Welcome back to the small screen, and you may remember during my bout of COVID, I had mentioned the influx of westerns on Stan and Paramount, including the Yellowstone prequels 1883 and 1923.
After watching four seasons, I was already fascinated by Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone, and there is a lot to like — and not like — about the show. Incredible casting of John Dutton (Kevin Costner), Kayce (Luke Grimes), Rip (Cole Hauser), Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and others, including Forrie J Smith who portrays old wheezy-but-wise cowpoke, Lloyd. There are also the strong and desireable women such as Kelsey Chow as Monica Dutton, Wendy Moniz (Governor Lynelle) and Kelly Rohrbach as Beth, John’s feisty daughter. Beth is quite a mess, but gives the impression of being able to handle anything.
Some might say it’s a sleazy interpretation of a western, with a series of plot lines which go nowhere fast. However, we find it a great show to watch — it’s like an old western, upgraded with mobile phones, big trucks, and assault weapons; along with greedy people trying to get their hands on some of the most amazing wilderness as the past confronts the future.
Some of the best scenes revolve around cowboys being cowboys, especially the strong bunkhouse personalities who learn to get along to make Yellowstone Ranch work. There are great shots of herds of cattle and wild horses.
Yellowstone is a hard act to follow, however in 1883 Taylor Sheridan catapulted us back in time to the final days of the wild west, at the cusp of the great industrialisation of the United States. In this chaotic time, native tribes held fast to vast parts of the territory in the hope of maintaining their ancestral rights, while pioneers traversed the deadly plains and dangers of nature. 1883 once again delivers an incredible cast with Sam Elliot phenomenal and Tim McGraw’s character a revelation. He is genuinely believable and relatable as a father and partner to Faith Hill’s character, as she also holds her own in the series. Miss Isabel May is where a true star is born: passionate, impressive, shocking and devastating. Her perspective guides the whole series, and you will find the rhythm of her story takes you with her on the journey. She imbues a confidence, intuition, humility and maturity beyond her age and is one of the best characters I’ve seen in a series in some time.
It’s worth watching to see her grow, and her family overcome some of the treacherous countryside. Highly recommended!
I then moved onto 1923 — another Taylor Sheridan series. This is a modern Western which follows the story of a young rancher who is struggling to hold onto his land and heritage in the face of various challenges. This also feels authentic, capturing the feeling of the American West in the early 20th century, not just the clothing and the horseback riding, but to the sprawling landscapes — a highlight of Sheridan’s shows. It has an ease of storytelling to it, but is a little slower than the previous shows. The cast is stellar, including Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren who form a comfortable chemistry as husband and wife throughout the series. Mirren’s character is an attractive blend of tough-as-old-boots, gun-toting cattle rancher and sympathetic matriarch; a fantastic complement to Ford’s stoicism.
Highly recommend all three shows found on Stan and Paramount. If there are any shows or movies you would like to be reviewed during the monthly screen time, please contact Kyra!
