“1883” received mass critical acclaim and became the most-watched original series following its premiere on Paramount+ this winter. However, despite its rampant success, eagle-eyed fans have taken to social media to voice some “unpopular opinions” about one tiny detail within the show.
Over on Reddit, one “1883” fan took issue with the apparent hair extensions our main character Elsa, played by actress Isabel May, wore throughout the series. While the extensions themselves weren’t the actual problem, fans argued that their frequent appearance in key “1883” scenes was distracting.
Reddit user u/notoanotherlexx questioned, “Extensions in 1883? I know unpopular opinion but so many scenes show elsas hair extensions and it was driving me crazy!! Am I the only one who noticed that?”
“1883” fans replied in the thread, sharing their own opinions on the tiny detail.
One response read, “If Sam Elliott‘s hearing aids didn’t bother you, this shouldn’t either.” Perhaps I’m not as observant as some fans, but frankly, I didn’t take notice of either. That said, another fan shared, “I didn’t know that he was wearing hearing aids in the show. I wear hearing aids too and most people don’t notice unless I mention it. I guess they’re pretty inconspicuous then!”
Still, other fans appeared fed up by “1883” fans’ remarks on the show’s tiny detail. Reddit user directrix688 snarked, “Wait until you find out they shoot blanks in the guns,” which received 13 upvotes on the platform.
Fans Took Issue with One ‘1883’ Romance
Elsa, our ever-vibrant lead character, takes a lot of slack from fans despite overall praise surrounding “1883.” And while the character’s seemingly noticeable hair extensions caused controversy on Reddit in relation to the authenticity of the series’ plot and setting, fans took issue with another detail altogether. However, this one’s much more significant.
The early half of “1883” saw our heroine madly in love with the grinning cowboy, Ennis, who tragically dies in a gunfight several episodes in. From there, we meet Sam, the Comanche native who gives Elsa the nickname, “Lightning with the Yellow Hair.”
At first, their interactions seem harmless, racing on horseback, sharing stories, and trading personal possessions. However, rapidly, their friendship becomes romance and this is where fans split.
A Reddit post, entitled, “Elsa and Sam – Didn’t Make Sense,” details the inauthenticity of their relationship.
“In my opinion,” they wrote, “I felt that Elsa and Sam was a forced relationship. It felt rushed to go from not knowing each other to being married, whereas the Elsa and Ennis relationship, we actually saw that develop and grow.”
Other “1883” fans came to Elsa’s defense.
“Even if it wasn’t very clear, I think it’s worth remembering that a significant chunk of time had passed between Ennis’s death and Sam,” said one fan. “Elsa only knew Ennis for a few weeks. Then at least that much time had passed again before Sam came along.”
Elsa and Sam’s relationship definitely threw “1883” fans for a loop. However, we might recall her union with Sam contributed to a lot of her character’s growth throughout the remainder of the series.
