Critic’s Rating: 3.75 / 5.0
3.75
If you wondered how 1923 Season 2 might unfold, the tale may be in the titles of the first three episodes.
We begin with “The Killing Season,” followed by “The Rapist is Winter,” and finally, “Wrap Thee in Terror.”
Those are not playful titles. They’re brutal and frightening, and if 1923 Season 2 Episode 1 is any indication, they mean business. But it could very well be that the Duttons will prevail while their natural and human enemies feel the brunt of the sword.
(Trae Patton/Paramount+)
The Dutton Fight for Love and Land
That’s not a big surprise. The Duttons have been fighting for their lives, land, and livelihood since we first met them.
Yellowstone introduced us to the family as they clung to their heritage against forces desperate to tear them down and away from the land they called home.
They pivoted with 1883, showing us the personal battles won to take possession of the land, but 1923 doubled down the hardships of the expanding United States territories and around the world.
The Dutton family has not had an easy go of it. Death lurks around every corner, but their determination breeds an indelible bond and peppers their trials with great love.
Every generation of Duttons loves with their whole hearts, and without it, it would be as unbearable to live in 1923 as it would be to watch.
(Trae Patton/Paramount+)
1923 Season 2 begins by reminding us of the deep convictions the Duttons hold, whether by birth or marriage. Cara keeps the flame, ensuring that the ties that bind the family together and to the ground beneath their feet remain strong.
They’re creating a legacy for their family, a place to call home for generations. Their sacrifice is noble, and they count their blessings while they have them. But my God, is it hard.
Monsters are everywhere, from the mountain lions on the porch to demonic men like Donald Whitfield, who uses pain for his pleasure. The difference is that the mountain lion is trying to survive, while Whitfield’s only purpose is to amass power.
At first, the Duttons have much more in common with the mountain lion, and Jacob even gives it a chance to escape rather than lose its life. But when it’s killed upon its return, I imagined it to be more like Banner Creighton, making the wrong choice for the right reasons.
That comparison isn’t a coincidence, as Spencer is on his way to Montana. He’s a lion hunter, and the human lions eyeing his family should sense danger.
Did We Expect Spencer’s Passage to Be Easy?
(Lauren Smith/Paramount+)
Spencer is on his way home, but he’s working his way across the ocean. This perilous work is made more difficult by his traveling companions, who have little respect for those around them.
But ever the hero, Spencer steps in to help a new friend as a ‘big man’ is raping him.
It seems he made a friend for life in his Italian friend he calls Kid, and they have a short but meaningful conversation where Spencer literally talks him off the ledge of the ship.
To show his gratitude, Luca (the kid) arranges for Spencer to fight other guys on the ship to make money for his trip. Of course, being the heroic sort he is, Spencer won, even if he had to get a little rough to do it.
The biggest shock came from their wins. Can you believe that the men had $420 amongst them to bet on (and lose) Spencer’s fights? Here’s hoping his journey to America is short so he has plenty of time to battle the lions of Montana.
(Lauren Smith/Paramount+)
When we talked with Brandon Sklenar, he compared Spencer to some of Hollywood’s most adventurous and courageous men, the roles embodied by Clint Eastwood, Humphrey Bogart, and Steve McQueen.
I could picture any of those iconic actors stepping into Sklenar’s spot, beating the tar out of his opponents, sporting a dirty t-shirt and covered in sweat.
Taylor Sheridan has tapped into an image of a bygone era, and it’s reawakened our desire for manly men who can protect those they love and even those they don’t. Personally, I love it.
Alexandra Is Pregnant!
(Lauren Smith/Paramount+)
Spencer is fighting for many things, among them his future with Alex. Little does he know that fatherhood may be on the horizon.
I’m reluctant to suggest that Alex will carry her child to term, as 1923 has ensured more than one woman wasn’t as lucky.
When we first see Alex, she’s wasting away in bed, desperate to begin her journey to Montana. Her circumstances marred the happiness of her pregnancy, but she’s got a shoulder to lean on.
