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‘Landman’ co-creator teases major season 2 twist as one underrated character quietly rises to the top

Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy might be the face of MTex Oil, but someone else is about to make moves behind the scenes in ‘Landman’ Season 2

'Landman' Season 2 has commenced filming, and it's promising to be a mind-bending thriller for the viewers. One character to outshine the cast in the storyline will be Cooper Norris, the rebellious, estranged son of Tommy, played by Jacob Lofland. Co-creator and executive producer Christian Wallace confirmed that Lofland's ambitious and stubborn character will have many layers, as per Collider. “He’s just kind of going door-to-door and looking for these small, little parcels of land, these small leases,” Wallace revealed, referring to Cooper forging his way into the Western oil world in the upcoming season. “Even a company the size of MTex — which is a smaller independent compared to the BPs, Exxons, Chevrons of the world — they’re not worried about what he’s doing. Yet.” 

'Landman' season 2 will also portray the ascension of Tommy as CEO of MTex Oil after the unexpected death of Monty Miller, played by Jon Hamm. “It’s always cutthroat in the world of oil and gas exploration,” Wallace hinted at a potential explosive dynamic between Tommy and Cooper as they resume their position of power struggle. “Everyone is always kind of keeping tabs on one another..they’re always looking for the next thing or what these guys might be doing.” the co-creator went on to add about Lofland's on-screen persona, “His honesty, his straight-shooting, his knowledge of the industry — especially for how young he is — that’s paying him dividends right now.” 

In a recent exclusive with Interview Magazine, Lofland surprisingly revealed that his father belonged to the oil business, and he drew his inspiration from real-life experiences.  "I really connected with the oil field in general. My dad used to do it. I just lost my dad this last year, actually, so it means a lot. He told me all these stories. I really love showing this world we’ve never gotten to see inside of. No one understands how dangerous it really is and how much we rely on it, so I wanted to be a part of bringing that to the forefront," he told Matthew McConaughey. In the meantime, he also joked that after the success of the western series, it has become tough to navigate through airport security due to his sudden fame. 

Fans are already in praise of Cooper's actions during the first season and wish to see more of him. "Cooper is hands down the best character by far. He seems to have a decent moral compass, be a hard worker, and he’s not afraid of a fight. I’d love to see more of him," a viewer wrote on Reddit. "He's the only character that seems to have motivations beyond being a caricature, and even that is being generous," a fan gushed. Meanwhile, Lofland credited the creator, Taylor Sheridan, for creating an "ambitious kid who is still figuring things out" in the series, as per Collider. 

"So much of what [Cooper] is going through — whether it’s personal struggles, emotional moments, or tough decisions — are things I’ve dealt with in my own life in one form or another,” Lofland admitted. “They’re real, human emotions. And that goes back to Taylor’s writing — there are very few people who can put that kind of raw honesty on the page like he does.” Without revealing much about his season 2 twists and turns, Lofland hinted that Sheridan is keeping the plotline authentic, "I’m just excited to portray Cooper becoming the man he’s meant to be," he concluded.