1923 Just Had The Biggest Debut In Paramount+ History

There's a reason that Paramount decided to bet big on the Taylor Sheridan-verse — the TV mogul tends to deliver. And as the creative architect behind a number of Paramount's biggest hits, he's banked plenty of goodwill. Since debuting in 2018, "Yellowstone" has quickly become one of the network's flagship series, growing in viewership with each new season. While none of his other titles have surpassed the status of that crown jewel, Sheridan continues to find success with shows like "Mayor of Kingstown," "Tulsa King," and the "Yellowstone" prequel, "1883." And as Sheridan's stable of shows expands, so does the Dutton family lore because the latest addition to his lineup is yet another spinoff, "1923."

Where "1883" explores the Dutton family origins and "Yellowstone" shows them fending off real-estate moguls in the modern-day, "1923" is a glimpse at the middle. Same shotgun-wielding family but with a new set of faces and period-specific problems. Concerned that three generations of Dutton can't coexist on a single network? Well, it turns out there's no need to worry, because the series premiere of "1923" has already quelled those concerns.

According to Paramount (per Variety), the Sunday night premiere of the prequel series brought in 7.4 million viewers across linear telecasts and streaming. This makes "1923" the most-watched premiere ever on Paramount+ and the #1 new cable premiere of the year.

When "Yellowstone" premiered in 2018, it only had a fraction of the audience that it's garnered now. The season 1 premiere was viewed by 2.8 million people on the Paramount Network, a number that more than tripled earlier this year when season 5 arrived to 10.3 million viewers. So it's safe to say that the continued success of the "Yellowstone" extended universe was a huge factor in the prequel's successful premiere, but I'm also willing to bet that the star-studded cast turned some heads all on their own. In fact, in his review of the season, /Film's Barry Levitt wrote that familiarity with the Dutton family is not a prerequisite for enjoying the new show — the real appeal isn't the fictional history lesson, it's the fact that two screen legends are taking center stage.

As you've likely learned from the billboards invading your hometown, "1923" has Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren leading the charge, as the newest heads of the Dutton family. Set in the early twentieth century, the series explores the family's experience during prohibition-era Montana. The obstacles before them are heavy — pandemics, historic drought, the Great Depression, and Prohibition all plague the countryside that the Dutton family calls home. But terrible odds have never stopped them before.

In a press release announcing the news, Paramount sang the praises of Sheridan's latest, with chief programming officer of Paramount Streaming, Tanya Giles saying:

"Anchored by Taylor Sheridan's incredible vision and the performances of legends Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford, we felt confident this next chapter of the Dutton family origin story would resonate with audiences. We are thrilled with the record-breaking early response to the first episode and can't wait to introduce more audiences to this incredible journey of perseverance, heartbreak, and adventure set amongst the backdrop of the Mountain West."

The next episode of "1923" will be available to stream on January 1, 2023.