Alex and Teonna’s stories take center stage

Like any good western show worth its weight in panned gold, 1923 finally gives us an episode that opens in a saloon. Sadly, the series takes place during prohibition, so don’t count on any rootin’ tootin’ fun. On the contrary, C. Thomas Howell’s friendly cowboy is at the dry bar being grilled by Marshall Kent (Jamie McShane) about Teonna’s (Aminah Nieves) whereabouts.

It seems the Native American fugitive parted ways with the ranchers upon spying her “wanted” posters all over the Amarillo fairgrounds. The cowboy – untrusting of Kent and skeptical that a “little girl” could murder five people – initially denies riding with Teonna. But as a god-fearing man, he ultimately comes clean when Father Renaude (Sebastian Roche) confirms Kent’s accusations.

The ranchers take Kent and Renaude to the rodeo grounds, where it’s quickly determined Teonna, her father (Michael Spears), and Pete (Jeremy Gauna) hastily headed north. This news pleases the Marshall though, as there’s nothing but flat plains as far as the eye can see in that direction. Catching up with them should be a snap. 

Following the opening credits, we see those stretching, smooth lands from Teonna’s perspective. Her group is scared, tired, and arguing about where to go next. Making matters worse is the fact their horses are dehydrated. The trio reluctantly decide to split up and let Pete go off on his own to find water. 

Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) needs hydrating as well… he just doesn’t know it yet. The hunter’s grabbing some much needed rest beneath a tree when none other than Marshall Mamie Fosset (Jennifer Carpenter) discovers him. She and her crew – still looking for Kent and/or Teonna – find Spencer’s circumstances suspicious, so they demand he come back to Amarillo with them. They tell him he should be grateful, however, as he’s some 30 miles from the nearest water source.

Spencer’s better, bad luck-prone half also needs some nourishment. Sporting a vicious shiner following her mugging last week, Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) learns her train ticket doesn’t include dining service. Starving and desperate, she begs the porter to spare some food. Unfortunately, there’s no free lunch on the Union Pacific. The always resourceful Duchess strikes a deal – she’ll work in the dining car in exchange for hot meals at the close of her shifts.

Of course, poor Alex can’t even pour a cup of coffee without it leading to disaster. The bumpy train causes her to spill the hot beverage in a man’s lap, resulting in the patron forcing her to clean his crotch. Alex endures the harassment, finishes her work, and ends the night by devouring a bowl of stew in the kitchen. 

But the next morning’s breakfast shift brings even more trouble. While waiting on a nice British couple, Alex accidentally inserts herself into their political conversation. Impressed by her knowledge – and happy to hear her familiar Oxfordshire accent – they give her a generous tip. Sadly, her next customer is the same creep she spilled coffee on the night before. Upon noting Alex isn’t wearing any stockings, the man sexually abuses her again, aggressively fondling her beneath her smock.

Alex snaps. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she empties the entire steaming pot into his lap, then proceeds to repeatedly crack the metal carafe across his face. As the friendly Brits look on in horror, Alex is detained by the conductor, who locks her up in the laundry room. 

When the train reaches Chicago, she’s quickly arrested by a boorish officer who refuses to hear her account of what happened. Thankfully, her fellow countrymen rush to her aid and criticize the copper for arresting the victim. Alex is ultimately allowed to go free, and the offender – now sporting a bloody and bandaged face thanks to Alex’s handiwork – is arrested for rape.

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Unsurprisingly, however, her bad luck streak continues when she spies the single mother she’d shared her cabin with stealing her luggage. Alex confronts the woman, demanding she give her belongings back. But her bad day isn’t over yet, as she discovers her train to Fargo’s been indefinitely delayed due to snow. Exhausted, defeated, and out of options, Alex reluctantly agrees to travel with the kind Brits, who’ve invited her to join them on the next leg of their trip. 

Back in Amarillo, Spencer is having slightly better luck getting home to Montana. From the Sheriff’s office, Marshall Fossett calls Bozeman to confirm his identity. An uncooperative Sheriff McDowell (Robert Patrick) takes the call. He happily vouches for Spencer, but fears he’ll only stir up trouble with Banner when he gets back – he tells Spencer to stay in Texas. But the Dutton nephew is not hearing any of that nonsense. He just wants to know who killed his brother John. Before hanging up, Spencer tells McDowell to let Cara (Helen Mirren) know he’s coming home. 

Like Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara, Whitfield (Timothy Dalton) is absent this episode, but we do briefly catch up with Banner (Jerome Flynn). Along with livestock agent/mole Clyde (Brian Konowal) and another baddie, Creighton has made his way to the lawless county – and probable future Yellowstone “train station” – Whitfield suggested they hide corpses without consequence. To that end, they unceremoniously toss the body of their boss’s accidentally-murdered prostitute into the canyon. Banner clearly feels some remorse, while his minions are amazed by the ease in which they made the “problem” disappear. 

The victim’s discarded body is barely cold, but Whitfield’s already on the hunt for her replacement. It seems he’s sent his other live-in sex worker into town to recruit a new girl to satisfy his sick proclivities. Upon spotting a prime candidate, she approaches her with a lucrative offer.  After some talk of her client’s appetite for bedroom theatrics, she whispers in the new girl’s ear, kisses her on the lips, and leads her away by the hand to seal the deal.

Before 1923 packs it in for another week, we’re left with another cliffhanger. The episode closes with Pete, who has successfully found a watering hole for the horses. Unfortunately, Marshall Kent and Father Renaude are already there with their thirsty steeds.

Kent spots Pete, and a chase ensues. Pete has a pretty good head start, but his dehydrated horse runs out of gas, stumbles, and crashes to the ground. As the Marshall catches up to him, Pete scrambles for his rifle. A second before the screen goes black, the two men point their guns at each other. Multiple shots ring out just as the credits start to roll.