How to watch 1883 from anywhere in the world and should you watch 1883 before Yellowstone?

Fans of Yellowstone will be aware that in 2021 a prequel to Yellowstone, set in 1883, was released in the US. Here is how you can watch this fantastic series if you live in the UK or elsewhere...

Yellowstone Season 3 and Yellowstone Season 4 were both fantastic seasons that encouraged fans to want even more from the show. Well, the creators listened and in 2021 it was announced that a prequel to the show titled 1883 would be released in December 2021.

In 2021, this prequel dropped in the US but fans in the UK and elsewhere are still desperately trying to see this new series. Here is everything you need to know about this show including how to watch it, where it's filmed, and whether there will be a season 2...

Is 1883 based on a true story and what is it about?

Much like Yellowstone, 1883 is not based on a true story. The show is fictitious and has been invented by creator Taylor Sheridan. 

1883 is a prequel to Yellowstone and is set in—you guessed it—1883. Like Yellowstone, this series follows the Dutton family, but an earlier generation of the family. The series follows the post-Civil war generation of the Dutton family on their journey to establish the Yellowstone ranch in Montana.

The story explores how the Yellowstone ranch came to be the land owned by the Dutton family and the struggle faced by the earlier generation of the family as they travel West.  

The show stars Sam Elliot as Shea Brennan, Tim McGraw as James Dutton, Faith Hill as Margaret Dutton, and Isabel May as Elsa Dutton. There are also exciting guest appearances from Tom Hanks, Billy Bob Thornton, and creator Taylor Sheridan himself.

Does 1883 have a season 2?

At present, there is only one season of 1883. Although season 2 has not been confirmed, producers have confirmed that the story will continue.

Speaking to Insider, executive producer David Glasser, said, "If you're a fan of the Dutton family and the saga bringing you to the current day, what will come is that continued saga."

This cryptic answer suggests that while there may not be a season 2 of 1883, the creators may release another type of spin-off that focuses on the Duttons during the gap of time between 1883 and Yellowstone. 

1883 filming locations—where is it filmed?

Like Yellowstone, 1883 was primarily filmed in Texas and Montana. Decider reported, "Production for the prequel series is based out of Weatherford, Texas — more specifically, Bosque Ranch Headquarters, which serves as the show’s filming headquarters."

It was also reported that specific filming locations included Fort Worth, Texas’ Forth Worth Stockyards district, Granbury, Texas’ Farina’s Winery & Cafe, and Amarillo, Texas’ 6666 Ranch.

How to watch 1883: What network is 1883 on and where is it streaming?

In the US, 1883 is available to watch on Paramount +. This streaming service is set to launch in the UK in June 2022, but until that release date, there are other ways to watch this series. 

Firstly, fans with Amazon Prime membership can extend their membership to include Paramount+. There is also a seven-day free trial of this service if you can binge all 10 episodes within that time.

Alternatively, if fans don't want to rush, there is also a way to access Paramount + in the UK. VPN (virtual private networks) are a popular way to access TV shows only available in other countries, and many are easy to get.

If you're already confused, don't panic—we've got you covered. Our sister site, TechRadar, has put every major VPN service to the test to save you the hassle of sifting through the web yourself. They've rated ExpressVPN as the best—and here's why.

In their words, “It’s compatible with all of your devices, supports most streaming services, and ranks among the fastest. You can even install it on devices like an Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, and PlayStation. So for a one-stop-shop, you can’t go wrong with Express.”

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Ranked among one of the fastest VPN providers, this risk-free service is also compatible with all of your devices. Enjoy access to almost any streaming service, and if you don't like it there's a 30-day money-back guarantee.

If you've never installed a VPN before, don't worry, it's quick and easy. Just follow these three steps:

1. Download and install the VPN following ExpressVPN's easy-to-follow instructions (ExpressVPN comes with a 30-day money back guarantee and if you click here you can get 49% off and 3 months free, too.)
2. Once you've installed your VPN, open the app and select your server location to anywhere in the US.
3. With your VPN installed and server location set to US or the UK you can access Paramount +.

Should you watch 1883 before Yellowstone?

1883 is set before Yellowstone so if you want to watch the shows in chronological order, it may be a good idea to watch this first. 

However, this series was created as a stand-alone spin-off of Yellowstone, so although it may have some call-backs to the original series, it is not necessary to watch both of them and you can chose to just watch 1883 without watching Yellowstone, and vice versa.