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NEED TO KNOW
Landman season 2, episode 4, "Dancing Rainbows," premiered Dec. 7 on Paramount+
The episode sets the stage for Tommy Norris and his father to repair their relationship
It also sees Cooper Norris and Ariana reconcile
Landmanis finally bringing the family history of Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton) into focus.
Death has a way of pulling people together, and that's exactly what unfolds in season 2, episode 4 of the hitTaylor Sheridanseries. Nearly all ofLandman's major players rally around the Norris family as they gather for the funeral of Tommy's mother.
Despite their recent rift, Ariana (Paulina Chávez) insists on accompanying Cooper Norris (Jacob Lofland) to his grandmother's burial. Meanwhile, Tommy makes the journey up the Texas panhandle with his business associates, Dale Bradley (James Jordan) and Nathan (Colm Feore), plus Angela Norris (Ali Larter) and Ainsley Norris (Michelle Randolph), the two women in Tommy's life who seem to test everyone's patience.
Though funerals are rarely easy, Tommy is especially resentful about laying his mother to rest — and he eventually opens up to the group about why he has never spoken warmly of the woman who raised him.
Thornton has long been candid about his own upbringing, and in a November 2025 interview withCBS News, he explained how those experiences shaped his portrayal of Tommy.
"I would never trade my life for anything, the good and the bad, because that's what forms you," he said. "I keep my upbringing in my back pocket all the time [when acting]. You never forget it."
So, what happened in season 2, episode 4 ofLandman? Here's a breakdown of everything that happens, from Cooper and Ariana's reconciliation to Tommy's new house guest.
Why is Gallino unwilling to negotiate an investment deal with Cami?
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After sidestepping a lawsuit with M-Tex's insurance provider, Cami Miller (Demi Moore) is given a new challenge: securing a $420 million loan for an offshore drilling project.
She approaches cartel boss Gallino (Andy Garcia), under the impression that he's a reputable investor. They meet at a restaurant, where he agrees to back the project — but makes it clear he will only negotiate terms with Tommy.
Gallino likens himself to a cannibalistic snake who lives by a strict code: He only eats other snakes.
"I'd like to help you, but I can't negotiate with you," he says. "You're not a snake. [Tommy] is a hawk, and they eat snakes, too. Don't you worry about a thing. The answer is 'yes,' but let the snakes figure out the rest."
Are Cooper and Ariana officially back together?
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After a short-lived split, Cooper and Ariana find their way back to each other. Their reconciliation begins when Cooper's grandfather, T.L. Norris (Sam Elliott), senses the strain between them ahead of his late wife's funeral. T.L. then offers his grandson a bit of hard-earned wisdom, reminding him that the only way to resolve things with Ariana is through honest communication.
Following the funeral, Ariana opens up to Cooper about what she truly wants. She explains that she intends to chart her own path — that she has no interest in uprooting her life simply because he struck oil and became wealthy. Her dreams, she tells him, are hers to fulfill, and what she needs from him is commitment, not direction.
"Next time I kick you out, you don't just leave and stay gone. You figure out why I did it, fix it and then come home and tell me how sorry you are," she tells Cooper.
Is Jerrell blind?
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Inseason 2, episode 3, several of Tommy's crew members are exposed to hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) — a toxic gas that can escape from underground reservoirs during oil drilling. Most of the men recover quickly, but Jerrell Teague (Elijah Collins) isn't as fortunate. According to his doctor, he's suffering from "severe ocular and pulmonary inflammation."
H₂S is known to cause significant eye damage at high concentrations, and in extreme cases, it has been associated with temporary or even permanent blindness, according to theNational Library of Medicine. While low-level exposure usually leads to irritation and redness, more intense exposure can harm the cornea, especially without swift medical treatment.
Before the camera reveals the severe swelling of Jerrell's eyes — and before he discovers his vision is compromised — his doctor cautions Tommy's crew that it's impossible to know if the damage is permanent until the inflammation subsides.
Why does Tommy speak poorly about his mother?
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After the funeral, the entire Norris family gathers for lunch with Ariana, Dale and Nathan. As the group makes small talk, Ariana pointedly asks why no one is sharing memories about Tommy's mother.
"I've been to a few of these. You lay them to rest, you say goodbye, have a feast and talk about them. What they meant to you," she explains.
In response, Tommy opens up with a devastating story from his childhood, recalling the day he left home at 14. He describes finding his mother naked and facedown in the bathtub, pulling her out and calling for an ambulance.
"They walked me through CPR til she puked water in my face while I was blowing air in her lungs," he says. "She sat up and looked at me like I was a stranger. Then she pulled her leg back, and she kicked my nose through the back of my head. Then she got up and walked into the kitchen, and made herself another drink."
Later that night, Tommy finds his daughter, Ainsley, visibly shaken by what she heard. He gently explains why his mother became the way she was, revealing that his baby sister died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) at just four months old.
"It's when a baby dies in [their] sleep, and they don't know why," Tommy explains. "Well, the loss broke her. It just snapped her in two. I think she was just so scared to feel any kind of love again after that ... she drugged and drank her soul to death."
Where is Tommy's father going to live?
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When viewers first meet T.L., he's living at Prairie View Assisted Living, which he bluntly describes to Angela as "an old Motel 6 they converted into a place where we wait to die."
After spending weeks volunteering at her local nursing home, Angela can't help but sympathize with her former father-in-law and impulsively decides to move him into her home with Tommy. The unexpected gesture not only offers T.L. a more dignified living situation but also opens the door for the Norris family to begin mending their strained relationships.
When Angela breaks the news to Tommy, he doesn't take it well — but he ultimately ends up being the one to pick his father up from Prairie View.
"Let me go grab my things," T.L. says when Tommy suggests the move.
Tommy responds, "I already got them. You ain't ever setting another foot in that place."
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