If you’re one of the many who are saddened by the end of Taylor Sheridan’s flagship Paramount drama, Yellowstone, then we have some good news for you. As the Yellowstone universe continues through various spin-offs and prequels, one long-anticipated return is right around the corner: 1923 Season 2. Though the first season premiered in 2022, fans have anxiously been awaiting the second installment of Sheridan’s prequel drama, which is arguably the better of the filmmaker’s Dutton dramas. Starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren as Yellowstone Ranch caretakers Jacob and Cara Dutton, 1923 is an action-packed Western program you just won’t want to miss, and we can’t wait for its return this February.
‘1923’ Continues the Dutton Story Long Before ‘Yellowstone’
While the 10-part prequel series 1883 told the story of the Duttons’ initial venture from Texas to Montana — a story that ended in hopeful tragedy and doubled as a prophetic indicator of how Yellowstone itself would end — 1923 took things in a different direction. Picking up decades after the flashbacks to 1893 chronicled in Yellowstone’s fourth season, this “Yellowstone origin story” reestablishes all the familiar tropes of the flagship drama with a much-needed freshness that sets them apart. Yes, the Dutton Ranch is in operation. Yes, the bloodline is being preserved. And, of course, the land is being fought over during a time of immense poverty and suffering in the American West. But while Yellowstone itself was often bogged down by recycled plots and erratic characters, 1923 offers a far more likable ensemble, maintaining an emotionally rich narrative that feels leagues beyond the original program. Taylor Sheridan has clearly outdone himself here.
Whether you prefer the Duttons’ current patriarch/matriarch duo, Jacob and Cara — whose time-tested marriage is a taste of the Dutton Ranch we’ve long been craving — or the younger couples like Jack (Darren Mann) and Liz (Michelle Randolph) or separated sweethearts Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) and Alex (Julia Schlaepfer), it’s far easier to root for these Duttons than their descendants. Even so, there are plenty of compelling side characters beyond the Duttons as well, including foreman Zane Davis (Brian Geraghty), young Crow woman Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves), Gallatin County Sheriff William McDowell (Robert Patrick), and Crow shepherd Hank Plenty Clouds (Michael Greyeyes). Of course, we can’t forget to mention the series’ villainous Donald Whitfield, played to pure perfection by former 007 star Timothy Dalton. With such a fine cast, it’s no wonder that 1923 smashed Paramount+’s streaming records as the platform’s most-watched premiere back in 2022.
The ‘Yellowstone’ Prequel Chronicles an Often Untouched Portion of Montana His tory
There are other things that make 1923 stand out among its Yellowstone universe counterparts, as well — namely, its exploration of Montana’s relatively unknown history. While the rest of the country wouldn’t experience the Great Depression for the better part of a decade, Montana suffered its effects early. World War I had a particularly tough effect on the Treasure State, and many homesteaders left Montana behind following the Great War. Thus, Spencer Dutton’s post-war decision to leave Montana behind and travel the world makes perfect sense. The same is true of Jacob and Cara Dutton’s struggle to keep the land out of the hands of people like Whitfield, who would buy up these abandoned lots to build his own empire. In 1923, Taylor Sheridan masterfully crafts a Dutton-led journey that feels familiar while remaining its own separate story. All the best things about Yellowstone—such as the recurring themes, scenery, and tension between the Duttons and the rest of the world—remain in this prequel, which offers a fresh take on the usual Sheridan format.
In some ways, 1923 feels like a cross between a traditional Western and the neo-Westerns of more recent times. As the effects of progress begin to expand even to remote outposts like Paradise Valley, Montana, the Dutton’s traditional way of life is threatened, or at least subject to change. The fascinating contrast between the 21st century Duttons, who use modern technologies such as helicopters and cell phones, and their early 1900s counterparts is a powerful one. We know, just as Jacob and Cara do, that the world will continue to shift around them, and 1923 is just a blip in that natural progression leading to the days of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton.
‘1923’ Proves That the Yellowstone Universe Thrives as Historical Fiction
As was true of 1883, the second Yellowstone prequel is strong largely because it grounds itself in history. This is not limited to Montana’s own depression, however. Throughout the series, Teonna Rainwater struggles to find her place in this new world, as she escapes the Catholic boarding school she’d first been sent to and journeys to be reunited with the Crow people. The historical realities of young Native Americans who were taken from their home — something the TNT miniseries Into the West had chronicled before — is an important one that ought to be told, and 1923 does so with an uncomfortable faithfulness. Spencer Dutton’s post-war tour of the African wilderness also reflects the hunters and explorers popular in this age, but also hints at a darker conflict within him brought about by the Great War. Here’s hoping the second season dives into that a bit more, especially as he returns home to Montana.
Perhaps what makes the Yellowstone prequels so interesting is the way in which Taylor Sheridan pairs the Dutton legacy with actual historical accounts. The filmmaker himself played real-life rancher Charles Goodnight in 1883, and Tom Hanks likewise showed up as an authentic Civil War general. In 1923, Sheridan continues this tradition with Bruce Davison, who plays Prince Arthur, Earl of Sussex, and other historical figures who intersect with the Dutton story. Of course, the main Yellowstone series itself did this very thing, namely through real-life, Texas-based cowboys and ranchers. Nevertheless, this technique makes these prequels stand out, encouraging viewers to dive into a history book for themselves. Whether Season 2 of 1923 contains more of that or not, we couldn’t be more thrilled that the prequel series is returning soon.