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Cooper's violent side story in 'Landman' is a distraction with no good ending in sight

It feels like Taylor Sheridan is trying too hard to give Cooper a dramatic arc, and it’s falling flat

Warning: This article contains spoilers and speculation for 'Landman'

Watching 'Landman' unfold, I find myself more frustrated than engaged with Cooper's narrative. Episode 5 only deepens this irritation, as his subplot takes a detour into reckless violence and questionable romantic tension.

While Taylor Sheridan’s series thrives on showing raw, unforgiving moments, Cooper's arc feels like a dead addition that undermines the show's core idea. Instead of adding to the show’s gripping themes of survival and resilience, this subplot feels unnecessary and out of place.

Cooper's journey in 'Landman' is a dead-end story that goes nowhere

Cooper’s journey after surviving the oil rig explosion could have been about healing or proving himself. Instead, he’s tangled in a feud with Manuel and tiptoeing into a relationship with Ariana, who’s still grieving her husband’s death. This doesn’t feel like a natural fit for Landman’s harsh, realistic tone. His violent streak is predictable, and the romance angle doesn’t sit right either. Ariana deserves to be more than just part of Cooper’s redemption arc, and the whole thing feels rushed and forced.

What’s frustrating is how disconnected this feels from the rest of the show. 'Landman' has been great at capturing the struggles of people in a tough, dangerous world, but Cooper’s story feels like it’s from another series entirely. It doesn’t add depth to his character or tie back to the oilfield’s brutal realities. Instead, it's trying to focus more on his individual character arc, which could have been moving in a better direction, if you ask me.

There's no good ending in sight for Cooper in 'Landman'

The problem is, there’s no good way for this to end. If Cooper keeps escalating and gets himself killed, it will feel like a pointless detour,a waste of his potential in the story. If he survives and ends up with Ariana, that’s not much better either because I was expecting something more than just a romantic progression in his life. A romance between them would undermine both characters: it wouldn’t honor Ariana’s grief, and it wouldn’t fix Cooper’s recklessness. The whole thing just feels like a distraction from what Landman does best and that is showing how people fight to survive and thrive in a world like that. 

This subplot doesn’t add to the show, it instead pulls focus from the characters we care about. Cooper doesn’t need a romance or a feud to make his story meaningful. He needs a path that fits with the grit and authenticity 'Landman' is known for.

Right now, it feels like the show is trying too hard to give him a dramatic arc, and it’s falling flat. I think we are ready to see more from my boy Cooper in 'Landman'.

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