Cooper Norris Is Replacing Tommy As M-Tex Oil’s New Landman
In Landman Season 2, Episode 5, Tommy recruited his son, Cooper (Jacob Lofland), to be the new landman for M-Tex Oil. Thornton’s character previously filled the role, tasked with managing disasters as they arose in the Permian Basin. However, Tommy has stepped up to run the company after its president, Monty Miller (Jon Hamm), died in Landman Season 1.
Tommy quickly discovers in Landman Season 2 that his efforts to both run the company and act as its landman have stretched him too thin, missing out on key aspects of both jobs. Therefore, Tommy asks Cooper to replace him over lunch at the Patch Cafe, pitching his former job description to his son, with Norris Jr. accepting the position. Cooper was set up to run his own company in Landman Season 2. However, he experienced a series of setbacks that caused him to take a backseat in his drilling project. Though Norris Jr. drilled six wells successfully, hitting oil in all of them, he made critical funding snafus that led M-Tex Oil to take control of his project.
Cooper Becomes A Project Manager In Landman Season 2 Episode 8
However, Cooper gets some agency back in Landman Season 2, Episode 8, as Tommy Norris promotes his son to run the WolfCamp drilling project. Tommy and Cooper meet with some M-Tex engineers and rig workers at the man camp, explaining the new project to Boss (Mustafa Speaks), Dale (James Jordan), King (Dougie Hall), and Ben (Caleb Martin). Before departing, Tommy tells the Landman’s oil workers one more detail. He reports his son will be acting as project manager, asking the others if they have a problem with the arrangement. Understandably, Boss speaks up, saying, respectfully, that Cooper was just “worming” for him months ago, pointing out that Norris Jr. had quickly climbed the ranks from the bottom.
Tommy politely shuts down any doubt, telling the oil workers that his son impressively drilled six wells and hit oil in all six of them. It serves as evidence that Cooper knows what he’s talking about and is qualified for more responsibility. At that point, the other oil workers accept Cooper’s new rank, officially marking Cooper Norris’ transition in Landman. The oil workers accepting Cooper’s leadership means that Norris Jr.’s role in the drama has finally shifted. Cooper hasn’t become a landman yet, but managing the WolfCamp drilling project is the first step. As project manager, Cooper will be the go-to problem solver for the wells he drilled, gaining the insight he needs to truly become Thornton’s Landman replacement.
Landman Season 3 Can Continue Cooper’s Evolution
Cooper has had a tremendous evolution throughout Landman’s story, starting as a rookie in the series premiere and then becoming his own boss, putting together a bunch of oil leases and starting his own drilling operation at the end of Landman Season 1. Norris Jr. now presides over those who used to manage him, showcasing significant development. That said, Cooper’s development is earned. Landman Season 1 explained that Cooper was studying geology in college before he dropped out to start at the bottom of the career ladder in the oil fields, believing that he had to get his hands dirty to gain real insight to run his own company. So far, Cooper’s intuition has mostly paid off. While he isn’t running his own company yet due to his funding snafu, sending all of his debt to M-Tex, Cooper holds a leadership position somewhere between Tommy and Dale after Landman Season 2, Episode 8. Considering that Paramount+ has already renewed the oil drama for another installment, Landman Season 3 can continue Cooper’s evolution, continuing to change the series.
