Alex and Spencer Dutton have one of the most epic romances in the world of Taylor Sheridan television, but Julia Schlaepfer explains that 1923 season 2 will be a much darker journey for them. The newlyweds were ripped apart by the family of Alex’s fiancé in the season 1 finale, with Spencer sent off in a dinghy back to the U.S. while Alex was sent careening into the arms of her disappointed family. But Alex promised to meet her husband in Montana, and there’s no chance she’s going back on her word while she’s still alive.
Yellowstone may have ended, but the story of the Dutton family’s hegemony in Montana has just begun, and fans are eager to learn whether Alex is pregnant with John Dutton II after her suspicious seasickness in the season 1 finale of 1923. Either way, she has her work cut out for her when it comes to reuniting with Spencer — and the season 2 trailer has previewed some of the dangers that lie ahead. In addition to the question of whether she will ever arrive, the show must also answer whether Alex will adjust well enough to ranch life to stay.
Schlaepfer, for one, has no doubt that Alex was made for the Yellowstone life, and she had no compunction declaring her confidence in an interview with ScreenRant. John Dutton III’s (Kevin Costner) lineage, on the other hand, was a subject on which she was much less certain. Finally, the actor offered her perspective on what Alex will think of the other Dutton family members after getting to know them exclusively through Cara’s letters.
Alex’s Journey To Spencer In 1923 Season 2 May Be Tough, But It Will Prepare Her For Yellowstone
“There’s A Darker Quality To The Season For Everyone”
1923 has never been a lighthearted story, given that it opens with all but one of 1883‘s protagonists dead, and he dies shortly into season 1. But as Elsa’s narration consistently reminds us, the Duttons always endure, and the newly-minted Alexandra Dutton is no different. Alex and Spencer’s love is tested like never before in season 2, and while their time together thus far has been full of dangers, Schlaeper warned that now that they’re separated, “it’s bad in a different way.”
There’s a darker quality to the season for everyone. Everyone’s really in survival mode, so the adventures that she finds herself on are less romantic and less about this love story, and they’re more about fighting to return to that love. It is a tough season, but it is an epic one, for sure.
The trailer for 1923 season 2 highlights Alex in various high-stakes situations, from braving another dangerous sea voyage to being manhandled by stranger, as she makes her way home to Spencer. Despite the obstacles, Schlaepfer expressed her belief that this trip “is preparing her in every which way it knows how” to be the future matriarch that the Yellowstone ranch when she finally arrives.
She is tested quite a bit, and I think she has to reach in and find the depth of her strength as a person, and she does.
“I think by the time she gets there, hopefully, she’ll be ready to rock,” the actor added. “She’ll be able to handle anything after this journey.” Of course, such a proclamation can only come true if Alex truly does make it to Montana alive. After all, the season 1 premiere cautioned that many family members would not live to see the start of the new generation of Duttons.
Schlaepfer Is Confident About Alex’s Life As A Dutton, But Has Questions About Yellowstone’s Lineage
“Taylor [Sheridan] Always Has Tricks Up His Sleeve”
One of the most heartfelt moments between Alex and Spencer in 1923 season 1 was earlier in their courtship, when she convinced him to set aside his demons long enough to read his aunt Cara’s letters. The vivid montage those stories inspired allowed not only the audience, but also Alex herself, to understand the Duttons and life on the ranch better. But will she find the lifestyle as enchanting once she arrives — should she survive the journey, that is?
Schlaepfer was enthusiastic about the possibility, gushing, “I hope it lives up to expectations. There are such beautiful characters on that ranch.” The beauty lies not only in the Duttons, but in Alex’s own tendencies. “Alex loves learning about people. She loves meeting people, and she loves Spencer,” Schlaepfer explained. “So, if that’s his family? That is her family, and I think she’d really get along with everyone out there, personally.”
Though Duttons are currently in short supply, they are sure to expand by the time the next generation comes around. A new Dutton is likely to be born before 1923 ends given that the next prequel series, 1944, is on its way. The question remains whether the parents will be Alex and Spener or Elizabeth and Jack, but Schlaepfer is none too keen to point fans in either direction.
Brandon [Sklenar] is so confident always about these things, and I’m always like, “Are you sure?” Because Taylor [Sheridan] always has tricks up his sleeves. There are many, many years between 1923 and 2025.