Paramount Network to Air ‘1883’ Starting This Sunday, but It Is Not a New Season of ‘Yellowstone’ Prequel Series
It’s been a tough six months for fans of “Yellowstone.” The wildly popular series from co-creator Taylor Sheridan has been officially canceled by Paramount, thanks to irreconcilable differences between Sheridan and star Kevin Costner. What’s worse from a fan perspective, the show was canceled mid-season, and none of the final batch of episodes that will ostensibly conclude Season 5 — and the series — have yet been filmed.
They will be eventually, or at least that’s still the plan. But the episodes were originally scheduled to air this summer on cable’s Paramount Network, and given that the second week of June has arrived with no word that production has resumed, keeping to that schedule is now impossible, especially given the on-going writer’s strike. That’s likely why Paramount has decided to start airing episodes of the “Yellowstone” prequel series “1883” on Paramount Network on Sunday, June 18 at 8 p.m. ET.
1883
Follow the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America. A stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one family fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land — Montana.
To be clear, this is not a new season of “1883,” but the same episodes that first debuted on Paramount+ in December 2021. “1883” was a limited series, so there are no new seasons planned, though it does have a direct sequel featuring another branch of the Dutton family called “1923.” That series has been given a second season, though — with the current Writers Guild of America strike — there’s no knowing when pre-production will start on new episodes.
Fans will also be waiting with anticipation to hear news about the “Yellowstone” sequel series once the strike is over. That show will also center on the Dutton family and may include members of the current show’s cast, though this has not been confirmed. The series is expected to star Matthew McConaughey in the lead role and will air on Paramount Network before moving to Paramount+ for its streaming window.
Sheridan is continuing to expand his TV universe with yet another “Yellowstone” spinoff, though again the writers’ strike has put its development on hold for now. The latest show will be titled “Lawman: Bass Reeves,” and will center on the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshal stationed west of the Mississippi River. It spawns from “1883,” though it’s not yet clear if any characters from that show will be regulars on “Lawman.”
“No news is good news,” as the old saying goes, but it’s not likely to assuage the anxiety “Yellowstone” fans are feeling about the second half of Season 5. There’s not much Paramount can do about it for now, though it can (and is) making more content from Sheridan available on its dedicated cable channel for the very first time. Episodes of “1883” start airing on Paramount Network at 8 p.m. ET on June 18.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and more. The lineup includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.