Paramount Plus 1923 Season 1 Finale: Nothing Left to Lose

Sadly the end of a fantastic era has come to a close, for now. The finale of 1923 didn’t leave many fans with a dry eye.

And it has set up a fantastic second season with the return of the prodigal son, Spencer Dutton. In “Nothing Left to Lose”, we see a lot of hardships coming for the Duttons’ and a family member coming home who could possibly be the savior.

As we dive deeper into 1923, you can sense the peril that is to come. Not just for the Native Americans but also for the family that surrounds this show.

The cattle business is already a dying breed and Donald Whitfield is prepared to take full advantage of that. Bad times are coming and they are going to need Spencer Dutton more than ever before.

The Marshall is not pleased with the good father. He can sense too many people are dying in this school.

It quickly comes off very shady to him. He is a no-nonsense law man, who has come to help find Teonna.

Teonna has now met up with her father and young native named Pete. Teonna and Pete hit it off immediately, much to her father’s dislike.

But this is a world of great struggle and people are dying so young. You should take the love where you can find it.

It seems wherever Spencer goes, trouble soon follows. Spencer and Alexandra are far from Africa, but they run into Alexandra’s ex, the man she left in Africa for Spencer.

We all knew nothing about this would be amicable. Alexandra was very much not in love with the man, but he couldn’t get over his pride nor let it go.

Spencer and Alexandra are madly in love and no amount of pull will change that. Alexandra’s friend is aboard and tells her she should worry about her good standing in England.

However, love is more important to her. After all Teonna has been through, it was good to see her with Pete by the fire holding hands.

But her pain is still buried within. This girl has been through so much in her very short life, it was wonderful to see her have some happiness.

But as she lays with him to get some rest, emotions she had been fighting come pouring out. Her father is still awake with his back turned to them.

But the audience can very much see the heartbreak on his face. As a parent there is nothing more heartbreaking than not being able to protect your child.

1923 Season 1 Episode 8 recap – It’s a simple life but a beautiful one

We finally get to learn a little more about Zane. Immediately, we see his son run into his arms.

There was so much we didn’t know about one of the Dutton’s best assets and it was heartwarming to watch. He has a beautiful Asian wife, who seems like a force of nature already.

She’s very bright and intelligent, who passes on those genes to her children. Blake is a lucky man, and he knows it.

They live on a small but cozy property with a lot of love in it. However, the man that Cara got a warm feeling about, Clyde, the man hired to help put a stop to thieving cattle, is now spying on Blake.

Could this be another area that Whitfield has his pockets in? Or is this once again Banner’s doing?

Donald Whitfield may like some weird pain for pleasure in the bedroom but when it comes to business, it’s all about the money and generational wealth to him. He doesn’t care as much for revenge, not in the way Banner does.

And it’s probably going to be the death of him.

1923 Season 1 Episode 8 recap – Not even an ocean can stop can separate love

Back on the ship, Spencer and Alexandra looked dressed for a ball and a fancy dinner. Alexandra’s ex Arthur, wastes no time trying to get justice for his heart.

He thinks they are parading at his expense.

Spencer gives the man warning after warning, but there’s only so much he’s going to take when the love of his love is being insulted. Arthur challenges Spencer to a duel.

Though Spencer has never used a sword, he carries all the confidence in the world, as this is a man who fights lions. Arthur of course loses the fight, but it doesn’t end there.

He cowardly tries to attack Spencer from the back after pulling a pistol. Spencer throws him off the ship in self-defense.

He is still taken into custody regardless.

1923 Season 1 Episode 8 recap – Death will not stop coming for The Duttons

Elizabeth had been having pain throughout the day until some bleeding started. Sadly, she lost the baby on top of all the other loss she’s had.

Jack comforts her but she feels like a failure. He says it’s just nature looking out for you.

Sometimes the timing is just not right.

She thinks her purpose on this planet is to have children. But Jack was raised to not have that mindset.

He brings up his Aunt Cara. She raised him, his father, and Spencer.

There’s no telling how many lives she nursed back to health from the war. When he looks at his aunt, all he sees is purpose.

Jack is okay if they can’t have children because she is his destiny. It was a heartwarming and tear jerking scene.

The one thing I love the most about the Dutton men is how deeply and hard they love their women. Meanwhile at Blake’s, his wife Alice is taken into custody.

It’s illegal for her to marry a white man. I truly cannot wait for Jacob to find out, so he can bring down some wrath on this jagged justice system.

Donald Whitfield pays an unwelcoming visit to the Duttons. He knows their livelihood is in trouble.

Ranching is their way of life, mining is the way of his, but he knows neither is the future. He tells them tourism is.

He’s not wrong. There is so much about 1923 that still looms large today in Yellowstone.

However, he still wants to own everything, including their ranch and he’s still in bed with Banner. He paid off Jacob’s taxes, even though Jacob owes no loan.

If he doesn’t pay Whitfield back by the end of the year, the deed reverts to him, and he will do as he came to by taking everything in the whole valley. Spencer is detained but they are going to release him thanks to Alexandra’s friend, Jennifer’s testimony.

His self defense has merit but he has to leave the ship. However Alexandra cannot.

The legality of the marriage is in question. As Spencer sets off back to land, Alex screams at the top of her lungs asking him where should she go?

She yells out she will meet him in Montana as she holds one of Cara’s letters to Spencer. Once again Cara is the glue that keeps holding this family together.

This was a great first season of 1923 and Helen Mirren really ran away with this show. She is a strong and classy, fierce female leader in a time where it was not really allowed, or highly looked down upon.

Her family stands by her, with a husband in Jacob who couldn’t be prouder of her. She does things that are unspeakable for women in that era, and she does so with confidence and love.

Paramount and Taylor Sheridan are lucky to have this woman and I can’t wait to see what next season brings.

What did you think of the 1923 season 1 finale? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Season 2 of 1923 will come back to Paramount Plus next year. We will see you then!