Howdy, partner. Today on Binge Safari, we’re trading neon lights for prairie dust and diving into one of the most emotionally devastating streaming rides this side of the Mississippi: 1883.
Streaming now on Paramount+, this prequel to Yellowstone comes from the wildly prolific Taylor Sheridan, and despite being part of a shared universe, it’s fully bingeable as a standalone show. No prior Yellowstone or 1923 knowledge required—just grit, a strong stomach, and a big box of tissues.
Our frontier guides today are Ricky the Reel Raccoon and Fifi the Film Frenchie, and let’s just say neither of them made it through this wagon ride without catching a few emotional arrows.
Ricky’s Review – A Raccoon on the Oregon Trail of Doom
Alright, strap in because 1883 is straight-up emotional whiplash wrapped in rattlesnakes and prairie fire. You think you’re about to watch cowboys shoot stuff and chew tobacco? Nah. You’re about to get ambushed by grief at every mile marker.
First off, this show makes The Oregon Trail look like a vacation. Dysentery? Try bandits, river crossings, heartbreak, and existential despair. I swear, I aged ten years watching these wagons creak across America while the body count piled up like abandoned poker chips.
Let’s talk about my guy Sam Elliott as Shea Brennan, the trail leader with a voice like gravel and a soul full of ghosts. This man does not smile. He starts the series with tragedy and only gets sadder—and I loved every second. He delivers these gravelly monologues about death and suffering like a cowboy Shakespeare on his last ride.
But don’t sleep on LaMonica Garrett as Thomas, Shea’s right-hand man and the rare character on this show who has both brains and compassion. Garrett grounds every scene he’s in, and frankly deserves a spin-off where he just survives and gets a nice house.
And the action? Brutal. When bullets fly, people fall hard. Sheridan doesn’t glamorize violence—he rips your guts out and steps on them in dusty boots. It’s gorgeous and horrible and I couldn’t look away.
Also, the realism? These folks don’t just ride across the plains—they suffer. Like, real Oregon Trail energy. Bad shoes, bad food, bad decisions. You can practically smell the dysentery.
🗑️ Ricky’s Rating: 5 Trash Cans
It’s like watching your emotions get scalped in slow motion. Would binge again. Yeehaw and ouch.
Fifi’s Review – The Snarky Cinephile Rides into Tragedy
Darling, 1883 is Western poetry soaked in blood and dust. If you thought this was going to be about cowboys and lasso tricks, prepare to be emotionally bulldozed by one of the most beautifully tragic sagas ever put on television.
At its core is Elsa Dutton, portrayed with jaw-dropping nuance by Isabel May. She begins as a wide-eyed narrator with romantic ideas about the West, and slowly transforms into a hardened, grief-soaked woman who understands that freedom comes with a price. Her narration is lyrical, haunting, and utterly devastating.
Behind the scenes, Taylor Sheridan pulls triple duty—writing, producing, and directing many episodes. His writing is unrelenting and poetic, blending sweeping visuals with gut-punch monologues about love, loss, and legacy. You’ll feel like you’re watching a funeral march across a postcard.
Let’s not forget Faith Hill and Tim McGraw as Margaret and James Dutton. Yes, they’re country music royalty, but they absolutely nail these roles—especially McGraw, whose weary, steel-eyed performance is heartbreaking. You believe he’d walk through hell to protect his family.
The cinematography? Epic. Wide shots of the American West stretch on forever, with skies so dramatic they deserve their own credit line. Every frame feels painted in dust, sweat, and quiet desperation.
It’s more than a prequel—it’s an elegy. A love letter to the brutal cost of survival, and a story that reminds you not everyone who starts a journey gets to finish it.
🐾 Fifi’s Rating: 5 Paw Prints
Stunning, sobering, and soaked in sorrow. This isn’t just television—it’s a cinematic tragedy in ten acts.
Final Thoughts – The Frontier Is No Fairytale
1883 doesn’t care about your comfort. It cares about truth, hardship, and the harsh beauty of carving out a life in an unforgiving land.
Whether you’re sobbing with Fifi or staring into the fire with Ricky, one thing’s certain: this show will wreck you—and you’ll thank it for the experience.
📢 Stream 1883 now on Paramount+, and join us next time on Binge Safari, where the trail is always wild and the TV is never tame.
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