In 1923 season 2 episode 3, "Wrap Thee in Terror" on Paramount+, the snow-capped mountains of Bozeman now have a calm in the air, after the storm. Jacob and his boys made it through the worst of it. Now freezing, they must continue to find a way to survive.
Jack fetches the horses while Zane and Jacob decide to break apart the wagon to have a fire. They will have to go the rest of the way on horseback, no matter how painful it is for Zane. Read our full recap and review of the episode! SPOILERS BELOW.
Cara Dutton looks guilt-ridden as the nurse is taken out of the house. It’s time for another one of Elizabeth’s shots, and she is of course an unwilling participant again. Still maintaining they don’t know for sure if the wolf Cara took down was rabid. However, all signs are pointing to that when Cara reveals wolves do not go chasing down men in their own homes just to feast and destroy. It was rabid. And that’s when Cara says something I’ve been dying to hear, “you are a woman, it’s time to act like it.”
The world is most definitely not a fairy tale
A huge chunk of this episode tells the story of Alexandra Dutton’s journey to America. Minus the last 20 or so minutes. It’s the first time she takes her name as a Dutton. There’s no turning back now.
Alex finally makes her way to the New York harbor. And as magical as it is the dream of Bozeman gets quickly sidetracked as Alex does not have her paperwork in order, and has to go through processing at Ellis Island. Which sounds way more simpler than it was.
After surviving the brutal passage, Alexandra was quickly led over for questioning. She explained she was here to meet up with her husband in Bozeman, but already, they are not buying her story. She first starts to reveal herself as Alexandra of Sussex until she corrects herself, with her new last name. Here and forever, she is a Dutton. Most people would say anything to squeeze through and try to build a life in the land of opportunity. Unfortunately, for Alex, she has to work hard to prove the truth.
At first, Alexandra was informed by another immigrant that they would deny pregnant women entry. They don’t want extra mouths to feed, and women who will not be active in the labor force.
Soon, she is called back for her physical examination. Just the first of three horrific examinations done on women. The doctors in charge have no decorum and lack any sort of empathy for the way these immigrants are being treated. Though I understand they have a job to do and don’t want to bring diseases or unsavory people into America. I do like how Taylor Sheridan sheds light on the real dark history of Ellis Island.
We learn that Alexandra was born on the first of April in 1901, and that she was about four months along in her pregnancy. Of course, the doctors were going to find out with such a thorough inspection of her. America does not need mongrels or invalids. They check every crease and cavity in a mortifying way. It’s such a demeaning thing to go through for Alex after a horrendous ordeal just to get to America. She’s hormonal and emotional but she does keep her wits about her.
Even in a weakened state, Alex stands her ground against an distasteful immigrant. One who stole her paper and tried to mock her and her situation. The immigrant was planning on using her sex appeal and offering sexual favors to get into the country after she lets Alex know knocked up or not, she should loosen her buttons and do the same. It achieves nothing for this woman but a slap across the face. Maybe she is a Dutton after all.
Alex starts to take her power back when she has an interview with someone in charge of the final processing step. He claims her story has been told before. She has no marriage license and he’s unsure how she will make a living. Continuing repeating her story Alex tells him she will work alongside Spencer at the ranch.
Another test is passed when he has Alex read a page out of a Walt Whitman book. And at this stage, Alex has been pushed as far as she’s willing to be. She’s been stripped of her dignity and lined up to be poked and prodded like cattle. And finally, snarky Alex is back when she sees the lipstick on the man's neck, advising him he wants to remove that before going home to the misses. For Alex, it was all just enough to get her accepted.
Welcome to the home of the brave
Alex may have passed one hurdle, but now the real journey begins. She must board her way from New York City to Bozeman Montana. Somehow. She looks like a fish out of water and she may as well just have tourists draped across her. But now, a little bit of luck when Alex meets a kind old vendor she buys a map from. He tells her how to get up to Grand Central Terminal and gives off sage advice to hide her money in her shoe, don’t wander down empty streets, and trust nobody. The nicer they are the more unlikely they are to trust. There are pick-pocketers at every turn.
After what’s seemed like years Alex makes her way to the window of Grand Central Station and buys a ticket to Bozeman. I would have been a little more careful at setting my bags down in a wide-open area, but fortunately, they didn’t get jacked. The station attendant informs her to hide her money somewhere else now. Crime is everywhere in New York City and criminals are in every nook and cranny to steal from an unsuspecting foreigner. Naive Alex might be lost without all this guidance, but I do give her credit, she’s come a long way from such a sheltered spoiled life.
A new life for Teonna
Teonna’s father tracks down the rancher, who too is very kind and cordial. He doesn’t mind at all if Teonna and the men help them catch strays in exchange for staying on the land. Of course, this rancher also doesn’t know the trouble they are in, either. The rancher even informs them he can offer them a wage for it. He admits he has cattle to push through the valley they are in and asks Runs His Horse to hold them there. The rancher almost seems thrilled about the help.
