The episode begins with Cara Dutton (Helen Mirren) aiming a rifle at a man who warns her that she’ll go to hell if she shoots him. She pulls the trigger but nothing happens. They both race to load their weapons. She fires a bullet into his body just seconds before he has the opportunity.

Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) shoots a lion as it charges him. Linda (Kondwani Phiri) and Kagiso (Raymond Watanga) rush over to push the lion off of him. The three men agree that the lion is the one.

Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) and John Dutton Sr. (James Badge Dale) stare out at the dying herd. John suggests relocating the herd. Jacob asks where would they move them.

A group of temperance reformers demonstrates outside the pub as Jacob and several others enter the pub. Sheriff William McDowell (Robert Patrick) warns Jacob that the sheepherders are getting anxious. Jacob tells him that it’s their own fault for running their sheep across another man’s lease. Sheriff McDowell suggests taking a softer approach at the Town Hall. John asks how many deputies he has on standby. McDowell says 300 are watching the boxing competition.

At the Town Hall, Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn) tells the Town Council that they’ve done nothing about their dead sheep. James claims to not know who’s responsible. Banner assures him that everyone knows while pointing at the culprits. A man tells him to say it to his face. A fight breaks out after Banner punches the man. Sheriff McDowell fires his weapon into the air, bringing the fight to a close. After demanding action from the Council, Banner says they know the leaseholder of the property where his dead sheep lay. Jacob asks if he’s admitting to being on someone else’s leased property. Banner reminds him that sheep tend to wander. Jacob says it could be said that he killed the leaseholder’s cattle because his sheep destroyed the grass.

As Banner walks away, Jacob informs him that grazing in the valley is banned until it rains before suggesting he sell some of his sheep. Banner says since the war is over, there are no buyers. Jacob assures him that he isn’t alone. Banner reminds him of his mountain range of grass. Jacob claims his family fought for that land before saying he should have leased more land.

Jacob approaches Banner outside the Town Hall to ask if he wants to fight it out in the street. Banner says the locust destroyed his grass. Jacob assures him that other leaseholders were impacted. John intervenes when Banner tries to grab Jacob. Sheriff McDowell warns Banner that he’ll be sleeping on concrete if he threatens an agent of the state again. Jacob tells him that he’ll lose all of his sheep if he steals grass again. Banner reminds him that only God owns grass and he isn’t God.

The Town Council discusses what approach to take with their herds. After suggesting they move the cattle to higher ground, Jacob warns them of wolves and bears. Clive Hoburn (Bradley Fisher) asks if he realizes how many cowboys they’d need. John asks what the herd would eat during the winter. Jacob says they won’t have to pay a lease but they’ll need hay contracts. He suggests Oregon hay because it supposedly hasn’t been hit by the locust. Zane Davis (Brian Geraghty) says his cattle may be too weak to make the trip. Jacob tells him that they’ll push the herd slowly while they graze along the river.

Cara scolds Jack Dutton (Darren Mann) for not listening to pleas for him to be careful before his wedding day. He assures her that she’ll be able to pick apples from the horse in a week.

Sister Mary (Jennifer Ehle) orders Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves) to name the nine ingredients in soap. Every wrong answer warrants a slap on the hand. Teonna attacks Sister Mary while the other students cheer her on. Father Renaud (Sebastian Roche) asks Sister Mary why Teonna would attack her. Sister Mary tells him that she’s a “wild animal.” After seeing Teonna’s hands covered in abrasions, Renaud swats Sister Mary’s hands as she cites a passage from the Bible. He orders her to speak faster as he swats her hands faster. Teonna pleads with him to stop. He claims to have compassion for Teonna before paddling her.

A nun at the boarding school directs students through a bath and visual inspection. When Teonna removes her towel, blood runs down her legs and drips into the floor. They agree to stay out of Father Renaud’s office.

After seeing Teonna’s wounds, Baapuxti (Leenah Robinson) suggests treating them with cedar sap and honey. She questions if they’ll survive long enough to find husbands.

