Yellowstone has proven to be a big hit for the Paramount Network. Taylor Sheridan has given us a prequel of sorts with the Paramount+ series 1883. We get to see how the Dutton family began the move towards finally establishing the Yellowstone ranch by moving out of Texas with the help of a group of pioneers who are looking for a better life in the west. Leading the way are Shea Brennan and Thomas played by Sam Elliott and LaMonica Garrett respectively. They work to move the group to Oregon but face many challenges along the way. With the limited series now over, what other tv shows or movies like 1883 can you watch to fill the void until the next limited series 1932 arrives?
Kicking off the shows and movies like 1883, is yet another popular Western series. Set after the Civil War, Hell On Wheels stars Anson Mount as Cullen Bohannon. He was a confederate soldier who watched as his wife was killed by Union soldiers. He begins to plot his revenge as he also falls into working on the latest project in U.S. history, the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. The show chronicled the difficult working conditions while weaving in real historical figures and events. It shows the tense working relationship between recently freed slaves, Irish immigrants, and Native American tribes who disagreed with the advancement as it went through their territory and took no consideration for their sacred sites.
In this Netflix show, the leader of an outlaw gang seeks out his former protege in Roy Goode. He has turned on the group and now they are out for revenge. He finds himself in the mining town of La Belle, New Mexico. What he finds is that the town seems to be run by all women. After a mining accident, the women of the town picked themselves back up and reestablished the mining operation. When they learn that the outlaw gang is on its way to find Roy they decide to arm themselves to protect their town and Roy. Jeff Bridges stars as the leader of the outlaw gang Frank Griffen and Michelle Dockery plays the tough-as-nails Alice Fletcher.
A retired gunfighter is living a quiet life as a cowhand alongside his fellow workers for a free-grazing herd of cattle. After a bad storm, they send one of their crew back to a town they had passed for some extra supplies. When he doesn’t return they go to find him but instead find trouble. He has been beaten and jailed by a corrupt sheriff. After they free him and leave town they are followed by hooded riders. In the end, they are put on the path of revenge which leads them to cattle baron Denton Baxton. For Yellowstone fans, they will find a lot to like in this film as it’s directed by and starring Kevin Costner. He plays Charley the retired gunfighter alongside Robert Duvall.
Steven Spielberg produced this TNT miniseries about two families dealing with the westward expansion on different sides. Jacob decides to set out west to see what it can offer him. On the other side, the Native American Loved By Buffalo tries to find a way for his tribe to co-exist with the now advancing settlers from the East. As both sides try to find a peaceful coexistence the circumstances around them start to cause problems for everyone. The miniseries starred Tyler Christopher of General Hospital fame, Tonantzin Carmelo from MTV’s Teen Wolf, Skeet Ulrich, and Rachel Lee Cooke.
One of HBO’s most popular series of the past 20 years, Deadwood follows Seth Bullock as he comes into town looking for a new start. He quickly finds that the town of Deadwood is rife with corruption and becomes at odds with Al Swearegen who runs most of the town. Over the course of three seasons and a movie, we see the town of Deadwood being fought over in the untamed west. Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, and the always awesome Brad Douriff star in this groundbreaking series.
This story is told over 50 years about one family that helped push forward into the West. The Prescott family is looking to make their way into the west and travels from the newly formed Erie Canal. Along the way, they meet new friends and fight off bandits. We travel into the future of the family as they try to settle their plot of land while also dealing with the Civil War, the building of the Transatlantic Railroad, and Native Americans that are unhappy with the settlers encroaching on their land. This film is pretty much a who’s who of the time it was filmed. It stars names such as Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Gregory Peck, Debbie Reynolds, Carroll Baker, and Carolyn Jones.
This miniseries was a huge deal when it was originally announced for television. In it, Gus McRae and Woodrow Call hear of the opportunities of cattle farming in Montana, so they set out on a large cattle drive to the state hoping to seize their opportunity. Along the perilous journey, Gus is trying to reunite with his long-lost love in Nebraska. This miniseries was stacked with an amazing cast. Robert Duvall plays Gus McRae while Tommy Lee Jones is Woodrow Call. From there we have Danny Glover, Ricky Schroder, Diane Lane, Steve Buscemi, Anjelica Huston, and Chris Cooper. It set the standard for what TV miniseries could be.
For more shows and movies like 1883, this one is a must. Another turn at a western-themed series by Kevin Costner. It may be the most famous feud in history. Here Kevin Costner plays Anse Hatfield while the always fantastic Bill Paxton plays Randall McCoy. The two are friends until after they return home close to the end of the Civil War. Tensions begin to rise over what is thought to be a stolen pig. Soon the families are at war and it got so bad that the two states that they each lived in almost went to war. The Hatfields lived in West Virginia and the McCoys lived in Kentucky with only a river separating them. Even the U.S. Supreme Court had to get involved when the clash starts to make international headlines.
Now hear me out. The title sounds like the most B movie you’ve ever heard of but it’s actually something completely different. Sam Elliott stars in this film about a WWII vet who has tried to put his military life behind him. He was a top government assassin that would take on special assignments during the war. When the war was over he wanted to go back to his normal life, but years later the government is asking him for one more mission. The legendary Bigfoot has been discovered and it’s revealed that the creature is infected with a disease that could infect and kill everyone in the country. His life is shown through flashbacks, and we learn what happened to him during World War II. With Sam Elliott, the film becomes much more of a drama about one man’s journey through war and loss.
This Tom Hardy series from FX takes place in 1814 in the midst of the War Of 1812. James Delaney returns home much to the surprise of everyone that thought he was dead. He has returned to take control of his late father’s shipping company. What he finds is that a piece of land his father owns is being sought after on many fronts. The U.S. Government, The UK Government, and the East India Trading Company will do just about anything to take possession of it including killing him. Throughout the series, he has to avoid assassination attempts but does find allies in his sister and the stepmother he never knew existed.
What shows or movies like 1883 would you recommend for someone going through withdrawal?