What’s fueling 1923’s rise on iTunes? Speculations about the Harrison Ford-Mirren Yellowstone prequel explored

According to some recent reports, 1923, a prequel of the popular series Yellowstone that breathes in the same world, is climbing up the video-on-demand list months after the premiere of its season 2. This suggests some regained momentum for the show, which follows the earlier generation of the Dutton family as they struggle to protect their ranch during a historic hardship.

Focusing on Jacob and Cara Dutton, the show's timeline begins in 1883 as they suffer Prohibition, the Great Depression, rural violence, and land disputes in Montana. Season 2 wrapped on April 6, 2025, and fans purchasing the show on iTunes indeed confirm that Sheridan's world is far from ending. Read on to know more.

What’s fueling 1923’s rise on iTunes? Explored

Taylor Sheridan’s 1923, the Yellowstone prequel starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, is showing renewed momentum despite having wrapped its two-season run, as people are purchasing the show to enjoy on platforms like iTunes.

According to FlixPatrol, the show has jumped four spots on the iTunes top series chart and now sits at No. 23—just ahead of Counterpart and Landman. Therefore, this suggests a growth in interest towards the show, possibly driven by continued fan engagement with the Yellowstone Universe, or maybe the viewers just want to catch up with the show after the social media buzz it created post-season 2.

The show explores how John Dutton's ancestors protected their land and how the family legacy of land ownership and resilience functioned decades before him. Narrated by Elsa Dutton from 1883, the series ties the three generations together, showing the foundations of the Dutton dynasty.

The reception of 1923, explored in depth

Critically, the series has been well received, with Season 1 holding an 88% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and Season 2 earning a perfect 100%. However, the audience reception is far from being one-sided; rather, it is mixed. Rotten Tomatoes' "Popcornmeter" shows just 56% for Season 1 and 50% for Season 2. Despite that split, the show took home several award nominations and won Helen Mirren the 2024 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Drama or Genre Series.

Yellowstone ran for 5 long seasons, debuting from 2018 to 2024, with its last season's finale premiering in December. The 1923 spike in VOD suggests that the fans are missing the world that these cowboy shows offered. It is also a testament to the show's power and cinematic quality, suggesting that it still has staying power in a crowded streaming landscape.

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But this isn't the end for the fans, as the franchise is cooking up some more spin-offs, and Sheridan's world is far from over. Among the most anticipated shows is Y: Marshals, led by Luke Grimes, which explores the same new-western world. The premiere date isn't known, but the creator has announced the show for the fans to anticipate. Additionally, fans are eagerly awaiting confirmation and details surrounding the rumored sequel series featuring Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly, reprising their iconic roles as Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton.

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