Landmanseason 2 will have to carry on without one of its best supporting characters in Jon Hamm’s Monty Miller, which may be a major problem for the hit Taylor Sheridan series. After Monty was killed off in theLandmanseason 1 finale, Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris was named as the interim CEO of M-Tex, Monty’s oil company, a position he was reluctant to hold. The biggest question surrounding Tommy’s character inLandmanseason 2 will be whether or not he will hold onto the reins as M-Tex CEO or if someone else will step into the coveted yet demanding position.
The announcement of Sam Elliott getting cast inLandmanseason 2 sounds like a fantastic addition to thecast ofLandmanseason 1, as he embodies the spirit of Texas and the American West quite fantastically, as seen inSheridan’s Yellowstone prequel,1883. That said, the type of characters he typically plays nearly exist in sharp contrast to the more businesslike ones that Hamm takes on, as seen in his classic hitMad Menand inLandmanseason 1. Now that Monty is out of the picture,Landmanhas lost one of its best character dynamics between Tommy and Montythat will be difficult, if not impossible, to replicate.
Landman Shouldn’t Have Killed Off Jon Hamm’s Monty Miller In The Season 1 Finale
Monty Was Too Entertaining To Kill Off After One Season
Jon Hamm was so great as Monty inLandmanseason 1 and will be sorely missed in season 2. While he wasn’t featured as much as Tommy and his Norris family, he made an impact in every scene he was in andoffered Hamm his most similar role to Don Draper inMad Menin his entire acting career.
Not only did his dynamic with Tommy make for great TV, but Monty perfectly encapsulated an authentic portrayal of what it was like to operate a massive oil company at the highest level.
There was still plenty of room for his character to be more involvedand even have an increased role inLandmanseason 2. Not only did his dynamic with Tommy make for great TV, but he perfectly encapsulated an authentic portrayal of what it was like to operate a massive oil company at the highest level, even if he often came off as harsh.
Landman Will Have To Utilize Demi Moore’s Character To Make Up For Hamm’s Absence
Moore’s Cami Was Hardly Involved In Season 2
Fortunately, Demi Moore is still a part ofLandmanon the heels of her award-winning performance in the critically acclaimed filmThe Substance. Moore will return as Cami Miller, Monty’s wife and co-owner on M-Tex, even though she was hardly utilized in season 1. Now, after Monty’s death and Moore’s success withThe Substance, Moore should have a much bigger role as the matriarch of the Miller family. Monty’s kids played no part in the business, so Monty didn’t have a natural heir.Cami was often stuck in the background of Monty’s affairsand will have to show more grit if she’s to play a bigger role at the top of M-Tex.
Sam Elliott’s New Character Should Be Great But Likely Won’t Have The Same Edge As Monty
Elliott & Thornton Will Surely Have Strong But Different Chemistry
I cannot wait to find out what Sam Elliott’s role will be inLandmanseason 2, but hopefully it will be a major one. He could play another landman fixer type like Tommy, but he typically plays characters who are more laid-back and pensive. Monty had a great edge that caused a lot of natural tension, leaving some very tough shoes to fill.Sam Elliott’s character could also be someone on the board of M-Texwho potentially advises Tommy if he decides to stay on as CEO.
Thornton and Elliott’sLandmanseason 2 dynamic was unknowingly teasedin a 2021 episode of 1883 in which Thornton guest-starred as Marshal Jim Courtright. This and the decades of acting experience between the two of them should ensure that there will be great chemistry between Thornton and Elliott – it just won’t be the same as Tommy and Monty. Perhaps the worst directionLandmanseason 2 could go is having another demanding businesslike Monty type come in and try to fill his shoes, in which case I will just be wondering, as I am now, why they got rid of Monty so early on.
