What’s With the Parallel Dutton Romances in ‘1923’?

In the midseason finale, the story finally began to suggest a new angle on the characters of Spencer and Jack: their plotlines will eventually converge. Initially, in Episode 4, the two stories seemed to be diverging: while Jack struggled to deal with the aftermath of the ambush back at the ranch, Spencer and Alex were still faring off to idyllic vistas, spending a day on the beach in romantic bliss. Yet in the midst of this apparent difference, a surprising parallel cropped up. As perfect as the scenery might be, Spencer too had to deal with the disastrous aftermath of a traumatic experience: after holding his aunt’s letters in limbo for years, Spencer came to grips with the unspoken trauma he and the family experienced over the previous six years on opposite sides of the world. The net result of reading the letters was just as important for the overall themes of the story as it was for the plot: at the end of Episode 4, Jack and Spencer’s parallel problems finally became one and the same.

What all of these similarities ultimately mean for the story is difficult to judge, as the story is only half told. A few things are already apparent, though. One of the functions of the parallels is that often what is implicit in one storyline is made explicit in the other, such as Jack’s obvious trauma revealing Spencer’s hidden one. Another aspect is that the similarities lead to tension and anticipation as to how far the parallels will go between the two. Furthermore, the comparison drawn between Alex and Elizabeth promises to become more significant later: what will happen when the two intersect? What about when Jack and Spencer finally meet again? Will the two work together to save the ranch, or are they destined ultimately to become rivals?

The implications go even further. In a recent interview, Sklenar said that 1923 is “a love story” about “commitment to self, partner, family.” The parallel plot developments have certainly been exploring both similar and different ways in which that dynamic takes place in the story. Even beyond the story of the series, though, the similarities between Spencer/Alex and Jack/Elizabeth provide drama for the wider Dutton universe. It is still uncertain who among the 1923 Duttons is the direct ancestor of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton of Yellowstone, and the ambiguity is likely intentional. The implication seems to be that the two pairs of romantic partners might exist to play up the uncertainty in the wider Yellowstone universe: of the four people involved, several could ultimately be expendable while still leaving enough people to eventually become ancestors of the 21st-century Duttons. Are more Duttons destined to die in the second half of the season?

The second half of 1923 returns February 2023 on Paramount+.