Landman- Season 1 Episode 3 Recap & Review

Hell Has a Front Yard

Episode 3 of Landman starts with Tommy and Ainsley picking up Angela at the airport and heading to the country club. Elsewhere, Monty is playing golf at another country club and pissing off his playmates since he chose to walk the field while they are using golf carts.

Monty decides to walk the field since it is the only time he can get some exercise into his schedule and discuss work with his lawyer. The lawyer suggests firing Tommy since he failed to report the plane’s loss and is running oil patches that do not meet OSHA standards. While the lawyer thinks pushing the blame on Tommy is the best option to avoid an 80-million-dollar lawsuit, Monty believes that Tommy is a valuable asset, and even if he fires him, he will have to look for someone to replace him with less experience.

Meanwhile, Cooper is attacked at the trailer by other crew members, also relatives of the Jimenez crew, blaming him for the death of their cousins. Cooper has the upper hand in the fight even when one of them pulls out a gun and impresses the crew leader, Boss, who invites him to join his crew. He applauds Cooper for his ability to stand up for himself, telling him not to feel burdened since every crew member knew what they signed up for and that death was always around them.

Tommy gets a call from Rebecca asking to see the crash site. He leaves Angela and Ainsley at the country club to pick up Rebecca. On the way, Tommy calls Nathan, who advises her to make Rebecca her best friend and ensure she is on her side. Nathan says that Monty’s legal team sent an expert in causality and liability instead of a petroleum lawyer, which means they are looking for someone to blame. Nathan ensures that Tommy understands that he will be the person to blame since it is clear that Monty will never shoulder the blame. As such, Tommy should do whatever it takes to ensure that Rebecca’s investigation pushes the blame to someone else.

While Angela and Ainsley are having a good time at the country club, only worried about how to make Ainsley’s ex-boyfriend, who is now hooking up with her friend Madison, jealous, Cooper is dealing with the death of his friends and the hate he is receiving from other crew members. Cooper visits the bereaved family and is stopped outside by the cousins, but Isabel invites him in, offering him food and a drink. Cooper hits it off with Ariana, Elvio’s wife, as he manages to make him forget the pain for a second. She laughs while watching him struggle with spicy food. Ariana even leans on him when thoughts of the loss flood back, and she starts crying.

Meanwhile, Tommy and Rebecca arrive at the crash site, and Tommy explains how it went down. Rebecca asks about the theft and why it is not reported, and Tommy tells her that they prefer to let the thieves steal their trucks or tankers to move drugs in and then return them after a month or so. Reporting it to the police would involve their assets in a trial, which would take months or years to settle, and it would cost more to buy a new asset that would end up being stolen.

Tommy clarifies that the cartels only mess with independent oil companies, not big ones. Rebecca notices wind turbines, and the conversation changes from the crash to clean and not-so-clean energy. Tommy explains to Rebecca that getting oil from the ground is the most dangerous job, but the increasing demand for the product causes them to continue to risk their lives. Therefore, if she is looking for something or someone to blame, she should blame the oil demand. Rebecca unknowingly wanders into the forest and has to be saved from a snake bite by Tommy.

Afterwards, Tommy picks up Angela and Ainsley, who are passed out at the country club because of too many margaritas. When they arrive home, Ainsley drunkenly asks if he can stay with Tommy until she goes to college. Tommy reminds her that Angela has custody, but Ainsley says she is old enough to choose. Later, Tommy brings up the topic with Angela, who is half drunk and trying to get into bed with Tommy. Angela becomes emotional, saying that she only married her current husband for Ainsley, and she does not want to stay in the big house alone. Also, Ainsley wants to run away from home because of the break-up with Dakota, and running away every time she faces a problem will not build character.

The following day at work, Cooper and his crew have to work at an almost running-dry oil patch, so Monty directs Tommy to kill the well and rework the drilling process. Boss gets to work quickly, giving instructions, which confuses Cooper, who has no idea what he is being told to do. The rig arrives, and Cooper watches in confusion as Dale, Boss, and the whole crew get the machines into position. The episode ends as the team works on reworking the well all day until dusk.

The Episode Review

The episode touches on the conversation surrounding the oil industry and the debate about clean energy. Through Tommy, we understand the complicated and dangerous work required to meet the oil demand, which takes a toll on everyone connected to it, including risking lives and families. For instance, Cooper witnesses the grief faced by families after they lose their breadwinners. Through Tommy and Angela, one sees the effects on families.

Also, the episode explains what a push for a greener future might entail and takes a more realistic stand explaining the demand for such a transition. The conversation between Rebecca and Tommy is an eye-opening view of idealism versus reality. I am curious whether Rebecca’s subtle smile after the whole ordeal is a sign of attraction.

The episode shows that Landman is not all about oil rigs but delving into the uncomfortable and heavy debate about corporate battles, the real-world consequences of the oil demand, and how the push for “clean energy” might be just a narrative impossible to achieve in the next century.