Trailers for Season 2 of Landman hinted at some friction between Tommy Norris and his father. Given everything we learned about Billy Bob Thornton’s character in Season 1, it was only natural to start drawing a few conclusions.

It’s very likely those conclusions are wrong.

• Season 2 of Landman started on Paramount+ last Sunday.
• Sam Elliott plays TL, Tommy Norris’ father.
• Elliott and Thornton previously starred in the movie Tombstone together.

Related: Landman Season 2 Premiere Brings Unexpected Death

This article and video will contain a few spoilers about Ep. 1 of the new season of Landman. The Dutton Rules podcast team will go live to discuss the episode in detail on Wednesday at 12PM CT.

Who Is Sam Elliott On Landman?

Elliott plays TL Norris on Landman. It’s not immediately clear that he’s Tommy’s father until the very end. In fact we don’t even see him until 33 minutes into the episode.

It’s not a pretty sight. TL is in a wheelchair outside of a rundown nursing home. He’s watching the sun set when a nurse named Denise tries to wheel him away, That draws his ire and he stands up to protest when another nurse named Hank intervenes.

Hank’s kindness has a purpose. He shares that TL’s wife has died at a memory care facility in Amarillo, adding that TL will see her again one day.

TL says that if that happens it means he’s gone to hell.

Needless to say, TL’s wife (or ex-wife) wasn’t exactly beloved, and the new dialogue flips what once felt like an obvious narrative. The Dutton Rules podcast team previously believed TL’s bad behavior was to blame for his son’s drinking problem — and the rift between them — but now it seems possible his mother was the real source of the trouble.

Is it possible TL’s been a victim all along?

The rest of the season promises plenty more from Elliott’s character — and likely the answers to these questions. TL appears to be moving in with Tommy, Angela and the rest of the family, setting the stage for an even deeper dive into their complicated dynamic.

If Season 1 was all about Tommy and Cooper’s father-son relationship, Season 2 looks ready to deliver that same emotional intensity with TL and Tommy at the center.