If you enjoy raw adult westerns and have not seen Taylor Sheridan's latest now streaming on Paramount Plus, you are missing something truly special. It has been two years since I recommended a new TV series worth watching and five years since I saw a good western worthy of watching and even that series, Godless, streaming on Netflix, was not as high a caliber as this one.
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| Sam Elliott in the role of Shea Brennan. |
1883 is meant to be a prequel to the popular Yellowstone TV series, but you do not have to see Yellowstone to enjoy this gritty western. The series follows an earlier generation of the Dutton family as they journey from Fort Worth, Texas, to Montana, to establish a ranch and settle down in the savage country that has yet to be tamed. Their journey north and west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America as they fled poverty to seek a better future in America's promised land.
The cast includes Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sam Elliott, LaMonica Garrett and Isabel May -- the latter of whom provides the narration from her perspective. She sees the true beauty of the land while everyone else encounters hardship, venting complaints and shedding tears. In short, the story really focuses on her character, including her narratives that open and close each episode. While most of the cast have an authentic southern drawl, some have criticized her rendition but she has proven to be the breakout star of the series.
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| Isabel May playing the Elsa Dutton |
The scripts were apparently strong enough to convince a number of celebrity actors to make cameos including Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Hanks. Many in the cast expressed discomfort at the cold temperatures while filming on location in Montana. Faith Hill deemed filming as "the most physically and mentally challenging thing we have ever done." Star Sam Elliott also expressed at his age filming the scenes was difficult, but "we're getting it on screen and in the end that's what matters. This is really going to be something special." Elliott, no stranger to westerns, knew just what he was talking about.
While every actor plays their parts perfectly, with no acting flaws from a single member of the cast, it is Isabel May who steals the spotlight. Her quest for "authenticity" concerning no cosmetics or shaving of underarm hair was evident during certain scenes. Clothes are torn, worn and dirty. Authenticity was called for and the cast and crew spared no expense. One of my pet peeves when watching westerns is when a stagecoach or covered wagon rides across the prairie with a dirt road that was clearly made for that purpose but show no signs of wagon tracks. Here, the tracks are not only evident but deep from past rains.
A warning for those who are not fans of Westerns. The series is raw. A woman is scalped alive and you while the act is seen in the shadows, we are later exposed to the gruesome view complete with blood and bone. As one man said, watching the woman crying in pain, "I don't know the Lord's Prayer, but if there is a God, he will not keep you out of heaven for what I don't know. You deserve peace, and this ain't it." A moment later he pulls his gun and puts her out of her misery.
Considering this is the second or third TV series in ten years that I place on a list of recommendations, 1883 is truly a feast for anyone who seeks enjoyment.