Mamie comes across the ghastly scene of the trampled Comanche boy, and the others murdered. An English-speaking Comanche tells her that two lawmen did this. She knows exactly who and is aware she made a grave mistake. Mamie tells him to leave the justice to her, but the Comanche are not after justice. And if it’s justice she seeks she better get to them first.
Father Renaud and the Marshal are 10 miles away from Shamrock, Texas. They are running out of funds to keep this outfit going, and cowboying is the one job where it doesn’t matter who you are. Everyone can blend in. The plan is to go out and find some cattle camps to make some extra cash so they can get to Amarillo, and plaster Teonna’s face everywhere.
“You’re late”
As Dr. Miller is about to take leave up comes Jacob and the boys. Jacob thinks Cara is some kind of Wonder Woman knowing they needed a doctor, but little did they know about Elizabeth yet.
Dr. Miller explains to Jacob that all of Zane’s symptoms point to having a subdermal hematoma. It’s something that could have easily been treated at the facility he was in, but they paid Zane no mind, and now he will have to have the fluid in his brain suctioned out by a drill. The only problem is there’s no anesthesia.
Meanwhile back to the worst wife the Yellowstone ranch has ever known, Elizabeth. She is packing, and tells Jack if he still wants to be her husband he must go back to Boston with her. She’s done with the ranch and everything about it. Tired of fighting for her life at every turn in this tundra. But this is Jack’s home and he wasn’t raised to turn your back on family.
Elizabeth makes Jack watch Cara give her her shot in such a cruel manner. As if she’s saying it’s somehow Jack’s fault she’s in this mess. I truly do hope she leaves and that Jack finds a woman who will appreciate him as a man and as a rancher.
Goodbye, Galveston. Hello Forth Worth
Spencer and Luca are making their way to their destination but have to stop and pull back on the road. There are roadblocks ahead and Spencer doesn’t want to risk bribing police officers. There are no guarantees.
Luca is a dreamer and thinks they’ll be fine. They have money and guns. Spencer refuses to die over some boos and tries to find another route. Eventually, they pull into a barn to lay low. The heat is too hot, especially in Texas. He thinks the wisest move is to wait until dark and move again.
Spencer offers Luca to come to the train station with him. His life isn’t worth it, and his family doesn’t care about him. But family is family to Luca. No matter what you always support them. That’s something Spencer understands even if he doesn’t agree with it. When the Dutton heir starts making his way down the countryside, shots ring out. The money and gun weren’t the best plan after all. It’s the end of the line for Luca. We will miss you, old friend.
It will take Alex a week to get from New York to Bozeman, assuming she gets there at all. The last seconds of the episode show a mysterious man following Alex into a lady's room. Here we go again.
1923 season 2 episode 3 review
I love how Jacob is always reigning Zane back in from his depression. Every time he is ready to throw the towel in, Jacob always reminds his friend what the most important thing is, family. I still can’t get over how annoyingly selfish Elizabeth is. The next wild animal that pops up, well I’m rooting for them.
The pacing is honestly so slow though in 1923 season 2 episode 3, and the season overall. If the series is to end at season 2, I feel they are wasting so much time on this journey back to Montana. Alex and Elizabeth are night and day. I love Alex’s strength throughout her ordeal on Ellis Island.
Care Dutton still remains to be the toughest and most beloved. She is my favorite character of the show because she’s filled both warmth and grit. Helen Mirren’s portrayal is legendary which is fitting because Helen Mirren is a legend. You can sense the passion she holds for this character, and I can’t get enough of her.
Alex speaks with class and sophistication, so not believing her seems a little far-fetched. One of the first things they do at Ellis Island is judge you based on class, race, origin, and health. The NYC advice Alex gets feels a little too easy. I’m glad she’s getting help to Bozeman because it is far too stretched out, but it feels like she’s being welcomed with a red carpet in an unforgiving city. I cannot wait to see Father Renaud Cowboy. I only hope the elements do to him what Teonna should have.
I think Elizabeth is all talk but at this point, she needs to go. Jack deserves so much better, and she has no business being on land she doesn’t respect. I really would have loved to see Spencer bring Luca back to the Yellowstone and continue their strong friendship. Sad to see it end that way, but I loved seeing Spencer as his hero.
Jacob and Spencer are so much like each other. They’ve both played such hero roles this season. Spencer for Luca, and Jacob for Zane. I feel like Jacob is even more of a family man than John Dutton. Going above and beyond for everyone he cares about, and protecting them at all costs has made this Dutton one of the most revered and loved. Episode grade level: A.
A brand-new episode of 1923 will premiere next Sunday on Paramount+.