Landmanseason 2 already has a few replacements lined up for Jon Hamm’s Monty Miller, but they present a worrying problem for the hit neo-Western show. At the end ofLandmanseason 1,Jon Hamm’s Monty Miller diedafter suffering a heart attack. He was the CEO of Tommy’s (Billy Bob Thornton) oil company, M-Tex, and the biggest power player on the show.
Tommy is already set to take over Monty’s job at M-Tex inLandmanseason 2, but the show still needs someone to play the suave, calm, and collected boss. Monty added a lot of intrigue to the show and an insight into the executive side of the oil industry, andLandmanis worse off without a character in that role. In solving the problem of Monty’s absence, however,Landmanseason 2 has run into a new problem.
Landman Season 2 Is Filling The Jon Hamm Void With Multiple Characters
Jon Hamm Is Being Replaced By Demi Moore, Andy Garcia, & Sam Elliott
Landmanseason 2 already has three separate characters ready to take over for Jon Hamm’s Monty Miller.Cami Miller (Demi Moore) andGallino (Andy Garcia)were both already set up byLandmanto be Tommy’s new “boss.“Cami was Monty’s wife, she inherited part of M-Tex, and she could easily work with Tommy to see her investment pan out.
Meanwhile, Gallino wants to use Tommy to get the cartel into the oil business, which basically makes him his boss already. He’ll be dictating a lot of Tommy’s decisions as he tries to weasel his cartel into M-Tex, and Gallino clearly wields even more power than Monty did inLandmanseason 1.Gallino and Cami aren’tLandman’s only replacements for Monty, though.
Sam Elliott was recently cast inLandmanseason 2. While we don’t know who he’ll be playing yet or how he fits into M-Tex’s corporate structure, it’s fairly clear already that Elliott could take up the role of Tommy’s friend and expert on the oil industry. That meansLandmanseason 2 now has three major movie stars all vying for the same role as Jon Hamm’s successor.
Landman May Have Too Many Characters & Stories To Do Justice To
Landman Season 1 Didn’t Have Enough Time For Monty & Cami, Now It Has To Juggle Three Main Characters
While being able to easily replace Jon Hamm’s Monty Miller is a good thing forLandmanseason 2, it runs the risk of exacerbating a different, existing problem with the show.Landmanseason 1 often felt like it spread itself too thin between its characters. Some got arguably too much attention, like Angela and Ainsley, whileothers didn’t get nearly enough, like Cami.
Since the beginning,Landmanhas had trouble giving its huge cast the attention they deserve and doing right by their stories. Almost every character and storyline could have benefited from more screen time, from Cooper and Ariana’s relationship to Monty’s actual work at M-Tex.
Trying to replace Monty with three different characters will only make it harder to give them all the time and attention they deserve. Monty barely got enough focus inLandmanseason 1, and now the same amount of time will have to be split three ways. Gallino will take most of the cartel’s screen time, but Cami and Sam Elliott’s character are going to find a way to shine in half as much time.
Right now, it just seems likeLandmanseason 2 is trying to take on too many characters. There’s only so much screen time in a season. Trying to divvy it up between three massive stars could result in another character who has plenty of potential but ends up being one-dimensional and flat, like Cami in season 1.
I honestly don’t even know if it’s worth replacing Monty if all of his replacements are going to be underdeveloped.The wayLandmanseason 1 wasted Demi Moore ruffled a lot of feathers, and if it repeats that mistake again with both her and Sam Elliott, the problem will be even worse. I’d rather see Cami take on Monty’s role and become a fully fleshed-out character on her own.
Landman Needs To Keep Its Focus On The Heart Of The Series
The Norris Family’s Healing Process Is The Heart & Soul Of Landman
The only way I could seeLandmanseason 2 solving its problem of having too many Monty replacements is by focusing less on other parts of the show, like Tommy’s family.The problem with that solution, however, is that the Norris family is the heart and soul ofLandman. Taking time away from them to focus on Cami, Gallino, and Sam Elliott would be a mistake.
Landmanis a story about the oil industry and Tommy’s many struggles as a landman, but it’s much more so about him trying to repair his fractured family. Some of the best and most emotional parts ofLandmanseason 1 are when the whole family is together, or when Tommy is being a good husband and father to his loved ones. That should be the focus, not M-Tex’s corporate leadership.
Some of the best and most emotional parts of Landman season 1 are when the whole family is together, or when Tommy is being a good husband and father to his loved ones. That should be the focus, not M-Tex’s corporate leadership.
Even the parts of the Norris family story that didn’t work as well, like Angela and Ainsley, were building up to something much better. Angela and Ainsley’s story got infinitely better asLandmanseason 1 went on, and it should continue to be a focus in season 2. It would be a shame to abandon their plot just as it was growing into the meat and potatoes of the show.
Cooper and his side plots are also one of the more promising aspects ofLandmanseason 2. Seeing him and his budding oil company square off against his father and M-Tex is a story ripe with emotion and intrigue.Cooper’s romance with Ariana has also grown into one of the more engaging parts ofLandman, and taking time away from that to focus on M-Tex wouldn’t sit right.
Taylor Sheridan’s Upcoming and Potential Series and Movies
6666 Yellowstone spinoff
Mayor of Kingstown season 4
Tulsa King season 3
NOLA King season 1
Landman season 2
1944 Yellowstone spinoff
Lioness season 3
F.A.S.T.
TBD
As cool as it would be to get more of Demi Moore, Andy Garcia, and Sam Elliott, I’m just not sure that’s the best option forLandmanseason 2. Taylor Sheridan has a great story going with the Norris family, andLandmanalready has a few too many distractions for its own good. Hopefully,Landmanseason 2 can solve its Monty problem without also creating a Norris problem.
