The Madison Review: Michelle Pfeiffer Leads Taylor Sheridan’s Quietest Show Yet

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After a devastating discovery following a recent tragedy, Michelle Pfeiffer’s character, Stacy Clyburn, walks into the shallow Madison River, overwhelmed with grief. She admits she quickly went through the initial shock, skipping the usual denial. Her fashionable best friend, still in her Chanel clothes and heels, immediately joins her in the water to offer comfort. Stacy expresses frustration with doctors who try to categorize grief into neat stages, saying that real emotions don’t follow such a rigid formula.

Taylor Sheridan’s new series, The Madison, feels different from his other shows like Yellowstone, Tulsa King, and Mayor of Kingstown. While those series balanced intense action with quiet moments, The Madison is consistently subdued. Set along a peaceful river in Montana, the show follows a family from New York as they grapple with grief and attempt to heal by reconnecting with nature and each other. Unlike Sheridan’s previous work, explosive scenes are rare, creating a more contemplative and character-driven experience.

Michelle Pfeiffer Shines on The Madison

As a big fan of shows like Yellowstone, I’d say if that series focused on complicated father-son relationships and a sprawling ranch, The Madison really dives into the issues surrounding the Clyburn family matriarch and what happens when tragedy strikes. Honestly, the tragedy itself is the biggest spoiler, and Paramount even asked reviewers not to reveal it – and for good reason! It’s the core of everything that happens, and trying to talk about The Madison without mentioning it feels incredibly difficult. It’s the thing that sets the whole story in motion.

Don’t worry, there’s plenty to discuss about The Madison without focusing on the most obvious thing. It’s wonderful to see an actor with such talent on screen. After seeing her in Margo’s Got Money Troubles, it’s amazing to realize it’s the same person. Thankfully, it is, and she’s incredible in The Madison. She plays a very wealthy New Yorker – we never quite learn how she and her husband made their fortune – who is kind-hearted but also incredibly strong. Her love for her children is immense, and she’s able to see both their imperfections and her own as a mother.

Michelle Pfeiffer faces a challenging task in The Madison, delivering a performance centered around grief. Amidst the sadness, she manages to show moments of joy, highlighting both her own beauty and her character’s ability to find beauty in the world. Some might say this is Pfeiffer’s most stunning performance to date, thanks to how naturally she portrays the character’s emotions and humanity.

The Madison’s Characters Are Hit and Miss

Stacy represents a significant step forward in how Sheridan portrays women, a welcome change from the one-dimensional female characters in his earlier work like Landman. While The Madison still has some familiar tropes, Stacy and her older daughter, Abigail (Beau Garrett), feel more realistic and are allowed to be complex individuals, rather than simply how men perceive women. The younger daughter, Paige (Elle Chapman), is more in line with Sheridan’s typical female characters – she’s prone to complaining, delicate, and overly indulged. Her sister sums it up perfectly when she quips, “Paige, your blonde is showing.”

Even so, Paige is a more complex character than Ainsley Norris. The fact that her husband, Russell (played by Patrick J. Adams), is equally unprepared for life in the Montana wilderness adds to the humor. One particularly funny moment involves both of them being stung by hornets while using an outhouse. However, the show occasionally stumbles with tired tropes. There are too many scenes where a male character begins a speech with a condescending “Let me tell you something about women…” followed by what the show seems to think is empowering, but feels outdated and rooted in 1950s stereotypes. It also raises questions whether the consistent depiction of Sheridan’s female characters as blonde, thin, and strikingly beautiful is intentional.

Russell plays Preston, Stacy’s husband, who gets away from city life for a trip to Montana. He’s a good father and husband who enjoys being outside, but his character doesn’t have much depth. Surprisingly, his brother Paul, played by Fox, is a more complex character, despite appearing less often. Once the show explains why Paul is so distant from his family, the character really comes to life. Fox delivers a particularly moving performance later in the series, reminding viewers of his talent from his lead role in a popular show in the 2000s.

The Madison Is a Divisive, Yet Lavish Story

Viewers might have different reactions to the story in The Madison. It’s not a typical Western filled with gunfights, land disputes, or dramatic revenge plots. The other characters – including Ben Schnetzer, Kevin Zegers, and Rebecca Spence – are genuinely kind and offer real support to the Clyburns. Any disagreements the Clyburns have with others are more about differing viewpoints and cultural misunderstandings, and they aren’t particularly intense.

Sheridan demonstrates his range as a writer with this story, beautifully portraying loss and grief. It’s refreshing that he builds an engaging narrative through character development and relationships, rather than relying on action. However, the plot feels incomplete, leaving a nagging sense that something is missing. Even at the very end, the finale doesn’t deliver a satisfying conclusion, and that feeling persists throughout the entire series.

The show feels very slow because the main storyline is quite straightforward. While the family faces personal challenges, there’s a lack of outside conflict to make the story more complete. Each episode drags on, repeatedly revisiting the same ideas. Scenes often run much longer than necessary – a recurring problem with the creator’s work, which he doesn’t seem to address even with a team of writers or basic scriptwriting training. A romantic side story is introduced mid-series, attempting to feel significant, but it ultimately amounts to a brief, casual relationship.

Despite its simple visuals, the film’s strong dialogue is captivating. The story really shines when city dwellers contrast with the rural life Preston and Paul admire, and it manages to do so without dismissing either perspective. The film is visually appealing and feels lovingly made. Filming on location in Montana, as Sheridan often does, gives it an authentic Western feel, and this Montana landscape is a refreshing change from what viewers saw in Yellowstone. The beautiful score, by Breton Vivian, truly immerses you in the Montana setting.

While The Madison shows promise and could benefit from future seasons, the initial six episodes feel incomplete. It’s not for everyone – those used to fast-paced, action-packed shows might find its focus on character development slow. However, some viewers will appreciate this more intimate approach, especially as a contrast to other, more intense series. The standout performance by Pfeiffer, who brilliantly portrays a woman grappling with isolation and difficult choices, is definitely a reason to tune in.

The Madison premieres March 14 on Paramount+.

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2026-03-13 17:08