Jacob asks Jack why he chose Wednesday for his wedding day. Jack claims they never asked for his opinion. John warns that the herd won’t survive another week. Jacob tells him that he’ll drive some of the cattle. When says he going on the drive, Jacob suggests delaying the wedding but he’ll need to talk to Cara.

Jacob informs Cara of his plan to drive a herd up the mountain. She reminds him that Jack’s wedding is only a week away. He tells her that there won’t be any guests because they’ll all be on the cattle drive. She suggests a two-week delay won’t make a different. He says Jack has agreed to break it to the bride.

Elizabeth Strafford (Michelle Randolph) asks how long would they need to delay the wedding. He says maybe a week or two. She asks why can’t the cattle drive wait instead of their wedding. He says the cattle won’t last another week. She suggests he marry a cow if it’s so important to him before disappearing into the house. Cara rushes him off while she talks to Elizabeth.

Cara explains to Elizabeth what being married to a rancher is like. She suggests being honest with Jack if this isn’t the life she wants. Elizabeth admits it’s impossible to breathe without Jack before promising to learn the life of a rancher. Cara tells her that the wedding will be held two weeks from Saturday.

Elizabeth asks Cara to stop the carriage so she can talk to Jacob. Cara suggests they meet him at the house when Elizabeth leaps off the carriage and runs into Jack’s arms. Bob Strafford (Tim DeKay) says Jack has a lot of explaining to do because he isn’t married to his daughter yet. Jacob says they may as well be married. Bob asks what he’s referring to. Jacob suggests not putting too much into a calendar when their baby arrives.

Banner orders a man to cut a fence.

Spencer dreams of being on the battlefield. A soldier (Hunter Goligoski) warns Spencer of there being thousands of enemy shoulders before suggesting they need to fall back. Spencer says he can’t move because his leg is fractured. The soldier flees while Spencer stays to fight. Startled awake, he places his gun in a train worker’s face. The worker informs him that the train has arrived in Nairobi. Spencer apologizes before giving him a tip.

Richard Holland (Nick Boraine) and Spencer inspect leopard prints. He informs him of his plan to relocate the guests to the river camp until the leopard is gone. Spencer says he’d prefer the guests stay put because they’re his bait. Richard tells him that he ordered him some goats. Spencer says a leopard that gets a taste of man will rarely each any other type of meat. Richard agrees to be leopard bait. Spencer urinates on his tent.

Catherine Wash (Alexandra Grossi) admits to not being surprised Spencer drinks coffee to stay awake at night. He asks if she’s traveling alone. Richard Walsh (Clyde Berning) says she and her husband are traveling together. Spencer gulps down two cups of coffee before ordering a third. Richard asks why he’s staying up all night. Spencer tells him that he’s hunting a sofa-sized leopard that’s hunting him. Catherine says there has no mention of a leopard since their arrival. Spencer assures her that they’ll be safe from leopards tomorrow at the river camp.

Spencer enters his tent to find Kagiso and Linda sharpening their spears. Kagiso tells him that leopards generally don’t enter tents but they do ambush from behind. Spencer informs him of leopard prints on the ground outside and 37 sightings at the railroad camp. Kagiso says since the leopard is a thinker, unlike the lion, he’ll assume it too easy. Spencer suggests they remain inside the tent because the English may go crazy and shoot at the boogeyman.

Jacob tells John that Charles Brewster’ (Jeff Leaf) crew has arrived. John says they’re putting a lot of cattle on the land. Jack sees a herd of sheep grazing on the hillside when someone fires a shot in his direction.

Emma Dutton (Marley Shelton) reminds Cara of what the men said about returning in a week. Cara suggests they meant about two weeks. Emma tells her that she’s going to make dinner. Cara says it’s just the two of them, sandwiches will do. Emma says she’ll make them some soup. Cara writes Spencer a letter to inform him of the locust blight and drought. She tells him that the ranchers are driving the cattle up in the mountains in hopes of finding greener grass. She says Jack’s wedding has been delayed until their return. She questions why he refuses to come home.

