The season finale of “1923” aired Sunday, and it absolutely proves that we need a second season of this already iconic cowboy drama.
Initially, it was assumed that “1923” would be a single-season prequel to hit series “Yellowstone,” co-created by the same writer, Taylor Sheridan. Within a few episodes, it was clear that this prequel was unlike anything we had seen before on television, so a second season was issued in short order.
Starring Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, and a slew of other A-list celebrities and up-and-comers, “1923” tells one of the origin tales of the Dutton-Yellowstone ranch. Throughout the series, we were introduced to a number of candidates who could easily go on to birth the legendary John Dutton (Kevin Costner) that we all know and love from the original “Yellowstone” series.
REPORT: The Next ‘Yellowstone’ Prequel Announced By Paramount Executive | @DailyCaller https://t.co/jjQbkM1ZCd
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At first, we thought that war hero and hunter Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) and his new wife, Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) would be the obvious grandparents (or great grandparents) to Costner’s Dutton. But things took a horrific, heartbreaking twist in the season finale as Spencer was carted off to shore from the huge ocean liner taking Alex onwards.
In the last moments of their dawning marriage, Alex screamed that she will find Spencer in Boseman. In one sentence, she sets up what will likely be an epic, tragic, and horrific journey for her beautiful young self. Not only will she have to traverse the Atlantic alone, but also half of the still-wild North American continent.
Honestly though, if I was in her position in life, traveling across America to find my husband and love of my life is a voyage worth dying for. What else is she going to do? Go back to Britain and hate everything? No thank you!
Aside from Spencer and Alex, Jack Dutton (Darren Mann) and his wife Elizabeth (Michelle Randolf) were gearing up to welcome a new life into the family. This came to a halt as Elizabeth suffered a miscarriage in the season finale.
This heartbreaking death was combined with the terrifying news that sexual deviant Donald Whitfield (Timothy Dalton) had paid the Dutton’s home tax. If they’re unable to pay it off by the end of the year, the ranch defaults to Whitfield’s ownership.
While we know that the ranch will absolutely stay under Dutton ownership (How would we have “Yellowstone?”), the journey to protect this incredible piece of land is an adrenaline rush from start to finish. (RELATED: ‘1923’ Forecasts The End Of Freedom In Chilling Latest Episode)
Perhaps the most nerve-racking storyline told throughout the first season of “1923” belongs to Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves). After escaping the brutality of the very-real Catholic “conversion schools” (ie: genocidal prisons used to abuse and kill Native American children, that the church likely still owes reparations for), Rainwater is finally rescued by her father.
Joined by another young Native American man, the three are setting off to flee the tyranny and violence caused by the Catholics. But will they make it out safely? I guess that’s a question for the next season.