1923′s Brandon Sklenar and Julia Schlaepfer Tease a Grueling Season 2 for Separated Soulmates Spencer and Alex — 2025 FIRST LOOK (Exclusive)
1923‘s Alex and Spencer really are better together than they are apart, as evidenced by a pair of exclusive new photos from the Paramount+ series’ upcoming Season 2.
(Oh, you thought these would be cute couple shots? Nope: The photos — which wrap up our month-long #2025FirstLook series — are singles of Brandon Sklenar and Julia Schlaepfer’s characters as they fight their way back to each other. And even though those two are excessively pretty people, things look rough.)
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The shot of Sklenar’s Spencer above, for instance, makes us think he’s preparing to fight at least one of the men surrounding him. Or maybe we’re just primed to expect violence, given how recent trailers have shown Spencer throwing a punch or two on his journey to reunite with Alex in Montana.
When TVLine chats with Sklenar, he confirms our suspicions. “I don’t think I’m spoiling anything,” he says, laughing. “I mean, it’d be pretty disappointing if he didn’t, if he just was a bit of a pacifist. If he was like, ‘No, guys. Can’t today. Let’s just talk this out.'”
Agreed — especially given how Jacob and Cara’s nephew ended Season 1. A quick reminder, in case you’re rusty: Newlyweds Spencer and Alexandra were surprised to run into Arthur, her former fiancé, on a ship bound for London. Tempers ran hot, and eventually, the two men were dueling on the deck. After Arthur lost, he came at Spencer with a gun; as Spencer defended himself, he wound up flipping Arthur over the railing and into the ocean, where he drowned. Spencer was put off the ship at the next port; without proof of their marriage, Alex was made to stay on board. They made hasty plans to meet in Bozeman, Mont., as soon as possible, then he was rowed away to shore. (Read a full recap.)
“He definitely encounters some strong resistance at pretty much every turn, and he deals with that the way he knows best,” Sklenar continues. He explains that while Season 1 might’ve hinted at what Spencer is capable of — and what brutality he might be trying to contain — we haven’t seen anything yet. “I can say that it’s definitely a lot of fun, as an actor, in playing him to finally take him to those places in the second season, and just trying to let the cat out of the bag and the lion out of the cage.”
He adds: “I think people are really going to enjoy it, because I definitely did.”
Meanwhile, Schlaepfer tells us, Alex is fighting different — though no less grueling — battles of her own on her way to the States.
“She makes that promise at the end of Season 1 that she will meet Spencer in Bozeman, and in her mind, she is going to do everything that she can to keep that promise,” she says. Still, the reality of being a female, solo traveler with limited resources might not line up with her expectations. “She’s always had Spencer by her side, so she’s always been protected and felt safe with him, even when they overcame incredible challenges in Season 1. I don’t think she quite knows, a the beginning of Season 2, just how scary the world can be, especially for a woman traveling alone.”
1923 Season 2: Everything We Know So Far
But also remember: This is a woman who has pretty much rolled with it when attacked by big game and shipwrecked in the middle of the ocean. She’s got layers, is all we’re saying.
“This season is all about testing her resilience and her strength, and she has to dig deep to find a level of grit that I don’t even think she knew she had,” Schlaepfer says. “But at the top of Season 2, she is determined to try her darndest to get to Bozeman to meet Spencer.”
1923 will return to Paramount+ for Season 2 on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. Until then, take a good look at the exclusive photos above, then hit the comments with your thoughts about Spencer, Alexandra and the rest of the Duttons!
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