Critic’s Score: 4.25 / 5.0
4.25
“Beware the Second Beating” takes Landman to a brand new degree of rigidity, irony, and emotional complexity.
Landman Season 1 Episode 6 doesn’t simply drop us into the aftermath of Cooper’s brutal beating — it pulls us deeper into its characters’ messy, typically contradictory lives.
Let’s unpack all of it.
Cooper Is The Fragile Core of Landman
Cooper’s restoration looms massive over this episode. His accidents — a collapsed lung and head trauma — are brutal, however they’re simply the floor of what he’s going through.
The aftermath brings out the very best and worst in these round him. For Tommy, it’s a stark reminder of how ill-suited Cooper is for this enterprise. His despair isn’t simply in regards to the accidents; it’s in regards to the sort of world he’s allowed his son to enter.
However let’s not ignore Cooper’s function in his personal predicament.
His kindness — his want to assist individuals like Ariana — is what makes him particular. It’s additionally what makes him weak. When Tommy says his son “simply isn’t imply sufficient” to outlive within the tough and tumble world of the oil enterprise, it’s as a lot an admission of pleasure as it’s worry.
Cooper’s humanity shines in a world that usually feels devoid of it, nevertheless it additionally paints a goal on his again. The query isn’t simply whether or not Cooper can survive this life — it’s whether or not he ought to.
What’s Behind Rebecca’s Frost?
Rebecca’s icy professionalism takes middle stage when she confronts the widows, and it’s arduous to overlook how poorly she handles the state of affairs.
Her disdain for Ariana’s questions virtually drips from her, however there’s a second that raises eyebrows: when Nate calls her out for her declare that she’s “performed this extra occasions than she will be able to depend.”
It’s a basic overplay, however does it reveal one thing deeper?
Rebecca’s demeanor is chilly, positive, nevertheless it appears like armor. Does she envy the widows she faces — their love, their connection, the compassion they obtain, even in tragedy?
One thing about her actions feels performative — as if she’s hiding one thing. Perhaps it’s remorse for what she’s sacrificed to climb the company ladder. Perhaps it’s loneliness.
No matter it’s, Rebecca’s veneer is cracking, and it makes you surprise how lengthy she will be able to sustain the act.
Ariana’s Energy within the Chaos
Ariana’s refusal to signal the bereavement test is likely one of the episode’s strongest moments.
Rebecca’s bulldozing techniques would have crushed many, however Ariana’s resilience shines by means of. The irony is difficult to disregard — Cooper’s unavailability forces her to face agency, however their connection provides her the energy to take action.
Would she have held her floor if he’d been there to consolation her? In all probability, however Rebecca’s persistence might need made it a a lot more durable struggle.
Her dynamic with Cooper is fascinating.
They’re two individuals who’ve discovered one another within the wake of immense loss, and there’s a spark there, even when neither of them is able to admit it.
Tommy actually sees it, and his warning to Cooper about taking issues sluggish is much less about management and extra about knowledge. He is aware of Ariana is looking for a lifeline, and he doesn’t need his son to change into that at the price of his personal well-being.
Angela’s Uncommon Second of Self-Consciousness
Angela’s chaotic power is on full show, however this episode provides us one thing uncommon: a second of self-awareness. When she calls Tommy and admits she appears like a “whore,” it’s each a confession and a revelation.
Angela acknowledges that lots of her romantic pursuits are transactional — constructed on what she will be able to achieve relatively than what she may give. And perhaps that’s why her love for Tommy feels so actual to her. He has nothing to supply her, no wealth, no standing, no strings.
It’s not about what she will be able to get however what she feels. That sort of readability is uncommon for Angela, and it provides a poignant layer to her character.
After all, Angela being Angela, this second of vulnerability was fleeting. Her aid at protecting the Bentley throughout her authorized face-off with Victor’s attorneys is sort of comical, nevertheless it’s additionally telling.
Angela clings to the issues she will be able to maintain onto — vehicles, quips, bravado — as a result of the issues she actually needs, like love and stability, all the time appear simply out of attain.
Tommy and Monty Are Worlds Aside
Tommy’s go to to Monty’s mansion is a examine in contrasts.
Monty’s principle about inexperienced initiatives being a manipulation tactic by oil-producing nations is as cynical as it’s believable, and Tommy doesn’t essentially disagree. He’s not right here to debate its morality; he simply needs to know what’s coming.
Monty’s life is a monument to detachment. His relationship with Cami (the criminally underutilized Demi Moore) feels extra like an employer-employee dynamic than a wedding, and his method to parenting is extra about appearances than love.
For Tommy, it’s a glimpse right into a world he might by no means inhabit — and wouldn’t need to. Whereas Monty lives in luxurious, Tommy clings to his rough-hewn optimism. His wisecracks about Angela recommend he’s bracing for an additional divorce, however deep down, he needs them to work.
He’s an optimistic pessimist — a person who hopes for the very best whereas making ready for the worst.
Monty’s life could also be simpler, nevertheless it’s colder, and Tommy’s not the sort of man to commerce heat for comfort, irrespective of how tempting it might sound.
Vigilante Justice, Landman Model
Tommy’s revenge for Cooper’s beating is brutal, calculated, and undeniably satisfying. The scene the place he confronts Manuel and his crew is typical Landman: gritty, uncooked, and deeply private.
However this isn’t nearly revenge — it’s about drawing a line within the sand. Tommy’s speech about taking “30 years of your life” isn’t only a menace; it’s a declaration. That is his world, and he gained’t let anybody tear it aside.
And but, there’s a value. Tommy’s escalating violence raises questions on how far he’s prepared to go to guard his son — and at what level he dangers dropping himself within the course of.
Dale’s remark about issues getting “wild once more” is a chilling reminder of simply how harmful this world is. Tommy is aware of it, and the query lingers: can he save Cooper with out destroying himself?
Layers of Irony and Humanity
“Beware the Second Beating” is a masterclass in character-driven storytelling.
From Rebecca’s icy facade to Angela’s uncommon vulnerability and Tommy’s brutal sense of justice, each second feels loaded with which means.
The irony runs deep — Cooper’s fragility saves Ariana, Angela clings to Tommy as a result of he has nothing to supply, and Tommy fights to guard a son who may be higher off strolling away.
That is one other messy, human, and unflinchingly trustworthy hour of Landman.
It’s a world the place survival typically comes at a value and love — whether or not for a son, a accomplice, or a Bentley — might be each a burden and a blessing.
Right here’s hoping the characters can discover a solution to navigate the chaos with out dropping themselves within the course of.
Watch Landman On-line
