The Western genre, at least in its current form onscreen, is a far cry from what it once was, which is what makes Taylor Sheridan‘s 1923 so unique. More than a transitional show between 1883 and Yellowstone, the series is highly aware of what the West became in the American mythos and seeks to explore it from every angle. Through its two older leads, we witness a culture vanishing before our eyes as they both reminisce and fight for the world they once knew. Ironically, the same is true of the Crow tribe, serving as a reminder that Indigenous suffering continued far after their conquests were completed. In equal measure, 1923 both condones and condemns our perceptions of the West, showing that the light and the darkness can indeed coexist. Returning to classic Western themes and applying them perfectly to the time period, the series even finds some time to dabble in other subgenres, all while remaining true to its own core identity.
‘1923’ Is a Throwback to Classic Westerns
It’s no secret that Westerns have been experiencing a renaissance as of late, in no small part due to the number of shows that Sheridan has brought to the small screen. In addition to three Yellowstone shows, and several more likely to come, we’ve seen others, like Landman and Lawmen: Bass Reeves, become surprising hits on their own terms. The genre might be a shadow of its former self, which once dominated Hollywood, but it’s clear the current Dutton universe owes a lot to what came before it. Perhaps nobody recognizes this more than one of the industry’s greatest stars, as Harrison Ford grew up when Westerns were in their prime. However, it was more than nostalgia that drew the actor to 1923, a series that takes place decades after the Wild West has ended. During the Season 2 premiere in Los Angeles, he explained his passion for starring in Sheridan’s Dutton prequel in a red carpet interview with The Hollywood Reporter:
“I love the viscerality of it, I love the physical nature of the storytelling, I love being in natural circumstances. It’s a kind of old-fashioned movie-making mostly, no CGI or very little CGI — a little something to sweeten the location. But it’s really essential, old-time storytelling and I love working with this kind of material.”
Like all the Yellowstone shows, 1923 embraces the natural world of the American frontier, one which has since been lost. In a modernizing and industrializing world, the beautiful shots of the Montana landscape feel all the more important, capturing the gorgeous features of the plains and mountains while reminding viewers of what must be preserved. Through the ruthless and capitalistic nature of Donald Whitfield (Timothy Dalton) as the antagonist, it’s as if the show is actually portraying modernity itself as the primary villain, contrasting sharply with the unlikable Creighton Brennan (Jerome Flynn) as the more classic outlaw. Although Whitfield’s schemes are likely destined to end in failure, they clearly represent a decisive turning point for the Dutton family, who will spend the next century holding onto the land they hold so dear.
As a Western Story, ‘1923’ Is Both Idealistic and Cynical
One thing that makes 1923 so unique as a Western is the year in which the series is set. While the Wild West had already faded by the time the Duttons had settled in Montana in 1883, it was mostly dead and gone by the time the current series begins. Unlike its predecessor, which reflects an accurate journey but one which was obsolete by the time it happens, 1923 fully plays into the fact that the Duttons are now living in a world they do not recognize. Living on the Yellowstone ranch is one thing, but it’s another to travel downtown and see just how urbanized the world has become. Smaller moments like Cara (Helen Mirren) being baffled at using an older telephone might be played for laughs, but they represent an alienation with just how artificial the United States now feels, especially for a series that has stressed the unconquerable nature of the land as a whole. Just as Ford is hoping to keep the Western alive in pop culture, his character Jacob Dutton is trying to prevent the West from being relegated to a modern American myth in the first place.
As much as the series idolizes the West on paper, 1923 also serves to openly deconstruct it through its portrayal of Native Americans, whose suffering has long been viewed as a mere historical footnote that occurred far in the distant past. As truly horrific as it feels to think about, this cultural genocide was still ongoing for much longer than we might realize, and only recently have the U.S. and Canada begun to acknowledge the degree of harm they inflicted on many Indigenous people. By portraying the horror of the Catholic schools Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves) and many in real life were forced into for decades after the West had been settled, 1923 reminds us that the sense of individual freedom associated with the West came at the cost of those who had already called it home. The suffering of native peoples is a common theme in many Westerns, but they often take the form of violent resistance and warfare, and few have tried to explore the more generational damage they quietly faced. 1923 might be deeply self-aware, but it does not take away from the romantic feelings many real people had for the genre, and the show treats that love as entirely valid. In short, it’s an honest portrayal of the Wild West from every point of view in an era where it was already starting to become more of a myth than a reality.
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Even Compared to Other ‘Yellowstone’ Shows, ‘1923’ Stands Alone
Whether it be about the lone gunslinger or a family seeking a new life, Westerns often embrace themes of individuality and freedom, usually portraying them as inextricable. Many past Yellowstone stories have done the same, but 1923 views it differently at a time when the Duttons are now fully entrenched in Montana. Unlike the much larger and dysfunctional family which we see in Yellowstone a century later, they are in their prime here, and the individualism remains expressed by standing against the modernization of American culture. It’s certainly a very powerful motivation, one that resonates with many today, and it allows a period piece like this one to still remain fresh by reflecting modern questions about cultural identity in a changing America.
Another unique strength of the new Yellowstone universe is how dynamically it combines different subgenres yet still retains its core Western identity. Of course, 1923 is a pure Western first and foremost, but this genre is diverse and can embrace all kinds of stories. While 1883 feels more like a grand historical adventure and Yellowstone incorporates elements of a political thriller, 1923 also serves as a classic romance, as Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) and Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) fight to return to Montana from British East Africa. Through this, the show has found a unique way to bring in new viewers who might not have otherwise been interested in the story. Love has always been a major theme in the Yellowstone universe, but it takes center stage here, and having this big subplot take place in Africa shows how much the natural world has changed in not only the West, but the East as well. Ultimately, 1923 serves to revitalize the Western as both a genre and an idea. If we still love the natural world as much as each other, maybe we can still keep a small piece of the Wild West alive.
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