The Madison Trailer Teases Tragedy — I Think We Know What It Is

The Madison trailer zooms in on some great tragedy that has tore Stacy Clyburn’s life apart. We think we know what that tragedy is.

• The Madison begins on March 14 on Paramount+.
• It’s described as “a heartfelt study of grief and human connection following a New York City family in the Madison River valley of central Montana.”
• Season 1 will feature six episodes.

Related: Here’s Everything We Know About Yellowstone Spin-off, The Madison

Clyburn is played Michelle Pfieffer. She’s the show’s main character and the 30-second clip shared by Paramount+ finds her at the very edges of her emotions. “My center, my soul, is gone,” she says atop three desperate images of grief.

“You will heal if you let yourself,” says Dr. Phil Yorn, played by Will Arnett.

The rest of the trailer focuses on the majestic scenery and her husband’s joy. There are no spoilers here but if you want your Madison experience untarnished by outside theories and opinions you’d best hop out now.

What Is The Madison About?

Here is the official show description, per IMDB:

“A New York family’s life unravels after a tragedy, as they process grief while vacationing in rural Montana, exploring human connection amidst profound sorrow.”

Short version: This show is going to be very emotional, like This Is Us-level tears could come weekly.

That may be an apt comparison. As you watch the trailer, look for who we don’t see together.

Stacy and her husband Preston Clyburn never share the screen in Montana. Preston (played by Kurt Russell) is living his best life: fishing, running around with childlike energy and generally enjoying the views while Stacy is crying in a river, anguished at a police station and in therapy.

This all leads us to believe that the great tragedy is Preston Clyburne’s death. Now you see why This Is Us might fit as an emotional sibling to this new show.

The NBC drama swapped real-time scenes with flashbacks to show Jack alive. Preston’s moments on camera in this trailer look like memories, or at the very least the joyful final moments before tragedy (a plane crash maybe?).

It’s too early to tell how the Madison slots in among the many different kinds of dramas in Taylor Sheridan‘s universe, but early indications are he’s trading action and violence for emotion and personal agony. This could end up being his most mature show to date. Photos shared by P+ ahead of time certainly make it feel that way.