Taylor Sheridan’s Paramount+ series1923has just begun airing its second and final season, continuing another impressive addition to Taylor Sheridan’s Western series empire. While the original series of the bunch,Yellowstone, has now ended, the Dutton family’s story continues in the second season of 1923. The prequel series naturally takes a more rugged and historical approach compared to its predecessor, which works perfectly to round out theDutton family’s history.
1923’s castsees the main actors, including Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford, return to their roles as a past generation of Dutton ranchers attempting to protect their property as they go through various personal and professional hardships. Unsurprisingly, the new season of1923has received outstanding reviews, and audiences are already looking forward to the rest of the season and future spinoffs. However, while viewers wait for a new episode each week, there are several other great Western shows for audiences to enjoy.
Hell on Wheels
Cast
After the Civil War, Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon pursues vengeance against Union soldiers who killed his wife. His journey brings him to “Hell on Wheels,” a chaotic and dangerous town traveling with the first transcontinental railroad’s construction—a groundbreaking engineering achievement.
Hell on Wheelsis another Western period drama that serves to underline how difficult surviving and finding one’s place in the American West can be, similarly to1923. The series follows Cullen Bohannon, who joins the laborers traveling west while building the Union Pacific Railroad. Initially, Bohannon is seeking revenge on the individuals who murdered his wife, but as the series progresses, his situation and motives change as the railroad moves west.
Like1923, the series deals with various characters trying to take or maintain power while dealing with their own personal and emotional turmoils as well.
Hell on Wheelsis a little more gritty and violent than1923, but both shows do actually focus on many of the same themes. Like1923, the series deals with various characters trying to take or maintain power while dealing with their own personal and emotional turmoils as well.The show is full of great performances, and the movement and uncertainty of the railroad and its traveling town adds an interesting layerto the dynamics of the show and its depiction of the West. Luckily,Hell on Wheelsran for five seasons, giving audiences plenty to enjoy.
Justified
Justified: Justified is a character drama series based on Elmore Leonard’s 2001 short story “Fire in the Hole.” Premiering in 2010, it follows U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens in Kentucky, as he navigates his high-stakes job and tumultuous relationships with his ex-wife and father.
Justifiedis a very interesting neo-Western series because of how it combines the sensibilities of the Western genre with the more typical crime drama elements of its plot. The series follows Deputy U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) as he is relocated from Miami to Harlan County, Kentucky following his shooting of a mob hitman. Upon returning to his home county,Givens uses his cowboy-like style to combat the crimes that he encounters there, often dealing with different crime families throughout the show’s six seasons.
WhileJustifiedfinished its run in 2015, a limited revival series,Justified: City Primeval,was released in 2023 to positive reviews.
Despite the notably different approach to the Western genre, fans of1923will enjoyJustifiedbecause of how muchGivens feels like a great Western character who could belong in1923. Like the Duttons, Givens' approach to solving problems may not always align with his office’s guidelines, but he is able to solve problems nonetheless with his own cowboy methods.Justifiedalso received critical acclaim across its six seasons, with its lowestRotten Tomatoesscore being 93% (seasons 2, 4, and 6 each received 100%), proving how great the series is.
Joe Pickett
Based on CJ Box’s novel series, Joe Pickett is a Western crime-drama television series created for Paramount. Joe Picket, the game warden of Saddlestring, WY, decides to investigate the death of a local poacher to protect his family. Pickett’s investigation bears fruit, but the community’s dark secrets are slowly unearthed, putting Joe and his family in danger.
While the Duttons attempt to protect their own interests throughoutYellowstone, 1883, and1923, the Paramount+ seriesJoe Pickettaddresses a very similar location and themes from a contrasting perspective.Joe Pickettfollows the titular character as he moves to Saddlestring, Wyoming, to become the area’s new game warden.The show is just as intense as1923, and it includes a deadly conspiracy that deals with the conflicting interests of those wanting to get hold of the natural resources present in the area.
Because the series is told from the perspective of a character who would be somewhat of an antagonist to the Duttons,Joe Pickettcreates an interesting and very dramatic version of how sinister plays for land can be. At the same time, the series focuses on the importance of Pickett’s family, which often contrasts with his commitment to his job in a similar way to what can be seen throughout theYellowstonefranchise.
