There are now seven shows in the Yellowstone universe — and the order you watch them in actually matters. Watch the prequels first and some of Yellowstone’s biggest emotional moments lose their punch. Watch 1883 after Yellowstone and you will understand characters differently.
The short answer: watch Yellowstone first, then 1883, then 1923. Then catch up on Marshals and The Madison in any order, and finally Dutton Ranch — which picks up after Yellowstone ends.
Here is the complete breakdown of every watch order option, what each show is about, where to stream everything, and the answer to whether there will ever be a Yellowstone Season 6.
The Complete Yellowstone Universe in 2026
| # | Show | Timeline | What It’s About |
| 1 | 1883 | 1883 | Dutton ancestors travel west from Texas to Montana |
| 2 | 1923 | 1923–1925 | Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren as Depression/Prohibition-era Duttons |
| 3 | 1944 | WWII era | Prequel — announced, no premiere date yet |
| 4 | Yellowstone | Modern day (2018-2024) | The original — Kevin Costner as John Dutton |
| 5 | Marshals | Modern day | Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton — premiered March 2026 |
| 6 | The Madison | Modern day | Michelle Pfeiffer in Montana — premiered March 2026 |
| 7 | Dutton Ranch | Modern day (post-Yellowstone) | Kelly Reilly & Cole Hauser as Beth and Rip in Texas — airing now |
Recommended Watch Order: Start With Yellowstone
The best watch order for most new viewers is release order — which means starting with Yellowstone itself, not the prequels. Here is why: Yellowstone was designed to work as a standalone story. You do not need to know anything about 1883 or 1923 to understand or enjoy it. More importantly, watching Yellowstone first means certain reveals and emotional moments in the prequels will hit harder because you already care about the Dutton legacy.
Recommended order:
- Step 1: Yellowstone Seasons 1–5 (2018–2024) — the original, complete story
- Step 2: 1883 (2022) — now that you know where the family ends up, the origin story lands with more weight
- Step 3: 1923 (2023–2025) — the middle chapter connecting 1883 to modern Yellowstone
- Step 4: Marshals (2026) — picks up Kayce’s story after Yellowstone
- Step 5: The Madison (2026) — set in the same Sheridan universe, modern Montana
- Step 6: Dutton Ranch (2026) — Beth and Rip’s story after Yellowstone, currently airing
Alternative: Chronological Order
If you prefer to watch the Dutton family story from the very beginning in historical order, here is the chronological sequence:
- 1883 → 1923 → (1944 when available) → Yellowstone → Marshals, The Madison, Dutton Ranch
The downside: 1883 and 1923 are prequels designed with the expectation that you know how the Dutton story ends. Some emotional beats hit differently — and some foreshadowing is less effective — if you have not seen the main show first. That said, both prequels work well as standalone stories and many viewers start here without any complaints.
Should You Watch 1923 Before or After Yellowstone?
After Yellowstone — for the same reason as 1883. 1923 contains characters and family connections that resonate more deeply once you understand what the Dutton ranch ultimately becomes and what it means to the family.
That said, 1923 is completely self-contained and works perfectly well watched before Yellowstone. Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren’s performances are strong enough to carry the show without any prior Yellowstone knowledge. If you are someone who enjoys historical dramas and prefers to start at the beginning of a story’s timeline, starting with 1923 is a legitimate choice.
Can You Watch 1923 Before Yellowstone?
Yes. 1923 does not spoil Yellowstone and does not require any prior Yellowstone knowledge to follow. The show is set over a century before the events of Yellowstone and the characters are entirely different (though ancestral relatives of the modern Duttons). You will understand Yellowstone perfectly well even if you watch 1923 first.
For the full breakdown of what each spinoff is about, who stars in it, and where to watch each one, see our complete guide to every Yellowstone spinoff including Dutton Ranch, 6666, and 1944.
Where to Watch Every Yellowstone Universe Show
| Show | Streaming | Cable / Broadcast |
| Yellowstone | Paramount+ (all 5 seasons) | Paramount Network (reruns) |
| 1883 | Paramount+ (full series) | N/A — streaming only |
| 1923 | Paramount+ (full series) | N/A — streaming only |
| Marshals | Paramount+ | CBS (Sunday nights) |
| The Madison | Paramount+ | N/A — streaming only |
| Dutton Ranch | Paramount+ | Paramount Network (Fridays at 8 p.m. ET) |
Does Hulu Have Yellowstone?
This is one of the most searched questions about the franchise — and the answer has changed over the years. As of 2026, Yellowstone is available on Paramount+, not Hulu. Earlier seasons of Yellowstone were available on Peacock (NBCUniversal’s streaming service) for a period, but the entire series has since moved back to Paramount+.
If you have a Hulu subscription but not Paramount+, you can add Paramount+ as an add-on channel through Hulu — this gives you access to all Yellowstone universe content including Dutton Ranch, 1883, and 1923, with the price added to your Hulu bill.
