REVIEW: 1883 is a Worthy Origin Story for Yellowstone’s Dutton Family
Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe ventures into the Western Frontier in the new prequel series, 1883, and what an addition the show is to the Sheridan Universe. A prequel to the hit Paramount+ series, 1883 follows James Dutton (Tim McGraw) as he attempts to move his family from poverty stricken Texas to a new future in Montana. Joined by cowboys, Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott) and Thomas (LaMonica Garrett), the journey is anything but easy as the family faces the Great Plains and its many, many deadly obstacles.
The nice thing about this prequel is it is a show you can easily watch without having to of watched Yellowstone. Besides the family name, the show has no direct connection to its predecessor. Sheridan makes sure to create a world where 1883 could stand alone, if need be. However, I highly recommend watching Yellowstone if you haven’t. As a fan of Yellowstone, watching the Duttons in 1883 compared to nowadays is a lot of fun. The show gives fans of the original series great insight on why the Yellowstone Duttons act the way they do, and react the way they do.
The other nice thing about the show is 1883 brings fans back to the Western Frontier and does not shy away from the hardships everyone faced during that time. Whether it be a look at the challenges Shea faces or the challenges Margaret faces. Sheridan does not turn a blind eye to the obstacles immigrants, and natives, were up against during that time as they attempted to find a place to call home.
McGraw leads the cast as patriarch, James Dutton and is perfect casting. Similar to Kevin Costner’s John Dutton in Yellowstone, this is a character you don’t want to mess with. He will do anything to protect his family, and McGraw brings a fierce, yet gentle when need be, nature to the character. His real life wife, Faith Hill, plays the matriarch of the family, Margaret Dutton, and gives us a great performance as the no nonsense mother. Fans will have no problem connecting Hill’s Margaret to Yellowstone’s, don’t mess with me, Beth (Kelly Reilly). But it is not just Margaret Dutton that fans will connect to Beth, but the Dutton daughter, Elsa (Isabel May). On the surface, it seems like McGraw, Sam Elliott, and Faith Hill’s characters are the leads of the show, but it is really May’s Elsa. After watching the first three episodes of the series, you learn that this is more so a story of Elsa’s journey to Montana more than it is any other character’s.
Elliott has been is no stranger to Westerns, but he has never had a LaMonica Garrett galloping alongside him. Elliott and Garrett are the perfect Cowboy pair in this series. Their characters carry enough mystery with them that fans will tune in every week just to see what the story has in store for their two characters, Shea and Thomas.
Whether you are a fan of Yellowstone or have never seen an episode before in your life, this is definitely a show worth checking out. Fans of Yellowstone will continue to tune in to see just how their favorite Montana family actually made it to Montana while others will tune in for a variety of other reason. The show brings together everything you love in a Western with great characters and a great story. The only downside to the show is you have to wait a week before the next episode airs.