The Madison

What’s it about?

A wealthy New York City family is forever changed by the sudden death of a loved one. As they struggle to process their grief, they find themselves drawn to Montana’s Madison River Valley, where the landscape and their shared memories offer a path toward connection, healing, and coming to terms with their loss.

The facts 

• Created by Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone)
• Starring Michelle Pfeiffer (Dangerous Liaisons), Kurt Russel (The Hateful Eight)
• English language 
• Runtime: Six episodes which are approximately 68 minutes long

Why did it get this rating? 

This series was self-rated by Neon. You can find out more about self-rating by streaming providers here.

Suicide themes

A character dealing with overwhelming grief is shown sitting alone in her car after finding a gun, suggesting she may be considering taking her own life. In this moment of crisis, a neighbour intervenes, gently knocking on the window and sharing his own experience of losing family members to suicide. His calm, compassionate presence diffuses the situation, and she hands the gun over to him.

In the final episode, this theme is revisited when the same neighbour discovers her lying beside a grave with a gun nearby. Initially, it is unclear whether she has acted on her earlier thoughts, creating a moment of tension. However, she suddenly wakes and explains she brought the gun for protection against animals. This scene marks a turning point and she appears to be coming to terms with her grief, with a quiet sense of relief and acceptance suggesting a shift toward choosing to live alongside her loss rather than be consumed by it.

Sex scenes 

The series contains mild sexual references and occasional innuendos, with intimacy generally implied rather than shown or discussed in detail. In one scene, two characters lie together on a bed after reconciling from an argument. Although both are injured, the tone becomes playful as they flirt, including a light-hearted and suggestive comment about one character’s “kitty,” delivered in a teasing.

Violence

Violence is mild and not a central focus of the series. In the first episode, a female character is mugged and punched in the face, resulting in a minor injury. As the family grapples with their loss, there are occasional emotional outbursts, including a physical altercation between two adult siblings involving scratching, punching, slapping, and pushing.

Offensive language

Offensive language is used throughout the series including “f**k” and other words such as “b*tch” and “sh*t”. Sometimes insults are directed towards each other but mostly the offensive language is used casually or in exclamation.

Helplines:

The suicide themes could be upsetting for some viewers, especially for those who have gone through similar experiences. If you are struggling with what you have seen on-screen please reach out for help. If you or someone you know needs to talk:

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information 

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?