Current Paramount+ subscription pricing and what’s included can be checked at paramountplus.com — the service carries all Yellowstone universe content including Dutton Ranch, 1883, 1923, Marshals, and The Madison.
Is There Going to Be a Yellowstone Season 6?
No. Yellowstone officially ended with Season 5 Part 2 in November 2024. The show concluded the Dutton family saga without Kevin Costner, who departed before the final season was filmed.
What many fans hoped would become Season 6 — a continuation of the Beth and Rip story — has instead been reborn as Dutton Ranch, a separate spinoff series. Dutton Ranch is not Yellowstone Season 6 in any official capacity, but it does continue the stories of two of the show’s most popular characters in a new setting.
The Yellowstone franchise continues, but not as Yellowstone itself. The original show is complete.
Is Yellowstone Based on a Real Family?
No. The Dutton family and the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch are fictional, created by Taylor Sheridan. The show is set in Montana near Yellowstone National Park, and many of the locations — including the Yellowstone Valley — are real. The political dynamics, ranching culture, and conflicts between ranchers and developers are inspired by real tensions in the American West, but the Dutton family specifically is fictional.
The Four Sixes Ranch (6666), which features in Yellowstone and is the planned setting for the 6666 spinoff, is a real ranch in Texas owned by Taylor Sheridan himself — 350,000 acres in West Texas, one of the largest working cattle ranches in the US.
How Does Teonna Fit Into Yellowstone?
Teonna Rainwater (played by Aminah Nieves) is introduced in 1923 as a young Crow Native American woman forced into a brutal Catholic boarding school. Her storyline explores the historical practice of forced assimilation of Native American children — a real and devastating chapter in American history.
Teonna’s connection to the Yellowstone present day: she is an ancestor of Thomas Rainwater, the chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Broken Rock Reservation who is a central character in Yellowstone played by Gil Birmingham. The conflict between the Duttons and the Rainwater family in the modern show is given historical depth and context by Teonna’s storyline in 1923.
What Year Does Yellowstone Take Place?
The original Yellowstone series is set in the modern era, spanning approximately 2018 to 2024 — roughly contemporaneous with its real-world air dates. The show premiered in June 2018 and ran until November 2024 when Season 5 Part 2 concluded.
The franchise as a whole spans from 1883 (obviously) through to the present day in Dutton Ranch, covering roughly 140 years of Dutton family history across all the shows combined.
Paramount+’s official Yellowstone universe page at paramountplus.com/shows/yellowstone has episode guides, cast information, and links to all related shows in one place.
Bottom Line
| ✅ Best watch order | Yellowstone → 1883 → 1923 → Marshals/The Madison → Dutton Ranch |
| ✅ Can you watch 1923 first? | Yes — it works standalone, just hits differently before Yellowstone |
| ✅ Where to stream all shows | Paramount+ has every show in the franchise |
| ✅ Is there a Season 6? | No — Yellowstone ended November 2024. Dutton Ranch continues Beth & Rip. |
| ✅ Dutton Ranch status | Currently airing — premiered May 15, 2026, new episodes Fridays |
| ✅ Is it based on a real family? | No — Dutton family is fictional. Four Sixes Ranch is a real Sheridan-owned ranch. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What order should you watch Yellowstone?
The recommended order: Yellowstone (Seasons 1–5) → 1883 → 1923 → Marshals → The Madison → Dutton Ranch. This is release order and the order the shows were designed to be experienced. Alternatively, watch in chronological timeline order: 1883 → 1923 → Yellowstone → the 2026 spinoffs.
Should you watch 1883 or Yellowstone first?
Yellowstone first. 1883 is a prequel designed to add depth to the Dutton legacy you already know from Yellowstone. Many of 1883’s emotional moments land harder when you understand where the family ends up. That said, 1883 works well as a standalone story if you prefer to start at the historical beginning.
Is Yellowstone coming back for Season 6?
No. Yellowstone ended with Season 5 Part 2 in November 2024. The franchise continues through spinoffs — Dutton Ranch (Beth and Rip), Marshals (Kayce), and The Madison (Michelle Pfeiffer) — but the original Yellowstone series starring Kevin Costner is complete.
Does Hulu have Yellowstone?
Not natively on standard Hulu. Yellowstone is on Paramount+. You can add Paramount+ as a channel add-on through Hulu, which gives you access to Yellowstone and all spinoffs including Dutton Ranch, 1883, and 1923.
What year does Yellowstone take place?
The original Yellowstone series is set in roughly the same era as its air dates — from around 2018 to 2024. The franchise spans from 1883 (the earliest prequel) through to the present day in Dutton Ranch, covering approximately 140 years of Dutton family history.
Is Yellowstone based on a real family?
No. The Dutton family and the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch are fictional. The setting — Montana near Yellowstone National Park — is real, and the cultural tensions between ranchers, developers, and Native American communities are inspired by real dynamics. But the Duttons themselves are a Taylor Sheridan creation.