Paramount Network
Editor’s Note: (This article is full of spoilers from episode 1, season 2 of “1923”)
After 21 long months, “1923” returns with its second season premiere, “The Killing Season.” And just like that, we’re pulled back into the unforgiving landscape of the Duttons’ world — a place where survival is measured in more than just grit; it’s a fight, a battle, and at times, a mournful march through the snow.
But let’s take a moment. The gap between seasons, like a heart-pounding Western song, carried that bittersweet pull. It was a long, dry spell of waiting, but was it worth it? Oh, it sure was.
Taylor Sheridan knows how to weave an intricate tapestry of character arcs, and boy, does Season 2 open with a bang. The episode’s quieter moments of reflection, coupled with raw, pulse-quickening action, serve as an elegy and a prelude all at once. We mourn the late Cole Brings Plenty, whose Pete Plenty Clouds won’t be seen again, and the loss is palpable in the air. His tribute in the opening moments of the episode is not just for the character but for the man, and the warmth Sheridan imbues into this moment is a fitting homage.
The episode kicks off in the midst of a heavy Montana winter. Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara (Helen Mirren) are trying to weather more than just the brutal cold. While Jacob stubbornly faces his reality, cold wind and threats of lions creeping on his porch, Cara writes letters with a weight that mirrors the state of their dwindling ranch. Their fortunes haven’t improved since last season. It’s a struggle against the land, against time, and even against the internal ache of their failing family.
Meanwhile, Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) is still a world away, in the murky depths of a ship’s engine room. He’s a man who knows violence like an old friend, and in a gritty showdown with an abuser on board, he proves once again he’s the type of character who won’t back down. His next steps, though, are driven by a dream — getting back to Montana, to Alex (Julia Schlaepfer), who has her own troubles to reckon with. The tension between these two characters is palpable, with Alex locked in a desperate situation that leaves the viewer wondering how much farther she’ll fall before Spencer can make it home.
Then, there’s Teonna (Aminah Nieves), still on the run with Pete and her father, navigating not just the wilderness but the ever-looming threat of Father Renaud and the U.S. Marshals. The land she’s running through is as dangerous as any person who pursues her, and every step is calculated with the weight of her past. It’s a haunting segment, made even more so by the rawness of the characters’ desires and fears.
And, as if things weren’t dire enough, the show doesn’t let up on the villains. Donald Whitfield (Timothy Dalton) continues his cruel reign, and Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn) may just be the character we love to hate. Their partnership is one of convenience, but there’s nothing sweet about it. Whitfield’s sadistic tendencies are on full display here, and his taunting cruelty reminds us of the venom coursing through the veins of this series.
As the episode builds, Spencer finds some clarity — not just in his battle with the ship’s thugs, but in his budding friendship with a fellow passenger. They both have something to prove, and their bond becomes a momentary light in Spencer’s otherwise grim journey. But when Spencer spots land on the horizon, it’s a reminder that there’s always something on the edge of the horizon, waiting for you. It might just be the end of a long, grueling journey — or the beginning of something worse.
What stands out, however, is the eerie, foreboding sense that this season is about survival and sacrifice. It’s not just winter that’s killing; it’s the choices, the people we trust, and the bonds that may or may not last through the storm.
The episode concludes with Jacob’s worry over his wife, Cara, as she faces her own fight in the kitchen. A lion — yes, the lion — returns, lurking dangerously close. As Cara takes action with a shotgun in hand, it’s clear that in this world, even the simplest moments — like standing in the warmth of the sun — are fraught with peril. The familiar, sorrowful narration from Elsa Dutton (Isabel May) fills the air: "Winter is the killing season..." And with that, the winds of fate sweep us into the heart of the storm, preparing us for what’s to come.
