by Ruth Aluma Dan, YourPace Contributing Writer
I love shows and Westerns, so when I saw that 1883 was available on Netflix in my region, I was quick to start binging it. 1883 is the prequel to Yellowstone, a show about the fictional Dutton family and their Montana ranch. 1883 is the story of how the Dutton family came to Montana and their roots. It follows Elsa Dutton and her family: the family patriarch James Dutton, his wife Margaret, and their son John. Elsa narrates their journey through the Midwest and the hardships they endure along the way from Texas. Shea Brennan and Thomas guide a group of immigrants attempting to journey to Oregon.
The premiere episode introduces the main characters and highlights the conflicts and issues of the time. These include gunfights and a lack of proper transportation. James Dutton meets his family on the train from Tennessee, bound for Oregon, which was “free” for settlement. He joins the group of pioneers when asked by Brennan, played by Sam Elliot, and they start the journey. They are in a rush because they need to beat winter. But the immigrants’ lack of knowledge and experience set the group back and led to unnecessary hardships and deaths. Ryan Looney mentions in his article in Collider that, “When one considers their inexperience, it makes sense that 1883 shows many of these hazards through the immigrant party, who struggle to endure the elements, wild animals, and deadly river crossings.”
Experienced travelers like Shea Brennan and James Dutton’s family would have found the journey relatively peaceful, but the arrival of inexperienced immigrants increased the peril and resulted in eventual deaths.
Although fictional, the show does a fantastic job of depicting the pioneers’ lives, making the story feel authentic. I came into this show knowing nothing about it or its predecessor, Yellowstone. A big thing that stood out to me about 1883 is its use of historical realism, which makes it a wonderful western. While many have pointed out inaccuracies, such as the relationship between the Comanche tribe and the settlers, as well as geographical errors, the show does a fantastic job of creating a sense of realism rather than strictly adhering to historical accuracy. From the costumes to the town scenes and the tragedies that follow the pioneers, it could seem like the script was based on a true story. The show also has a high death count, which adds to its realism. It shows the likelihood of things like diseases such as smallpox, bandits, and native tribes in a seemingly lawless country contributing to the high death count of the time.
Another reason 1883 feels real is because of the towns and saloon settings. The big crowds and costumes in the background, just in the first few episodes, make it seem as if the characters are really just living their lives among thousands of others, with a camera following them. The acting is natural, especially by Sam Elliot, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill. The actors bring their characters to life, expressing a range of emotions that evoke similar feelings in the audience.
The costumes and makeup of the show are another element that gives 1883 a realistic feel. The dresses are worn, the hair is pleated and often somewhat frizzy, not sleek, and the makeup is natural and dirty. One costume design element that stood out to me was Elsa’s hat throughout the journey. The longer they drive, the more frayed it gets, with more holes added in each episode. Small details like these enhance the realism, making the costumes feel less like costumes and more like outfits that are actually experiencing a journey. By the end, Elsa’s outfits did start to feel a bit like costumes, especially her Native outfit, which, compared to the rest of the characters’, looked weathered and dirty. Small details like these draw the audience into the setting and transport them to the world they are watching, which 1883 accomplished effectively, even though a single outfit cannot define the show’s overall realism. 1883’s mix of realistic and romanticized depictions of the Wild West makes it a good western, one that tackles the issues people faced while maintaining hope through elements like Elsa’s romances and the family’s sticking together despite hardships. The show’s realism makes it great and beloved, earning it an 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It really reels watchers in and makes them emotionally attached to the characters and story. I don’t think I’ve cried more while watching a show than 1883, and I don’t usually go for sad dramas. The show masterfully portrayed a compelling tale of historical adventure in 19th-century America.
