Landman Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Where Is Home

In the longest episode of the series, Landman Season 1 Episode 5, “Where Is Home,” the drama heats up both at the oilfield and in the characters’ personal lives.

This hour focuses less on Tommy and more on the whole crew. While Tommy takes a bit of a backseat this time, the episode does a great job of exploring the struggles and lives of everyone around him.

Things get pretty intense as Tommy finds himself in a dangerous showdown in the patch. The cartel demands some serious payback for that truck crash from Landman Season 1 Episode 1, “Landman.” The stakes are rising, adding a real sense of danger to the mix.

But the episode also takes a breather with some lighter moments filled with clever jokes and heartfelt connections. Still, it’s hard to ignore Tommy’s absence for a lot of the episode, which makes it feel a bit off-balance, even though the storylines are super engaging.

Angela is trying to get her family back together by having dinner at Tommy’s place with their kids, Ainsley, and Cooper, who seem estranged from each other. Angela is pretty frantic about creating a “home” vibe, which shows how unsteady she is and how unstable their lives have been.

While she’s attempting to play the housewife role, her toxic tendencies are on display, and it is noticeable that this will just add to Tommy’s stress. Still, this dinner is a big deal since it’s the first time they’ve all been together in a decade, and somehow, there’s some real emotion in the air. However, tensions with her brother Cooper seem to be an issue that will be further explored later.

Cooper finds himself in a challenging situation as he tries to help Ariana, a widow struggling to make ends meet. He goes through her bills and helps clean up her yard, which showcases his kind heart.

However, he faces high tension with the cousin of Ariana’s deceased husband, who believes Cooper is only interested in Maria. In reality, Cooper feels guilty for being the sole survivor of the accident.

This subplot highlights Cooper’s good character, but it also puts him in danger, culminating in an attack when he returns home. The aftermath of the attack leaves Cooper mysteriously missing the next morning, creating an early cliffhanger that keeps us all in suspense.

The show dives into the oilfield’s business and political challenges. Monty, played by Jon Hamm, has a memorable moment during a meeting about oil prices and social issues.

He doesn’t get caught up in the political talk and keeps everyone focused on the actual business, which adds to his practical character. These moments keep the show grounded in the tough realities of the energy world.

This episode is ambitious with its pacing, mixing different storylines that build up to some big emotional moments. Angela gets a front-row seat to the high stakes of Tommy’s job when she tags along to deal with another emergency in the field.

The intense nature of this situation highlights the tough reality of the industry, leaving Angela a bit shaken and giving her a rare look into what Tommy goes through.

Even though the show has some great character moments and deep themes, taking Tommy out of the spotlight diminishes his charm and energy. His short but impactful face-off with Jimmy from the cartel reminds us of his importance to the show, but it’s not enough to hold together an episode that jumps around so much.

Landman shines with its mix of intense drama and some lighter moments, and “Where Is Home” is no different. The episode has a lot going on, with great storytelling and complicated character arcs that keep you hooked, even as it juggles multiple plots.

Some fans might be bummed about Tommy not getting as much screen time, but this gives the supporting characters a chance to step up and show how tough the oil business can be on people.

What did you think of this episode of Landman? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Landman airs Sundays on Paramount+.

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