ParamountThe return of 1923 may be the hottest ticket on TV right now, but let’s not forget that Taylor Sheridan already made his best Yellowstone spinoff.
1923 has a lot going for it. There’s Harrison Ford being a signature grump (but with a cowboy hat this time), Helen Mirren leading the charge, and a lion-hunting Dutton. Yet, while this ‘20s-set piece of Dutton family history is cool on the surface, it’s not the best of the bunch.
And no, we’re not referring to the original Yellowstone series. Sheridan’s flagship series was wildly entertaining in its own right, but there’s only one spinoff that actually proves the Dutton creator still has the chops to create something impactful.
We’re talking, of course, about 1883: A Yellowstone Origin Story.
1883 is a great Western in itself
For those uninitiated in the Yellowstone timeline, 1883 is the first prequel series and spinoff of the original main series. It takes place in (you guessed it) 1883, following young Elsa Dutton (Isabel May) as she and her family leave their home in Tennessee to find a new life and new land.
ParamountElsa is optimistic about the journey in a way only a young girl on the brink of womanhood can be, but the journey turns out to be far more dangerous than she could have imagined.
As they join a wagon trail of European immigrants led by the grief-stricken and ruthless Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott), Elsa learns to be one with the land, all while everyone around her tries not to get killed by it.
The story of 1883 is already worthy of even the best Westerns, and it doesn’t miss a chance to make the most of its setting. Bandits, wild animals, and freak accidents all get in their way, with one river crossing sequence in Episode 4 serving as the best scene in any Yellowstone series to date.
It’s a tough world out there, and the Duttons don’t have helicopters and a ranch full of hands to help them survive this time. James Dutton (Tim McGraw) and his clan have to rely on their wits, their instincts, and each other to get from one side of the country to the other.
No Yellowstone show, 1923 included, has managed to make such simple stakes feel so terribly real.
It does the one thing Yellowstone could never do (and 1923 hasn’t done)
Yellowstone is all well and good for some intense land battles, brutal deaths, and family drama, and 1923 is still pretty satisfying when it comes to historical ranch drama, but neither of them has accomplished what 1993 did: making me cry – multiple times.
Paramount1883 found success in people we could root for, from simple secondary characters to Elsa and her family. But the heart and soul of this spinoff lies in Elliott’s Shea, who begins the series as a broken man with a shattered heart, and finds some healing by the end (but only just a little).
Just as the journey demands, 1883 is filled with sacrifice and death, and each moment hits as hard as the last. One scene in which Shea comforts Elsa by telling her about his plans to grant his wife’s dying wish, is an example of Sheridan’s best writing: raw, heartfelt, and something an actor can work with.
Yes, Yellowstone has its emotional moments (more so than 1923). But when Elsa Dutton and co. have been through hell and back simply trying to cross over from one state to the other, every tear feels earned.
Less is more when it comes to Yellowstone
The magic of 1883 is made all the more impressive when you remember it’s only 10 episodes long. In that span, Sheridan establishes fruitful characters, dangerous stakes, and a beginning, middle, and end. It’s a masterclass in making a miniseries.
Paramount+Yellowstone likely had another few seasons in the bag before its future was derailed by Kevin Costner’s exit. The show wrapped up in six episodes, the majority of which felt unsatisfying and rushed.
On the other hand, 1923 is only planned for two seasons, but neither of these managed to accomplish the fine storytelling achieved in 1883’s tiny run.
So what does the success of 1883 tell us? Not that we need more Yellowstone prequels, or that Sam Elliott needs to be in all of them. All it tells us is that Taylor Sheridan’s universe works best when the Duttons are outside their comfort zone.
Not battling greedy landowners and financial hardship – they’re well-versed in all that – but in simply surviving in the very land they’ve been trying to protect. That’s the Dutton way.
1923 Season 2 premieres on February 23 on Paramount Plus. Until then, check out our guide to all the most emotional Yellowstone moments. You can also take a look at the best Western TV shows, and find out what new TV shows are airing this month.
