1883

I quit watching Yellowstone because any semblance of humanity was gone on the show. Everyone simply tried to one-up the other for how ruthless and evil they could be. John Dutton and family are no better than any criminal element portrayed on the show. It became for me, a prime time soap opera.

Having said that the prequel 1883 is anything but. It is extremely well written and acted and beside people having beautiful write teeth and perfect complexions, I feel it accurately depicts the life that these pioneers experienced. The actors seem so natural in their roles, indicating a lot of effort has been taken to make it appear as authentic as possible. The writing is very good and in a much larger sense gets you into the psyche of a family who would knowingly enter into this arrangement to travel the Oregon Trail, knowing the risk. Life previously had to be hell in order for them to risk it all on a journey like this. I think the writing and dialog help to get the background as to why someone would take such drastic measures to try to find a better life.

It is so well done that I can only watch one episode at a time since each one is so full of emotion that it takes a minute to process.

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are surprisingly good and believable as a pioneering couple. The rest of the cast is terrific. The narration by the Dutton daughter really pulls it together.

Sam Elliott was born to play this role. He is fantastic!!! Just simply fantastic! Reminds me in some ways of when I watched Lonesome Dove and how I felt about Duvall and Jones, more so Duvall. I can't quite picture anyone else playing this part.

I hope 1923 is just as good.

No idea where the notion this is a top 100 show came from. The setting and cinematography is top notch, but nearly every other area is lacking any sense of professionalism. Trite and overdone story.

As a big Yellowstone fan I was really looking forward to 1883 and I was not disappointed! Taylor Sheridan has created another hit show! The cast was even better than I thought. I was a little worried about Tim McGraw and Faith Hill but they were both terrific. Sam Elliot was as great as always and Isabel May is a star in the making. For the people complaining about the language and violence...it's a show for adults so relax. I love everything about this show, the acting, writing, directing, production, cinematography, etc are all excellent!! If you're a fan of Yellowstone or even a western fan in general then this is a must watch!

Haven't seen Yellowstone yet. But started with this Mini-Series. I was emotionally blown away. It grabbed me and held me all night binge watching. This needs to be awarded Best Mini-Series at the Emmys for 2023. It also should give Isabel May Best Actress, Sam Elliott Best Actor, Faith Hill Best Supporting Actress, Tim McGraw or LaMonica Garrett as best Supporting Actor. The whole cast should be awarded Best Ensemble. The Writing should win as well as Direction. This Mini-Series was really nothing sort of a 10 - Total Perfection and realism. Very corse language, but that was how real life was back then. Violent? Yes. Gut Wrenching in parts? Yes, but again the trails going out west was not a joy ride, but an extreme challenge - I highly recommend this show and will continue on with 1923 and Yellowstone. To the Television Academy - Take notice for 2023. 1883 should do a sweep if you really do honor "Performances" instead of being "politically correct".

This recently became available, all ten episodes, on a set of four DVDs. I found the set at my public library. There is a scene in the first episode, as a large group of people and wagons are gathering, for their trek to the North and West. They are gathering on the Trinity River outside Fort Worth, Texas, and one person is offering condolences for the husband's death. She responds, "You can't believe in Heaven then be sad when people go there." I had never heard it put that way before.

As the end credits on each episode states, the stories were "inspired" by events of the 1880s as people from Eastern areas began to move out west. Many wanted to go to specific places, like Oregon or Washington. But some just wanted to go someplace new and figured they'd know it when they see it. As was the Dutton family from the woods of Tennessee. The stories portrayed had input from historians and are largely authentic to the time and the travels to settle the West.

I didn't see "Yellowstone" season four but the DVD extras talk about flashbacks that were the inspiration for "1883", intended to be the origin story of how the Dutton clan ended up settling where they did in Montana.

The 1880s as portrayed here are rough and dangerous. Steal a wallet and you might be hanged and shot. If you are found with small pox you are banished and you might as well find a nice river bank and lie down and wait to die. Traveling was dangerous, bands of thieves or aggressive Native tribes might steal your horses, kill you and scalp you and your family. Yet they persisted. Many perished along the way, some made it.

It is overall a big investment in time to watch all ten episodes but I did it over a week and found it to be a totally captivating and worthwhile show. A few extras on the 4-disc DVD set show a number of interesting "making of" features.