking because what he said is true and it hurt." These moments of vulnerability add texture to a show that, as some critics argue, has become too reliant on formulaic drama and comic set pieces.
Music continues to play a prominent role in setting the tone for Landman. This episode features tracks like "Better be Tough" by Ella Langley, Neil Diamond’s "Sweet Caroline" (belted out by Angela and Ainsley on the bus), George Strait and Chris Stapleton’s "Honky Tonk Hall of Fame," and Colter Wall’s "The Last Loving Words." These musical cues, while sometimes on the nose, contribute to the show’s distinctive atmosphere—a blend of Texas grit and wistful nostalgia.
Notably, the episode also sees Cooper’s promotion to project manager of the wells, a meteoric rise that echoes the show’s recurring theme of taking chances and seizing opportunity. Yet, as ScreenRant points out, the focus on new characters and subplots has come at the expense of the show’s earlier strengths. The dynamic between Tommy and Monty, once the beating heart of Landman, is sorely missed. The cartel, once a looming antagonistic force, has faded into the background, leaving viewers to wonder if the series can recapture its former intensity in the remaining episodes.
As Landman heads toward the season finale, the stakes—emotional, financial, and existential—have never been higher. Whether the series can reconcile its shifting tone and scattered storylines remains to be seen. For now, "Handsome Touched Me" stands as a testament to the risks inherent in both life and storytelling. Sometimes, as Angela would say, you just have to bet on black and let it ride.
