1923
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When it arrives, well tick off time in shots fired and lives lost electric moments of terrible consequence.
Its major developments were mostly relational, and some of the most promising story lines got unexpectedly short shrift.
To me, its rhythms remain unpredictable.
For example, I never could have guessed this episode would make so little time for Teonnas progress home.
Instead, shes the subject of the episodes cold open only.
Theyve yet even to send word to Teonnas father that shes escaped the nuns lethal clutches.
But shes also an old woman who posed no real threat.
The juxtaposition is powerful.
Its not her fault, though some applicantsaregalled to see a woman asking questions of a man.
But its a dangerous job that pulls men from their families in exchange for bad hours and dirt pay.
Its a miracle they find even the three good men they do.
So time is of the essence.
Theres activity to the south, too.
To prevent Jacob from making her a widow for how many bullets can one octogenarian survive?
Cara breaks her vow.
But when Jacob coldly turns his back on her, she makes the case more plainly.
Jack lost both his parents; Elizabeth functionally lost both her parents as well.
Hes not even in the running.
Looking sufficiently chastised, Jacob struggles to mount his horse and rides off into the metaphor.
But when he comes back, hes not so much contrite as collected.
This isnt about vengeance, he wants Mrs. Dutton to know.
Its actually an overdeveloped hero complex that drives him.
But in his rousing rant against progress, he stumbles onto something I struggled to unpack.
The men who build cities always send men like Banner first, he says.
But who are men like Banner to Jacob?
Isnt Banner just another, less lucky version of Jacob?
A sly and resourceful man who wanted to make a living from the land.
A man with his back up against the wall.
Perhaps the only person who can stop him starts the episode lost at sea.
Meanwhile, the show keeps dreaming up improbable ways for Alex to get fatally sunburnt.
He advises Spencer and Alex to avoid Ellis Island, which is overrun by disease.
(By 1924, it wont be an immigration-processing center but a detention center.)
The couple should try Galveston instead.
(I guess immigration law was more lenient a hundred years ago?)
Its a graceful and unexpected moment of television.
The eye of the storm.
Instead, Mr. and Mrs. Dutton dutifully commence making the babies Jacob is saving Montana for.
Theres a fine line between charming and cloying.
She hasnt slept much.
And theyre not the only Mr. and Mrs. Duttons to end the episode back in each others embrace.
The Duttons name themselves according to the same custom Teonna observed at the top of the episode.
The Duttons tick off time in generations.
