Movies

Commentary: For American Girl doll fans, ‘1923’ is the show to watch

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This article contains some spoilers for Season 2 of “1923.”

For fans of American Girl Dolls who have grown up, the series “1923” streaming on Paramount+ could be a great fit for you.

If Taylor Sheridan, the creator, or Harrison Ford, the star, ever find themselves moved to grip their scarves and ammunition belts, know that I’m paying them the greatest compliment. Although “1923” has already attracted a large audience in its second and final season, it wouldn’t hurt to engage fans of another popular historical fiction show with similar success.

Former American Girl enthusiasts form a diverse and passionate group, and they might be interested to discover that there’s a series centered around intricate female characters who grapple with mature adaptations of the historical hardships (and fashion trends!) found in many of the dolls’ histories. (Imagine a more adult-oriented version of the “Saturday Night Live” American Girl skit, featuring elements like romantic relationships and firearms.)

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Prior to the pandemic, numerous adults found solace by revisiting their childhood through various playthings such as Legos or collectibles.

As an ardent fan of the series since its debut, nothing has ever made me more agitated than the weekly releases. If granted the opportunity, I would have easily consumed the entire second season in a single day, simultaneously searching for Cara Dutton’s outerwear and Mary Jane pumps on my phone.

Just as Sheridan constructed a universe around “Yellowstone” through his stories, Pleasant Rowland established a franchise based on a collection of characters whose tales mirrored the evolving landscape of the United States. Unlike Sheridan, she primarily targeted her narratives towards young girls and included dolls dressed accordingly with each story. (It’s not my place to suggest changes for Sheridan, but it’s also not out of the question.)

Her frequent intention was to inspire young girls with an alternate storyline, providing them options beyond the stereotypical roles of a Barbie doll or Cabbage Patch Kids’ mother-in-training figures. She emphasized the significant role of women in history.

1923, a follow-up to “1883” and prequel to “Yellowstone,” finds the Dutton family’s Montana ranch facing numerous challenges. The obstacles are common in the American West – drought, snow, disputes over land usage – but the most formidable is the ruthless tycoon Donald Whitfield (played by Timothy Dalton). He covets wealth and power above all else, showing no regard for the beauty of the land or those striving to farm it honestly. To add to the trouble, his disdain for women borders on the pathological, with criminal undertones.

I’m deeply drawn to the Dutton ranch, a place currently inhabited by Jacob Dutton (Ford), his wife Cara (Helen Mirren), their great-nephew Jack (Darren Mann) along with his spouse Elizabeth (Michelle Randolph). In Season 1, an assault orchestrated by Whitfield’s lieutenant, Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn), left Jacob wounded and claimed the lives of Jack and Elizabeth’s fathers. Stricken with grief, Cara called upon Spencer (Brandon Sklenar), their estranged nephew who was living in Africa as a big-game hunter and guide, to return home.

By an uncanny twist of fate, I found myself crossing paths with Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer), a refined British beauty craving excitement. As Season 1 drew to a close and our shared journey to America was only halfway through, we were torn apart, leaving us no choice but to navigate our way to Montana – and each other – independently.

In a similar narrative, Aminah Nieves’ character, Teonna Rainwater, initially suffered and then fled from the atrocities of a native American school. During this escape, she tragically took lives of some of her tormentors. By mid-Season 2, she is in Texas, eluding capture by a ruthlessly racist U.S. marshal (Jamie McShane) and a vengeful French priest (Sebastian Roché). As of Episode 4, there has been no interaction with the Dutton family, but with Spencer moving through Texas, it seems inevitable that they will cross paths soon.

The presence of U.S. Marshal Mamie Fossett, portrayed by Jennifer Carpenter, not only strengthens the American Girl spirit (with a female marshal character based on a real historical figure!) but also serves as a connecting point for storylines – she’s pursuing the men who are chasing Teonna and Spencer, making it impossible for them to move without encountering the law.

