1923 recap: Homeward bound
When we last left 1923 , nearly a month ago, the Duttons were just barely rebounding from Banner Creighton's (Jerome Flynn) deadly ambush. Meanwhile, in Africa, Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) had just received Cara's letter – three months after she'd mailed it – pleading for his return home to help fight the range war. Now we're back, let's recap!
When things pick up in episode 5, the family has settled into what narrator Elsa Dutton (Isabel May) calls a "melancholy routine." Cara (Helen Mirren) spends her days dressing Jacob's (Harrison Ford) wounds and making futile trips to the post office in hopes of hearing from Spencer. Widow Emma (Marley Shelton) tends to the grave of her husband, John Dutton Sr. (James Badge Dale), shot and killed during the Banner attack, while their son Jack (Darren Mann) neglects his bride-to-be Elizabeth (Michelle Randolph) in favor of patrolling the ranch and plotting his revenge.
Paramount+ Helen Mirren in '1923'
On the plus, both Jack and his attention-starved fiance seem to have fully recovered from their bullet injuries. Sadly, the former's soon inflicted with a fresh, emotional wound, as just minutes into the episode his distraught, grieving mother takes her own life.
Spencer and Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) have made it to Mombasa, but are having little luck finding further passage to the States. Taking a legitimate ocean-liner will add months to the trip, so he seeks alternative travel options. This leads to a shady meeting with a shadier sailor (Peter Stormare,) an old man with a nasty cough and a tugboat in need of a deckhand. Spencer reluctantly strikes a deal with him, ensuring transport to the Suez Canal.
Christopher Saunders/Paramount+ ? 2022 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Aminah Nieves as Teonna and Michael Greyeyes as Hank of the Paramount+ series 1923.
Now that we've caught up with the Duttons, we switch gears to Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves). Having murdered Sister Mary (Jennifer Ehle) and escaped the boarding school, the abused girl is on the run. Father Renaud's (Sebastian Roche) none to happy to not only discover Mary's bible-battered corpse, but also the murdered body of a second nun – apparently Teonna went on a killing spree that also included the Sister who'd sexually assaulted her.
The priest takes his anger out on Teonna's cousin, who confesses the escapee is headed home. But Renaud – who brutally beats the girl during the interrogation – isn't buying it, as reaching that destination would mean traversing 400 miles of harsh terrain. But he shouldn't underestimate Teonna, who's doing just fine – hydrating herself at a shallow stream, crafting a compass in the sand, and scaring off hungry wolves.
Despite her strong survival skills, Teonna's relieved, if a bit skeptical, when a fellow Native American on horseback finds her sleeping atop a rock. He's a sheepherder named Frank, who kindly offers her a ride back to her family on the reservation. She accepts the offer, and just in time, because Renaud has ordered a trio of priests to find her and bring her back to the boarding school.
The evil-doing duo, Banner and Whitfield (Timothy Dalton), plan to buy up all the land bordering the Dutton ranch, including that of the Stratford widow, who's decided to pack it in after daughter Elizabeth snubbed her in favor of her new Dutton family. The partners plan to take advantage of the struggling cattle business, squeezing the Duttons out so they can mine the land for gold. As part of the deal, Whitfield hands a slack-jawed Banner the keys to a beautiful, modern home outfitted with plumbing, electricity, and a gas oven.
Christopher Saunders/Paramount+ ? 2022 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Timothy Dalton in '1923'
Speaking of that coveted Dutton land, we get a brief update on Jacob back at the ranch. He's reluctantly soaking up some doctor-ordered sunlight and consuming a bland diet of chicken and rice. Recognizing his long road to recovery, he's pessimistic about his family surviving Banner's next move. He also correctly susses out the sheepherder must have big money – probably a mining mogul– backing his play. Jack wants to lead the family in Jacob's stead, but the ailing patriarch doesn't think his vengeance-consumed nephew is ready to take the reins.
But that's okay, because Jack's busy with another battle. Fed up with being ignored, Elizabeth threatens to leave him. This is the apparent kick in the chaps the cowboy needs though, as he immediately responds with a romantic, impromptu wedding with only them and god in attendance.
Back in Mombasa, Spencer receives a similar ultimatum. Fearing for Alexandra's safety, he decides it's best for her to stay behind. He insists he'll send for her at later date, but she's not having it – if he leaves without her, that's goodbye forever. She, of course, wins this fight.
Before they board the crusty captain's tugboat, Spencer sends a cable to Cara, informing her of his eventual return to the ranch. His urgency to get home is somewhat deflated when he sees the boat set to tackle the first leg of the trip. The craft looks as ancient as its captain, with tiny quarters and a kitchen stocked with only canned beans and crusty bread.
But it's the captain he's more worried about. When not coughing blood into a dirty rag, the eccentric sailor tells creepy tales of ghost ships he's encountered during his years at sea. When the trio encounter one such abandoned vessel, a hulking freighter, the old man pilots his creaky craft dangerously close to it in some sort of superstitious tribute.
Upon giving Spencer and Alexandra a crash course on steering his boat, the captain heads below deck to grab some shuteye. Six hours later, after defiantly declining Spencer's suggestion to continue resting, he takes the helm and, unsurprisingly, promptly drops dead.
Paramount+ Harrison Ford in '1923'
By the time Spencer discovers the expired captain, the boat's on a collision course with the ghost ship they'd encountered earlier. He puts out a "Mayday" call, grabs the wheel, and attempts to right the ship. But it's too late. The tiny tugboat is no match for the massive freighter, and the two vessels collide.
Cut back to Montana, and Cara's also on a collision course of sorts. Having just received the happy news that Elizabeth and Jack are expecting a baby – having apparently wasted no time consummating their makeshift marriage – Cara's headed back to the post office. But her trip is interrupted when a fancy motorcar blocks her horse-drawn carriage's path.
The vehicle belongs to Whitfield. While a smug Banner sits in the back seat, the shady businessman exits the car and approaches Mrs. Dutton. In light of the cattle business becoming unsustainable, he wants to meet with Jacob and discuss some progress-embracing opportunities. Cara offers a cold
response, refusing to facilitate a sit-down with her husband. Whitfield arrogantly counters, suggesting he'll just stop by at his convenience. The bad taste of this disappointing detour is washed away when Cara's welcomed at the post office by Spencer's long-waited reply.
The note is brief and to-the-point – "Aunt Cara... I received your letter and I am coming home. Spencer" – but Cara's thrilled nonetheless. As she anxiously reads it with an emotional mix of joy and relief, the camera pans over a wide shot of the ocean. The tugboat is completely overturned, and Spencer and Alexander are no where in sight.
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