Taylor Sheridan has reached the point in his career where tossing the Stetson on the coffee table and inviting the camera to a particularly photogenic corner of Montana constitutes a production meeting. After filling prime-time television with alpha males, land wars, and enough testosterone to fuel a small city, The Madison is his most surprisingly forlorn work yet. And now that its first season has appeared on Blu-ray, discerning viewers can enjoy Sheridan’s latest family drama without a subscription to any streaming service.
The Madison is not another Yellowstone, it's a more introspective affair that examines the heart-wrenching consequences of the family tragedies and the inability to move on, despite all the money in the world.
Michelle Pfeiffer stars as Manhattan socialite Stacy Clyburn, who finds herself in the unfamiliar landscape of the American West after a horrifying family tragedy. There, in the Madison River Valley, her husband Preston (Kurt Russell) and brother-in-law Paul (Matthew Fox) once found a measure of peace from the relentless pace of city life. For Stacy, it is a foreign land, a world away from the life she knew and the life she wants to return to. Along with her daughters Abigail (Beau Garrett) and Paige (Elle Chapman), Stacy must navigate the unfamiliar terrain of Montana, dealing not only with the family tragedy but the familial fallout that comes with such a tragedy.
Abigail leads a double life as the CEO of a prestigious company and estranged mother to her daughters Bridgett (Amiah Miller) and Macy (Alaina Pollack). Her otherworldly sister Paige brings her corporate-focused husband Russell (Patrick J. Adams) to Montana.
The clash of values, the heart-wrenching grief, the pain of loss, is as palpable as the natural splendor of the Madison River Valley. But for all of her privilege and wealth, Stacy finds very little comfort in her family’s legacy, and the unfamiliarity of Montana makes her life infinitely harder.
The Madison is not another Western land grab or a mere extension of Yellowstone . Its primary conflict is not a dispute over who owns which parcel of land and which crooked sheriff must be bought off. The heart of The Madison is the emotional fallout from a family tragedy. Pfeiffer is stellar as the privileged but emotionally repressed Stacy, trying to reconcile the loss of her family with the rampant materialism and elitism of her world. This is not the privilege of a snob but the privilege of a woman who never knew how to express her emotions before. Pfeiffer captures the heart-wrenching mix of pain and self-loathing perfectly, so that her performance is immediately sympathetic. Russell and Fox are equally strong, providing the emotional center and familial foundation that allowed Stacy to survive her grief. Stacy’s relationship with her daughters is similarly well-drawn, allowing Garrett and Chapman to showcase their range. Adams is a scene-stealer as husband Russell, whose corporate skills are of limited use in the rugged American West.
Finally, the beauty of the Madison River Valley is captivating. This is a land of giants, and as such, it is not immediately welcoming to human visitors. The vastness of this terrain makes the characters look minuscule, but for Stacy, it is the opposite – the feeling of vastness is the feeling of loss.
Not everything is as strong in the Sheridan drama. At times, the first season feels elongated and meanders, trying to find its way through familial tensions. The show struggles to balance the tension between its two settings, the bustle of New York and the apparent emptiness of Montana. Some of the family interpersonal drama feels misplaced, and the show’s quieter moments occasionally mistake meandering for meaningful. However, Pfeiffer’s Stacy is always there to ground the proceedings. Her internal pain is relatable, and her interactions with her family feel authentic and raw.
What about the special features included on the Blu-ray release? There aren't any. If you make your decsions based on supplemental materials, this is not the release for you. The quality of the audio and video is excellent, if somewhat standard for the type of production.
As a television drama, The Madison is worth consideration. It's a surprising detour for Sheridan, whose work usually focuses on the interpersonal drama of the alpha male type. The land, the riches, the power, and the testosterone fuel his work, making The Madison a welcome change. It is a more introspective, melancholic affair that examines the heart-wrenching grief after the loss of a family member and the inability to move on with life. However, this is not always a consistent feel, as the tension between Stacy and her daughters is often misplaced and underdeveloped. The uneven tone is the most significant reason to approach The Madison with tempered expectations. Those looking for a more straightforward Western confrontation are bound to be disappointed by the slow-burning tension between the family members. Yet, viewers will enjoy Pfeiffer’s turn as the privileged but grieving mother and the setting of the Madison River Valley.
The Madison is a different kind of Sheridan production, which makes it more interesting from both creative and consumer perspectives. From one perspective, it displays the director’s versatility, proving that he can make a Western that revolves around the life and grief of an ordinary person. From the consumer perspective, The Madison is worth consideration as it is available in a physical format that is convenient and durable. Pfeiffer, Russell, and the rest of the stellar cast deliver memorable performances that should not be missed.
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