Emerson Miller/Paramount+
Spoilers follow.
"Yellowstone" didn't become the biggest show on TV by being boring. The hugely popular neo-Western was the perfect blend of soapy melodrama and grounded naturalistic performances, making for an irresistible combination that established Taylor Sheridan as the reigning king of TV. As such, Sheridan was taking a major risk with "The Madison." Instead of a neo-Western soap opera, the prolific creator's latest series is a detailed chronicle of one family's grief in the wake of losing their beloved patriarch Preston Clyburn (Kurt Russell). It's unrelentingly and unapologetically sad, allowing the pain of loss to proliferate and fester with very little in the way of relief.
While that has made for Sheridan's most intimate and moving series to date, it has also been tough to sit through at times — not only because Michelle Pfeiffer's Stacy Clyburn suffers so palpably, but because not a lot actually happens beyond this suffering. The show is less interested in propelling its plot than living in the Clyburns' grief, and at times that can make it feel slow.
Fans of Sheridan's other series will no doubt have been taken aback by such an abrupt shift in tone, and may have even been disappointed in the lack of tension and plot development. Indeed, even by the end of episode 5 I was left wondering how this series was going to sustain itself for the already-filmed second season. But with the finale episode, we finally get to see the lineaments of a series coming together, raising the question of why it took so long for Sheridan to get his act together.
The Madison could have been a movie
Emerson Miller/Paramount+
"The Madison" is influenced by classic Brad Pitt movie "A River Runs Through It," which like Taylor Sheridan's show is a family drama set in rural Montana. Episode 1 of "The Madison" even features the film itself, with Stacy Clyburn and her family watching the Robert Redford-directed drama in their hotel room. What's more, the inaugural "Madison" episode contains a tribute to Redford, reinforcing how influential "A River Runs Through It" was to its creation. After five episodes of "The Madison," it almost felt as though Sheridan should have taken that influence further and just written a movie himself.
"The Madison" is full of incredible performances, most notably Michelle Pfeiffer who is stunningly believable as someone struggling with the unbearable weight of loss. The writing is mostly excellent, too, and the stunning cinematography renders Montana more beautifully than any single shot from "Yellowstone." But "The Madison" almost spends too much time immersed in grief. Yes, the real thing is unrelenting, but this is a six-episode series, which implies there's a story worth telling over the course of six installments. By the third, viewers already understand just how deep Preston Clyburn's loss has cut, we don't really need much more reinforcement.
But that's what we got with episodes four and five, which see Stacy and the family bury Preston and eventually return to New York. When at the end of the fourth installment Stacy dramatically announces "Tomorrow, we bury them," you find yourself thinking "How has it taken four episodes to get here?" Making matters worse, Sheridan uses these two episodes to cut short the most interesting storyline, with Ben Schnetzer's Sheriff Van Davis breaking things off with Beau Garrett's Abigail Reese. Thankfully, once the Clyburns touch down in NYC, things get more interesting.
The Madison finale promises the version of the show we've been waiting for
Emerson Miller/Paramount+
"The Madison" has been different from "Yellowstone" since episode 1. That will no doubt have been a shock to some, as this show was originally touted as a "Yellowstone" spin-off before it became a standalone project. For those still hoping for some "Yellowstone" magic, the "Madison" finale delivers.
The episode sees the Clyburns back in New York City where we finally see some tension and compelling storylines. Stacy's relationship with Will Arnett's therapist Dr. Phil Yorn simultaneously makes for some of the most heart-rending and genuinely funny moments in the show, with one scene providing the biggest laugh yet. It seems Stacy finds catharsis in insulting her therapist, and in the finale we see her warn Abigail Reese to keep him away from her daughter, Bridget (Amiah Miller). "I bet you like them young don't you, you twisted bastard," she snaps as she walks away in a hilarious moment that's a series highlight.
We also see a love triangle beginning to form, with Dr. Yorn growing close to Abi during Preston's wake, suggesting there could be trouble to come for the still-simmering romance between her and Sheriff Van Davis. Then there's Elle Chapman's Paige McIntosh, who punches her colleague after overhearing her insult her late father. It's classic Sheridan and it's compelling. There's suddenly tension and the promise of conflict to come. It feels like the show "Yellowstone" fans, or frankly fans of any Sheridan series, have been waiting for.
The creator has already proved with those other shows that melodrama doesn't have to undermine the more serious aspects of his projects. Why it took him so long to remember that with "The Madison" remains a mystery.
English (US) ·