‘The Madison’ Isn’t a ‘Yellowstone’ Sequel, But a Proper Spinoff is on the Way

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Paramount recently premiered two new shows from Taylor Sheridan at the same time, and honestly, that wasn’t the best strategy. Releasing similar shows, or shows by the same creator, so close together can diminish their impact. Spacing them out would have been more effective.

Both The Madison and Marshals are now available to stream, which is great news for Taylor Sheridan fans. However, viewers of Yellowstone might be confused about why these shows came out instead of a continuation of the original series. When several new shows were announced, many people thought one of them would essentially act as a sixth season of Yellowstone. That didn’t happen, but there’s still a possibility it could.

‘The Madison’ Is No Longer a ‘Yellowstone’ Spinoff… and ‘Marshalls’ Doesn’t Feel Like One Either

Originally, The Madison was planned as a spin-off of Yellowstone, taking place in the same world but without featuring characters from the original show. However, during production, the series—now starring Michelle Pfeiffer—was reimagined as its own independent story, similar to Landman. While the reason for this change isn’t public, it’s likely that Taylor Sheridan or Paramount+ executives were concerned about having too many stories focused on the Dutton family.

So, here’s the story behind Taylor Sheridan’s new series, The Madison. Apparently, things fell apart with Kevin Costner over Yellowstone – he wasn’t willing to commit all his time, and Sheridan decided to pivot. Instead of continuing with Costner, a sequel spin-off, initially called 2024, was greenlit, sticking to the prequel format we’ve seen with 1883 and 1923, and the still-in-the-works 1944. Matthew McConaughey was seriously considered to lead the new show, and honestly, it felt like Sheridan was ready to move on without Costner. Sadly, a deal with McConaughey never materialized. Now, we’re getting a Montana-based series that isn’t about the Dutton family, which I’m sure longtime fans aren’t thrilled about, and believe me, it gets even more complicated from here.

Despite featuring Kayce Dutton, the new show Marshals doesn’t really feel connected to Yellowstone. It’s a fairly standard police procedural, similar to shows like Jared Padalecki’s Walker, which won’t excite fans of the original. It doesn’t feel like a true continuation of the Yellowstone story, and the shocking death of Monica Dutton in the first episode completely derailed a promising family storyline. However, there’s still a chance the show could improve.

‘Dutton Ranch’ Promises To Be the Perfect ‘Yellowstone’ Sequel

It’s strange that all six episodes of The Madison were released over just two weekends. Releasing the entire season at once on Paramount+ doesn’t make much sense. The short season length – only six episodes – is also surprising. Despite this, the show has already been renewed for a second season, even faster than Landman received a renewal. It’s difficult to figure out the reasoning behind these decisions, but we’ll leave it at that for now.

I’ve only seen the first episode so far, and it feels like this could have been a really strong spin-off of Yellowstone. It has all the things we love about Yellowstone – wealth, drama, and stunning scenery. The nature shots are incredible, almost like watching Planet Earth – you’d swear you were seeing a documentary, right down to the fish! It just needs David Attenborough’s voiceover to complete the effect.

Fortunately, a continuation of the story is coming with the new show, Dutton Ranch. It will not only build on what viewers already love, but also keep alive one of television’s most compelling romances. The relationship between Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) was a highlight of the original series, and instead of making them the central focus of a possible sixth season, the creator decided to give them their own spin-off – a smart decision!

Currently called The Dutton Ranch, the new series will continue the story of Beth and Rip as they build a cattle ranch in Dillon, Montana. This follows Beth’s purchase of land at the end of Yellowstone. While new challenges and competitors are expected, the show aims to maintain the same feel. Paramount is planning a premiere sometime in late 2026, but the exact date is still to be announced.

Looking forward to it?

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2026-03-26 16:23