Bonanza
Bonanza is a classic television Western that aired from 1959 to 1973, centering on the wealthy Cartwright family who operate a vast ranch named the Ponderosa. Starring Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright, the series follows the family’s adventures and struggles in the Nevada Territory during the mid-19th century. Each episode features various challenges related to family dynamics, local disputes, and broader social issues of the time.
Despite being off the air for over 50 years now,Bonanzais still a classic and well-loved Western. While Taylor Sheridan’s Western shows are much more modern and present the American West in a different way than the older shows, there is undeniably more than a grain of inspiration taken fromBonanzaand shows like it. The series follows the Cartwright family as they go through various life events and tend to their ranch, the Ponderosa, and with over 400 episodes, the show explored a lot of content.
1923 Season 2 Reveals A Shocking Detail About The Dutton Family Losing The Ranch Before Kevin Costner’s John Dutton
1923 season 2 had some massive surprises in store, but one of the biggest changed the entire history of the Dutton family and the Yellowstone ranch.
Where1923and Sheridan’s other shows feel most similar to Bonanza is also where the show differs from many other classic Westerns. Rather than focusing solely on the adventures and dangers of the American West during the 19th century,the series incorporated a lot more drama and often addressed social issue of the time. Bonanza had many different storylines and years to bring them to completion, meaning that the series also has plenty of time to explore the relationships of its main characters to the series' benefit.
Godless
Godless, released in 2017, is a western drama series that follows a notorious outlaw seeking revenge on a former gang member. The series is set in a unique town inhabited solely by women, where the past catches up with the peaceful community amidst the harsh backdrop of the American West.
Cara Dutton is arguably one of the best characters in1923, andfor audiences who enjoy very strong female characters who can be just as brutal as their male counterparts,Godlessis a great show like1923. While the period setting of the series implies that women may play smaller roles than men, as has been the case in the majority of period Westerns,Godless’s ensemble cast features an impressive number of women, and the show is the better for it.
Why Elsa Dutton Narrates Yellowstone’s Prequels But Not Kevin Costner’s Series
Isabel May’s narration as Elsa Dutton is perfect for Taylor Sheridan’s 1883 and 1923 prequels but not Yellowstone for one considerable reason.
Set in 1884,Godlesscenters on a young outlaw attempting to escape from his past and his violent mentor. However, his attempt to escape lands him in the small town of La Belle, New Mexico, which is almost entirely inhabited by women due to a mining accident. The series explores the lives of the women while also showing how the actions of the outlaw and the violence that follows him impact them all. The miniseries received positive reviews which focused on the performances and the entertaining plot, and it is arguably one of thebest Western shows of recent years.
The English
A woman seeks revenge against the man she believes is responsible for the death of her son.
The Englishis a 2022 Western miniseries starring Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer as an unlikely pair who team up to make their way West in order for her to take revenge for the death of her son and for him to claim land that is owed to him. At the time of its release, the series was well-received by critics and earned an 84% onRotten Tomatoes, but the Prime Video series never truly gained the attention it deserved. However, given how popular the Western genre’s revival remains,it is high time forThe Englishto become more popular.
The Englishdoes not pull its punches in portraying how dangerous the American West was during the late 19th century, making the fictional series feel like it is grounded in some truth. Likewise, the goals of the conflicting groups and Cornelia’s (Blunt) desire for revenge are thoroughly entertaining. As with many good Westerns,The Englishdoes not show its hand too early, so there are several twists and surprises as the series continues that even the most seasoned Western fan won’t see coming.
The Rifleman
The Rifleman is a Western television series starring Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain, a skilled marksman who raises his son Mark in the town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. Directed by Joseph H. Lewis, the show explores themes of justice, morality, and fatherhood against the backdrop of the American frontier.
The classic Western,The Rifleman, follows Lucas McCain, a retired lieutenant who becomes a rancher in New Mexico at the beginning of the series.The Riflemanprimarily centers on McCain and his son Mark and the troubles that they encounter when setting up their ranchthen, in later seasons, with unusual events that they find themselves entangled in. While some of the plots can feel overly dramatic at times (such as innocent people finding themselves accused of murder or bandits threatening the town), the show is still very entertaining.
The Rifleman’s complex characterization of Lucas and many of the supporting characters highlights their imperfections in a similar way to the complexities and negative traits of the Dutton family.
