Review of 1923

1923 (2022–2023)
6/10
Too dark, slow, and depressing with not enough payoff
26 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I'm seven episodes in at this point. Tried to give the series time to find its footing so that I could give a fair review. My overall opinion: Too much darkness, not enough light.

I keep watching mostly because of the big names involved and because I know the writer is a quality writer given what he did with 'Yellowstone.' But I find I don't get excited about new episodes; it feels like a chore to be completed versus a story you're excited to explore more.

The Indian vs Catholic storyline is relentlessly depressing. The violence and suffering and gore and sadness is too much to bear. I've resorted to fast-forwarding through a lot of the beatings and violent encounters; they all seem to end the same way. It's gratuitous, not needed to further the plot line at all. After seeing someone beat almost to death five times, you kind-of get the point.

The Dutton farm storyline is okay; the big actors make it interesting enough for I suppose, but it's somewhat underwhelming as a main storyline. You know it's setting up something but it takes glacial pace to get there.

Then there's the third leg of the story: Hunter Spencer and the annoying trollop he collected and made a wife. I can't stress how much I despise the latter character. First, she looks too young to be paired with the actor; second, the endless little sarcastic quips they've made her entire dialogue is beyond grating.

The only reasons to still tune in are 1) waiting to see the "hero" Spencer Dutton save his family and 2) waiting to see the Catholic terrorists get their comeuppance. The problem is the show is soooo sloooow in getting to either one.

I'm not sure if this is a show I'll desire to return to next season (if there is one). I just don't know if there's enough of a payoff to endure the overly-slow, overly-violent storylines.
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