The final episodes of Yellowstone’s fifth season are set to premiere on the 2024 TV schedule in November. So, I figured it was time for me to get caught up with the other shows from Taylor Sheridan about the Dutton family. Notably, this included a quick binge of 1923, and almost immediately I fell in love with Brandon Sklenar’s Spencer Dutton. I also realized while watching that I adore this prequel so much because it uses Spencer to fix one of the major issues I have with Yellowstone and Luke Grimes’ character Kayce.
Kayce And Spencer Serve Similar Purposes In Their Shows
Let’s start with the most general fact: Spencer and Kayce are both youngest siblings. On top of that, they’ve also lost older brothers, causing new pressure on them to help at the Yellowstone.
In Yellowstone, Kayce lost his older brother Lee, and he was welcomed back to the ranch after being branded with the Y and sort of exiled by his father. Before coming back to the ranch, he was in the military as well, and that clearly left a mark on him.
In Spencer’s case, we met him in 1923 before he decided to return to Montana and his family. He served during the war, and he was obviously traumatized by it. Instead of going home, he became a hunter in Africa, which is where he met his wife Alex. The season followed them traveling back to the Duttons after he found out about his brother John’s death.
For both these men, their stories center around being presented with the notion that it’s their time to return home and take over the ranch. That alone is a compelling narrative. However, how Kayce handled it in Yellowstone has been less than ideal, while Spencer’s story leans into this pressure and lets it drive his quest forward.
However, Spencer’s Story Actually Capitalizes On His Past And Tension With The Ranch
While Luke Grimes’ Kayce plays a main supporting character in t he Yellowstone cast, Brandon Sklenar’s Spencer is front and center in 1923’s ensemble as he stands as a lead alongside Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. However, both men are centered as candidates to take over the ranch.
In Yellowstone, from the jump, it seemed like Kayce was being set up to take over after Lee died. Not only was he being placed on a hero’s journey, but he also had a tortured past that made me invested in his character growth. However, over the last five seasons, we’ve never really gotten a flashback to his time in the military or his rift with his dad. Also, instead of being assertive about working the ranch, he is stuck in a terrible stagnant cycle of trying to figure out if he wants the Yellowstone or if he wants to leave altogether.
Luke Grimes is such a talented performer, and Kayce has so much potential, and sadly his character has kind of gone nowhere.
Thankfully, the exact opposite thing happened with Spencer and 1923.
Across the course of Season 1, we saw multiple flashbacks to his time during the war, and Alex is consistently coaxing information out of him regarding his past. While he wanted to compartmentalize it, he has been a lot more open than Kayce, and therefore we as viewers have gotten to learn more about him.
Also, his hero’s journey is actually turning out to be that. While he hasn’t gotten back to Monata yet – hopefully, that will happen during 1923 Season 2 – he is very actively working his way toward it. He has a clear goal and objective, and that gives him a drive and storyline that are irresistible.
Kayce could have had that on Yellowstone, and hopefully, he will during the second half of Season 5. However, for now, I’m just going to be super thankful that 1923 fixed this major issue I had with Taylor Sheridan’s flagship show. Now, I can’t wait to see more of Spencer’s story as he journeys back to Montana to save his family’s ranch.