Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for 1923 season 2, episode 6.Timothy Dalton's Donald Whitfield subtly mocked James Bond at the same time as he mocked Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) in finale of 1923 season 2 approaches, Taylor Sheridan took a chance to poke a little fun at James Bond.

After hearing about Spencer receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service in World War I and working as a big game hunter in Africa, Banner Creighton was rightfully afraid of him. He tried to warn Whitfield, but Dalton's character dismissed him, saying "What can one man do?" Whitfield still sent men to intercept Spencer, but his words seem like a bit of ironic foreshadowing, as Spencer could easily end up killing him to protect the Yellowstone. Hidden in Whitfield's mockery of Spencer, however, there was also a bit of mockery at 007's expense.

Timothy Dalton’s 1923 Villain Mocking Spencer Dutton Is A Sly James Bond Commentary

Dalton Knows Exactly What One Man Can Do After Playing James Bond

The irony of Whitfield's "What can one man do?" comment likely wasn't lost on anyone who has seen Timothy Dalton's two films as James Bond: The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill. The entire James Bond franchise repeatedly proves that a single person can do anything, even save the world, and it's particularly funny for a former 007 like Dalton to play a character who takes the opposite view. Dalton is obviously playing a different character in 1923, but if anyone should know the power of a single man, it's an actor best known for playing the most famous super spy in film history.

Timothy Dalton’s Donald Whitfield Pushes One Of James Bond’s Signature Traits To Its Worst Extreme

Dalton's Perverse Sexual Habits Are A Darker Version Of James Bond's Womanizing

Whitfield's "one man" comments weren't the only way 1923 has riffed on Timothy Dalton's history with the James Bond franchise. One of the most prominent parts of 007's character throughout the decades has been his sexual escapades: Bond girls are as ubiquitous a part of the franchise as Blofeld or Monty Norman's iconic theme song. 1923 also flipped the Bond girls trope on its head by focusing on Whitfield's infatuation with sexual sadism and training Lindy (Madison Elise Rogers) to manipulate politicians. Whitfield is basically a more explicit version of Bond's constant womanizing taken to a perverse and vile extreme.

Donald Whitfield's sexual habits in comparison to James Bond also highlight why Timothy Dalton was the perfect actor to play the part in 1923. Dalton is a great actor, but the fact that he was a former 007 also adds to Whitfield's villainy. A lot of viewers would have expected Dalton to play a more heroic character, and even after that initial shock, it's still a bit unnerving to see James Bond torture women and threaten to destroy an entire family for a profit. 1923 basically cast a former James Bond actor as a James Bond villain, and it has worked wonderfully.