AceShowbiz - The Madison is Paramount+’s latest family drama created by Taylor Sheridan, known for his work on Yellowstone. The series features a strong cast including Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, and Patrick J. Adams, yet it struggles under the weight of Sheridan’s apparent disdain for New York City and its inhabitants.

The show attempts to explore complex family dynamics and themes of loss, healing, and cultural contrasts between urban and rural life. Unfortunately, Sheridan’s personal contempt for New York City colors much of the narrative, detracting from the otherwise compelling performances and beautiful cinematography.

Michelle Pfeiffer delivers an award-worthy portrayal of Stacy Clyburn, the family matriarch managing the challenges of a fracturing clan in New York. Her performance is one of the series’ highlights, embodying strength and vulnerability. Alongside her, Kurt Russell plays Preston Clyburn, a Montana resident who finds peace in the rural setting, contrasting sharply with the city’s chaos.

The tension between these two worlds—urban New York and rural Montana—is central to the story. Preston’s younger brother Paul (Matthew Fox) lives a spiritually fulfilling life in Montana, fishing and enjoying nature’s tranquility. Meanwhile, Preston juggles his Montana identity with his demanding life as a New York finance professional.

Back in New York, Stacy struggles to hold her family together. Her eldest daughter Abigail (Beau Garrett) is divorced, a casualty of the city’s influence, and her granddaughters Bridgette (Amiah Miller) and Macy (Alaina Pollack) are growing up immersed in progressive, “woke” New York schools. The show critiques the city’s liberal attitudes, portraying them as destructive to traditional family values.

The youngest daughter, Paige (Elle Chapman), represents the most exaggerated example of Sheridan’s negative view of New York. After a daylight mugging on 5th Avenue, Paige becomes comically unable to describe her attacker’s race, illustrating the series’ awkward attempt to tackle issues of race and guilt. Her husband Russell (Patrick J. Adams) is portrayed as emasculated by city life, a metaphor Sheridan uses repeatedly to criticize New York’s culture.

The arrival of Stacy and other family members in Montana marks a tonal shift in the series. The show paints Montana as an idyllic land where freezers overflow with wild game, cowboys are kind but tough, law enforcement officers are handsome and brooding, and Native Americans insist on being called “Indians.” This romanticized depiction of rural life clashes jarringly with the harsh caricatures of city dwellers.

The series’ cinematography, handled entirely by Christina Alexandra Voros, is stunning. Voros’ direction captures the breathtaking beauty of Montana’s landscapes and even manages to make scenes set in New York visually appealing despite Sheridan’s negative script. Her use of lens flares and natural lighting elevates many scenes, providing a visual richness that the writing sometimes lacks.

A particularly notable example of Voros’ skill is a scene where Paige is stung by hornets in a Montana outhouse. Though the script frames it as a crude comedic moment, Voros films it with a delicate, almost painterly quality that softens the scene’s intent and adds unexpected depth.

The series is divided between two conflicting narratives: one a somber, heartfelt meditation on loss and healing in nature, and the other a simplistic and often clumsy critique of urban life, especially New York City. This binary—“Country People Are From Mars, City People Are From Hell”—feels childish and undermines the show’s more thoughtful elements.

Paramount+ has kept plot details under wraps, but the early episodes establish this stark divide clearly. The contrast between Preston’s peaceful Montana existence and Stacy’s fraught New York life serves as the backbone of the story but also reveals Sheridan’s biases.

Despite these flaws, parts of The Madison shine. Episodes four and five stand out for their mature storytelling and emotional resonance, especially when focusing on the natural world and the family’s healing process. The performances of Pfeiffer and Russell anchor these moments with authenticity and grace.

However, the show’s attempt to vilify New York parents and children, portraying them as indoctrinated and unpleasant, drags down the narrative. Several characters become so unlikable under Sheridan’s pen that it’s difficult to discern whether the actors are underperforming or simply victims of poor writing.

New York scenes were partially filmed in Fort Worth, Texas, yet the locations are still beautifully shot, which contrasts with the bleak depiction of the city’s culture. This aesthetic choice highlights the disconnect between the show’s visual appeal and its thematic execution.

The final touchstone of the series is its dedication to Robert Redford, referencing his film A River Runs Through It. The pilot episode features extended sequences of poetic fly-fishing, signaling Sheridan’s attempt to connect his story to Redford’s legacy of nature-focused storytelling. This homage suggests Sheridan’s respect for such themes, even if his portrayal of the city falls short.

Ultimately, The Madison is a mixed bag. It offers moments of profound emotional insight and remarkable visual artistry but is hampered by a reductive worldview that alienates much of its urban setting and characters. Sheridan’s contempt for New York undermines what might otherwise be his most mature and nuanced work for television.

Fans of Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell will find much to admire in their performances, and the show’s gorgeous Montana vistas provide a compelling backdrop. Yet, viewers seeking a balanced portrayal of the intersection between city and country life may find themselves frustrated by the simplistic dichotomy Sheridan constructs.

As the series progresses, it remains to be seen whether The Madison will evolve beyond its initial flaws or continue to be weighed down by Sheridan’s biases. For now, it stands as a visually stunning but narratively uneven exploration of family, place, and identity.

This article is based on reporting originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.