1923: Yellowstone prequel sets Paramount+ ratings record

Last Updated on December 29, 2022

The prequel 1923 is proving to be another major success for the Yellowstone Extended Universe (that’s canon, trust us), as last Sunday’s premiere episode, appropriately titled “1923”, pulled in 7.4 million viewers across Paramount+, Paramount Network and encores, making it Paramount+’s biggest debut ever.

Taylor Sheridan’s 1923 easily passed his own Mayor of Kingstown and the Sylvester Stallone-starring Tulsa King. One other Paramount+ show of note it surpassed is yet another Yellowstone prequel, 1883, which premiered last December. While popular right out of the ranch, 1923 hasn’t quite matched the ratings hit by the season five debut of Yellowstone drew in 12.1 million viewers.

Chris McCarthy, president/ceo of Paramount Media Networks, praised both 1923 and Taylor Sheridan in the announcement. “The Yellowstone universe continues to break records, with our latest chapter, 1923 scoring as the most watched premiere ever on Paramount+ and debuting as the #1 new cable premiere of the year on linear…Taylor Sheridan continues to tap a cultural nerve that has proven irresistible to viewers from across the country and around the world, with this newest installment showing no signs of slowing down – proving yet again the power of our franchise strategy to fuel the future of Paramount+.”

The official synopsis of 1923: “1923, the next installment of the Dutton family origin story, will introduce a new generation of Duttons led by patriarch Jacob (Harrison Ford) and matriarch Cara (Helen Mirren). The series will explore the early twentieth century when pandemics, historic drought, the end of Prohibition and the Great Depression all plague the mountain west and the Duttons who call it home.” The supporting cast includes Brandon Sklenar, Jerome Flynn, Darren Mann, Robert Patrick, and Jennifer Ehle.

Reviews for 1923 have been strong, with our own Chris Bumbray giving it an “amazing” 9/10 and writing, Taylor Sheridan “has widened his scope beyond anything we’ve seen in the franchise” and that the premiere “does a great job setting up three critical storylines that will likely be essential.”

What did you think of the first episode of Yellowstone prequel 1923? Does it have potential to be as big of a hit as its more contemporary counterpart? Let us know in the comments section below!