'Masterpiece Western like no other' based on a true story now streaming on Netflix

If Western fans are in need of another drama to binge – look no further. Having become one of the most watched and talked about series in recent years, many people believe Yellowstone is responsible for making the Western genre popular again. Loyal fans will remember the original series follows the Dutton family, led by patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner), who owns the largest contigious ranch in Montana, USA. But it’s fair to say fans are losing their minds over the prequel hit series which sees the Dutton family set in the aftermath of World War I and during the Prohibition.

Starring Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton and Helen Mirren as his wife Cara, the show adds a lot of rich context to the Yellowstone universe and the Dutton family legacy. It explores themes of Western expansion, and the early stages of the Great Depression, which impacted Monata before the 1929 Wall Street Crash.

Created by Chad Feehan and executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, the eight-part drama premiererd on Paramount+ in December 2022. The series, available to stream on Netflix, features several gritty storylines, but arguably the most harrowing is that of Teonna Rainwater’s.

The difficult scenes depict the physical and emotional abuse inside a Catholic boarding school for Indigenous American youth in Montana. In the series, Teoanna is beaten and brutalised for forgettign small details in her lessons, for speaking her Native language, and for seemingly any excuse Sister Mary can think.

Unfortunately, 1923 paints a historically accurate picture of what transpired inside these boarding schools. The hostoric institutions seen throughout the series were real and founded by Western settlers specifically to attempt to forcibly assimilate Indigenous communities displayed by the Westward Expansion of America.

Teoanna’s abuse makes the 1923 the darkest Yellowstone story yet, set in a time when cases of abuse in Catholic boarding schools were rampant across the US as well as in Canada.

Cricits have lauded the series, highlighting the dramatic impact the series leaves viewers with. Fans have awarded the series their own commendations, with many hailing it a “masterpiece”.

One user gushed: “A Western saga like no other. 1923 has easily become one of the most captivating series I’ve ever watched. I’ve nerver been so eager and desperate for the final series before, and that’s saying something.”

“This series has become my all time favourite, it just moves me. I’ve felt this way reading books, and once you’ve read an amazing story it lingers and doesn’t leave you for days. I’ve not experienced this in television.”

“1923 hooked me right from the start! It was so much fun to dive back into the Dutton world, especially during such a fascinating time period. The show juggle multiple storylines, but they all felt equally interesting. If you’re a fan of compelling characters, intricate plots, and a dash or romance, you don’t want to miss 1923.”