...約翰-達頓在美麗的天堂谷最後一次捧着長子Lee時，靠着一棵大樹。一個多世紀以前，另一位達頓的男性家長詹姆斯-達頓用同一種方式，幾乎在同一個地點，送走了自己的長女Elsa Dutton。Lee和Elsa各自的死亡有諸多不同的因素。但毫無疑問，有一點是相同的：約翰和詹姆斯都不僅僅失去了孩子，也失去了對這個孩子繼承自己傳奇的寄托。Lee和Elsa都是為了各自父親的夢想而死。Elsa為家族的未來選擇了栖居之地；約翰-達頓則因為Lee的死而更加堅決地維護家族利益。兩人的死都使自己的家族作為整體更為強大。
...第二集驚現湯姆-漢克斯，他扮演George Meade，曆史上确有其人。
喬治-戈登-米德，美國陸軍少将，曾參加過第二次塞米諾爾戰争、美墨戰争和美國南北戰争。 米德最著名的戰役是1863年在葛底斯堡戰役中指揮聯邦軍波托馬克軍團擊敗聯盟軍羅伯特-E-李将軍率領的北弗吉尼亞軍團。 美國陸軍基地喬治·G·米德堡、堪薩斯州米德縣和南達科他州米德縣都是以喬治·米德的名字命名的。
Tom Hanks和他的妻子Rita Wilson，與《1883》的兩位主演Tim McGraw和Faith Hill是多年好友。Tim McGraw和Faith Hill分别扮演詹姆斯-達頓和瑪格麗特-達頓，現實生活中就是夫妻。
湯姆-漢克斯的米德将軍在Battle of Antietam戰役後向詹姆斯-達頓表達了善意。
...第九集Elsa的命運鎖定。
...拉科塔（Lakota）部落的首領，由Tokala Black Elk扮演，他在《黃石》中出演四集，是凱西和莫尼卡在保留地的鄰居Sam Stands Alone。
...《1883》第一集的站街女，既是《黃石》中的女律師，也是泰勒-謝裡丹另一作品《金斯頓市長》的秘書。
...正如警長Shea Brennan所說，Elsa比誰活得都明白，他75了而她隻有18歲，她卻笑得比他歡快、愛得比他恣意、戰鬥得比他更勇敢。也許每個人從出生那刻就開啟了奧德賽之旅，而Elsa的旅途更為壯闊，更為自由，愛過，心碎過，受過傷再努力站起來，清楚地知道自己的向往。她的旁白就像她為這次旅途寫下的詩句，殘酷貧瘠的生活裡長出浪漫的翅膀。
Season 1, Episode 1: “1883”
開場就是第九集的地獄景象。
I remember the first time I saw it. Tried to find words to describe it. But I couldn’t. Nothing had prepared me. No books. No teachers. Not even my parents. I heard a thousand stories… But none could describe this place. It must be witness to be understood. And yet, I’ve seen it. And I understand it less than when I first cast eyes on this place.
Some called it the American Desert. Others, the Great Plains. But those phrases were invented by professors at universities. Surrounded by the illusion of order. And the fantasy of right and wrong. To know it, you must walk. Bleed until it’s dark. Drown in its rivers. Then its name becomes clear. It is Hell. And there are demons everywhere.
But if this is Hell, then I must be a demon, too. And I’m already dead.
Elsa總結了父親詹姆斯-達頓的夢想：
The road West is filled with failures. But failure isn’t what drove him. It was a dream. And the dream was coming true.
Season 1, Episode 2: “Behind Us, A Cliff”
Freedom is running wild through untamed land.
年輕的姑娘憧憬着前方的土地。
The world here plays parlor tricks on your senses. I do not know what the word Texas means. But to me it means magic.
It seems even the trees are new to this place; scattered about in clusters like little villages. And everywhere: treasures. Everywhere a bounty just waiting to be scooped up.”
18-years ago on this day, Lee surrendered to Grant in the home of Wilmer McClean in the village of Appomattox. A year later, I was born. It was Monday, April 9, 1883. And it was my birthday.
I looked to the right and saw my father somehow riding vertically towards the earth. Beyond him, cowboys and cattle pushed towards us; dust following them like a cloudy shadow. The light was soft and pale and pink, like God had decided to light this day with candles. And the whole of Texas spread out before me. It was the most magnificent thing I had ever seen.
最後Elsa思考時間的變幻。
What began as a journey had become a retreat into the unknown. We were backing into the abyss; so worried our sins would follow us we didn’t bother watching where we walked. And behind us was a cliff.
Season 1, Episode 3: “River”
從第三集開始，Elsa目睹了西擴途中的恐怖，她的旁白也變得暗黑起來。
Death is everywhere on the prairie. In every form you can imagine. And a few your worst nightmare couldn’t muster.
Death hides in creek beds. Possesses animals. It hides in tall grass, waiting. With every death, our father moved camp a little further away. As if death was not the result of accidents and disease, but death was its own disease. And carelessness was contagious.”
But of all the perils awaiting us – sickness and snakes, bad horses and bandits – there was one thing above all that sent terror through both man and beast… There was one word so feared it was barely spoken and barely whispered… River.
粗粝之中也有片刻甯靜，Elsa看着母親放牧，第一次視她為女人，而不僅僅是個母親。
I watched her ride and I didn’t see my mother. I saw a woman. And the woman was magnificent.
Season 1, Episode 4: “The Crossing”
I knew that war. That war between what you should become, and what you could become.
随着劇集進展，Elsa的旁白也漸漸成熟。第四集她站在由女孩向女人進化的邊緣，第五集将完成轉變。
I had abandoned every memory of Tennessee as if I was born on this journey. But I wasn’t. We were leaving a place, and seeking another. And the journey was a necessary, miserable road between the two. Somehow I felt immune to the dangers of this place. As if the land and I had struck a deal. I could pass on heart so long as I loved it. And I did. I loved everything about it.
目睹了種種死亡之後，Elsa平靜地講述了人與自然關系的真相。
But crossing the Brazos taught me there was no deal. No matter how much we love it, the land will never love us back.
Season 1, Episode 5: “The Fangs of Freedom”
We are in the land of no mercy now.
到第五集結尾，Elsa Dutton已經是一個完全不同的人了。她成為一個女人，一個被1883殘酷現實帶來的心碎所改變的人。Elsa從一個古靈精怪、充滿希望的孩童，變成了堅毅警覺的女人。
I think cities have weakened us as a species. There are no consequences there. Step into the streets without looking and the carriage merely stops or swerves; the only consequence an angry driver. But here? There can be no mistakes. Because here doesn’t care. The river doesn’t care if you can swim. The snake doesn’t care how much you love your children. And the wolf has no interest in your dreams. If you fail to beat the current, you will drown; if you get too close, you will be bitten. If you are too weak, you will be eaten.
Elsa與Ennis合為一體，然而命運自有别的安排。
The whole world faded away. No stars or moon, no sky at all. No earth between my feet; no rock against my back. There was only us.
Today My Eyes Died.
I’d known death since I was a child. It’s everywhere. But it had never touched me. It had never placed it rotten finger on my heart. Until today. Today my eyes died. I see the world through my mother’s eyes now. Yes, freedom has fangs. And it sunk them in me. I chose to love him. He chose to love me back. Then chose to protect me. Then a man we’ve never met chose to kill him. And made me colorblind.
Maybe killing this man will get my eyes back. Maybe it won’t. But I chose to find out.
餘下的旅途在Elsa平靜的旁白中展開。
6-10集待續。
