Dutton Romance
‘1923’s Spencer & Alex Are the Best Couple in the ‘Yellowstone’ Universe, Hands Down
Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) and Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) are the heart of the Yellowstone universe. They are the supreme Yellowstone couple. And, yes, I do mean it when I say they have a more captivating romance than Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip (Cole Hauser).
Look, Beth and Rip are great. We love a second chance romance. Rip loved her from afar for so long, just waiting for Beth to allow herself to be loved. However, her thirst for revenge ultimately overshadowed her romance. Beth was never someone to just let things go, so I can guarantee you Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) will still live rent-free in her brain long after he decomposes at the train station.
When you’re talking romance, no relationship in the Yellowstone universe can surpass Spencer and Alex. The Yellowstone spinoff, 1923, is by far creator Taylor Sheridan‘s best work in the universe, and it’s largely due to the romance subplot between Spencer and Alex. This relationship is written like a true romance novel; the passion bursts off the screen.
Emerson Miller / Paramount+
The moment they meet feels like a gravitational pull between two planets. Spencer had retreated into himself so much before Alex. She brings him out of the shadows and into the light. When Spencer says, “Dying is the most alive you’ll ever feel,” Alex responds, “You don’t see the romance in that?” That exchange seals their fates together forever.
Alex sees a full life of passion and adventure with Spencer compared to the half-life she was living before. This vibrant woman knows Spencer is her chance at a once-in-a-lifetime love. For Spencer, Alex is an awakening. She makes him want to live rather than just survive.
Spencer and Alex have challenged each other in ways neither of them thought possible. The privileged Alex is taken aback but enthralled by Spencer’s no-nonsense proposal. For Spencer, it’s simple. He wants to marry her. He doesn’t need a grand gesture to tell her that. Spencer knows what he wants. For Alex, he is the first person who actually makes her want to fight for what she wants.
They survive a pride of lions in Africa (and later a shipwreck), so they can really handle anything thrown at them. (Beth would absolutely get eaten by a lion because she would taunt them.) Once Alex gets a taste of life with Spencer and vice versa, nothing else compares. Also, their sex scenes on the beach? The imagery alone will make you cry (complimentary). Their love is visually represented in such a beautiful and lush way in Episode 4: It’s as unpredictable as the wind, as powerful as the ocean, and as bright and pure as the sun shining down on them.
Emerson Miller / Paramount+
So much of Spencer and Alex’s epic and all-consuming love story is built on the unparalleled chemistry between Sklenar and Schlaepfer. Their primal chemistry can’t be taught.
“There is no putting me back. We are one now. When the sun hits your face, I am your shadow. I go where you go, even if it’s the death of me,” Alex tells Spencer. Her love for Spencer has made Alex fearless when it comes to love. In a clear homage to Titanic, Spencer and Alex are torn apart after he’s banished from the ship for killing Alex’s scorned ex-lover in a duel. As he’s being rowed away, a devastated Alex yells out, “I will meet you in Bozeman, Montana!” The Countess of Sussex is not going to lose her soulmate like this, not in this life.
Their separation feels like stitches being ripped. You can feel it in their voices when they pledge to find each other. They’ll traverse the globe, face danger, and ruin lives just to be together. And that’s exactly what we want in a romance.
Even if these violent delights have violent ends, the legacy of Spencer and Alex’s love story will live on.
What are your thoughts on Spencer and Alex? Do you think they’re the best Yellowstone universe couple? Vote below and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
1923, Season 2 Premiere, February 23, Paramount+,
