Look, I know I’m about to ruffle some cowboy hats, but hear me out — 1883 never needed a second season, and I’ll die on this dusty prairie of an opinion. Taylor Sheridan warned Sam Elliott, “You’ll hate me at the end of this thing,” and that’s EXACTLY why it worked.
Rugged, harrowing, and perfectly self-contained, why mess with that, no? Some shows deserve a ride off into the sunset, not a dragged-out sequel that overstays its welcome. So yeah, I’m glad it ended where it did. And if that makes me the villain, do hand me the black hat, and let’s ride.
A one-and-done masterpiece: Why Taylor Sheridan’s 1883 didn’t need a Season 2
Taylor Sheridan knew on the nose what he was doing when he told Sam Elliott, “You’ll hate me at the end of this thing” (via The Hollywood Reporter).
And you know what, people? That’s why 1883 was legit as a one-and-done series. No dragging stuff out. No useless spin-offs. Just pure storytelling that left us all emotionally wrecked in the best (and the most satisfying) way possible.
Elliott, a Hollywood legend with decades of Westerns under his belt (Tombstone, The Big Lebowski, Road House), called 1883 the most challenging project of his career. He shot for months in 106-degree Texas heat, then braved Montana’s brutal cold.
But despite the grueling conditions, he was all in, praising Sheridan’s writing as genuinely genius.
![Isabel May and Tim McGraw in 1883 [Credit: Paramount Network]](https://fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/08113324/1883-%E2%80%93-Isabel-May-and-Tim-McGraw-Credit-Paramount-Network-1024x683.jpeg "“You’ll hate me at the end of this thing”: Taylor Sheridan Warned Sam Elliott Before ‘1883’ and I’m Glad It Never Got a Season 2 3")
Now, let’s talk scale, because 1883 wasn’t just another Western. This thing had six cameras rolling at once, helicopters in the sky, and more wranglers than Elliott had ever seen. It wasn’t a TV show. It was a 10-hour cinematic experience. And you could feel it. Every shot, every performance, every moment, it was bigger than the screen it played on.
Then there’s Isabel May, who came in as the heart of the series and straight-up owned it. Elliott said she looked like she’d been riding horses her whole life, even though she was barely 21 and new to the game. The 80-year-old praised her, saying that whenever she opened her mouth in a scene, she was hands-down mesmerizing.
So yeah, I’m happy 1883 never got a season 2. It didn’t need one. Sometimes, some stories are better left as they are.
Sam Elliott joins Landman S2 as Jon Hamm exits the oil game
Taylor Sheridan’s bringing another 1883 alum into his Landman universe. Sam Elliott’s reportedly joining the cast for S2, marking yet another major shake-up for the series following its explosive first season (per THR).
Details on Elliott’s role are under wraps, but given his track record, expect another grizzled, no-nonsense character. His 1883 role as Shea Brennan was unforgettable, so it’s easy to imagine him bringing that same rugged intensity to Landman. Meanwhile, Jon Hamm’s return seems unlikely after his character, Monty Miller, met a dramatic end in the S1 finale.
With Monty out, Demi Moore’s Cami Miller is stepping up. She’s expected to take charge of the oil empire, giving Moore (fresh off an Oscar nomination for The Substance) a much bigger role in Season 2.
1883 is available to watch on Paramount Plus & Apple TV.
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