I watched 1883 for the first time and was shocked at how differently it affected me than Yellowstone

In the first third of 1883s In the premiere, you’ll see a burning wagon and a man burning down his house after losing his daughter and wife to smallpox. This sets the tone for the rest of the series about the ruthless origin story of the Dutton family as they find the ranch that eventually becomes Yellowstone. Now, as a fan of the series, Yellowstone showsI expect violence, brutality and devastation. However, when I watched 1883 for the first time, it hit differently than others in all these departments.

Isabel May on a horse with Tim McGraw on a horse behind her. — (Photo credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

The challenges faced by the characters of 1883 seem more realistic and lifelike

Overall, 1883 is by far the most brutal sight in Yellowstone, and that’s saying something. Yellowstone and its other spin-offs 1923 are violent and dramatic to the point that one must suspend one’s disbelief for a moment. However, 1883 The characters seem more grounded in reality and the challenges they face are simple but deadly. That’s why this series had a much stronger impact than Taylor Sheridan’s other westerns.

Most of the intense moments in this series focus on natural problems that would be easily solved or preventable in today’s world. For example, one of the most deadly events in the series was when the pioneer caravan had to cross a river.

Although there are bandit attacks and big actions, for the most part, the challenges in 1883 are grounded in reality and based on the daily difficulties encountered when crossing the country with nothing but carts, horses and cows.

There is no station yet to accommodate all those who have wronged the ranch, no one has been attacked by a lion or in a shipwreck in a single season. 1883s The drama is mainly focused on survival, and it seems much more realistic, which makes it much scarier.

Sam Elliott on a horse with LaMonica Garrett on a horse behind him.

(Photo credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

Can we take a minute to talk about the tragic but heroic story of Sam Elliott’s Shea?

As I mentioned at the beginning of the story, the series begins with a man burning down his house after his wife and daughter die of smallpox. That man is Shea, played by Sam Elliott, a Civil War veteran who helps lead a group of pioneers out West.

This opening scene takes place long before he meets the pioneers in Texas, and it forms the backbone of his story. Later in the series, when Elsa loses her first love Ennis (who was a farm hand who drove cattle with the group), Shea reveals that he is going to Oregon so he can take his wife to the ocean.

In the final moments of the series, we learn that Sam Elliott’s character has successfully reached the ocean, and the story ends with him shooting himself in the head.

Her story is truly tragic, but at the same time it forms a large part of the heart of 1883. When the families of the pioneer group lose loved ones, he feels that pain, and even though he tries to hide it, he is clearly affected by it. As a viewer, I could feel the weight Shea was carrying between his past and the pressure of bringing these people to Oregon. While he ultimately succeeds in his goal, it is not without great loss.

As for how fans viewed the show, Sam Elliott said he did not want 1883 feel like a Yellowstone spin off. And Shea’s story is one of the reasons why that’s not the case. Yes, it has obvious ties to the seminal Western, and it’s Dutton’s origin story. However, this project has its own raw voice, and part of that is reflected in the tragic and heroic story of Elliott’s character.

Isabel May covered with a blanket and sitting on a horse.

(Photo credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

No death in the Yellowstone universe hit harder than Elsa’s.

Speaking of tragic and heroic, while Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Sam Elliott are the first three names mentioned in the 1883 castingThe series really focuses on Elsa Dutton, played by Isabel May.

She is the eldest daughter of James (McGraw) and Margaret (Hill), and is the voice of the series.

As the caravan heads west, Elsa’s voiceover delivers a deep inner monologue about the lessons they learn and the challenges they struggle to overcome. At first, she was a bright-eyed girl, excited about what the world had to offer. By the end, she was a cowboy jaded by everything she’d been through.

Because of all of this, she was the character I connected with the most, so you can understand why I was broken when she died.

She didn’t die quickly either. Her death was spread out over an entire episode and change. We had to watch her slowly lose her strength, which meant we also had to watch her parents mourn her before she even died. Then, watching her take her last breath in her father’s arms under a tree that would eventually be on the Yellowstone ranch was heartbreaking.

In the grand scheme of things, Elsa’s death marked the beginning of the Dutton legacy we know, as the place where she died marked where they settled in Montana. However, it also marked the tragic end of that journey.

Although they technically succeeded with this series, James and Margaret lost a lot, and Elsa’s death was the final note of this terribly sad chapter.

Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Audie Rick standing in front of a group of train cars.

(Photo credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

Learning more about James and Margaret’s fate in 1923 makes the series even more brutal.

Besides breaking your heart as a whole, the following series has a line 1923that I also watched for the first time recently.

This spin-off follows James’ brother Jacob and his wife Cara years after the wagon trip.

Elsa narrates the beginning of the first episode, and we quickly learn that after James died and Margaret froze to death, Jacob and Cara had to step in to raise their sons, John Sr. and Spencer. As it turns out, they didn’t really live long after that initial journey, and their sons spent most of their lives without their parents.

So, the introduction to 1923 It’s like twisting a knife in the wound 1883 They left, making this adventure and what followed even more brutal. James and Margaret didn’t get to grow old on the land they worked so hard to build, and it adds to the questions they’ve been asking themselves throughout the series about whether this move was worth it.

Of course it does, because we know that the Dutton empire has been going for over 100 years. However, it breaks my heart to know for certain that the people who came all the way to Montana never got to see the fruits of their labor.

It is the culmination of all this that makes 1883 so deeply moving and tragic, and that’s why this series is so different from other series in the Yellowstone universe.

Now, while 1883 will not have season 2Dutton’s story will continue as Yellowstone Season 5B is preparing to premiere on the TV Schedule 2024 November 10. To rewind and watch James, Margaret, Elsa, Shea and company’s relentless journey west, you can stream 1883 with a Paramount+ Subscription.