Landman Season 2 Episode 9 Is SO SAD!

As Landman season 2 races toward its conclusion, the emotional weight of the story grows heavier with every scene. Episode 9 arrives just before the finale, and instead of ramping up action alone, the series unexpectedly slows down to focus on loss, exhaustion, and painful realizations. What unfolds feels less like a setup for triumph and more like the quiet unraveling of everything Tommy has been holding together. And that’s exactly why this episode hurts so much.

With only two episodes remaining, it’s becoming increasingly clear that not every character will receive a neat or satisfying arc—especially TL. His storyline, while heartfelt, feels like it’s running out of time. Earlier this season, after TL suffered a fall by the pool due to his worsening arthritis, Tommy made one of the strangest yet most sincere decisions we’ve seen from him. In a desperate attempt to get his stubborn father to listen to medical advice, Tommy hired Cheyenne—a stripper—to pose as TL’s physical therapist. On the surface, the idea was absurd. But underneath the humor was something deeply touching: for once, Tommy wasn’t acting out of strategy, money, or survival. He was acting purely out of love.

That moment said a lot about how much Tommy has changed and how deeply his influence has reshaped TL’s life. Yet by the time we glimpse TL in the episode 9 trailer, he appears overwhelmed, hollowed out, and emotionally drained. The past continues to haunt him, and the weight of unresolved regrets is clearly taking its toll. Once again, Tommy is trying to shield his father from spiraling further. But this dynamic is starting to feel painfully repetitive—Tommy constantly rescuing TL, only to watch him slide back into darkness. At this stage, it seems we may have to accept that TL’s story won’t find true closure this season. Perhaps the real reward is simply having Sam Elliott’s quiet, weathered presence on screen, even if the narrative doesn’t fully do him justice.

While TL’s arc simmers in the background, episode 8 placed intense focus on the offshore gas rig—and that’s where everything truly came to a breaking point. What became devastatingly obvious is that the crisis wasn’t caused by ignorance or poor preparation. Everyone involved knew the risks. Everyone understood the odds. The real issue was that no one was chasing the same future, and not everyone was willing to risk the same amount to get there.

The episode’s defining moment came down to Cammy’s decision. After listening to Rebecca and Nate argue passionately for litigation, Cammy still chose to move forward with rebuilding and drilling the rig. Charlie had already explained the harsh reality: there was only a 10% chance of actually striking gas. Rebecca and Nate believed litigation was the smartest option. It would slow the bleeding, limit losses, and maybe keep MTEX alive long enough to survive. But Cammy heard all of that—and still said no.

What mattered to her wasn’t safety or caution. It was the upside Charlie mentioned. If they hit gas, the payoff wouldn’t just be substantial—it would be transformative. Millions could turn into billions overnight. When Cammy later spoke privately with Tommy, she made her mindset painfully clear. She wasn’t interested in playing it safe. She wanted a decisive win, the kind that ends all debate, even if it meant risking everything they had built.

From that moment on, Cammy stood completely alone. Tommy, Rebecca, and Nate were all convinced she had just gambled the company’s entire future. If the rig failed, MTEX wouldn’t limp forward—it would collapse entirely. The tension boiled over when Rebecca confronted Charlie, accusing him of pushing Cammy toward reckless destruction. But Charlie didn’t flinch. He fired back, telling Rebecca that she only values people she can control and warning her that this way of living would eventually leave her isolated. Later, in a rare moment of vulnerability, Rebecca admitted to Tommy that Charlie wasn’t wrong. She acknowledged her control issues and quietly confessed how much they’ve damaged her relationships over time.

As the situation grew more desperate, Tommy made one final, reckless attempt to save everything. He went straight to Galino, hoping to scare him into pulling funding by revealing the grim 10% success rate. But Galino barely reacted. Instead, he revealed a brutal truth that changed everything. He hadn’t loaned MTEX $400 million—he had invested it. That investment secured him royalties on the company’s land leases, which he estimated would bring in roughly $300 million every single year.

The coldest part? Even if MTEX goes bankrupt and gets dismantled piece by piece, Galino still keeps those royalties. Win or lose, he profits. He even suggested that he might actually prefer the rig to fail so Cammy could walk away comfortably, live off her trust fund, and salvage whatever she could. It was ruthless, calculating, and undeniably brilliant. Galino is playing a long game—chess while everyone else is stuck playing checkers.

Then came one of the most significant shifts of the entire series. Tommy finally admitted what he’s been refusing to say all season: trying to run MTEX while also acting as a landman is destroying him. During a quiet lunch at the Patch Café, he asked Cooper to step in and take over the landman role. Despite everything Cooper lost earlier this season—especially after his own drilling project collapsed—he agreed.

But Tommy went even further. He officially put Cooper in charge of the Wolf Camp drilling project. At the man camp, Tommy introduced Cooper to the engineers and workers, naming him project manager on the spot. Boss questioned the decision, reminding everyone that Cooper had been working under him not long ago. Tommy shut that down immediately, pointing out that Cooper had drilled six wells and struck oil every single time. By the end of the episode, the crew accepted Cooper as their leader.

Cooper may not be a full landman yet, but managing Wolf Camp puts him directly on that path. And honestly, it feels like he’s slowly replacing Tommy—not just within MTEX, but within the story itself.

Looking ahead, episode 9 is titled “Plans, Tears, and Sirens,” and the official synopsis is brief but revealing. Angela rescues Ainsley. Cooper asserts his authority at a drill site. In the trailer, we see Tommy and Rebecca visiting Cooper’s refinery, with Tommy pointing out that this facility will soon become their new source of income. We also see Galino with his wife, trying to convince her to join him on a business getaway. The two look genuinely happy as Galino promises that this will be their life from now on—money, pleasure, and freedom, with nothing else standing in the way.

And then comes the moment that truly stings: Angela crying. Yes—Angela, arguably the most carefree and detached character in all of Sheridan’s universe, is breaking down. And the reason isn’t tragedy or loss. It’s jealousy. She wants the life Galino is offering his wife. She wants a man who not only makes money, but actually knows how to enjoy it. Tommy, with his relentless work ethic and emotional distance, is the complete opposite.

Angela realizes that Tommy doesn’t care about wealth the way she does. He cares about the work itself—the responsibility, the grind, the burden. Money is just a byproduct for him, not the goal. And that realization breaks something inside her.

The emotional tension peaks when Cammy and Tommy share an intimate, brutal conversation. Cammy makes it clear that Tommy’s open opposition to her vision is unacceptable. She implies that he cannot remain president of the company while actively standing against what she believes is best for its future. Her words are sharp, cutting deep enough that Tommy finally asks, “Where are you getting at?”

The answer is obvious. Cammy sees Tommy as a liability now—and she wants him gone.

If that’s the direction this is heading, then season 2 is shaping up to be anything but a happy ending for Tommy. And honestly, Landman needs to stick this landing. The season has delivered powerful moments, but it’s still missing that one unforgettable scene—the kind that lingers long after the credits roll. With only two episodes left, this feels like the final chance to deliver an emotional gut punch that truly defines the series.

Because if episode 9 proves anything, it’s that Landman isn’t about winning anymore. It’s about what it costs you to keep trying.