Post by artraveler on Feb 21, 2022 16:39:21 GMT -8
1883
This is a spinoff of the series Yellowstone. It, cornicles the travel of the Dutton family from Texas to Montana in the year 1883. Yellowstone has proven to be popular, despite the surly presence of Kevin Costner. Yellowstone is set as the sixth generation on a large Montana ranch bordered by a reservation and constantly under fire by land developers.
1883 is a different type of series. Most wagon trains start in either St. Louis or Kansas City. 1883 starts in Texas. In fact, the entire series is filmed in Texas. James Dutton (Tim McGraw) and family prepare to make the trail west. James is accompanied by his wife, Margaret (Faith Hill), daughter Elsa (Isabel May), and son John Jr, (Audie Rick). They plan on making the trip on their own. However, a wagon train is forming with Shea Brenan, (Sam Elliott) as wagon master and Thomas, (LaMonica Garrett), a former Buffalo Soldier, as assistant wagon master.
The wagon train Shea is hired to form consists almost entirely of immigrants from Germany and Eastern Europe. The first interaction with Shea and Thomas is when Shea insists, the immigrants be examined for smallpox. One family is excluded because of the pox. This is perhaps the lowest death count for the series. The other major change is food for the trip. There are few towns, outposts, or ranches on the road. The solution, cattle. This had to be a function of the original wagon trains that is seldom addressed in other movies. Grains, and other dry good can be packed, but meat most be constantly renewed. Taking it on the hoof is the most practical solution. The herd provides for food on the crossing, but also slows the train down and presents a tempting target for predators, bandits and Indians.
The inexperienced person in a wagon train or an airplane always overpacks. Before they cross the first river the realities of life on the road come crashing home. The Red River crossing into the Indian territory is the first major obstacle. Shea and Thomas must force the settlers to abandon unnecessary items to cross the river. Grandma’s piano, and other furniture most be left behind to cross the river. Even lighting the load crossing the river is perilous for the travelers. A wagon with most of the dry food is lost as is the life of some travelers. This is the first of many graves the train will leave on the road west. Estimates are that during the westward exodus there is at least one grave per mile. The very old and the very young are always the first to suffer.
It is about the second episode that Elsa begins to change from a mollycoddled city girl into a western woman. First, she begins to assist riding to keep the herd and slowly over the next few episodes she leaves the dress behind for pants and a big hat. She falls in love with a man hired to help with the herd and when he is killed, she kills the offending bandit.
Throughout the show Elsa is the narrator, giving some insight into her slow change and her developing love for the plains. A love that manifests itself as she gets over the death of her first love and the continuing deaths along the trail. The train encounters a group of Comanche and Elsa falls in love with a Comanche warrior. To the frustration of her mother and subtle bemusement of her father she marries him and finishes her transition to western woman. She is no longer the innocent girl but a mature woman. Capable of making the decisions adults make and living with the consequences.
I look forward to her continuing growth and the ultimate arrival in Montana. Despite some slow-moving parts, the story has interesting characters, several sub plots and the history is spot on. if you have watched other westerns dealing with the western exodus this one is different. Parts have shocking moments, at least for the woke. The series has merit.
The show is broadcast on Paramount Sundays. If you have Amazon Prime with Paramount network as a channel you can watch any time.
This is a spinoff of the series Yellowstone. It, cornicles the travel of the Dutton family from Texas to Montana in the year 1883. Yellowstone has proven to be popular, despite the surly presence of Kevin Costner. Yellowstone is set as the sixth generation on a large Montana ranch bordered by a reservation and constantly under fire by land developers.
1883 is a different type of series. Most wagon trains start in either St. Louis or Kansas City. 1883 starts in Texas. In fact, the entire series is filmed in Texas. James Dutton (Tim McGraw) and family prepare to make the trail west. James is accompanied by his wife, Margaret (Faith Hill), daughter Elsa (Isabel May), and son John Jr, (Audie Rick). They plan on making the trip on their own. However, a wagon train is forming with Shea Brenan, (Sam Elliott) as wagon master and Thomas, (LaMonica Garrett), a former Buffalo Soldier, as assistant wagon master.
The wagon train Shea is hired to form consists almost entirely of immigrants from Germany and Eastern Europe. The first interaction with Shea and Thomas is when Shea insists, the immigrants be examined for smallpox. One family is excluded because of the pox. This is perhaps the lowest death count for the series. The other major change is food for the trip. There are few towns, outposts, or ranches on the road. The solution, cattle. This had to be a function of the original wagon trains that is seldom addressed in other movies. Grains, and other dry good can be packed, but meat most be constantly renewed. Taking it on the hoof is the most practical solution. The herd provides for food on the crossing, but also slows the train down and presents a tempting target for predators, bandits and Indians.
The inexperienced person in a wagon train or an airplane always overpacks. Before they cross the first river the realities of life on the road come crashing home. The Red River crossing into the Indian territory is the first major obstacle. Shea and Thomas must force the settlers to abandon unnecessary items to cross the river. Grandma’s piano, and other furniture most be left behind to cross the river. Even lighting the load crossing the river is perilous for the travelers. A wagon with most of the dry food is lost as is the life of some travelers. This is the first of many graves the train will leave on the road west. Estimates are that during the westward exodus there is at least one grave per mile. The very old and the very young are always the first to suffer.
It is about the second episode that Elsa begins to change from a mollycoddled city girl into a western woman. First, she begins to assist riding to keep the herd and slowly over the next few episodes she leaves the dress behind for pants and a big hat. She falls in love with a man hired to help with the herd and when he is killed, she kills the offending bandit.
Throughout the show Elsa is the narrator, giving some insight into her slow change and her developing love for the plains. A love that manifests itself as she gets over the death of her first love and the continuing deaths along the trail. The train encounters a group of Comanche and Elsa falls in love with a Comanche warrior. To the frustration of her mother and subtle bemusement of her father she marries him and finishes her transition to western woman. She is no longer the innocent girl but a mature woman. Capable of making the decisions adults make and living with the consequences.
I look forward to her continuing growth and the ultimate arrival in Montana. Despite some slow-moving parts, the story has interesting characters, several sub plots and the history is spot on. if you have watched other westerns dealing with the western exodus this one is different. Parts have shocking moments, at least for the woke. The series has merit.
The show is broadcast on Paramount Sundays. If you have Amazon Prime with Paramount network as a channel you can watch any time.