While “1923” can be criticized for repurposing some unpopular “Yellowstone” storylines, the prequel series is still one of Taylor Sheridan’s best shows to date. “Yellowstone” lost its way as the seasons progressed, mostly due to plots that went nowhere or contained holes large enough to ride a wagon train through. The show’s inability to live up to one of the franchise’s main themes is an egregious error, but “1923” is doing a great job of fixing this shortcoming
While “1923” can be criticized for repurposing some unpopular “Yellowstone” storylines, the prequel series is still one of Taylor Sheridan’s best shows to date. “Yellowstone” lost its way as the seasons progressed, mostly due to plots that went nowhere or contained holes large enough to ride a wagon train through. The show’s inability to live up to one of the franchise’s main themes is an egregious error, but “1923” is doing a great job of fixing this shortcoming.
Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” franchise deals with the displacement of Native Americans in the United States, but the titular series fails to explore the theme with any substance. For proof, look no further than the journey of Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), who became an afterthought in favor of more Dutton-centric drama throughout that show’s five seasons. The last installment even set up a storyline that could have seen the leader of the Broken Rock Reservation tribe go up against a political opponent in an election, but nothing came of it in the end.
Fortunately, “1923” gives its Native American characters more meaningful arcs, but their stories aren’t the most feel-good of the bunch. That said, there is no denying that they pack an effective punch and help the show get its point across with aplomb.
1923 doesn’t abandon its Native American storylines
“Yellowstone” has been criticized for overlooking the trials of its Native American characters, but “1923” focuses on them in great detail. One of the series’ main storylines sees Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves), Runs His Horse (Michael Spears), and Pete Plenty Clouds (Cole Brings Plenty) on the run from bigoted law enforcement officers and extremist clergymen, which stems from Teonna escaping from a horrific boarding school where she was tortured by priests and nuns. It’s a brutal storyline, but it’s prominently featured and appears to have a structured beginning, middle, and end in mind.
“1923” also deserves credit for living up to the franchise’s claims of chronicling the displacement and persecution of Native Americans throughout history. Season 2 episode 3, “Wrap Thee In Terror,” reveals that Marshal Kent (Jamie McShane) has been killing Comanche children while searching for Rainwater and her allies, which hammers home this theme with brute force. It’s dark, disturbing, and tough to stomach, but that’s the point, right?
Moving forward, it’d be nice to see the Native American characters on “1923” get more varied storylines, as there’s more to life than persecution. At the same time, a majority of the characters in the series are subjected to endless misery, so the best we can hope for is a happy ending for Rainwater and her compatriots. That said, the show’s stars believe that depicting the misery in a brutal light is crucial
Some viewers might watch “1923” and think that it goes overboard with its depiction of the horrors faced by Native Americans, especially when the show adds children to the equation. Despite not being to everyone’s taste, however, Aminah Nieves believes that the disturbing sequences have merit, as she explained in an interview with Entertainment Weekly:
It isn’t all bad, though, as Teonna Rainwater and Pete Plenty Clouds are falling in love with each other on “1923,” which provides some brief moments of respite from the struggles they must contend with in every episode. However, this franchise has a history of killing off young characters before their romances can truly blossom, so don’t be shocked if these lovebirds don’t make it to the end
