Alright, I’ll say it — Spencer Dutton’s journey home has dragged on for so long, I wouldn’t be surprised if he stopped for a side quest in another century. Meanwhile, the ranch is barely holding on, and instead of urgent action, we’re stuck in yet another delay. Sound familiar? Pretty sure it does, because Yellowstone pulled the same mess.
At this point, Paramount needs to read the room: Taylor Sheridan’s universe is running on fumes, starting to feel like that one party guest who just won’t leave.
Spencer’s lost, Alexandra’s suffering, and Taylor Sheridan’s 1923 is stuck in a loop
We concluded that already – Spencer Dutton ain’t getting home. Maybe he’ll show up in a future Yellowstone sequel, still stranded somewhere, writing “HELP” in the sand. Plus, Alexandra? She’s been stranded, assaulted, forced into labor, and now stuck on yet another detour. If 1923 doesn’t let this woman breathe, I might start rooting for the wolves.
Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe has always loved a slow burn, but this is getting ridiculous. We’re five episodes deep, and Spencer’s still nowhere near Montana. Alexandra’s suffering has turned into a never-ending trauma reel. And let’s not even start on Donald Whitfield’s completely unnecessary torture scenes. Like, good grief, what even was that?
Whitfield’s scenes have officially crossed the line from “villain setup” to “why does this exist?” Watching him and Lindy abuse s*x workers isn’t just disturbing; it’s lazy storytelling. Yes, we get it TS. He’s evil. But at some point, there needs to be more than just gratuitous misery for misery’s sake.
And while Alexandra’s proven to be a fighter, 1923 seems determined to make her journey unbearable. First, she’s assaulted by a thief, possibly loses her baby, and now, she gets attacked again — this time by a rich creep on a train. At least she fights back, delivering a very satisfying beatdown with a coffee pot. But seriously, how much more can she take?
With just two episodes left, 1923 needs to move. Spencer needs to get home. Alexandra needs a break. And Whitfield… well, he just needs to disappear. Sheridan is running out of time to turn this around, because right now, this Yellowstone prequel’s testing my patience way more than it’s entertaining me.
Jennifer Carpenter explains why Taylor Sheridan’s Western dramas connect so deeply with audiences
Taylor Sheridan is reviving a lost art. 1923 star Jennifer Carpenter believes his Western dramas strike a deeper chord. She told Screen Rant,
I think that he’s reconnecting audiences to what it used to mean to tell stories on the viewer’s behalf…Even when I was in acting conservatory at 18 years old, it was always about the audience, and it feels like that again. It’s not about A plus B equals C, and now we can drag all of our credits up the screen. He’s earning every minute of your time, and that says a lot too, because it takes a lot to leave your family and dedicate yourself to something wholeheartedly.
Carpenter, who plays Marshal Mamie Fossett, praised Sheridan’s ability to earn every minute of the audience’s time. Even knowing 1923’s finale, she was still “a leaf in Taylor’s current.” That emotional pull is what makes Yellowstone and its spinoffs so compelling.
Beyond the sweeping landscapes and high-stakes drama, 1923 made Carpenter reflect on history and reignited her love for acting.
With 1923 Season 2 airing on Paramount+, Sheridan’s reign in the western genre is far from over.
Watch 1923 on Paramount Plus & Apple TV+.
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