Premise
The Paramount+ series 1883 is a prequel to the smash hit show Yellowstone which is currently airing on the Paramount Network, and streaming on Peacock. If you aren’t familiar with Yellowstone, it chronicles the Dutton family, who own a large swath of land outside Yellowstone National Park, the Dutton Yellowstone Ranch.
This swath of land is the most valuable undeveloped land in the United States. John Dutton III (Kevin Costner) and his children battle the outside world, as well as themselves for control of land that is worth billions, using legal and illegal means to do so. The show is basically The Godfather on a cattle ranch.
Taking place nearly 140 years before Yellowstone, the Taylor Sheridan created series 1883 chronicles the lives of the Dutton family who make their way from Tennessee to Portland, Oregon. Fans of Yellowstone know that the Dutton Yellowstone Ranch, the main setting of the original series, was founded in Montana in 1886. At the end of the first season of 1883, the groundwork is laid for what is to come if there’s a second season.
Story
James Dutton (Tim McGraw), an ex-soldier in the Confederate Army from Tennessee, embarks on a journey West with his family. This includes Margaret (Faith Hill), his teenage daughter Elsa (Isabel May), and his young son John (Audie Rick). When they arrive in Dallas, Texas they join up with two Pinkerton men, Shea Brenna (Sam Elliott) and Thomas (LaMonica Garrett), an African American man that served under Shea in the Union Army during the Civil War.
Shea and Thomas are tasked with taking a caravan of German families across the unsettled lands of the American West to their final destination in Portland, Oregon. The Dutton’s hitch along for the ride. On the journey, they face Native American tribes, bandits, and the dangers of Mother Nature.
Cast
The cast of 1883 is top-notch. They do a first-rate job in the acting department from top to bottom. Much like Yellowstone, this prequel series features a very diverse cast. This includes a substantial amount of roles for racial minorities, although the cast is primarily Caucasian on both shows.
One of the standouts in 1883 is Isabel Mae, whose Elsa is the main character of the series. She shows great range and really shines. Real-life married couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill also do a great job considering they are Country singers and not trained actors like the other leads. Another standout performance is by Martin Senesmeier, an Alaskan native. He plays Sam, a Comanche warrior, and one of Elsa’s romantic interests.
One of the best things about 1883 is the “big name” cameos that show up throughout the first season. All of these screen appearances are under 10 minutes in total screen time and a pleasure to watch. Billy Bob Thornton, Tom Hanks, and his wife Rita Wilson all make brief appearances in the show.
Criticism
The “world-building” and production value aspects of 1883 are excellent, especially the cinematography, However, the one area where the show falters is the pacing. At times, it can be slow as molasses. There are several episodes where not much happens. Further, the monotone narration by Elsa, as well as the slow, melodic music, amplifies the boringness on the screen.
1883 opens with a “flash-forward” to a great battle scene between the pioneers and the Lakota tribe. This was obviously done to draw viewers in as a “hook.” However, the resolution of the battle isn’t shown until eight episodes later. With the exception of a few scenes peppered through the episodes in between, most notably a shootout in a saloon involving a sheriff played by Billy Bob Thornton, there isn’t much action.
The content of this season feels padded. As a result, the story told during this first season of 1883 could easily have occurred in half as many episodes. Although Yellowstone isn’t action-packed, that series is paced much better than 1883. Further, that show always feels like the story and characters are moving forward, unlike this prequel.
Conflict and Race
Another aspect of 1883 that could be considered a flaw is the lack of conflict the characters have about their differences. For the most part, everybody just gets along with each other. Differences between people don’t seem to matter. Former Union soldiers get along with former Confederate soldiers.
Additionally, race doesn’t seem to matter to the main characters either. Even interracial relationships aren’t considered controversial during this time period. One can argue that this is a progressive ideal that we wish would have been. However, given how much this show strives for realism in all other aspects, it just seems off-kilter. Especially given that racial conflicts occur today both in real life and on Yellowstone.
Tie-Ins to Yellowstone and 1932
There is another Yellowstone prequel series that is on the way, 1932. This will likely chronicle the lives of the Dutton family with a grown-up version of the John Dutton Sr. featured in 1883. This character is the grandfather of Costner’s John Dutton III. Presumably, John Dutton Jr., played by Dabney Coleman in an episode of Yellowstone, will be a young child in this new series.
Conclusion
Although the pace of 1883 is slow, the acting, story, and production values are all top-notch. If you are a fan of Yellowstone, then this prequel series is certainly worth checking out as an origin story. 1883 is currently available to stream on Paramount+.
