There’s no doubt that the “Yellowstone” prequel series “1923” has been a hit for Paramount+. As the streamer’s biggest debut ever, the Taylor Sheridan-helmed spin-off was the first in the greater “Yellowstone” franchise to earn itself a second season. “Well, it’s really the second half of the season,” Sheridan explained to Deadline after the 2022 announcement that “1923” would continue. “This one is different than “1883” where I had the whole thing blocked out in my head. This one, I had no idea what I was going to do.”
Of course, “1883” was a huge hit with audiences and critics alike, becoming a fast favorite among Sheridan’s impressively expanding filmography. Nevertheless, the first prequel’s shocking ending threw viewers for a loop, cutting any potential threads that could’ve lead into a sophomore season. Given Sheridan’s popularity and complete creative freedom, the fact that he’s taking his time in telling the second “Yellowstone” origin story means that he’s hoping to make “1923” even bigger and better than its predecessor. Not that it’s hard, with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren in tow.
As viewers anxiously await the second half of the “1923” story, they can only speculate as to what the early 20th century Duttons will do upon the show’s return. The first season certainly left fans with plenty of unanswered questions, and very few answers. Here’s hoping that Season 2 of “1923” can stick the landing, deliver on all the exciting Western action and romance viewers want to see going forward, and that it includes the list of desires catalogued below.
Justice for John Dutton
On multiple occasions, Jack has hoped to avenge his father’s death, only to be stopped by his aunt Clara (Helen Mirren) at every turn. While nobody wants Jack to do anything foolish, it’s paramount that John’s death be avenged before the series’ end, either by his son or by his long-lost brother upon his return home. It certainly wouldn’t be a Western without a little bit of vigilante justice.
Jacob and Clara’s origins
Since viewers know nothing about how Jacob and Clara met, fell in love, or what their early years at the Yellowstone looked like, it would be wonderful to see their history explored. In a franchise so gung-ho about flashbacks, it doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility, and would certainly be a welcome addition to the chronology.
Spencer’s return to Montana
Though viewers never witnessed Spencer interacting with his older brother John, his return home would allow him to befriend and maybe even mentor his nephew Jack. That uncle/nephew relationship is one that “Yellowstone” has never touched upon before — though the series easily could have — and would be a powerful family dynamic with which to play.
Intersecting stories
The ancestor of her eventual descendant Thomas Riverwind (Gil Birmingham), Teonna’s story certainly bridges some gaps between her people’s appearance at the end of “1883” and their struggles in present day, but since Nieves doesn’t interact with any other main cast members, there’s still a desire to see her wander onto the Yellowstone. Here’s hoping the Duttons will be kinder to her than her former schoolmasters.
Zane and his family
A twist that only made its way into the story in the final act, the season finale “Nothing Left to Lose” revealed that the Dutton’s faithful ranch hand Zane Davis (Brian Geraghty) — who predates Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) by nearly a century — is married to a Chinese woman named Alice (Joy Osmanski), with whom he has two children. After the two make up for lost time, the authorities arrive at their home and drag Alice away due to the anti-miscegenation laws at the time. In the scuffle, Zane is beaten in front of their kids.
While witnessing this dark part of the nation’s history is undoubtedly hard to watch, there’s hope that Zane, Alice, and their kids will make it through. Since they weren’t a part of the majority of the first season, there’s still a chance that Alice and the Davis kids will return in Season 2. With nowhere left to turn, Zane will have to turn to the Dutton family for help. Hopefully, the ranch owners will do what they can to reunite the Davis family. With as faithful as Zane has been to the Yellowstone, it’s the least they could do.
More on the Davis family would give “1923” the chance to continue to shed light on a relatively unspoken part of America’s past, one that’s been more explored in recent years. As the series deals with Native American issues, it would be nice to see them tackle Asian American conflicts as well.
Spencer and Alex’s reunion
While Spencer spent the entirety of last season away from his family, there is hope that the same fate won’t befall him and Alex in Season 2. Rather, there will be plenty of opportunities across America for them to meet again, all of them hopefully long before they make it to Montana.
Jack and Elizabeth’s wedding
The young love between Jack and Liz is one of the best things about this prequel series. Truth be told, the love stories throughout “1923” are all pretty excellent, with each romantic pairing as lovable as the last. Naturally, that makes viewers all the more interested in seeing Jack and Liz officially become the next bunch of Duttons and finally begin their tenure as the rulers over the Yellowstone. Unless, of course, that’s meant for Spencer and Alex.
Whitfield’s comeuppance
Though the main challenger of the Dutton family in “1883” was the untamable land itself, “1923” features a different antagonist, one a bit more creative, and infinitely more cunning. Very few villains throughout the world of “Yellowstone” have been more sinister and more dangerous than Donald Whitfield. Played masterfully by former 007 actor and “Doom Patrol” star Timothy Dalton, Whitfield is easily among the most depraved characters throughout the franchise, and certainly on “1923.”
Not only will he sink to the lowest of lows to get what he wants, but he has the gall to act cheerful and generous on top of it. Not to mention what he does to those prostitutes… Needless to say, Whitfield, like many former “Yellowstone” antagonists, is a character you love to hate. Whether it’s in a standoff between himself and Jacob or Clara Dutton, or a “freak accident” that takes him out offscreen, there’s no denying that this guy needs to go.
On his own, Banner was an interesting and compelling antagonist, one whose motives could be understood despite his means, but Whitfield is like a bull in a hall of mirrors, willing to tear everything down to find what he’s after. So far, he’s employed the likes of sheep herders and policemen, but there’s no telling the means that Whitfield will use to take the Yellowstone for himself, and though he’ll likely fail, it’s still as intense as ever.
The return of 1883 favorites
It would be equally interesting to see flashbacks that further detail the relationship between Jacob and his brother James, perhaps even explaining why Jacob and Clara didn’t make the trip to Montana initially with the Duttons back in the 1880s. If Tim McGraw and Faith Hill can show up on “Yellowstone” via flashbacks, there’s no reason they can’t return here too.
Answering the John Dutton question
One of the biggest questions throughout the “Yellowstone” prequels is the exact history of the Dutton family line. Though there are fallen children, adoptive children, and surrogate parents throughout the clan, where they all fit has been a mystery. As revealed on “Yellowstone,” Kevin Costner’s John Dutton is the third to bare that name, and likewise “1883” introduced a John Dutton, the son of James Dutton, who is clearly the first. That leaves John Dutton, Jr. — played on “Yellowstone” by Dabney Coleman — somewhere to be had in the middle.
Given the way family names work, it makes the most sense that Jack Dutton is actually John Dutton, Jr., especially since Jack is derived from John initially. Though he doesn’t go by John, him naming his son with Elizabeth “John, Jr.” after his late father makes loads of sense. However, it’s also possible that Spencer and Alex, who are bound to arrive in Montana at some point before the end of the series, may carry on the line and also birth a son named John in honor of Spencer’s late brother and Jack’s father. At this point, anything goes.
Because there are two potentially competing Dutton bloodlines, it’s currently impossible to determine which one will carry on the legacy into modern day. But one thing is for sure: The Kevin Costner version of John Dutton, known in the 21st century, comes from James Dutton’s line somewhere. Regardless, John III remains a Dutton by blood.