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1883, a prequel to the successful Yellowstone, took audiences back in time, offering a compelling glimpse into the origins of the Dutton family.
The series followed James and Margaret Dutton, along with their children Elsa and John, as they join a wagon train in Texas that is headed out West.
After tragedy strikes the family, the Duttons settle in Paradise Valley, Montana, where they go on to establish the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.
After the thrilling finale of season 1, fans are left eagerly anticipating news about a potential 1883 season 2.
Will 1883 Have a Season 2?
1883 will not have a season 2, but it will have a spin-off series called Lawman: Bass Reeves that is set in the same time period. Although there is no official release date for the new series, it is anticipated to come out in early 2024.
Lawman: Bass Reeves will consist of six episodes. When the series releases, it will be available to watch on the streaming service Paramount+.
So far, David Oyelowo has been cast to play Bass Reeves and Dennis Quaid is set to play Sherrill Lynn, a Deputy U.S. Marshall.
Yellowstone’s Cole Hauser, who plays Rip Wheeler, will also join the cast. However, no information has yet been revealed about who Hauser will play.
There is no indication yet if Lawman: Bass Reeves will have any connection to 1883 and if the Duttons will appear at all in the new series.
Taylor Sheridan created 1883 to be a miniseries with the whole storyline taking place in one season. He wrote the last episode of the series to wrap up the storyline.
Read our guide on the Lawman: Bass Reeves which has all the latest information.
What Will Lawman: Bass Reeves Story Be About?
Lawman: Bass Reeves will follow the story of real-life legendary lawman Bass Reeves. Reeves was the first black U.S. Marshal to serve west of the Mississippi River.
During his career, Reeves made over 3,000 arrests and was capable of speaking multiple Native American languages. He is said to be the inspiration for the iconic character The Lone Ranger.
The show’s official synopsis reads, ”Known as the greatest frontier hero in American history, and also believed to be the inspiration for The Lone Ranger, Reeves worked in the post-Reconstruction era as a federal peace officer in the Indian Territory, capturing over 3,000 of the most dangerous criminals without ever being wounded.”
How 1923 Picked Up Where 1883 Left Off
While show creator Taylor Sheridan intended 1883 to consist of just a singular season, Paramount executives had a different idea.
Upon learning Sheridan had written the show for one season, they were shocked as they had planned for two seasons.
“I know they read the scripts, but they don’t read scripts, so when they read the last episode of 1883, I don’t think they digested what had just happened, even though I made it quite clear from the very beginning,” Sheridan told Deadline.
“The story I heard is Bob Bakish (President and CEO of Paramount Global) watched it and said, ‘wait a minute, she dies! They all die? What do we do in season two?’ I said, there is no season two. They’re like, there better be a f**king season two because we already picked it up. I’m sitting here going, guys everyone is dead,” he continued.
The Paramount executives wanted to meet with Sheridan to discuss a storyline for season two where Sam Elliott’s character Shea survived suicide. However, Sheridan was not on board with the idea.
Sheridan concluded that he will come up with another “peek into the window,” instead of continuing the storyline of 1883 for a second season. From this, the second Yellowstone prequel 1923 was born.
1923 picks up 40 years later after 1883. The series follows the Dutton family as they deal with the struggles of the early 20th century. James’s brother Jacob and his wife Cara run the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch with the help of Jacob’s grand-nephew, Jack.
Season one of 1923 premiered on Paramount+ in December 2022. 1923 has been renewed for season 2, with each season consisting of eight episodes.