Landman season 2 has been saved by Sam Elliott — but father-son scenes 'weren't easy' for Billy Bob Thornton
Father-son relationships have been the backbone of Landman season 2, but as episode 9 drops this week, Tommy and T.L. are transforming into something special.
Tommy (Billy Bob Thornton) and T.L. (Sam Elliott) in Landman season 2. (Image credit: Paramount)
With Landman season 2 episode 9 dropping on Paramount+ this weekend, we're only one week away from the season finale. There's been a chaotic flurry of drama every time we've tuned in, but I'm convinced that season 2 has been the tale of the father-son relationship.
This works in two ways. Tommy (Billy Bob Thornton) has had his hands full with firefighting Cooper's (Jacob Lofland) decision to take out a loan to finance an oil rig he had his eye on, deepening Tommy's rivalry with Gallino (Andy Garcia).
Billy Bob Thornton and Sam Elliott 'go way back' — and that makes emotion Landman season 2 scenes harder
Landman Season 2 Official Trailer | Paramount+ - YouTube 
"Sam and I go way back. I love the man, and he loves me," Thornton explains. "We are literally like a father and son in real life, in a lot of ways. When we're doing scenes together, they're so natural, because it's me and Sam sitting there talking to each other. The hardest part of it is probably when one or the other of us has to be mean to the other, because it's not in our hearts.
"So that's when the acting starts. It ain't gonna be easy, but I gotta do it, because as an actor, you can't hold back. If I'd done Bad Santa and said, 'can't I just be nice to some of the kids?' it wouldn't have worked. You really have to go 100% any any character you play."
Frankly, I'd pay to see that version of Bad Santa, possibly re-marketed as a Disney movie. But as Thornton rightly says, playing it wholesome in this scenario isn't going to cut the mustard.
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He continues, "Some of the moments we have throughout this this season are so difficult because I'm looking him in the eye, he's looking me in the eye. He's telling me I'm not worth a damn, or I'm saying 'stop bugging the hell out of me'. It's not easy to do, but the emotion of it is there because we do love each other, and so that's what it's supposed to be in the show, too."