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Rating: ★★ stars
Verdict: "The Madison" may have worked better as a movie, but it's essentially a soap opera with gorgeous vistas. It's largely a vehicle for Taylor Sheridan's attempts at social commentary, with a plot as shallow as the New Yorkers Sheridan mocks over the first season's six episodes.
Release schedule: First three episodes available to stream now. Episodes 4-6 available starting March 21.
Where to watch: Stream "The Madison" on Paramount+ now
At this point, at least half of the original shows on Paramount+ must be created by Taylor Sheridan. The "Yellowstone" creator is inarguably prolific, and between his first Western series and his more recent hit "Landman," there's no denying he can make a TV show that grabs people's attention.
Between Sheridan's resume and the caliber of actor he can pull in — Patrick J. Adams of "Suits," a favorite of mine, also stars in this show — I was intrigued to see how the show played out. But I've now seen all six episodes of this truncated first season of "The Madison," and it's officially the worst show I've seen all year.
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Malcolm has been on the Tom's Guide streaming team since 2023, reviewing dozens of shows each year so you only have to watch the good ones.
After six episodes, I'm not sure what the point of 'The Madison' was
Some spoilers for "The Madison" beyond this point
If you don't want to be spoiled whatsoever, turn back now. I'm not going to spoil how the show ends, but there's a major plot point in the first episode that can't be avoided if I want to properly explain what this show is about. This is your last chance to stop reading, watch episode 1 if you want, then come back and continue on.
So, right out the gate, Kurt Russell dies in a plane crash. It's not even the end of the first episode. Now, Taylor Sheridan has a knack for unleashing a major death on the audience; in "Landman," he kills off multiple characters in the first episode. But I was a bit surprised that one of the show's two main characters was dead after 40 minutes.
Of course, those who are dead are not forgotten, which is sort of the point this show is trying to make. After Preston (Russell) dies in the crash, his family, led by his wife Stacy (Pfeiffer), heads out from New York City to Montana to identify his body and take stock of the cabins he and his brother Paul (Matthew Fox) built in Madison County. As she gets closer to the land, she gets closer to Preston. As she gets closer to Preston's memory, the closer she wants to be to the land.
Once in Montana, though, the second purpose of the show becomes apparent: "owning the libs."
I say that half jokingly, but a significant portion of "The Madison" is devoted to Sheridan's commentary on the state of American society. Specifically, coastal elites. There's an ongoing bit about whether or not it's racist to call Native Americans Indians, a genuine debate that I'm not sure the non-Native Sheridan should be the arbiter of. There's also plenty of talk about how you can't even walk down the street in New York anymore (you can). There's even, bafflingly, a shot taken at people who go see movies on a date, which is a weird choice to make for a guy who makes a living writing, directing and producing shows and movies.
Verdict: 'The Madison' looks gorgeous and has moments, but there are better ways to spend your time
Unfortunately, as poorly executed as it is, this social commentary is the part of "The Madison" that stands out the most. Aside from that, it's essentially an average melodrama. A soap opera with enough of a budget to hire a talented cinematographer to shoot the gorgeous vistas of Montana. The only reason I still give this show two stars is that there's no denying the production values.
Things admittedly get a bit interesting in the second half of the season when Will Arnett shows up as Stacy's therapist, Dr. Phil Yorn. His interactions with her are by far the best written of the show, and I could have easily watched an entire series about the two of them, even with Sheridan's political interjections.
But unfortunately, we only get them together for parts of a few episodes. So while "The Madison" is just six episodes long, most of which fall a little under the hour mark, I can't justify recommending you binge-watch a show over a few moments of real depth, some laughs and some breathtaking scenery. There are better shows out there, including shows from Sheridan that are available to stream on Paramount+. I'll take a show like "Landman" over something as empty as "The Madison" any day of the week.
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