Don’t we all miss 1883? From the stunning panoramas (mostly shot at Darby and Paradise Valley), the sprawling tale, and the underlying anti-prejudice subtext, the Yellowstone prequel had everything we would ever ask for in a Western TV drama. The series covered the woes and the triumphs of the post-Civil War generation of the Dutton family after they left Tennessee and settled in Montana to establish what would eventually become the iconic Yellowstone Ranch.

Despite high viewership figures and an 89% Rotten Tomatoes score, the spin-off only lasted a single season. In February 2022, Paramount announced plans for additional episodes, but the decision was later reversed. 1883 would eventually be succeeded by 1923. However, if you still miss the first series (chronologically) in the Yellowstone franchise, there is a great option for you. The Son will take you back to that specific era.

✕Remove Ads

‘The Son’ Dances Between the Mid-1800s and the Early 1900s

Adapted from Philipp Meyer’s 2013 book of the same name, AMC’s The Son gets you right from the opening tracking shot through a thicket. We are introduced to Eli McCullough, a teenage boy living in Texas in 1849. In just a few minutes, his life gets turned upside down as his family is attacked by ruthless Comanche warriors. Captured, the youngster is kept as a slave, with the Comanche constantly referring to him as Tiehteti Taiboo (“Pathetic White Boy”).

Young Eli is portrayed by Jacob Lofland, an actor who’ll instantly be recognized by avid Landman fans. In the Taylor Sheridan neo-Western, Lofland is Cooper, the meek, hopeless romantic son of Texas landman Tommy Norris. As we follow the young character in captivity during The Son, we simultaneously watch the older version of him, portrayed by Pierce Brosnan, whose outstanding portrayal combines Old West machismo with unpretentious human frailty.

✕Remove Ads

By 1915, Brosnan’s version of Eli has become a tycoon, with dreams of oil and more fortune. While young Eli struggles to survive, older Eli struggles to adapt to a newer, civilized era, where the Texan landscape looks more capitalistic than the frontier lands he had become accustomed to while growing up.

Author Philipp Meyer adapted his novel himself, and the series is his first screen credit, so you should forgive any rookie mistakes here and there (don’t worry, there are a few). He stages the show with an enraptured tranquility, letting each little emotion shine towards the screen. At times, things are a bit too restful, especially in the first few episodes, but when The Son takes off, it soars.

Meyer’s book was extremely well-received, perhaps better received than the show. It was a finalist for the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and won the Lucien Barrière Literary Award. Originally, Sam Neill was set to play the older Eli, but he left due to scheduling conflicts. Pierce Brosnan was then cast to replace him.

✕Remove Ads

Like ‘1883,’ ‘The Son’ Analyzes the Complicated Foundations of Family Empires

Philipp Meyer’s 2013 book is pretty much like the entire Yellowstone in summary. It stretches from the 1800s all the way to the 2010s, with the story eventually focusing on Eli’s grown granddaughter, who is now an oil baroness. However, the show only focuses on the earlier years (1800s and 1900s), making it more similar to 1883.

Apart from covering the formation of a dynasty, both shows reject the romanticized view of the West that many popular old Westerns settled for. Misfortunes keep happening, and the heroes are forced to commit heinous acts to survive. They don’t relish their actions, but it’s clearly implied that violence is required to survive and build an empire. In some cases, it is suggested that their bravado and resolve may be the result of less noble motivating factors than raw heroism. Speaking of empires, there are numerous family disputes. Oil drilling interests create endless tussles for the McCullough ranch in The Son‘s 1915 storyline, mirroring the land-related tensions in 1883.

Interesting to note is how the Comanche play an important role in the lives of the protagonists. When the young Eli McCullough is kidnapped and raised by the Comanche tribe, his worldview changes. Stung by memories of suffering, he becomes tougher and more confident, shaping his “First Son of Texas” identity. Elsa Dutton also experiences great romantic and spiritual transformation after bonding with a Comanche warrior named Sam. Because of this association, her views on land and personal identity also end up changing.

The Son is, therefore, an ideal show for 1883 fans. It not only covers similar plots and themes, but it is also well acted, benefiting from equally spirited turns from Pierce Brosnan and Jacob Lofland. Both young and old versions of Eli maintain a rigid façade, with tiny glimmers of soul shining through. They are incapable of treachery and girl, never saying anything they don’t truly mean, yet they often erupt in tantrums — the anger of characters who rarely realize the quandaries that are eating them alive. And, like most critically acclaimed AMC shows, the Western has some of the best cinematography you will ever see.

Demographics Contributed to ‘The Son’s Brief Run

Like 1883, The Son is short and sweet… more of too short and sweet. By the time it ends, you’ll be appreciative, but left wishing it went on a little longer. Why didn’t it do a full Yellowstone lap like the book? Two seasons feel inadequate for a show whose source material is so rich. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, Pierce Brosnan only signed a short-term contract as he didn’t want to deny himself any film opportunities. Clearly, AMC isn’t as brutal as Paramount and Taylor Sheridan. They had an option to pull a Kevin Costner move on him, but they didn’t.

Per the publication, another major factor dimmed the network’s enthusiasm for a continuation. Apparently, the show had high viewership, but most of them were older, which is bad for a commercial-heavy series. This makes more sense than the Brosnan contract issue. After all, if fidelity to the book had been maintained, the show would have moved on to future generations of the McCullough family, pushing Eli out of the picture.

Still, The Son remains one of the finest non-Yellowstone shows to watch, a perfect Western whose slick production values are surpassed only by the remarkable turns from the lead actors. The first episode is available for free on Roku, so you could simply opt for a taste-first-then-decide approach. The series is also available to stream in the US on AMC+, Prime Video, and Crunchyroll. A direct purchase from Amazon is an option, too.