Critic’s Score: 4.25 / 5.0
4.25
“Beware the Second Beating” takes Landman to a brand new degree of stress, 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, usually 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 dealing with.
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 position 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 always 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 exhausting 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 “carried out this extra occasions than she will depend.”
It’s a traditional overplay, however does it reveal one thing deeper?
Rebecca’s demeanor is chilly, positive, nevertheless it looks 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. Possibly it’s remorse for what she’s sacrificed to climb the company ladder. Possibly it’s loneliness.
No matter it’s, Rebecca’s veneer is cracking, and it makes you surprise how lengthy she will sustain the act.
Ariana’s Power within the Chaos
Ariana’s refusal to signal the bereavement verify is without doubt one of the episode’s strongest moments.
Rebecca’s bulldozing ways would have crushed many, however Ariana’s resilience shines by. The irony is tough to disregard — Cooper’s unavailability forces her to face agency, however their connection offers her the energy to take action.
Would she have held her floor if he’d been there to consolation her? Most likely, however Rebecca’s persistence might need made it a a lot harder 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 definitely 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 grow to be that at the price of his personal well-being.
Angela’s Uncommon Second of Self-Consciousness
Angela’s chaotic vitality is on full show, however this episode offers us one thing uncommon: a second of self-awareness. When she calls Tommy and admits she looks like a “whore,” it’s each a confession and a revelation.
Angela acknowledges that a lot of her romantic pursuits are transactional — constructed on what she will acquire moderately than what she may give. And possibly 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 get however what she feels. That sort of readability is uncommon for Angela, and it provides a poignant layer to her character.
In fact, Angela being Angela, this second of vulnerability was fleeting. Her reduction at holding the Bentley throughout her authorized face-off with Victor’s legal professionals is sort of comical, nevertheless it’s additionally telling.
Angela clings to the issues she will maintain onto — vehicles, quips, bravado — as a result of the issues she actually needs, like love and stability, at all times 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 wish 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 getting 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, regardless of how tempting it may appear.
Vigilante Justice, Landman Type
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 risk; 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 keen 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 that 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 usually comes at a value and love — whether or not for a son, a companion, or a Bentley — might be each a burden and a blessing.
Right here’s hoping the characters can discover a approach to navigate the chaos with out dropping themselves within the course of.
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