With his unmistakable voice, commanding screen presence, and iconic mustache, Sam Elliott consistently delivers memorable performances. The seasoned actor seems perfectly cast for Landman, where he steps into Season 2 of Paramount+’s intense oil industry drama as TL, the cantankerous, aging father of the protagonist, Tommy Norris, portrayed by Billy Bob Thornton.

Fans of Taylor Sheridan’s television creations will recognize Elliott, as his role in Landman marks his second venture into this universe. Previously, he starred in the Yellowstone prequel, 1883, where he played Shea Brennan, the tough and capable guide leading the Dutton family wagon train.

While Elliott is 81 and Thornton is 70 in real life, Sheridan’s storytelling promises to seamlessly link these two seasoned actors as a father-son duo steeped in the gritty world of oil rigs and family tensions. With just one episode into Season 2, the drama is already bubbling to the surface.

Curious about TL’s character in Landman? Wondering if TL is indeed Tommy’s father and if Sam Elliott is portraying Billy Bob Thornton’s dad? Rest assured, Decider will continue to unravel your Landman Season 2 queries until every drop of intrigue is explored.

Who is TL on Landman? Everything We Know About Tommy Norris’s Dad

As Season 2 unfolds, Sam Elliott’s TL stands defiant, shaking his fist at fate under the blistering sun.

When we meet Elliott as TL in Landman Season 2 Episode 1 (“Death & A Sunset”), he’s watching that big orange disc descend from the seat of his wheelchair. The moment seems like the best and worst part of this old guy’s day, because while a West Texas sunset is beautiful, every one’s another reminder of TL’s own sundowning. Or as he grumbles to a caregiver at his assisted living facility, “This dying a little every day.” 

TL, who the workers also call “Thomas” — maybe his full name is “Thomas Landman Norris”??? — also gets some sad news. At another care facility, this one in Amarillo, Dorothy, TL’s wife and Tommy’s mother, “took her afternoon nap and just didn’t wake up.” It’s sad because it proves his point about mortality. But beyond that, TL basically says he’ll see Dorothy in Hell, so it’s a huge tease for what revelations are on tap about the Norris family and their absolutely fracked relationships. From what we already knew about Tommy, and from the huge vibe of bitterness hovering around TL in his introductory scene, it seems like sadness might go only as far as you can spit.

As Sam Elliott joins Landman for Season 2, we can expect to explore even more of this pretty, pretty dicey Norris family dynamic.

Johnny Loftus (@johnnyloftus.bsky.social) is a Chicago-based writer. A veteran of the alternative weekly trenches, his work has also appeared in Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork, The All Music Guide, and The Village Voice.