Life can get pretty hectic in the West Texas oil fields where Tommy Norris works in Landman, but Billy Bob Thornton’s character has plenty of one-liners and sardonic remarks to keep the show balanced. Norris is the fixer for M-TEX, a smaller-scale oil company out of Midland, Texas.
Some of Tommy’s funniest lines come from working in the oil patch, but others stem from the chaos of his personal life, with Landman’s characters comprising the entire Norris family. Landman cast members like Ali Larter, who plays Tommy’s ex-wife and rekindled flame, Angela, keep the show light.
The same is true of his teenage daughter, Ainsley (Michelle Randolph), who brings out another shade of Tommy’s personality as he tries to protect her. Billy Bob Thornton’s humor is one of Landman’s elements that makes the entire show click, crucially bridging the gap between the neo-Western’s grave and uplifting extremes.
“I Got To Pick Out A Casket. I Should Pick Out One For You.”
Landman Season 2, Episode 2, “Sins Of The Father”
No one suffers the wrong end of Tommy Norris’ biting sense of humor more than his family. While Landman season 2 ends with Cooper, Tommy’s son, facing the consequences of a violent confrontation with his fiancée’s assailant, he has to deal with his father’s disapproving glare and barbed comments throughout the season.
In this instance, Tommy is horrified to learn that Cooper has ordered his enterprise to drill blind into six discarded wells, using funds from an unknown source. He mixes his anger with gallows humor, though, using the occasion of his own mother’s funeral to hint at what he feels like doing to his son.
“She Don't Need Experience With Offshore Drilling. She Needs Experience With Bullshitting.”
Landman Season 2, Episode 2, “Sins Of The Father”
Tommy Norris doesn’t mince words, but his straight-talking, clear-thinking approach helps him cut through the procedural small-talk to get down to business. Rebecca Falcone’s main storyline in Landman season 2 turns out to be an unnecessary and distracting romance with a well driller. Still, she does get to have a few heroic moments of her own.
Her steely-eyed negotiation with M-Tex’s insurers in episode 2 is one such moment. When Colm Feore’s Nathan doubts her credentials for the task, Tommy quickly puts him in his place with a crude description of one of Rebecca’s most valuable skills in the business.
“All They Do Is Drink Wine, Eat Pasta, And F*ck.”
Landman Season 1, Episode 2, “Dreamers and Losers”
While not a complete picture of Italian culture, Tommy delivers this description as part of a broader hot take about health outside the United States that’s directed at Nathan (Colm Feore). When Tommy sees Nathan eating a Pop Tart, he tells him to kick the habit or else it will kill him.
Nathan is quick to point out the irony that Tommy, a pack-a-day smoker, is offering health advice. However, Tommy retorts that in other countries like Italy, where the smoking rate is high, lung cancer isn’t in the top 10 causes of death. His point is that sugar is the biggest culprit behind Americans’ poor health.
“You're Partners With A 22-Year-Old Kid With The Net Worth Of A 30-Year-Old Pick-Up Truck.”
Landman Season 2, Episode 3, “Almost A Home”
Andy Garcia’s Gallino looks set to be Landman’s villain in seasons to come, but season 2 sees him go into business with Tommy, his son Cooper, and his father T.L. Norris. Cooper forms the initial business connection with Gallino without Tommy’s knowledge, after which Tommy meets the cartel boss to ward him off.
Although Gallino insists that he’s in business with the Norris family, Tommy tells him that he has nothing to do with the deal. His hilarious put-down of his own son as a backhanded way of saving his skin epitomizes his approach to life. Tommy doesn’t suffer fools, even if they’re the fruit of his loins.
“You're Sh*tting Me. For A Mushroom?”
Landman Season 2, Episode 1, “Death And A Sunset”
Most of Angela Norris’ best scenes in Landman revolve around dinners, and this one from the season 2 premiere is no exception. Angela has made a celebratory family meal of cacio e pepe, with white truffle worth over $2000 as a topping.
Tommy’s reaction to the fact that his wife has spent thousands of dollars on a small amount of fungus is utterly priceless, and goes some way to provoking the explosion that arrives in the minutes that follow. He might admire the Italian way of life, but their cuisine really isn’t for him.
“It Ain’t Joke Funny, It’s Like Fart In Church Funny.”
Landman Season 2, Episode 5, “The Pirate Dinner”
Landman has divided critics and audiences across its two seasons so far, and no moment in the series has been more divisive than this not-so-subtle dig at the ABC’s daytime TV talk show The View. As Tommy’s father tries to make sense of the show, his son sums up his thoughts about it in a single derisory description.
In Tommy’s mind, nothing that’s meant to be funny in The View actually is. Instead, it’s a nauseating watch that makes him laugh in the most cringeworthy fashion. It’s fair to say that there’s more than a little political partisanship behind this comment.
