Taylor Sheridan's 6-Part Neo-Western Has Critics Dueling on Rotten Tomatoes

2 hours ago 4

Published Mar 13, 2026, 4:56 PM EDT

Denis is a news writer for Collider with close to five years of experience in the industry. He has analyzed shows across different genres, formats and styles. His favorite types of articles to write are exciting news updates and episodic deep-dives. He might say he doesn't have a favorite show, but he has watched The Wire, Shameless, The Big Bang Theory, and The Blacklist more than once. Denis is increasingly becoming focused on the global streaming arena and how media connects with audiences in various markets. Find him on X tweeting about something random that occurred to him about a TV show or the industry in general.

It's that time of the year again: Taylor Sheridan has a new show out, and it's only a week after his previous new show's debut, Marshals. The prolific writer has kept Paramount+ afloat for the last few years with hits like Yellowstone, Landman, and Mayor of Kingstown, making him the undisputed king of engaging gritty thrillers. His next series is The Madison, a neo-western drama starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell. The series follows a family that leaves the fast-paced world of New York City for the calm, rural life in Montana following a tragedy.

Critics were offered early access to the series, and today, the reviews are out. The Madison has debuted with a 60% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on five critic reviews, hinting at a mixed reception for the series. Now, 60% is not a bad score, but it's not great either, especially for Sheridan, who is known for pulling in high ratings. However, since the initial debut, that score has since risen to a much more positive 80%, giving it the exact same score as Sheridan's massively popular Landman. This score somewhat reflects The Madison's position in the Taylor Sheridan universe. Many expect gritty, violent thrillers from him, but The Madison is quite a departure, exploring more emotional themes like grief and healing.

King Friday XIII and Other Regal Characters — The Collider TV Quiz!

It's Friday the 13th. What better day to bone up on your knowledge of King Friday XIII and other television royals?

Is 'The Madison' a Good Show?

Well, that depends on who you ask. Some critics found it a bit dated with its exploration of rural versus city dynamics, but most appreciated the cast, especially Pfeiffer. The actress has received universal acclaim for her performance. The Madison has also been lauded for its visuals. Collider's Aidan Kelley reviewed the first season and had positive things to say, noting that while the show takes time to find its footing, it eventually stabilizes and becomes quite engaging. An excerpt from his review of The Madison Season 1 reads:

"If you're expecting a typical, action-packed Sheridan story with a billion thrills and twists and turns, The Madison is most certainly not the show for you. It's slow, patient, and methodical, and it's very easy to see how viewers could prematurely slap "boring" on as a defining trait. However, this slow-burn pace is exactly what keeps The Madison an engaging watch. As anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one knows, the grieving process is an excruciatingly long one, especially with a less-than-perfect support system of friends and family. That said, even from a slow-burn perspective, The Madison takes quite a while to get going, and the tropey, cheesy "rich people don't know how basic things work" device gets real old, real quick. The more the story goes on, however, the more these characters, particularly the Clyburn family, slowly begin to reveal the show's more nuanced intelligence."

The show also stars Beau Garrett (Firefly Lane), Elle Chapman (A Man Called Otto), Patrick J. Adams (Suits), Amiah Miller (War for the Planet of the Apes), Alaina Pollack (The Surrender), Ben Schnetzer (3 Body Problem), Kevin Zegers (Power), Rebecca Spence (Lady in the Lake), Danielle Vasinova (1923), Matthew Fox (Lost) and Will Arnett (Is This Thing On?).

The Madison features an atypical rollout strategy for a Taylor Sheridan or Paramount+ show: three episodes on Saturday, March 14, followed by three more episodes, with the final three premiering the following week on Saturday, March 21.