The legendary Graham Greene’s newly introduced character, Spotted Eagle, remarks to Tim McGraw’s portrayal of the story’s protagonist, James Dutton, near the conclusion of this 1883 season 1 finale that James looks “like a guy who plots.”
There’s a reason Taylor Sheridan, the author of 1883, frequently writes about these unwavering figures from a time when a man’s devotion to his family and his property was everything. There’s a reason why Sheridan consistently keeps the Duttons one step ahead of their adversaries. Because they write about what they are familiar with, good writers. Writers that are good do so in their own works.
Sheridan has had a plan for 1883 from the very beginning, and it is quite clear that he has always had one. As the Buffalo on the Oregon Trail, Sheridan included clues and foreshadowing in the season opener that viewers who go back to it after the season is over would notice. The Dutton daughter Elsa (Isabel May) was destined to be attacked by Lakota warriors, to be hurt, and most likely to die, as we knew from the very beginning. We were aware that many, many individuals would perish when the family was travelling to Montana to establish the family empire.
This finale’s narration, which is in the style of Elsa, takes a darker approach to life. She talks on how everyone and everything in the cosmos is connected by death, from humans to the stars above. Although it still acts as the actual language of the organisations’ struggle, the mournful pioneer poetry feels different this time. Perhaps this is because, as we all know, Sheridan doesn’t shy away from the terrible in order to serve his stories, the audience anticipates that Elsa’s fate is in fact predetermined.
When Elsa berates two baby-faced soldiers patrolling the gate just minutes after arriving at Fort Caspar, our concerns are realised. Elsa then promptly falls off her horse and dies from her wounds.
For a few seconds after that, the show seemed to be merely postponing the inevitable for the first time. Arguments over where the pioneers must travel or where the Duttons’ destiny rests are well-known, but they swiftly come to a conclusion and neatly leave the Duttons and Shae with the rest of the main ensemble. When Elsa bids farewell to Colton and Wade (played by Noah Le Gros and James Landry Hébert), our adorable Cowboys, it is a memorable and heartfelt moment of this inevitable separation. Two of the three flirt with one another, joke with one another in a polite manner, and then ride off into the distance.
Even for a few second, it is a moment that breaks the waves of grief. The sea suddenly returns, though, as Elsa’s voiceover returns to her concerns about dying. Elsa instantly tells the story of how the Cowboys will undoubtedly end up as another unmarked burial in the harsh woods. I didn’t think it was necessary at all, and Sheridan did these characters a tremendous disservice by not being able to end their stories with even the slightest hope for the future of the two guys.
That despair continues for the rest of the show. Josef (Marc Rissmann) had his leg severed during their last days on the trail north in order to survive the snake bite. Even though he is safe, he loses his cherished wife Risa (Anna Fiamora) and is seen attempting to stake his land in his final on-screen scene. Perhaps optimistic, but it’s only a small solace in light of everything he has endured.
I’m grateful that Sheridan at least offered us that glimmer of hope. Thomas (Lamonica Garrett) and Noemi (Gratiela Brancusi), together with her boys, do seem to get the happiest ending since they find a plot where they think they can be happy.
Even that, though, is only temporary because fans lose more than was probably anticipated. As he promised Elsa he would, Shae eventually sees the coastline and the tranquil water. After a protracted emotional trip, there is a feeling of peace and success. It was a peaceful and tranquil time. Then, after spotting a hummingbird and feeling as though he is re-connecting with his family, Shae commits suicide. Sheridan did, as previously stated, leave clues. By the way Shae handled the passing of James’ sister Claire (Dawn Olivieri), he hinted at how Shae’s story would end. However, to be honest, Sheridan seemed to throw this character’s finale at us just for the purpose of making us feel bad.
I thought it was a betrayal for a figure that inspired others and that saved so many, despite the fact that some may see it as a merciful end for a guy who has witnessed so much sorrow in his 75 years. It was possibly similar to how a true suicide might feel: empty. The audience, however, didn’t require yet another reminder of death in such a horribly empty manner at this moment after experiencing so much loss and death. I once questioned whether it served a function at all. There is something to be said about how Shae’s death elicited such a gutteral emotional response, but there is also something to be said about my relationship to Shae, even though Sheridan’s writing frequently pushes what the audience needs rather than what the audience wants. That may provide some comfort.
As Elsa and her father travel to the paradise piece Spotted Eagle mentioned, we tragically lose her in the film’s final act of tragedy. Fans of Yellowstone will immediately remember the beautiful valley where the Dutton fortress looms and where the dynasty begins as Elsa and James stroll slowly through the field surrounded by pine trees. The acting in this farewell is exquisitely uplifting and personal, despite the fact that Elsa’s passing is just another thread in a tragedy-soaked tapestry. Sheridan gave Isabel May the deserving honour she earned because she has been an absolute powerhouse throughout the entire season, frequently taking the helm and driving the compelling story.
I get that Sheridan intended to produce a grand mini-epic, chronicling the hardships of these pioneers, but I thought he overlooked what motivated them in the first place. The seeds of the American ideal were planted on this journey, which was not merely a pioneering effort in constructing a life. the beginnings of freedom and hope. Without hope, there is no dream at all, and Sheridan could have achieved a more harmonious emotional balance by simply enabling audiences to hold onto some hope, even if it was just for a brief period of time.
Overall, I can’t help but notice Sheridan’s laser-like creative focus this season, even though I didn’t entirely agree with the tone he used to lecture the audience throughout this episode. Why didn’t Paramount just leave it alone when he had such a clear idea of what he wanted to do with 1883? This conclusion seems like such a clear way to close this chapter of the Dutton tale, but the thought of more episodes—even if they are only intended to prepare viewers for the forthcoming spin-off 1932—is genuinely unappealing at this point.
At every chance he had, Elliott in particular offered a heartfelt performance with Shae. Millions of viewers were first acquainted to Isabel May through this programme, and they will now eagerly anticipate her future work. Tim McGraw proved he had the acting skills to compete head-to-head with a legend like Elliott and frequently dominate the show, silencing his detractors.
It had strong writing in 1883. The cinematography was amazing. Both the actors and the audience were engrossed in the story. It had the ideal conclusion. Just let’s hope that the upcoming episodes don’t overshadow the impact of a superb first season.
