by Tim Gordon
The episode opens with a group of hunters on a boar trip who drop like flies the moment they step into a mysterious patch of land. One guy poses with his kill, collapses, his buddies rush in, they collapse, and pretty soon the wildlife, the men, and the audience all agree on one thing: something on this land absolutely hates living things.
Back at M-Tex, Cami (Demi Moore) is drowning in spreadsheets, financial reports, and the growing realization that her late husband Monty left behind a money trail that looks more like a magic trick than accounting. Tommy (Billy Bob Thornton) calls her while en route to a meeting and immediately gets summoned to discuss said missing money. He reluctantly agrees and tells Rebecca to join him, because whatever this is, it screams “bring a lawyer.”
Out in the field, Boss (Mustafa Speaks) and the crew stumble across the dead hunters and discover the culprit: a massive H2S gas leak. Within seconds they are coughing, vomiting, and sprinting for their lives as the wind decides to change direction every three minutes just to spite them. The crew is sick, angry, traumatized, and one airlift short of quitting the oil industry forever. Boss is fuming and already planning the paperwork nightmare to come.
Back in town, Ariana (Paulina Chavez), now single and not in the mood for nonsense, gets a job bartending at the Patch Cafe. Her first customer disrespects her, and she almost breaks his nose. She is instantly beloved. Honestly, she might be the most competent person in Midland.
Cooper (Jacob Lofland) is still high off last week’s drilling success and gearing up for well number seven when Tommy calls and growls at him to stop immediately. And miraculously, Cooper listens. He remembers their earlier father-son conversations and reluctantly pumps the brakes, even though it kills him inside.
Tommy then heads off to meet with Gallino (Andy Garcia) to discuss Cooper’s miracle streak. Gallino talks about how he enriched Cooper and, by extension, Tommy, as a peace offering for their rocky introduction. Instead of gratitude, Tommy basically scoffs in his face. Two alpha males posturing in a steakhouse. This will absolutely blow up later.
Meanwhile, Cooper gets the news that M-Tex is drained financially. Monty apparently ran the company like it was funded by Hogwarts tuition. No one knows where the money is or how anything was ever paid for. The only man who might know, Alan, has disappeared.
So Tommy, Cami, Rebecca, Nathan, and all their stress track Alan down at the Cattlemen’s Club. Cami storms in like she owns the place. Tommy backs her up. Gallino lurks nearby watching the showdown like it is a premium drama unfolding live. Then Angela arrives, Gallino’s wife Bella joins, and what started as a confrontation turns into a full-blown social event featuring widow grief, cartel politics, romantic tension, and marital chaos. Tommy and Angela fight, bicker, flirt, and accidentally ooze chemistry all over the place.
Later that night, Tommy and Angela continue their dysfunctional dance all the way into the bedroom because of course they do.
Cami returns home, emotionally wrecked, and collapses on the floor clutching a photo of Monty. Widow grief hits hard and the show lets her sit in it.
Boss, still processing the deadly gas leak, comes home defeated. Nathan listens and quietly suggests they increase the company’s liability on the new lease. Translation: this patch is cursed, and maybe we should stop dying on it.
Final Thoughts
Between deadly leaks, missing money, cartel tension, emotional meltdowns, relationship whiplash, and Tommy Norris being allergic to gratitude, Season 2 continues its streak of being messy, dramatic, and addictive. The stakes are rising, the bank account is empty, and Cooper’s drilling miracle may be the worst luck he has ever had.
Things are heating up in the Permian Basin and not in a good way.
They’re killing an otherwise good show with these amount of scenes from Ainsley and Angela