I've Changed My Mind About Cooper & Ariana After Landman Season 1, Episode 8

I've changed my mind about Ariana (Paulina Chávez) and Cooper Norris's (Jacob Lofland) relationship after Landman season 1, episode 8, and now I think they deserve to be together. Ever since the blowout that killed a big chunk of the cast of Landman, Cooper and Ariana were essentially destined to date. Cooper started helping Ariana around her house, cutting her grass and helping her with her bills. Then, in Landman episode 7, the two finally kissed after Cooper started staying at Ariana's house to recover from his injuries. While I didn't agree with it then, I've changed my mind now.

I'm not the only person who had a problem with Ariana and Cooper having a relationship so quickly after the blowout. Rebecca (Kayla Wallace) was furious with them, and even tried to intimidate Cooper into signing the settlement agreement for much less than it was worth. Elvio's friends even tried to kill Cooper for growing close to Ariana, and even Tommy (Billy Bob Thornton) couldn't understand why they were together. The couple did, however, manage to change his mind in Landman episode 8, and they actually changed mine as well.

I Was Against Cooper & Ariana's Romance Happening So Quickly

I Thought Cooper & Ariana Were Forming An Unhealthy Bond Over Their Shared Trauma

Close

At first, I thought Cooper and Ariana were rushing into their relationship. As Rebecca pointed out, in the span of just three weeks, Ariana went from being married to Elvio to sleeping in the same bed as Cooper. Their entire relationship felt rushed, which wasn't helped by the fact that there were constantly outside pressures putting them under even more stress. From Manuel (J.R. Villareal) and Antonio (Octavio Rodriguez) constantly trying to scare Cooper away to the settlement Rebecca has been trying to get Ariana to sign, Cooper and Ariana just didn't seem to have enough time to actually form a strong bond.

It wasn't even the societal norms that bugged me about their relationship as much as it was the trauma they both shared. I thought their relationship could be nothing but unhealthy because they both had such fresh trauma that they hadn't properly processed. Ariana lost her husband and the father of her child, while Cooper watched three men die and was nearly beaten to death. It didn't seem like a great foundation for a healthy relationship. I thought Cooper and Ariana's romance should have waited for Landman season 2 so they could have more time to grieve.

Landman Episode 8 Acknowledges My Concerns About Cooper & Ariana

Ariana & Cooper Clearly Understand What's Going On But Are Still Open To Letting Things Happen Naturally

Luckily, the ending of Landman episode 8 completely assuaged all my concerns about Ariana and Cooper's relationship. After Tommy came to visit them for dinner and asked what they were doing together, Ariana gave a very moving speech about how they were trying to figure things out and that they were doing it rather clumsily. During her speech, Ariana made it clear that she understood how much Elvio's death is affecting her, and she also showed that she realizes Cooper is going through just as much trauma as her. Clumsy as it is, Ariana and Cooper's relationship is built on a good and realistic foundation.

Landman Release Schedule Episode # Title Release Date 1 Landman November 17, 2024 2 Dreamers and Losers November 17, 2024 3 Hell Has a Front Yard November 24, 2024 4 The Sting of Second Chances December 1, 2024 5 Where Is Home December 8, 2024 6 Beware the Second Beating December 15, 2024 7 All Roads Lead to a Hole December 22, 2024 8 Clumsy, This Life December 29, 2024 9 WolfCamp January 5, 2025 10 TBA January 12, 2025

A pair of young people who are simply clinging to each other to avoid thinking about a traumatic event don't have such a realistic view of the future. If Cooper and Ariana were just trying to block out their pain, she wouldn't have even entertained the idea that Cooper might not love her. Landman has convinced me that Ariana and Cooper are more than capable of handling their relationship in a mature way, and I agree with Ariana that it's worth figuring out. Even if they end up realizing it was a mistake down the line, I now think their relationship is at least worth exploring.

Cooper & Ariana Moving Forward Now Makes A Lot More Sense

I Support Cooper & Ariana's Romance Now That They've Proven How Much They Mean To One Another

Ariana's explanation of what her and Cooper's relationship is made their story going forward in Landman much easier to understand. Now, they're not two kids who are stupidly falling in love at the wrong time, they're two adults who are trying to make sense of a whirlwind situation. Likewise, if Cooper gets targeted by Manuel and Antonio's friends again, it won't be the result of a mistake, it will be the result of a conscious decision to give their relationship a chance despite the odds. I think their relationship just got a lot more compelling, and I fully support whatever Landman has in store for Cooper and Ariana.