I've harped on about how much I love the Paramount Network's show Yellowstone on a number of different occasions and was a bit disappointed recently when I had thought I had another season to watch waiting in the virtual wings, only to discover that season 4 was in fact that last remaining available season. Season 5 is on the way, but I have to wait a while before I am going to be able to watch it.
Therefore, when I found out that there was a story that is meant to somehow become a prequel to Yellowstone called 1883 and it is made mostly by the same people who made Yellowstone I was delighted.
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The show is immediately captivating and contains amazing scenery just like Yellowstone but of course set in the year 1883. This show is about a group of people that are taking their wagons and heading west across what was at that time mostly unknown and lawless territory and the trials and tribulations that they would face along the way including bandits, a general lack of law, Indian tribes, and unforgiving terrain and weather.
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There are some big names in this but the person who will likely be most immediately identifiable is Sam Elliot, who is just perfect for any sort of cowboy role. Thankfully, they hadn't yet used him in Yellowstone because obviously we couldn't have any of the same actors from a show that takes place in modern times and also 150 years in the past.
I can't even imagine how difficult and expensive it must have been to make these episodes but it probably included the outright creation of old west looking towns from scratch as well as some really difficult to find remote locations throughout the United States.
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Although it is difficult to tell who the "main" character is in this series one of the standout performances is done by Tim McGraw as James Dutton. I don't know if you are terribly familiar with who Tim McGraw is and it would be perfectly acceptable if you don't. McGraw was originally a massive success as a country music star who slowly but surely transitioned into films mostly playing bit roles that were very forgettable. His first acting appearance was on The Jeff Foxworthy Show and years later he would play a supporting role in the hit The Blind Side. However, he was never truly considered an acting star despite the fact that he is one of the best-selling country musicians in the world.
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Another surprise addition to the lineup is Faith Hill who plays "Margaret." Faith Hill is also a top-selling country music star and just happens to be Tim McGraw's wife in real life.
The main story is about a wagon trail heading west but there are plenty of sub-plots that are also very interesting as well including the involvement of several of the members of the convoy and their involvement in the civil war. In one particular flashback we are introduced to a very surprising cameo that only lasts about 30 seconds and stars none other than Tom Hanks.
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When you see it you might get all giddy like I did an think to yourself "OMG! Is Hanks going to be in this as well?" but don't get your hopes up. Apparently McGraw is a long-time friend of Hanks and Tom did this one-off as a favor to a friend. There are other surprise cameos that happen as well including Billy Bob Thornton, who also is only a factor in the show for a minute or two.
So far I am 8 episodes in and out of those 8 I would say that only one of them was disappointing to me. It is what I would consider a "filler" episode where the entire near 1 hour is dedicated to the dangers of a tornado and very little else. The imagery is impressive, but for the most part I feel as though they had a specific number of episodes in mind and needed to come up with something to fill almost one of them. Other than that, I have been basically glued to the screen the entire time.
Should I watch it?
I feel the same way about this show as I do about Yellowstone in that the two of them might be some of the best, if not THE best series available on any streaming service right now so yeah, absolutely I recommend it. Currently it is available on Paramount Plus and the MTV network but I'm sure most of you out there are aware of many other ways to obtain these things without paying for them.
