MOVIE NEWS – As 1923 gears up for its second season premiere on Paramount+ on February 23, 2025, many viewers are growing increasingly concerned over the show’s darker elements. Taylor Sheridan, the mastermind behind the Yellowstone universe, has never shied away from brutal storytelling, but the depiction of Donald Whitfield’s depraved sexual tendencies has sparked widespread backlash. Timothy Dalton, best known for his suave portrayal of James Bond in the 1980s, now plays what might be one of television’s most repulsive characters.

If Whitfield’s twisted behaviors continue unchecked, many fans are ready to abandon the show altogether. While it’s one thing to establish a character’s immoral and disturbing tendencies, the level of excessive, violent sadomasochism seen in Season 2, Episode 1, “The Killing Season”, crosses a line for many. This isn’t just one critic’s take—Reddit threads have been flooded with complaints from viewers who are sickened by Whitfield’s on-screen atrocities. Many are now calling for the character’s storyline to be significantly toned down or removed entirely.

Donald Whitfield: From Ruthless Businessman to Deranged Predator

First introduced in 1923 Season 1, Episode 4, “War and the Turquoise Tide”, Donald Whitfield (Dalton) is a powerful business magnate who wields immense influence and wealth. Used to getting whatever he desires, Whitfield is a man devoid of ethics, using his arrogance and unshakable confidence to impose his will on others. One of his primary conflicts is with Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn), a Scottish shepherd determined to challenge the Dutton family’s control over their ranch.

As Whitfield and Creighton form an uneasy alliance against the Duttons, the former’s disturbing personality traits begin to surface. Season 1 already hinted at his perversions, showing him engaging in humiliating, sadomasochistic encounters with sex workers—acts designed to highlight his obsession with power and control. However, many fans believe these scenes have gone from establishing character depth to being gratuitously grotesque. As one Reddit user wittily put it, “Timothy Dalton went from James Bond to James BONDage.”

Season 2 Doubles Down on the Shock Factor

In Season 1, Episode 8, “Nothing Left to Lose”, Whitfield was already depicted engaging in degrading acts with young sex workers. Following the episode, viewers took to Reddit to voice their disgust, with many stating they actively skipped through those sequences.

Given the widespread backlash, some assumed that Sheridan would scale back on these elements in Season 2. Instead, the first episode of the new season, “The Killing Season”, opens with even more graphic and disturbing content. Within the first 20 minutes, Whitfield is shown subjecting another woman to horrific abuse. The internet’s reaction has been overwhelmingly negative, with many questioning the necessity of such extreme depictions.

How Far Is Too Far?

Without diving into explicit spoilers, Whitfield’s latest sadistic act is essentially on the verge of sexual assault. Holding a woman captive as if she were a hostage, he engages in a level of brutality that many viewers find unwatchable. Timothy Dalton’s performance remains as chilling as ever, but even his talents aren’t enough to justify the sheer level of discomfort these scenes create. One female viewer expressed her frustration on Reddit, saying:

“I’m in my 30s, and I’ve reached a point where I have no desire to watch women being abused on screen. It adds nothing to the story—it just makes me wonder who actually enjoys writing and filming this.”

Another user echoed this sentiment in a different discussion thread:

“That whole storyline with Tim Dalton’s character and those girls is disgusting and unnecessary. I skipped through it, but if there’s more of this, I might just drop the show entirely—even though I really want to see Spencer come back and help Cara.”

“If they keep dedicating entire segments to Whitfield abusing young women, that tells me one of two things: (a) this is going to play a significant role in the main plot later (which is deeply unsettling), or (b) Taylor Sheridan is just indulging himself again with these kinds of violent, exploitative scenes. Either way, it’s making me seriously question whether I want to keep watching.”

Whether these scenes serve a broader narrative function or simply exist for shock value, one thing is certain: Whitfield’s hyper-violent sexual abuse has become a major issue for fans. Many are calling for the show to shift its focus away from these relentless, disturbing sequences and return to the gripping storytelling that made Yellowstone and its spin-offs so successful.

1923 is available for streaming on Paramount+.

Source: MovieWeb