Yellowstone Prequel 1923 Premiere Stream Free Online

The Yellowstone prequel 1923 recently debuted to record viewership on Paramount+, and the first episode is now available for free on YouTube.

The premiere episode of the top-rated Yellowstone prequel, 1923, is currently available for free on YouTube. Taylor Sheridan first unleashes the Rancho Dutton family in Paramount Network's hit new western series "Yellowstone." Next came the 1883 period-era prequel show in Sheridan Verse, further expanding the lore of the Dutton family and their sprawling Montana ranching empire. Now, fans are experiencing another era in the 1923 Dutton saga, with film legend Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton and Oscar winner Helen Mirren as Kara Dutton.

Yellowstone fans don't seem to know enough about the Duttons' exploits, as the latest prequel, 1923, not only hit Paramount+, it actually became the streaming network's biggest premiere ever. Luckily for fans who don't want to shell out the cash for Paramount+, the first episode of 1923 also streams on the Paramount Network. Unfortunately, the rest of the series will now stream exclusively on Paramount+. But those who missed the first episode of 1923 have another chance to watch it for free, as it's currently streaming on YouTube via the Paramount+ channel.

Why 1923 Is Already Bigger Than Yellowstone

Yellowstone is certainly a huge deal for Paramount Network and Paramount+, became an iconic show for the channel and streamer, while achieving huge ratings on both platforms. But even the scale of the show wasn't enough for creator Sheridan, who clearly intended to surpass what he had achieved in the original series in 1923. These ambitious intentions were indeed evident when Ford and Mirren were tapped to head the show's cast. Ford's involvement is significant, considering his status as a megastar has stayed away from small-screen work over the past few decades.

But it's true that Ford's presence isn't the only thing that makes 1923 feel bigger than Yellowstone. The scope of the story is also greater, encompassing not only the wide-open spaces of Montana but also the plains of Africa, where Brandon Sklenar's Spencer Dutton can be seen dealing with his post-World War I PTSD by hunting leopards. Filming in Africa certainly wasn't cheap, a fact reflected in the 1923 budget, which, according to Sheridan himself, surpassed what HBO had spent on Game of Thrones' earlier seasons. Sheridan brags about the size of the show, "You see six thousand sheep, three thousand cows, and As this show goes on, you're in Africa. It's all true.

But of course, the most important metric when comparing 1923 to Yellowstone is the ratings. As far as premiere episodes go, 1923 surpassed the original, with a reported 7.1 million viewers, while Yellowstone 2.8 million viewers. Of course, Yellowstone's audience has grown since its first season premiere, and in fact its fifth season premiere racked up a staggering 10.3 million cross-platform viewers. 1923 is a Paramount+ exclusive Has been held back in terms of ratings, but perhaps releasing the first episode on YouTube will help convince more people to sign up for the streaming service and give 1923 a chance to move further beyond Yellowstone.

More: 1923 Where Filmed: Yellowstone Filming locations for the spinoff^ Source: Paramount+/YouTube