Her best friend Jennifer is a sucker for a love story like the rest of us, and she agrees to help Alex get safely on her way. Alex’s plan, though, leaves little room for error.
Traveling alone to America (second class!) and catching a train from New York to Montana may go as smoothly as silk. I hope it does.
(Lauren Smith/Paramount+)
But this is 1923, and in the Yellowstone universe so far, we know not much during these journeys comes easy. If her luck is anywhere near the same as those who have gone before her, she could be in for a rough ride.
Spencer and Alex’s romance during 1923 Season 1 was a highlight, and I hope they reunite in plenty of time to have a decent arc together this season, too.
Donald Whitfield is Intolerable
I may be alone in this sentiment, but I could do without seeing Whitfield’s depravity at every turn.
It’s gross, and by this point in the story, there’s nothing new to tell about his sexual debasing of women (the same women) than was said in 1923 Season 1.
(Lauren Smith/Paramount+)
My best guess is that his grotesque scenes were buttering us up for the fight, to erase any possible connection we have to Timothy Dalton as an actor. Mission accomplished there.
It might also show what a terrible decision Banner is making by partnering with him.
His wife made light of it, saying that lying with dogs gives you fleas. He’s made his bed in a den of lions, and I don’t see how he will make it out of this battle with the Duttons alive.
Teonna Rainwater is the Premiere’s Bright Light
Teonna is still running for her life, but she’s got the leg up on Father Renaud and the diabolical Marshal Thomas for now.
(Lo Smith/Paramount+)
Could Father Renaud become so disgusted with Marshal Thomas that he calls off the hunt? We saw a tiny glimpse of humanity from Father Renaud when he demanded Thomas to release a young Native girl he was terrorizing.
We didn’t get to see his response after the man trampled her under his horse in a brutal scene, but I can’t imagine he feels any better working with him than Banner does with Whitfield. I know that the Catholic priests of the time were as despicable as the marshal, but it’s still hard to watch.
And then there is Teonna, who is living the best life she’s had in a while. Being reunited with her father and falling in love agrees with her.
Teonna’s story relied on Cole Brings Plenty, who died between seasons. Jeremy Guana had big shoes to fill as Pete, but he did a wonderful job. His chemistry with Aminah Nieves was believable, and it feels good to have another reason to root for Teonna.
Family lines in the Yellowstone universe aren’t straightforward, but I hope Teonna is the beginning of the line that leads to Thomas.
(Ryan Green/Paramount+)
Runs his horse was both informative and amusing with his daughter.
Taylor Sheridan snuck his thoughts about big government into the story when Runs His Horse explained to Teonna why people no longer make things themselves.
He explained that the government wants people to rely on them and not ask questions because you don’t need the government once you learn to do things for yourself. Wisely, Teonna couldn’t understand why you’d ever let that happen.
Runs His Horse also amusingly admitted to Teonna that while it’s his job to tell her not to have relations prior to marriage, nobody ever listens. She wasted no time stripping down in front of a slack-jawed Pete, and I don’t blame her one bit.
She already knows how easily life can slip from your grasp. I hope she makes the most of it.
The Lion Hunter is Coming
(Lauren Smith/Paramount+)
When the lion returned to the porch and almost killed Elizabeth, Cara killed it, just like she is counting on Spencer to dispatch the human lions at their door.
The season preview teases that Banner is afraid of Spencer, and he should be. He can see how a man like that, a war hero who has suffered through things he can’t imagine, could wreak havoc with his current plan.
Cara and Jacob can’t do it alone, but Spencer is coming, and he’s busy sharpening his tools so he’ll be prepared to battle when he arrives. Hopefully, the episode titles speak more to foes than friends or nature than humans because we’re ready for the Duttons to come out on top.
What did you think about the premiere? Did it do a good job greasing the wheels for the next seven episodes? Share your thoughts below.
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