When the Landman's Testifyin'

 Got into "Landman" with Billy Bob Thorton, recently. I wasn't sure that I would, as some media was saying it was too pro big oil. Maybe. But this is America and everyone is entitled to watch a mom or a nurse get shot down in the street and interpret the events as they see fit. Or, as others see fit for them. Choices.

I was once big oil-adjacent, in the 80's, when I tended bar at The Petroleum Club of New Orleans. It was a private club for people in the oil bidness, 99.9% were white and male. Pretty sure I mentioned this before, where I was the Jackie Robinson of bartenders, breaking the color barrier, and becoming the first white bartender in the Club's history. It was a reverse Jackie Robinson though as prior to me, the bartenders (and wait staff) had been all black. The ol' boys preferred the old ways and many of the whites did not like me, simply because of the color of my skin, which was the same as theirs. Weird, huh? New Orleans is a different town, for sure. 

I learned contempt for oilmen there, with occasional doses of respect thrown in. Working the millionaire side of the bar, I heard some stories of success and failure and how it was common for so many of them to earn and lose fortunes, over and over in their lifetimes. That's the way the bidness went. Landman represents that very well. In one of last night's episodes (I'm streaming at this point) BB Thorton's character, Tommy Norris, revealed that he had come up with his friend (Jon Hamm as Monty Miller) and been every bit as successful as him until the Bush recession of 2008 hit and he lost it all. Tommy went to work for Monty as his landman after that. That's a troubleshooter, I'd say; the guy that gets everything done because he can. The money is good but is it worth the headaches? Not for you. Not for me. Not for Tommy- but he knows nothing else. He is as stuck as anyone else in a job they hate to love. 

I think Billy Bob was born to play Tommy. He nails it. The role literally nails him when in one of the times he is kidnapped by the cartel, a nail is hammered into his thigh. Stuff does happen in this show. The men are men in Landman as one would expect. I don't think I could live in Texas. Too many people there are far too obsessed with being Texans. That's no way to be. Even the women are busy being Texans. As beautiful as the women are in Landman, it is not a good look. Not for this Ferrerman.

The women all come off as kinda cunty. Bold and brash women are often mistaken for being strong. Mind you- it's the same with men. It's not as good of a look as people like to think it is, especially the ones presenting the look itself. I don't know if on this show it is on purpose to portray these beautiful women in varying degrees of hell bitchness or not, but it does do just that. But maybe that's just me. I would not want to settle down with anyone of them. Disclaimer here: This assessment is in no way a slam on any of the actors. Having watched TV and movies all my life, I get that they are playing characters, not themselves. That's the job! Ali Larter plays Billy Bob's ex and impending wife, and I bet she's a very nice, normal woman off screen. I sense she's having the time of her acting life playing this over-the-top Texas Queen. She makes it look very fun. It seems rather incongruous that a rough character like Tommy would be so manipulated by her, but then we learn his mother was far worse and his dad, even more pussy whupped than him.

In a way, it portrays these Texas oilmen as existing in a patriarchy yet only pretending that they are in charge at home. Clearly, they are not. Most disappointing to me- because she showed the most promise- is the Latina character, Ariana. After the death of her husband, she falls in love with Billy Bob's son, Cooper, who is very malleable. Ay culita she's a babe! She tests Cooper, but the odd part is that she tells him he's being tested. It's kind of like an open-book test that way. In real life dating, there often comes a point where a woman tests your loyalty and attentiveness by sending you to the store to get Kotex for her. Been there, done that; also came back with beer. As trite as that is, at least they don't tell us: "This is a test, of the Emergency Boyfriend Response System". Ariana pretty much does, though not in those words, and not with the Kotex stuff. Essentially, she's telling Cooper that he's the man of the house, but it is her house and that's the way it is. Kinda like with Trump, I imagine: "You are the POTUS, now here is what you are going to do..."

So, don't get me wrong, it's a fun show. It's 8.2 on the IMDb scale. That's pretty damn good. It is visually appealing despite being the vast, West Texas wasteland, and the characters are entertaining. I may not think the oilwomen are properly depicted, but maybe they are? I dunno! Tommy has a lot of great lines and greater takes on life in and out of the oil fields. He is a man who has made his mistakes- knows he'll make more- and he'll learn from those as well. Life is all about learning what you did right or wrong to get where you are now and using that experience to figure out where you are going to next. I find that relatable. I've been at this for a while too.