What’s more,the drama and the stereotypical Western genre plots are clear inspirations for Sheridan’s Western shows, though with modern updates.The Rifleman’s complex characterization of Lucas and many of the supporting characters highlights their imperfections in a similar way to the complexities and negative traits of the Dutton family. WhileThe Riflemanundoubtedly has its differences from1923, it is interesting to track how the Western genre has changed overtime and how the shows still fit together in their own ways.
Deadwood
Deadwood is a western drama series created for HBO by David Milch. The series takes place in Deadwood, South Dakota, where corruption runs rampant in the gold-mining era as the settlement existed outside the U.S. territory expansion following the Civil War. As the town was the site of a major gold find, it continues to attract people from all walks of life - especially opportunistic criminals.
Timothy Olyphant and Ian McShane led the eight-time Emmy-winning seriesDeadwood, which ran from 2004 to 2006. The series focuses on Deadwood, South Dakota, as the settlement grows increasingly larger and faces struggles from outside threats and internal disagreements. Olyphant and McShane portray the real-life figures Seth Bullock and Al Swearengen, respectively, and many ofDeadwood’s other characters are based on real peopletoo, making the series especially interesting in its portrayal of American history.
The Mountain Lion’s Real Meaning In 1923 Season 2 Episode 1 Explained
A mountain lion played a major role in the premiere of 1923 season 2, but it had a deeper, more symbolic meaning for the Dutton family’s story.
While1923may seem quite different toDeadwoodbecause of their slightly different time periods andDeadwood’s focus on the inhabitants of the town, the two pair well together because of their often bleak portrayals of life in the American West.Though the wild west can be exhilarating, it is also dangerous. While both shows present lead characters that audiences want to root for despite their more problematic behavior, the “good guys” often do just as many bad things as the “bad guys”, creating necessary nuance.
Longmire
Based on the novels by Craig Johnson, Longmire is a Western drama series that follows Walt Longmire, the sheriff of a rural Wyoming town who deals with several mysteries around the city and the Indian Reservation within. Longmire partners with his friend, Henry Standing Bear, to navigate the strained relationships and challenges associated with jurisdictional lines between the differing law enforcement teams and the troubles Native Americans deal with regularly.
Longmirewas one of the most entertaining crime dramas of the 2010s precisely because it is also a great neo-Western. Based on theWalt Longmire Mysteriesbook series by Craig Johnson,Longmirecenters on Sheriff Walt Longmire investigating crimes in a fictional town in Wyoming. While the titular character does focus on his investigations, the show places equal importance on the relationships in his life, particularly that of his daughter Cady, his coworkers, and his friend Henry Standing Bear.
Throughout its six seasons,Longmirealso unravels the mysteries behind certain crimes, including the death of Walt’s wife, which occurred prior to the beginning of the series. Like1923and other Taylor Sheridan shows,Longmirealso explores the treatment of Native American groups by white settlers and contemporary political and social issues. Fittingly,Longmirereceived praise throughout its run, with viewers noting how well the entertaining story and characters blend with the show’s beautiful setting.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Continuing the expanded universe of Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone franchise, Lawmen: Bass Reeves is a western drama that acts as a spin-off of 1883 and follows the titular lawman who became the first black Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi River. The show will follow his journey to becoming the lawman he was known to be, all while fleshing out the greater Yellowstone universe.
Since it seems quite obvious that a fan of1923would likeYellowstoneor1883, a different Taylor Sheridan Western for fans to check out would beLawmen: Bass Reeves. The miniseries was created by Chad Feehan with Sheridan serving as executive producer, andit is based on the real life of Bass Reeves. Reeves was the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi. He spoke several languages to better communicate with Native American groups across the land he patrolled, and he made nearly 4,000 arrests during his life.
While the series itself has some differences to1923, Lawmen: Bass Reevesis a great watch for fans of Sheridan’s shows more generally because it includes the same exciting Western style and gripping characters.
Needless to say, Reeves was a very interesting historical figure, and the miniseries does a great job of bringing his life to light for modern audiences.Lawmen: Bass Reeves' castis led by David Oyelowo along with an impressive supporting cast. While the series itself has some differences to1923, Lawmen: Bass Reevesis a great watch for fans of Sheridan’s shows more generally because it includes the same exciting Western style and gripping characters. Each episode ofLawmen: Bass Reeveswill leave audiences intrigued and waiting for more, just like1923.
1923
1923 is a series following the Dutton family during the early twentieth century. It explores the challenges they face amidst pandemics, the end of Prohibition, historic drought, and the Great Depression, as they struggle to maintain their home in the mountain west.