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1. Aminah Nieves plays Teonna, a woman on the run. (Lauren Smith/Paramount+)

2. Jennifer Carpenter portrays Marshal Mamie Fossett, a character inspired by a real-life historical figure. (Lo Smith/Paramount+)

In the style of a classic western, you’ll find many men with furrowed brows and spitting, issuing threats and engaging in fights. However, the flowing waterway in “1923” tells a different tale – one centered around strong women. Jacob and Spencer are indeed heroic figures, but this narrative is predominantly about the ladies.

As I sat down to pen my thoughts on this captivating series, I couldn’t help but reflect on Cara’s indomitable spirit that has become the heart and soul of the ranch. Having immigrated from Ireland, she has taken the reins, especially after Jacob’s tragic accident, showcasing an agility with a rifle as well as a frying pan, not to mention her witty banter that would make any rom-com heroine proud.

Her no-nonsense empathy truly shines when she interacts with Elizabeth, a woman who has faced one hardship after another on the ranch—from being shot and suffering a heartbreaking miscarriage to enduring yet another setback in the form of a vicious wolf attack that required rabies shots.

In Season 2, this relentless beast nearly forces Elizabeth to abandon the Dutton Ranch, and as soon as her final round of shots has been administered, she’s planning her escape to Boston. It’s Cara’s unwavering resilience and compassion that serve as a beacon of hope for Elizabeth in these challenging times.

Regardless of the fact that winter travel restrictions make it impossible for trains to run from Bozeman to Boston, it’s heartening to witness her response – a testament to her innate strength in overcoming numerous difficulties. As every American Girl understands, genuine resilience lies in pressing on when you genuinely feel you have no more strength left.

Teonna harbors a strong disdain for America, and it’s not hard to see why. Her actions were indeed severe, yet the cruelty that precipitated them was even more intense. Even as she eludes a relentless marshal, she remains inherently compassionate, diligent, and receptive to romantic overtures. (Kaya’aton’my, being the sole Native American doll, unfortunately lived before the threat of assimilation through boarding schools, but she was captured by another tribe and her kin were struck by smallpox.)

However, there’s no character from 1923 who embodies American spirit more than Alexandra, which is somewhat frustrating given she’s actually British. Despite her charm and familiarity with things usually going her way, life as a Dutton proves to be anything but ordinary, filled with constant adventure and turmoil. Following her separation from Spencer, Alex encounters one hardship after another. First, she endures a second-class voyage across the ocean to England, followed by a harrowing experience at Ellis Island where immigrants are treated harshly, particularly single women who face sexual exploitation. An Irish woman’s lewd advice that she’ll have to pay for her good fortune doesn’t deter Alex. Her tenacity and love for Walt Whitman’s poetry help her navigate through these challenges relatively unscathed, with her pristine outfit—a coat with a fleece lining and light-gray color, and white embroidered stockings—miraculously remaining spotless throughout this journey.

Unfortunately, despite numerous cautions about New York City’s perils, Alex naively ventures into the women’s restroom at Grand Central Terminal. There, she is both robbed and brutally attacked by a man whose visage could be synonymous with “roughneck” in the lexicon. Having retained her ticket but little else, she frantically flees to the train, discovering that the station attendant was right – she is indeed sharing her carriage with an Irish woman and her offspring. (Except for Cara, the Irish endure a slight hardship in “1923”.)

I will not spoil Episode 5, but let’s just say her troubles are just beginning.

Alex, with her indomitable spirit and as much ill fortune as poor Lizzie, exemplifies the pioneer spirit in all its forms, even in a woman who decides to don white embroidered stockings and a neutral-toned ensemble consisting of silk and velvet for a transatlantic sea voyage. (To be truthful, no adult character on this side of “Downton Abbey” seems to have sparked such a strong interest in merchandise, and if someone could direct me to the source of her coat or the velvet skirt and vest, I would be most appreciative.)

As we approach the latter part of the season, I, much like any other unyielding viewer, yearn for Alex to reconnect with her partner Spencer. Yet, what excites me even more is the prospect of Alex joining Cara, Lizzie, and potentially Teonna at the Dutton ranch. Though Spencer proves his mettle in a fight, against such an impressive group of American women, not even the cunning Whitfield stands a chance.

And once the ranch is safe, maybe they could all open a cafe.

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2025-03-21 13:33

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