It’s the end of the road for 1923. The popular Yellowstone prequel recently wrapped up its second season with an explosive finale. Created by Taylor Sheridan, 1923 explored the origins of the Dutton family in 1923. Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren star as Jacob and Cara Dutton, who face battles on all fronts to protect their ranch during the difficult times of Prohibition and the beginning of the Great Depression.
Sheridan created 1923 to be a two-season series. It’s unknown if the prolific showrunner will write a third season due to the high ratings. For now, here are five shows to watch if you liked 1923.
Need more recommendations? Check out these guides on the best new shows to stream this week, the best shows on Netflix, the best shows on Max, and the best shows on Amazon Prime Video.
Yellowstone (2018-2024)
If you’re going to pick one Sheridan show to pair with 1923, Yellowstone makes the most sense since it inspired the Ford-led prequel. Yellowstone introduces the world to the Dutton family, owners of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch and arguably the most powerful family in Montana.
John Dutton (Kevin Costner) is the patriarch who controls every aspect of the ranch, the largest in the state. Along with his kids (Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, and Luke Grimes), the Duttons navigate political pressure and corporate greed as they face obstacles at every corner — wealthy businessmen, government officials, and an Indian reservation. Yellowstone is a Western soap opera dressed up as a drama (compliment). Plus, anyone who watches at least one episode will Google flights to Montana.
Stream Yellowstone on Peacock.
American Primeval (2025)
American Primeval doesn’t pull its punches in its depiction of Western expansion. Executive produced by Peter Berg, American Primeval follows several interconnected storylines in 1857 during the Utah War. The most compelling storyline involves Isaac (Taylor Kitsch), a skilled woodsman who agrees to help Sara (Betty Gilpin) and her son, Devin (Preston Mota), get across the frontier.
The series also focuses on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its Mormon militia, which engage in violent and oppressive confrontations with other cultures in the area. If you’re looking for a series that glamorizes expansion, this ain’t it. It’s a violent watch, but an enthralling one where you can’t look away.
Stream American Primeval on Netflix.
Godless (2017)
Before he won multiple Emmys for his work on The Queen’s Gambit, Scott Frank created the underrated Godless, a Western drama set in 1884. Roy Goode (Jack O’Connell) is an outlaw on the run after betraying his boss, Frank Griffin (Jeff Daniels), a notorious criminal with a history of brutality and violence.
Roy attempts to find refuge in La Belle, a New Mexico town occupied by women after a mining accident killed most of the men. Hardened widow Alice Fletcher (Michelle Dockery) agrees to nurse Roy back to health. The town gets word that Frank and his gang are headed to La Belle, Alice and the other residents prepare to defend their town to the death. Considering how Westerns predominantly focus on men, Godless is a great change of pace and spotlight for a strong female-focused story.
Stream Godless on Netflix.
Hell on Wheels (2011-2016)
In the 2010s, AMC wasn’t only dedicated to The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, and Mad Men. Mixed in between those premier shows was Hell on Wheels, a Western drama set in the aftermath of the Civil War. Former Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Anson Mount) is on a mission to find the Union soldiers who killed his wife and son.
Bohannon travels west to work on the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, aka “Hell on Wheels.” Over the five-season run, Hell on Wheels shifts from a revenge plot to a show about political conflict, individual ambition, and the growth of the American frontier. This shift in tone and exploration of a new frontier is why Hell on Wheels lasted as long as it did.
Stream Hell on Wheels on Prime Video.
The Mandalorian (2019-)
How does a Star Wars show find its way on this list? The Mandalorian is essentially a space Western. Think of Clint Eastwood as an outlaw with an armored suit. Released in 2019, The Mandalorian is unquestionably the biggest Star Wars show on Disney+. The series stars Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin, a Mandalorian bounty hunter (“Mando”) working five years after the events of Return of the Jedi.
An old Imperial client hires Mando to retrieve a target and bring it to him alive. When Mando discovers the target, he sees that it’s a green infant named Grogu. Instead of returning the child to his client, Mando takes Grogu on a galaxy-trotting adventure to find the little creature’s home. The show works best when positioned as an “adventure of the week.” Fans have to wait one more year for the return of “Baby Yoda” in 2026’s The Mandalorian & Grogu.
Stream The Mandalorian on Disney+.
