Paramount’s Yellowstone prequel 1883 premiered over the weekend, and if early numbers are any indication, then Paramount may have a huge smash hit on their hands.
Following its weekend debut, Paramount announced that 1883‘s debut on Paramount+ quickly broke the record for the service as its most-watched original series ever, more than doubling the audience numbers of the previous record. Additionally, 1883 also delivered 4.9 million total viewers during its run on the Paramount Network, making it the biggest new series premiere on cable since 2015.
Using data from Talkwalker Social Content Ratings, Paramount also noted that 1883 was the “most social drama series” on Sunday night across streaming platforms, likely garnering a ton of buzz online from fans.
“The results of 1883’s debut are truly phenomenal,” said Tanya Giles, Chief Programming Officer, ViacomCBS Streaming. “The day 1 streaming numbers coupled with the results of the linear sampling effort, and social response from our audience show the tremendous promise for this series. We look forward to continuing on this epic journey with our subscribers.”
1883 is created by Oscar nominee Taylor Sheridan, who is best known for his works on TV shows such as Veronica Mars, and Sons of Anarchy as well as in films like Sicario, and Hell or High Water. The prequel stars Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sam Elliott, Isabel May, LaMonica Garrett, and Billy Bob Thornton in a guest-starring role.
“It follows the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America,” reads the synopsis. “It is a stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one family fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land – Montana.”
The series will also feature Audie Rick, Marc Rissmann, Eric Nelsen, and James Landry Hébert, who have been cast in series regular roles. Meanwhile, Dawn Olivieri, Emma Malouff, Alex Fine, Gratiela Brancusi, Anna Fiamora, Nichole Galicia, Stephanie Nur, Amanda Jaros, Noah Le Gros, and Martin Sensmeier have been tapped for recurring appearances.
1883 is a production by MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios, and Bosque Ranch Productions. Sheridan, John Linson, Art Linson, David Glasser, Ron Burkle, and Bob Yari are serving as executive producers.
