1923 Star Breaks Down Spencer and Alex's Heartbreaking Ending in Season 1 Finale
The Season 1 finale of 1923 saw some major and devastating changes for the Dutton family — particularly for Spencer Dutton. He and new wife Alex have been making their way to Montana from Africa after learning about the danger the family and the ranch are facing in the wake of the death of his brother, but it's been a harrowing journey. And it's a journey that took a heartbreaking turn in this week's finale, "Nothing Left to Lose", and it's something that series star Brandon Sklenar says is "incredibly tragic".
Warning: spoilers for the Season 1 finale or 1923, "Nothing Left to Lose".
The season finale saw Spencer and Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) encounter Alex's ex, Arthur (Rafe Soule) which unfortunately ended in Arthur being thrown overboard by Spencer — in self-defense. While the fact that it was self-defense is brought up, Spencer is forced from the ship while Alex is being hauled back to London, the couple separated with the possibility that they may never see one another again.
"It's incredibly tragic because Spencer is now in this position where he feels as though he's responsible for losing her," Sklenar told ET. "Now he's responsible for being even further away from getting home to the family, and to saving them and protecting them and fulfilling his purpose and his duty to be there for them To show up for them and to show up for what is left of them, because in his mind he's thinking, 'Well, now I've lost her. I don't know if I'm ever going to see her again. I don't know when or how I'm going to get back.'"
He continued, "At that last moment when we see him before Helen [Mirren]'s voiceover, he's a man who has lost literally everything and he blames himself. That's such a massive shift in him as a human being, and now at this point he has to decide: Is he going to put his efforts into finding her or is he going to put his efforts into getting home and saving his family and hoping that somehow, she will find him? Because she does have his letters and I think in the moments to follow, he realizes that. Knowing Taylor [Sheridan], it's probably going to be a wild, challenging, difficult, painful, tragic road to get there, and I hope he gets there soon. I really do."
1923 has officially been renewed for Season 2
Earlier this month, Paramount+ confirmed that 1923 will be back for a second season.
"There are more stories to tell… #1923TV will return for a second season," a tweet from the 1923 Twitter account reads. "In the meantime, season 1 continues with new episodes this Sunday, exclusively on @paramountplus. See you soon. #ParamountPlus"
What Is 1923 About?
1923, the next installment of the Dutton family origin story, will introduce a new generation of Duttons led by patriarch Jacob (Harrison Ford) and matriarch Cara (Helen Mirren). The series will explore the early twentieth century when pandemics, historic drought, the end of Prohibition and the Great Depression all plague the mountain west, and the Duttons who call it home.
In addition to Ford and Mirren, 1923 also stars Darren Mann (Animal Kingdom), Michelle Randolph (A Snow White Christmas), James Badge Dale (Hightown), Marley Shelton (Scream), Brian Geraghty (Big Sky), Aminah Nieves (Blueberry), and Jerome Flynn (Game of Thrones).
1923 is now streaming on Paramount+.