By “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” creator/showrunner Chad Feehan wants to make it clear that the upcoming series is NOT a spin-off of “1883,” despite initially starting that way, along with the involvement of executive producer Taylor Sheridan.
David Oyelowo stars in the eight-episode series based on the life of Bass Reeves, the legendary African-American lawman of the Wild West who worked in the post-Reconstruction era as a federal peace officer in the Indian Territory.
Policing the entire Oklahoma territories, he captured over 3,000 of the most dangerous criminals without ever being wounded. In a job with a high mortality rate, Reeves remarkably survived into old age – dying of natural causes as one of the greatest frontier heroes in American history.
The confusion is understandable as the show was initially announced as a spin-off to the “Yellowstone” prequel series “1883” and even had 1883 as part of its title.
Since then, Feehan has clarified that though it’s a part of Sheridan’s larger Duttonverse, it’s its own series with no ties to anything else. In any case, events take place many years earlier than what’s covered in “1883”. He tells TV Line:
“[It was] an idea that we briefly talked about. But for me, once I learned some of the things I didn’t know about Bass’ life, and decided where we wanted to start the story and where we wanted to end the story, it preceded 1883. [The show] takes place from, roughly, 1862 to 1877.”
The series was filmed in Texas and sees high-profile guest stars includes the likes of Donald Sutherland and Garrett Hedlund alongside regulars such as Dennis Quaid, Lauren E. Banks, Shea Wigham, Barry Pepper, Demi Singleton, Forrest Goodluck and Mo Brings Plenty with the latter playing a wholly different character from his “Yellowstone” role.
“Lawmen: Bass Reeves” debuts November 5th on the Paramount+ service.
The post “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” Ain’t No Spin-Off appeared first on Dark Horizons.