Spender, Linda, and Kagiso are in position when the leopard attacks Catherine a short distance away. Spencer moves in as the animal feeds on her body. Cara suggests he’s searching for the part of himself that he lost. When Spencer shoots the leopard, Catherine’s body falls to the ground. Spencer says Kagiso was right, it was too easy for the leopard. Someone yells, “There are two” when the leopard lunges in his direction as the episode comes to an end.

 

1923 Synopsis

Spender who’s haunted by the war is on an African safari. Montana, the Dutton family’s dealing with a locust blight and drought conditions. Jacob and John organize a cattle drive up in the mountains for greener grass.

Sheriff McDowell had 300 deputies on standby during the Town Hall meeting, in the event, the sheepherders got out of control. Banner’s irate about losing hundreds of sheep grazing on another lease. The leaseholder lost his herd because Banner’s sheep destroyed the grass.

Determined to join the cattle drive, Jack breaks the news to his soon-to-be wife, Elizabeth. She’s initially upset but comes around.

Teonna’s in an Indian boarding school run by nuns. Sister Mary punishes her when she doesn’t name the ingredients in soap. Teonna got fed up and attacked the nun, landing them in Father Renaud’s office. He punishes Sister Mary by hitting her hands over and over again before whipping Teonna. The women later agree they need to stay out of Renaud’s office.

Jack is on the cattle drive when he finds a herd of sheep grazing on a hill. Someone shoots in his direction.

Spencer kills a leopard but not before it kills an English woman. What he doesn’t know is there are two leopards. The animal lunges at him when the episode ends.

1923 Review

I’ll start the review by saying, the highlight of the episode was Jerome Flynn’s (Ripper Street, Game of Thrones, Black Mirror, Soldier Soldier) performance. I’m excited to see Flynn back on the stage since his portrayal of Neil Wallis in “The Trick” in 2021.

The show transitions from Montana to Africa. It’s obvious why Spencer left Montana. What’s not clear is why he’s hunting wildlife in Africa. The show eludes to utilizing human bait to lure a leopard. Advocates believe it’s imperative for the sustainability of Africa’s wildlife conservation to ban trophy hunting. Again, there is no evidence that the African safari was a trophy hunt. What’s also unclear is whether the lion and leopard were CGI or real. If CGI, it’s low-quality

It seems Taylor Sheridan may be running out of ideas for his “Yellowstone” prequel series. The Indian boarding school’s becoming a trope, having been covered in other recent shows, including “The English” and “Dark Winds.”

Some of the content isn’t factual, including the locust blight. The Rocky Mountain Locust Plague was recorded between 1873 and 1877, according to acsu.buffalot.edu. The species was extinct by the early 20^th century. The Smithsonian Institution collection consists of the last Rocky Mountain locust pair collected in July 1902.

The show has the same narration issue as “1883.” The narrator’s attempt of mimicking the Southern accent was a complete failure.

The acting is hit-and-miss. The lighting is poor in night scenes. Lines are being read with little to no emotion. The pilot episode deserves a 6. Get more 1923 recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking on the link.

1923 Cast

• Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford)
• John Dutton, Sr. (James Badge Dale)
• Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar)
• Jack Dutton (Darren Mann)
• Cara Dutton (Helen Mirren)
• Emma Dutton (Marley Shelton)
• Branner Creighton (Jerome Flynn)
• Zane Davis (Brian Geraghty)
• Elizabeth Strafford (Michelle Randolph)
• Bob Strafford (Tim DeKay
• Kagiso (Raymond Watanga)
• Linda (Kondwani Phiri)

Where To Watch 1923

1923 premiered on Sunday, December 18, 2022, on Paramount+.

Where Was 1923 Filmed

1923, created by Taylor Sheridan (Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, 1883, Yellowstone, was filmed in Montana, Tanzania, South Africa, and Malta in Southern Europe.