Why America is Going Crazy for Shows Like Yellowstone & 1883
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Written By: Brandon Renbaum
Date: 1/12/22
The Allure:
Every once in a while a show comes along that moves you both emotionally and spiritually. These shows present characters and a way of life that can only be imagined in our dreams. Yellowstone & 1883 have this power to take the viewer back in time where the only thing that mattered was survival, family, resilience, and courage.
These shows romanticize the American cowboy and rancher lifestyle. They depict tough pioneers and cowboys who left everything behind in order to create a better life elsewhere. It is the American dream in action; people moving westward in the late 1880’s from all backgrounds. The character development and plots are captivating. At the end of the day these two shows depict how the American west was conquered; through blood, sweat, and tears.
1883:
1883 sets the stage for Yellowstone as it is the precursor that tells the story of John Dutton, an ex-civil war veteran looking to start a new life somewhere out west. The first season depicts him and Shea Brennan guiding pioneers through the western landscape. Disease, death, ignorance, and greed are all variables these pioneers need to navigate in order to get to their destination in Oregon.
1883: The Story
The show focuses on the family of John Dutton (played by Tim McGraw) leading a bunch of non-English speaking immigrants to a promised land where they can truly be free. They soon find out that ignorance of the land and its inhabitants can be deadly.
I just finished watching the first season and can’t wait for the next. It seems very real and the character development is exceptional.
I usually don’t get emotional about much these days, but I found myself in tears when watching John Duttons daughter (played by Isabel May) play the piano while half a dozen immigrants died trying to cross a river because they could not swim. In some strange way I connected with this scene. It reminded me of when I left Maryland during the start of the pandemic in 2019, ravaged by the thoughts of fear, illness, and the unknown. Shea Brennan (played by Sam Elliot) says that the most frightening thing in this world is the unknown. Yes..I agree!
It was one of those moments I really connected with. When you leave behind your friends, family, belongings, and sense of the known…everything changes in that moment. It’s a decision that you know will affect the trajectory of your life for decades. It’s usually necessary to go through this heartache to accomplish your ideal version of a good life. You really do go through hell before you get to heaven. (sorry Steve Miller) 😉
The Landscapes: Yellowstone & 1883
The American west is something very hard to describe to those who haven’t already seen it. When you see pictures and video of these vast landscapes, it looks impressive, but is only telling half the story. For those who haven’t witnessed the great plains of Kansas or Texas will never know how these vast open areas affect the human psyche. It really is the definition of freedom to stand in these vast plains as the wind gently blows the grass and dandelions in a majestic sway.
I have trouble communicating their vastness to friends and family. My videos give a better glimpse into these wonder lands, but they don’t tell the entire story. 1883 is very good at depicting how the early pioneers felt when they saw these vast land masses. It totally captured their sense of duty and imagination. These land features are so spectacular that I really feel they trigger certain dopamine receptors in the brain. They demonstrate how special our country really is.
Yellowstone: The Dutton Family
Yellowstone depicts a ranch owned by John Dutton and how everyone wants to take his land. Developers know that the location is so spectacular that it would draw thousands of people to the region if they could develop it. Those tourists would bring in revenue to the owners of the land and make it look more like “civilization.” This is not what most people in Montana want. The mentality in Wyoming and Montana is basically a “leave me alone” model. People move to Montana to become ranchers and be left alone for the most part. Unfortunately Montana is becoming the new Colorado.
John Dutton represents the stereotypical rancher (minus the wealth). His tradition of ranching runs deep in the family and he made a promise to his father that no one would take their land, to defend it at all costs. John does this well and he is willing to spill blood in order to protect his land and family interests.
Cowboy Culture & Trade
Cowboys, ranchers, ropers, reiners…they all are specialty trades that take years to master. The show does a great job to educate those east of The Mississippi what cowboys go through in order to be successful in these trades. From horse training to putting up wire fencing, you must be a jack of all trades to survive in this brutal occupation.
Present Day Realities:
Places like Bozeman, Montana are now becoming very developed and in high demand. The California exodus is fueling this demand as people want to be more connected with nature and deal less with traffic, pollution, and overcrowding.
Many locals in Colorado Springs feel the city is becoming too expensive and crowded, so they are moving to places like Bozeman to escape development. What they soon will realize is that Bozeman will become the next Colorado Springs in about a decade. My neighbor jokes that more people are flocking to the western states because of shows like Yellowstone. I have no idea if this is true or not, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some level of truth in his statement.
Traditional American Values:
Shows like Yellowstone and 1883 are depicting a very stereotypical and sometimes completely false narrative of the west. First of all, John Dutton is a fictional character and there are theories his character is based on a rancher named Granville Stuart, but this is just hearsay. We do know that Kevin Costners dad was a tough blue collar guy, who resembled similar traits to John Dutton.
What is true about these shows is the overall mentality of those who love their land in the western states. Guns, pickup trucks, cowboy boots are sported by some, but often locals don’t wear cowboy boots. I do believe the old fashioned blue collar work ethic and trial by fire are very real and still applicable to the work ranchers perform today. They do get up incredibly early and only finish working when the task at hand is completed.
I can tell you that Jimmy Hurdstrom, the newbie/intern cowboy in Yellowstone is most likely very accurate in terms of how he would be treated in real life today coming into the ranching business. It was how I was treated as an electrical apprentice on a commercial site; you get tested every minute of every hour; they want to see what you are really made of. It was strange how I related to this character played by Jefferson White, despite me knowing nothing about cowboy culture.
Conclusion:
I think these shows are entertaining for people of all backgrounds. Some might find it a little too redneck or brash, but that’s just my cup of tea. Regardless of your interests or geographical location I believe anyone can learn something about Americas rich past by watching these shows.