'1883' Episode 1 Review: A grim, electrifying start to the Dutton origin exploration
Spoilers for '1883' Episode 1
'1883' finally had its highly anticipated premiere on Paramount+ and fans of 'Yellowstone' can let out a gasp of excitement with them getting to watch it at last! The prequel to the hit Kevin Coster series was announced at the start of the year and has had audience attention ever since then.
The series will explore the origin story of the Dutton family that we know and love and how they came to be in Montana. We will see the 19th Century ancestors - James (Tim McGraw) and Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill) along with their families, set out in search of a better future and try and leave behind their life of poverty. The journey from Texas to Montana will have them overcome the Great Plains that are filled with danger that lurks about. Read on to know what we thought of the first episode and some of the happenings in the premiere.
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Right of the bat '1883' gives us a taste of the jeopardy that awaits those crossing the Great Plains as we are met by a blonde girl who narrates how the area is like hell and there are demons everywhere. Circumstances force her to become one of those demons as she kills the men who murdered their troop with the precedence for peril being set. We are then met by Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott) who is distraught after a disease takes away his wife and daughter and burns down their house with their bodies. The prequel brings to light the stark difference in times as we see a curable disease take away lives back then.
The premiere also introduces us to James Dutton and his wife Margaret who are looking for a better future. The couple is played by real-life husband and wife Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, marking the first time they've worked together in their 20 years of partnership. This long period translates beautifully on screen with their chemistry palpable. Sam Eliott is brilliant with his character having a soft interior but a tough-as-nails attitude. Texas in 1883 is a sight to see with Taylor Sheridan's vision shining through. You can see the dedication that has gone into perfecting the settings and characters. One thing you can count on is picturesque scenery and '1883' just like Yellowstone delivers well in this aspect. Relative new actress Isabel May who plays Elsa Dutton, James's daughter is one to look out for as her adaption of the free-spirited, optimistic and inquisitive character is done very naturally. Elsa is the one who narrates parts of the episode and is the blonde we saw in the beginning. The stark difference between the start and the end that is to come is quite exciting and we can't wait to see the circumstances that make her into the hard lady we saw at the beginning.
From smallpox-induced deaths, merciless looters to old-timey vibes and killing in the streets, '1883' is a grim yet exciting start to the exploration of the origins of the Duttons. The real danger is just beginning and it's going to be one hell of a journey to the promised land.
'1883' is now streaming on Paramount+ with new episodes to drop weekly.