‘Landman’ Fans Praise Sam Elliott For Emotional Performance During Episode 4: “Amazing Art In Every Way”

Deserved a standing ovation.

Before we dive in, this is your official spoiler alert. We will be talking about what unfolded in Landman  Season 2, Episode 4, “Dancing Rainbows.” If you DO NOT want this episode spoiled, I highly suggest that you stop scrolling here, go watch it, then come back to read about what fans are in awe of.

You’ve been warned…

Last night was a heavy episode filled with death and grief. From the opening scene of a trucker crashing into a truck where a man had taken his own life (also a big plot hole left for fans, which I hope gets some further explanation this season), that scene set the tone for what was to come during Season 2, Episode 4.

But with death also comes a rebirth of sorts, as many characters experience in this episode.

There are themes of this in Demi Moore’s character’s plotline as she steps into the role of CEO of M-Tex Oil, learning how her late husband, Monty, ran the business, and sorting through its hidden aspects. She’s mourning the loss of the man she loved while also discovering what appears to be some malpractice and realizing that part of the life she lived is a lie. A content housewife is being reborn as a fierce businesswoman who is not afraid to roll her sleeves up and get into the weeds with the “snakes,” as cartel boss Gallino calls them.

However, the real tear-jerker of the episode came from the events surrounding Tommy Norris’ mother’s funeral. The scenes filmed with Billy Bob Thornton and Sam Elliott showcased a masterclass in acting while giving a clear view into what life events made each man into the men we watch on our TV screens.

We heard that Tommy’s mom had passed away earlier this season, and while Norris’ father, T.L., seems to look back on his wife’s life with fondness, Tommy, on the other hand, has not had any kind words to say about the woman who birthed him. During this family lunch, the Norris family and gang are skating around the fact that they just buried a family member, and when asked why by Ariana, Tommy Norris shares a harrowing story of what led him to leave home.

Tommy recalls coming home from school one day to find his mother, naked, face down in the bathtub. After calling 911 for help, he began to perform CPR on his mother in an effort to bring her back to life.

“They walked me through CPR ’til she puked water in my face while I was blowing air in her lungs. She sat up and looked at me like I was a stranger. Then she pulled her leg back, and she kicked my nose through the back of my head. Then she got up and walked into the kitchen and made herself another drink.”

After sharing that, that was the moment he took back his backpack and left his home. Tommy Norris says that because his father was too much of a “coward” to leave her, he was left with a great deal of trauma.

T.L. then shares with the table that he could tell the group what life event broke her soul, leading her to turn to addiction to cope with pain (which we later learned was the death of Tommy’s younger sister to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), but instead shared a tender story of the free spirit she was which led him to fall in love with her.

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While Tommy felt the story of dancing with rainbows was a sob story that did not make up for the wrongdoings his mother committed throughout his life, the story pulled at the heartstrings of his wife, Angela.

Once they are back in Midland, Angela shares with Tommy that her heart is broken thinking of T.L. being left in the Panhandle to die all alone in a sad excuse of a nursing home. After some convincing and against Tommy’s better judgment, he drove back out to the Panhandle to pick up his father and bring him to Midland.

While it’s evident that T.L. and Tommy’s relationship has a lot of cracks to fix, the heartfelt moment when Tommy told his father that they want him to be closer to family and get to know his grandchildren better left a massive knot in your throat. I can’t lie, when T.L. told Tommy he was going to grab his things, and he responded with:

“I already got them. You ain’t ever setting another foot in that place.”

I had a few tears rolling down my cheeks.

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Sam Elliott’s thick southern drawl and intentional pauses as he spoke during this episode evoked strong emotions in viewers. His strong yet tender demeanor, paired with the spitfire that is Tommy Norris, created cinematic excellence on your TV screen. Taylor Sheridan knew what he was doing when he cast Sam Elliott as Tommy Norris’ father.

We weren’t the only ones raving about the stellar acting found in this episode, as were many online. Check out what fans are saying:

While you’re here, go ahead and gas up that Landman Soundtrack featuring GREAT country artists like Turnpike Troubadours, Red Clay Strays, Lainey Wilson, Ian Noe, Ward Davis, Zach Bryan, Kaitlin Butts, Shane Smith and the Saints, Treaty Oak Revival, Whiskey Myers, Brent Cobb, and more:

Spotify

Apple Music

The post ‘Landman’ Fans Praise Sam Elliott For Emotional Performance During Episode 4: “Amazing Art In Every Way” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.