With so many Yellowstone spinoffs joining the universe, it can be confusing to figure out where to start and to know in what order to watch Yellowstone. Taylor Sheridan's Western drama has become one of the best TV shows of all time, quickly branching into a multi-series universe that follows the Dutton family tree in 1883 and 1923. The franchise continues to pull big names in Hollywood, with names like Kevin Costner, Harrison Ford, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill rounding out its various casts.
Each series in the Yellowstone universe follows the legacy of the Dutton family as they settled their land in Montana. 1883 is a single-season series that follows James and Margaret Dutton and their hardships as they migrate to Montana to claim land. The Duttons took on real-life challenges in 1923, as a new generation began to build their empire amidst Prohibition and the Great Depression. Yellowstone sees the culmination of generations of work as the modern-day Dutton family fights to keep the land their ancestors poured blood, sweat, and tears into.
What Order To Watch The Yellowstone Shows In
There Is More Than One Option For Watching The Yellowstone Saga
There are two major paths audiences can take in tackling Yellowstone and the Yellowstone spinoff shows, depending on their preferences. For those who genuinely wish to experience the Yellowstone timeline in chronological order, the viewing order would start with 1883, move to 1923, and then get rounded out with all five seasons of Yellowstone.
However, to understand all the nuances of the prequels and understand what is being built up to, it would be best to start with Yellowstone before moving on to 1883 and 1923, respectively. There isn't an incorrect way to enjoy the Western drama — ultimately, it just comes down to personal preference. However, these are the Yellowstone series in chronological order:
Title | Starring | Seasons (To Date) | Episode Count (To Date) |
|---|---|---|---|
1883 | Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sam Elliott | 1 | 10 |
1923 | Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, Brandon Sklenar | 1 | 8 |
Yellowstone | Kevin Costner, Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser | 5 | 47 |
Taking in the entire Yellowstone universe is no small ordeal, so it makes sense to have a viewing plan mapped out — especially because the franchise is split between two streaming services. While all five seasons of Yellowstone can be found on Peaco*ck, both 1883 and 1923 are hosted by Paramount+. With several more spinoffs, including the Michelle Pfeiffer-led spinoff and 6666, set to join the universe in the upcoming future, deciding on a viewing order before diving into the massive franchise can help viewers get the most out of their Yellowstone experience.
Do You Need To Watch All The Yellowstone Series?
Loose Connections Build The Yellowstone Universe But The Shows Stand On Their Own
All the series in the Yellowstone franchise are loosely connected, but none of them are required viewing to watch another. 1883, 1923, and Yellowstone can all be enjoyed independently. Each series contributes to the viewing experience of the others, providing nuance and background information that can increase the viewing experience. However, each series focuses on a different segment of the Dutton family tree, making it possible to enjoy each separately, and the Yellowstone franchise watching order isn't that important.
When Future Yellowstone Spinoffs Are Set (And How It Changes The Watch Order)
Two Spinoffs And The Return Of 1923 Are Confirmed
More Yellowstone spinoffs are in development. Including 1923 season 2, there are four upcoming Yellowstone spinoff shows. While there was originally intended to be a sequel series to Yellowstone starring Matthew McConaughey, the plans for that show seemed to have morphed somewhat into a series starring Michelle Pfeiffer and tentatively called The Madison. The story is reported to follow a recent widow who moves from New York to Montana, and while it is unclear how it connects, it is still considered a Yellowstone spinoff.
The second spin-off that takes place after Yellowstone is 6666, a confusing title given that other spin-offs' titles were years. However, 6666 is the name of a ranch in Yellowstone, and it'll be the basis for a series that's set immediately after Yellowstone season 5. It is set to star Jefferson White as Jimmy, the character from Yellowstone who went to work at 6666 in season 4. There are also reports of another spinoff in the works titled 1944 and taking place in that year.
While 1883 concluded its story with one season, 1923 will return for season 2, which will be the series' final season, though it has been drastically delayed due to the WGA writers' strike. Initially, Lawmen: Bass Reeves was set to be connected to the Yellowstone universe as a spinoff of 1883. However, it has since changed course to be its own show that may start its own franchise focused on various lawmen of the Old West. However, with the growing popularity and success of the Yellowstone universe, there is always the possibility of the franchise expanding even more.
What's The Best Viewing Order For Newcomers?
The Dutton's Legacy Should Be Seen As Intended
While there is no wrong way to watch the Yellowstone shows, those who are new to the franchise would be best off watching them in order of release to get the full story as the writers intended. However, even that order is a little complicated as 1883 and 1923 came out in the midst of Yellowstone's run on the air. Because of this, there are seasons of Yellowstone that came out before these prequel shows, but there are also seasons that came out after 1883 and 1923 season 1 aired.
To make the watching order easier to manage, the best option would be to watch all available episodes of Yellowstone first, followed by the entirety of 1883, and then 1923. While it doesn't fit the exact release order, it will be close enough so that most of the nuances of the story are not lost.
The Best Alternate Viewing Order
The Chronological Order Is An Ideal Rewatch Option
While the release order is the best viewing option for fans who are new to the franchise, for those who are looking to rewatch the entire Yellowstone story, the chronological order offers an interesting and epic look at the legacy of the Duttons. Seeing what the family went through to settle on their land, the enemies they had to fight against, and the people they lost along the way, puts John Dutton's modern struggles into an interesting perspective.
There are also aspects of seeing the story play out this way that are perhaps more impactful than seeing them in release order. This includes the flashbacks in season 4 of Yellowstone, showing James Dutton and his family. While this was a nice surprise and tease for 1883 when it happened in the show, watching it in chronological order, with the audience having already seen James' journey and learning that he is dead, it makes for an emotional return for the character.
The chronological order will get even better once 1923 wraps its story, allowing audiences to watch the entire timeline in order to prepare for the final season of Yellowstone.
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Yellowstone
6
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Yellowstone stars Kevin Costner and centers on his character John Dutton. Dutton and his family live on a cattle ranch just a few hours away from Yellowstone National Park. The series chronicles the family’s struggle to defend their home from an Indian reservation and land developers. As if their life wasn’t complicated enough, the Duttons also have medical issues, political aspirations, and family secrets stacked against them.
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1923
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A followup to the Yellowstone series also created by Taylor Sheridan, 1923 continues following the Dutton family in the year 1923. The series takes place after the 1883 show, with the Dutton family now dealing with some of the biggest American hardships of the century, such as the Prohibition era, the Great Depression, and the fallout of World War I. Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren star as Jacob Dutton and Cara Dutton, the heads of the Dutton legacy.
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1883
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1883 is a Western drama series set at the beginning of Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone franchise and explores the origins of the Duttons and how Yellowstone came to be. The show chronicles a generation of the Dutton family as they embark on a difficult journey to the western frontier to establish a new legacy.
