Now you can watch the Yellowstone Prequel 1923 episode for free on YouTube

The massive premiere episode of Yellowstone prequel 1923 is currently free to watch on YouTube. In the wildly popular neo-western series Yellowstone on the Paramount Network, Taylor Sheridan first let go of the Dutton farming family. The time-traveling prequel series 1883 followed in the Sheridan universe, adding to the history of the Dutton family and their vast ranching empire in Montana. With the release of 1923, viewers will be treated to yet another chapter in the Dutton drama. Oscar winner Helen Mirren plays Cara Dutton and screen great Harrison Ford plays Jacob Dutton.

Yellowstone aficionados clearly can’t get enough of the antics of the Duttons, as evidenced by the fact that the most recent prequel, 1923, not only made a big splash but also set a record for the biggest premiere on Paramount+. Fortunately, the 1923 premiere also aired on the Paramount Network for anyone who didn’t want to pay for Paramount+. Unfortunately, Paramount+ is now the only place to see the remaining episodes of the series. However, the first episode from 1923 is still available to watch for free on YouTube via the Paramount+ channel for those who missed it.

Why 1923 is already bigger than Yellowstone

Yellowstone was undoubtedly a big thing for Paramount Network and Paramount+; it became the channel’s and streaming service’s signature program, receiving huge ratings for both. However, the scope of the show was insufficient for creator Sheridan, who consciously set out to outdo himself with 1923. When word got out that Ford and Mirren had been hired to lead the show’s ensemble, those lofty goals were, in fact, immediately made . Transparent. Given his position as a major movie star who had avoided working on small screens for the past three decades, Ford’s involvement was particularly significant.

But 1923 doesn’t just feel grander than Yellowstone because of Ford’s presence. The scope of the story is broader, encompassing not only the vast open spaces of Montana, but also the plains of Africa, where Spencer Dutton, played by Brandon Sklenar, can be seen hunting leopards to overcome his post-World War I PTSD. to cope. The cost of filming in Africa is evident in the budget for 1923, which Sheridan says is higher than what HBO spent on the first two seasons of Game of Thrones. Sheridan praises the scope of the production: “You saw 6,000 sheep, 3,000 animals, and as this show goes on, you’re in Africa. All true.

Ratings are of course the most crucial factor when comparing 1923 and Yellowstone. Compared to Yellowstone’s 2.8 million viewers, the first episodes of 1923 reportedly attracted 7.1 million viewers. Yellowstone’s popularity has undoubtedly increased since the start of Season 1, with the Season 5 premiere racking up a whopping 10.3 million views across platforms. Being exclusive to Paramount+ hurts 1923’s ratings, but perhaps making the first episode available on YouTube could convince a few more people to subscribe to the streaming service and give 1923 a chance to further surpass Yellowstone.