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The Madison

The Madison

2026–Ongoing3 seasons18 episodes~60 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

The Clyburns uproot their comfortable New York City lives to the wild, untamed beauty of Montana's Madison River Valley on a search for connection.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Madison?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Madison streaming on Paramount+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about The Madison?

The Madison earns 6 badges, led by Visual feast and Atmospheric.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is The Madison worth watching?

The Madison's Midcredits score is the 76th percentile of all shows, from 25K ratings across 5 sources. 85% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

76th percentile

Better received than 76% of shows

75th percentile among Drama80th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)64th
Approval (how many liked it)83rd

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

74 /100

64th percentile of all shows

65th percentile among Drama69th percentile among 2020s

Critics 57 · Audience 76

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

85% liked it

83rd percentile of all shows

83rd percentile among Drama87th percentile among 2020s
85% rated it 7–1015% rated it 1–6

Critics 63% · Audience 72%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Reach

How many have seen it

95th percentile

25K ratings across platforms

93rd percentile among Drama96th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 2% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The Madison is a slow, atmospheric drama about a wealthy family grieving after a sudden loss, set against stunning Montana landscapes.

Fans praised

  • Michelle Pfeiffer's deeply emotional performance
  • Montana scenery as a breathtaking, transportive backdrop
  • Authentic, raw exploration of grief and family healing

Detractors panned

  • Unlikable, entitled characters lacking depth
  • Slow pacing with minimal narrative momentum
  • Clichéd city vs country stereotypes

What stands out

Cinematography90

Breathtaking Montana landscapes; every shot like a postcard

Atmosphere85

Montana wilderness feels alive and immersive

ActingDivisive82

Michelle Pfeiffer's career-best performance; Kurt Russell strong in limited role

Emotional impactDivisive80

Grief depicted as raw and moving; some find it manipulative

Plot and storyDivisive50

Predictable fish-out-of-water premise; grief journey feels authentic to fans

CharactersDivisive45

Daughters called spoiled and unlikable; Pfeiffer's character praised as layered

PacingDivisive40

Slow and meditative pace praised by some, called boring by others

OriginalityDivisive30

Recycles Sheridan's city vs country tropes; less action than prior works

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2026 · 6 episodes · 8.5 average across 6 rated episodes

  • S1E1

    Pilot

    Mar 14, 202669 minTMDB rating 8.4
  • S1E2

    Let the Land Hold Me

    Mar 14, 202650 minTMDB rating 8.5
  • S1E3

    Watch Her Fall

    Mar 14, 202647 minTMDB rating 8.7
  • S1E4

    Tomorrow Is Goodbye

    Mar 21, 202662 minTMDB rating 8.7
  • S1E5

    No Name and a New Dream

    Mar 21, 202654 minTMDB rating 8.2
  • S1E6

    I Give Me Permission

    Mar 21, 202649 minTMDB rating 8.4Finale

Watch experience

What is The Madison like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — a slow-burn watch that leaves you hopeful.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
MelancholicContemplativeHopeful
Heaviest: early
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 10% of shows
Told as
Nonlinear · 5% of shows: Events shown out of chronological order.SerializedOne continuous story
ToneThe series plays its emotional material straight, with sincere and deliberate introspection.
The rideThe series sustains a melancholic, contemplative mood from the initial tragedy, with occasional lighter notes; the heaviest emotional weight is front-loaded in the early episodes.
StructureThe story moves between the present-day Montana setting and flashbacks to the tragedy and the family's life in New York.
Episode formatThe series tells a single continuous story of a family's grief across seasons, with each episode advancing the ongoing narrative.
Season formatEach season continues the same story and follows the same cast as they process the tragedy in Montana.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
HopefulThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves a contemplative hope, suggesting that peace can be found through intentional living and connection to nature.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).RebirthHealing
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7% (this title): Redemption 1% · Healing 3% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

7% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe series centers on a family recovering from a tragedy, following their emotional journey toward healing and rediscovery of purpose in rural Montana.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfGriefSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9% (this title): Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% (this title) · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Survival

Grief · 4% of showsFamily bonds
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on how a family processes profound loss and whether human connection can offer any reprieve.
StanceThe series questions whether human connection can truly heal grief, focusing on the intimate struggles of a family rather than passing judgment.

The world

ContemporaryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
Settinga New York family grieving in rural Montana

Content guide

Is The Madison okay for kids?

TV-MA

The Madison is rated TV-MA. As of August 18, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (32/100), sexual content at moderate (40/100), language at intense (74/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (47/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). Overall it is heavier than 17% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 7 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • Ireland15
  • Brazil14
  • SingaporeM18
  • Spain18
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 46% of all showsHeavier than 17% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 14%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 29%
Profanity
Intense
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 63%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 44%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 17%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA shows usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does The Madison have?

MovieCove's classifier found 5 depicted content warnings in The Madison: Animal death (mild), Gore or body horror (mild), Medical procedures (mild), plus 2 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. 1 more is mentioned only, in dialogue or backstory (behind the spoiler gate). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

MildAnimal deathGore or body horrorMedical procedures

Mentioned: referenced in dialogue or backstory, not shown in the story’s present.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Madison?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Michelle Pfeiffer
as Stacy Clyburn
Best so far: Their highest-reaching show role to date — the title is too recent to say more.
Beau Garrett
as Abigail Reese
Patrick J. Adams
as Russell McIntosh
Elle Chapman
as Paige McIntosh
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Amiah Miller
as Brigitte Reese
Best so far: Their highest-reaching show role to date — the title is too recent to say more.
Alaina Pollack
as Macy Reese
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Rebecca Spence
as Liliana Weeks
Best so far: Their highest-reaching show role to date — the title is too recent to say more.
Kevin Zegers
as Cade Harris
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Ben Schnetzer
as Van Davis
Danielle Vasinova
as Kestrel Harris

Crew

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TMDB's suggestions for shows like The Madison include Brothers & Sisters (2006), Everwood (2002) and Departure (2019).

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What other shows share a tag with The Madison?

347 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: prestige drama. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.