The Yellowstone universe just keeps expanding and we couldn't be happier about it. Thanks to the success of the Paramount Network show, which follows the saga of the Dutton family and their attempt to retain control of a sprawling Montana ranch, series creator Taylor Sheridan is taking us deeper into the Dutton family history. He first kicked off their origin story with the prequel series 1883, starring Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sam Elliott, Billy Bob Thornton, Isabel May, Eric Nelsen, Lamonica Garrett and more.
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With a must-watch cast (even Tom Hanks makes an appearance!) and a captivating storyline, it's no surprise that 1883 was an immediate hit. The show was the most-watched original series ever on Paramount+ after its debut. It gave a deeper look at how the Duttons first landed on their massive ranch and gave a slice of history so you could see what people really went through to follow their dreams of settling down out West.
"The success of Taylor Sheridan's 1883 is another proof point of our unique model to leverage our linear platforms and franchise our biggest hits to supercharge Paramount+," Chris McCarthy, President and CEO of ViacomCBS Media Networks, said. "We went big with 1883 -- the 'Yellowstone' prequel -- and it delivered big and shattered all records - as both the #1 most watched original series premiere ever on Paramount+ and the biggest new cable premiere since 2015, with nearly five million viewers tuning into Paramount Network Sunday's airing. Given the tremendous viewership on Paramount Network, I'm confident our strategy of sampling on the Paramount Network will drive awareness and viewers to Paramount+."
How to Watch 1883
Though the Paramount Network aired the first two episodes of 1883 as special previews, the show did not air on Paramount Network initially. 1883 streams exclusively on the streaming service Paramount+.
Paramount+ is available for $5 per month. For $10 per month, you can subscribe to Paramount Plus Premium, which is ad free.
1883 is officially making its big TV debut and will premiere the first episode on Paramount Network on June 18. Subsequent episodes will be released weekly if you'd like to catch them in real-time.
What is 1883 About?
1883 is an origin story for the Dutton family. The Yellowstone prequel follows John Dutton's ancestors, his great-grandparents James Dutton (Tim McGraw) and Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill), as they travel west to Montana. Isabel May portrays James and Margaret Dutton's eldest daughter, Elsa, and serves as the series narrator.
The Duttons are joined by Civil War veterans Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott) and Thomas (LaMonica Garrett), who are helping a group of immigrants cross the Great Plains.
How to Watch Yellowstone
If you're still unfamiliar with the Dutton family as a whole, there's still time to join the conversation! Currently in its fifth season, Yellowstone airs on the Paramount Network. The first four seasons are available to stream on Peacock (available for only $4.99 a month). You can even sign up for a 7-day free trial.
Yellowstone is not currently streaming on Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu or AppleTV+.
Don't have cable? Affordable streaming services like Philo, Sling, YouTubeTV and fuboTV offer the Paramount Network.
