If you ever have complaints about traveling these days, 1923 season 2 episode 3 is here to remind you how much worse it was 100 years ago.
Titled “Wrap Thee for Terror,” (my suggested alternate title is “Plains, Trains and Automobiles”) a large chunk of the episode focuses on Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) and her experiences, though Spencer (Brandon Sklenar), Jacob (Harrison Ford), Zane (Brian Geraghty) and even Kent (Jamie McShane) and Renaud (Sebastian Roche) have their own troubles.
Of course modern travel isn’t the only thing we should all be thankful for after watching this episode of 1923; how far we’ve come medically is a relief compared to some of the examinations and treatments rendered in this episode.
Read on to get the details on this with our recap of 1923 season 2 episode 3.
Welcome to New York
Pretty much half of the episode is devoted to Alex as she arrives in New York City. Though before she can take the next step to Montana, she must first go through immigration processing on Ellis Island, the famed entryway many used in the early 20th century coming to America. But the historic halls don’t roll out the red carpet.
She is forced to go through multiple medical examinations that are actually quite demeaning — at one point she even gets punched in the stomach for possibly being a bit too cute with a response — and at times unsanitary, including a doctor examining her private areas without gloves. Ultimately, the doctor’s discover she is pregnant. That could mean deportation, as Alex learned from others as she was waiting, as its assumed she wouldn’t be able to work. Another woman tells Alex she can always bribe the officials or trade what nature gave her to secure her entry into the country, but as we know Alex, that’s not something she’ll lower herself to do.
At long last, Alex sees the immigration official (Mike Mizwicki) that will decide her fate. With no marriage license to show, the man doesn’t believe Alex is actually heading to Montana to meet up with her husband, calling it a dime store fiction. If she wants to get in she has to show she can work. When the man tests to see if she can read, Alex has finally had enough. Given a Walt Whitman book, instead of just reading the beginning she finds a particular passage to show up the man. She then calls out he has lipstick from one of the woman he previously interviewed, with Alex advising he wipe it off before going home to his wife. Having been sufficiently shown up, the official approves Alex’s entry.
Of course getting into America was just step one, now she has to figure out how to get to Montana. Though she meets a kind vendor who gives her a map and gets her a cab to Grand Central Terminal, he also warns her about the dangers of the city, particularly those looking to steal what she has. The same happens at the train station, as the salesman offers some helpful tips about her route and staying safe until she boards the train.
They also try to tell Alex how cold it is going to be in Montana, but she continuously brushes them off, confident England’s cold is comparable. As we’ve seen from everything going on in Montana, Alex is probably in for a rude awakening on that front.
The cold hard truth
Experiencing that kind of cold first-hand is Jacob and the rest of the cowboys on their way back from Boseman. Though they survived the night in the wagon, they need to find the horses and get a fire going so they don’t freeze. Though briefly suggesting they leave him behind, Zane tells Jacob to use the wagon for fire wood, as he’ll tough it out and sit a horse the rest of the way to the ranch.
At the ranch, Cara (Helen Mirren), who killed the rabid wolf, now has to give some hard lessons to Elizabeth (Michelle Randolph), who still fights getting the rabies shot. Cara gives her a good slap and tells her the alternative is being shot when the rabies drive her mad, admonishing her to start acting like a grown woman. Elizabeth relents, but shows she still has some spirit by standing to receive the shot.
Thankfully the doctor is still at the ranch when Jacob and company arrive with Zane. The doctor diagnoses Zane as suffering from a subdural hematoma, a swelling in his brain, which needs to be drained or it will kill him. However, the doctor doesn’t have any anesthesia on him, so Zane will have to go through the procedure awake and feeling all the pain.
Jack( Darren Mann), meanwhile, is faced with some emotional pain, as he finds Elizabeth packing to head back to Boston. She doesn’t want this kind of life and if Jack wants to remain her husband he needs to come with her to Boston. When it’s time for another shot from Cara, Elizabeth counts down its just eight more shots until she can leave.
Cops and robbers
We get a quick check with Runs His Horse (Michael Spears) as he finds the rancher who not only gives him, Teonna and Pete permission to camp, but offers them a wage if they help keep track of the cattle as they move across the plains. Good deal all around for now.
Things aren’t so rosy for their pursuers, Kent and Renaud. The tribe that Kent has been antagonizing gets Marshal Fossett (Jennifer Carpenter) to come investigate the scene where Kent killed the boys who attacked in the night. Discovering tracks going east, Fossett urges the tribe to leave it to her so justice can be served, but the tribe isn’t interested in justice, they want vengeance. So it’ll be a question of who finds Kent and Renaud — who set off on a new course toward Mexico in search of Teonna — first.
The law also becomes an issue for Spencer and Luca (Andy Dispensa). As they’re driving, Spencer notices a road block ahead. He stops the car and gets a closer look on foot, seeing these aren’t the kind of officers you can bribe. They search for a different way to Fort Worth, but Spencer decides they need to ditch the truck, not wanting to risk his life for booze. Luca, however, isn’t going to let down his cousin, despite Spencer’s pleas for him to forget it. They go their separate ways, but as Spencer is walking he hears gunfire. Sure enough, Luca was not able to bribe the officers, and when he opts for violence they end up killing him.
The episode ends with Alex narrating a letter to Spencer, saying she is on her way to Billings and thinks in a week she’ll be at the ranch. She hopes they’re done proving how much they love each other, and wonders what more calamities they could face? On cue, as Alex goes to the ladies room to refresh, a man that has all the trappings of a thief eyes her and follows her in, almost certainly looking to rob her.
New episodes of 1923 season 2 premiere Sundays on Paramount Plus.