1923 season 1 Blu-ray review: A must for your media collection

1923, the sequel to 1883, takes places 40 years after James and Margaret Dutton traveled treacherous terrain to land in Montana. Both are long gone by the time we’re introduced to Jacob, James’ older brother, and his wife, Cara. Times have changed.

The town is starting to modernize, a mover and shaker from the East Coast is trying to squeeze the Duttons out of their land and, with grass being scarce, the ranchers and sheep farmers are fighting over land to the point of war.

The first season of the series traces the beginnings of a conflict that threatens to bring the Duttons’ legacy to a startling halt. However, the show doesn’t solely take place in Big Sky near the family’s ranch. It also incorporates Teonna Rainwater’s story, one that’s brutal to watch but tells of her courage and determination to escape the Indian School where she’s subjected to abuse and genocidal assimilation tactics.

1923 splits its tale between the American west and Spencer Dutton’s career as a notable hunter throughout Africa. During his travels, he meets Alexandra, a member of the British upper class who defies societal expectations to pursue a life with Spencer despite how little they know one another.

At once an exploration of encroaching modernization and its affect on agriculture societies, a deeply honest story of the treatment of indigenous peoples by the Catholic church, as well as a sweeping romance that travels the globe, 1923 furthers the legacy of the Dutton family and the Yellowstone universe beloved by many.

The series is available to stream on Paramount+, and digital purchase, but if you’re a fan of physical media, you’ll definitely want to add the DVD or Blu-ray to your collection. The following article is a review of the season 1 Blu-Ray, its components, and special features.

1923 season 1 Blu-ray specs

List price: $31.99

Special Features:

• Behind the Story for every episode
• “Unstoppable Change: The Adventure of 1923”
• “I Am The Land: Teonna Rainwater”
• “Reflecting Humanity: The Art and Craft of Editing 1923”
• “Inside The Series”

Runtime: 465 minutes (7 hours and 45 minutes)

Age rating: Unrated. Parental advisory for explicit content. The series is rated TV-MA on Paramount+.

The eight episodes of the season are spread out across three Blu-Ray discs with the episode titles written on the discs. Each is marked with either “DISC ONE,” “DISC TWO,” or “DISC THREE” to denote the order in which they should be watched. There’s no indication of which special features can be found on which discs. For that information the cover sleeve needs to be pulled out.

For your convenience, we’ll share that discs 1-2’s special features are the Behind the Story featurettes corresponding to the episodes listed on those discs. Disc 3 contains the Behind the Story featurettes for the two episodes on it along with the rest of the Special Features. The runtime for the extras isn’t given.

The three discs are secured in a slim case, however, there aren’t three ports. There are only two, so one disc sits on top of another. Remove the discs with care.

Other specs: 1080p High Definition, Widescreen, English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD, and English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. No other language options are offered.

Is the 1923 season 1 Blu-ray worth the price?

Without a shadow of a doubt, the 1923 season 1 Blu-ray is worth the list price. The DVD set does run cheaper at $19.99 and contains the same special features as the Blu-ray, so if you’re watching your budget that is the better option. But, if you prefer Blu-ray, there’s a lot on offer for $31.99.

First, the set doesn’t skimp on bonus content. The over two hours of footage, cast and crew interviews, and never-before-seen featurettes are worth the watch. Yes, you will see some crossover from the Behind the Story episode deep dives in the other featurettes, but it’s minor and simply fleshes out what’s being talked about by the cast, crew, and Taylor Sheridan.

We will warn you, if you’ve never watched the series, the Behind the Story features do contain minor spoilers for other episodes as the cast and crew talk about the breadth of1923 and the work put in to bring the show to life. You’ll get an in-depth look at the set design, costuming, special effects, stunt work, prop mastering, on location shooting, and more. There’s also a real sense and respect of history that permeates the series and that’s highlighted significantly in the special features.

“Reflecting Humanity: The Art and Craft of Editing 1923” is the sole feature that’s done expressly by the show’s editor, Chad Galster. He speaks on his 20 years of experience, what makes this series and the Yellowstone universe as a whole so compelling, and explains how they created scenes like Spencer’s time as a soldier during World War I, the tugboat being hit by a ghost ship, and Spencer being attacked by a lion.

There is, however, one featurette that is worth a skip. That’s “Inside the Series” which is hosted by 1883‘s LaMonica Garrett. While well produced and engaging, it was a promotional featurette released prior to 1923‘s premiere on Dec. 18, 2022. As such, it’s meant to wet your whistle for the series and is outpaced by the other features available to watch in the Blu-ray disc set.

Verdict: If you’re a fan of 1923, you’ll want this set for your media collection. It boasts a wealth of behind-the-scenes features that will broaden viewers’ understanding of the series, Taylor Sheridan’s vision, and the talent displayed in front and behind the camera.

Stay tuned to Hidden Remote for more Yellowstone franchise news and coverage. For a site dedicated to westerns, check out our sister site Ranches and Reins.