“I Don't Think Home Purchases Should Be Committed To During The Current Arc Of Your Cycle.”
Landman Season 2, Episode 1, “Death And A Sunset”
There’s no denying that Tommy Norris is an unavowed misogynist, who’s been shaped by the male-dominated world around him. He hires a stripper to therapize his own father in Landman season 2, and routinely makes sexist comments towards his wife. Yet, if you take his funniest lines about women with a pinch of salt, it’s hard not to laugh.
In this case, moments after we hear Tommy muttering under his breath about women’s moods during the PMS phase of her menstrual cycle, he decides to link her biological calendar to his wife’s sudden decision to buy a five-bedroom house. Despite the inevitable comedic farce that follows it, Billy Bob Thornton delivers this line to understated perfection.
“Enjoy The Beach. Your T*ts Look Great. Don’t Get Syphilis.”
Landman Season 1, Episode 2, “Dreamers and Losers”
We start to understand the nature of Tommy and Angela’s chaotic relationship with quotes like this one in Landman episode 2. When Tommy’s ex-wife FaceTimes him from her vacation while he is putting out fires in Midland, they discuss their children. Tommy tells Angela that Cooper (Jacob Lofland) is in the hospital and Ainsley has broken up with her boyfriend.
When Angela wants more information about their son, Tommy reveals he can’t give it to her because he’s also in an ER bed. Angela replies that her ex-husband always makes things “about him.” An argument inevitably ensues, which Tommy ends with a parting remark that’s at once complimentary and insulting.
“Don’t Ever Put Your D*ck In A Woman’s Omelette.”
Landman Season 2, Episode 8, “Handsome Touched Me”
Landman season 2 introduces Sam Elliott as Tommy Norris’ father, whose two-handed scenes with his son are some of the best in the series. Elliott and Billy Bob Thornton work superbly together in tandem, especially when it comes to sharing the same wry sense of humor.
What makes this bizarre line from Tommy so funny is his father’s perplexed reaction. Not even T.L. Norris has ever considered doing such a strange and dangerous thing.
“I Quit Drinking. I’ll Stick With Beer.”
Landman Season 1, Episode 2, “Dreamers and Losers”
Beginning an adversarial relationship with the bartender at The Patch Cafe, Tommy delivers his stance on drinking in this memorably paradoxical line. Tommy is sitting at the bar waiting for Rebecca Falcone (Kayla Wallace). He’s decompressing and having a beer, and when the bartender asks if he wants something stronger, Norris says that he’s quit drinking.
The bartender is quick to call Tommy out on the paradox, pointing out that beer is still alcohol. Norris responds that if he had six whiskeys instead of six beers, the bartender would surely notice the difference. Saying he would take his word for it, the bartender serves Tommy another Michelob Ultra, but not without passing a bit of judgment.
Taylor Sheridan Exit Addressed By Landman Star
Landman season 2 has officially come to a close, and with season 3 on the horizon, Jacob Lofland reflects on the show and its future, including Taylor Sheridan's upcoming departure.
Although Sheridan will soon be leaving Paramount, he will still be around for Landman season 3. However, if the show gets renewed after its third installment, there will be a noticeable shift as the creator is leaving Paramount when his contract ends in 2028 and joins NBCUniversal in 2029.
His decision to leave has driven a wedge between both critics and audiences. While many support his new endeavors and are excited to see what he does next, others were worried about their favorite shows losing the person who created and nurtured them.
In an interview with ScreenRant's Grant Hermanns for the Landman season 2 finale, Lofland, who portrays Cooper in the Paramount+ series, offered his own input regarding Sheridan's departure. The actor said that he was sad to see him go, and it's something that he tries not to think about.
However, he has faith in the creative team behind the hit drama series, such as Christian Wallace (co-creator and executive producer), who will most likely be staying on board after Landman season 3. Lofland said that Sheridan's departure and reasons for leaving were none of his business, so he wasn't going to get involved:
Yeah, I try not to think about it. No, I mean, I trust everyone there. We'll just see what happens. And I don't know, that's not my business, so I try to stay out of it. That's between them.
Sheridan first confirmed that he was leaving Paramount for NBCUniversal in October 2025. The creator struck a five-year deal with the latter for film, television, and streaming. The contract will go into effect on January 1, 2029. His longtime business partner, David Glasser, will also leave for NBCUniversal, bringing 101 Studios with him under a first-look film and TV deal after the company completes its remaining projects with Paramount.
Sheridan has also delivered many successful TV shows for Paramount during his time with the studio. Beginning with Yellowstone, he continued to put out high-performing series that have ranked among Paramount+’s most-watched titles. He also played a significant role in attracting and retaining new subscribers for the streaming platform.
Landman seasons 1 and 2 can be streamed on Paramount+.
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