War and the Turquoise Tide

Greetings from Lithuania.

Last two episodes of "1923" touched the greatness. Everything worked on a highest orders: storytelling, acting, cinematography, directing. Writing was superb as usual. At this point in the series i can say that i prefer 1923 over 183 so far - it is that good.

The setting in Africa and cinematography reminded of Terrenc Mallicks works - they are breathtaking. Every storyline so far is highly involving, and brutal in its own way. Acting by Aminah Nieves is very strong - so far she is one of the leads i think.

Overall, 1923 so far is better then great - last two episode touched the greatness.

1923 is good but, still not great. 1883 remains the superior show and curiously enough, it has to do with the ROMANCE NOVEL silliness of Spencer and Alex. It's not believable because it feels so forced-YOU MUST LOVE THIS COUPLE!!-SEE THEIR CHEMISTRY??!!. It's way too forced...like something out of an afternoon soap opera.

1883 has the perils of the Oregan trail and all the different interpersonal relationships going for it. I watch 1923 and I start missing James, Margaret, Elsa and Shea-As well as Thomas, Wade and Ennis, Sam. I watch 1923 and chuckle through the corny soap opera romance between Spencer and Alex-Who have no chemistry which is why it's being oversold.

It's all out war now between Cara Dutton and Bannon. Timothy Dalton enters the series as Bannon's wealthy backer whose greedy interests lie in the riches of the surrounding mountains. Teonna finally finds a better use for a stack of bibles. Spencer and Alex find themselves on a seaside coast of Africa somewhere, enjoying an idyllic romance of sun, sand and waves. Sheridan series is hitting its stride now and this episode does not disappoint. His clever use of slightly shifted timelines makes for a blockbuster closing sequence with Spencer and Alex. If the closing graphic is accurate, it appears we will have to wait a full month for the next episode.

A good story but the portrayal of nuns is so over the top that it isn't even believable. Cringy to say the least. It seems like the producers are trying to pander to the Indigenous cause so much that they make the religious sisters so demonic that it is unbelievable. At least in most of the Yellowstone episodes, there is lot of grey mostly portraying two sides to anything, but believable. Here they go to such extremes to paint the religious as evil that it takes away from the plot. When they try too hard to portray someone as a victim, it takes away from the point they are trying to make. Cringy artistic license.

Anyone who thinks Taylor Sheridan's portrayal of the draconian behaviour of the "sisters of mercy" is over-the-top has clearly never attended a convent school.

I was at convent school for a year in 1964/5 courtesy of my Roman Catholic grandmother and while, granted, the education I received did set me up for a scholarship at a good grammar school and, for the most part, the nuns were kind and considerate, there was one sister who was borderline psychotic. She was very fond of battering ten-year olds across the back of the hands with a metal edged ruler and on one occasion, my parent were forced to "have a word" because they felt they were paying fees for education, not for torture.

My wife, too, was convent-educated and more than once ran away from the school when she was denied a drink of water by the "well-meaning" nuns.

So I would have no problem with Sheridan's portrayal of nuns, especially in view of what's come to light around how the Catholic church treated unwed mothers in Ireland as recently as the 1950s.

That aside, 1923 continues to be a riveting watch, almost - but not quite - as good as 1883. But then, I'm only on episode 5, so there's every opportunity for Sheridan to knock it out of the park in the last few episodes and elevate my score of 9 to 10.