Paramount

‘The Madison’ is a touching family drama

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

The latest series from writer/producer Taylor Sheridan is a touching family drama that will definitely pull at the heartstrings of viewers. Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell star as Preston and Stacy Clyburn, an affluent couple living in Manhattan. 

Preston and his brother Paul (Matthew Fox) built a ranch together in the Madison River Valley of Montana, right next to the river. Paul lives there full-time and whenever he can, Preston escapes to his idyllic world in Montana. His passion is fly-fishing which is something he can do right outside his front porch. Stacy is a high-fashion Manhattanite and has no interest in Montana, and neither do her two spoiled and bratty daughters Abigail (Beau Garrett) and Paige (Elle Chapman).

When a tragedy hits the family, they all travel to Montana, including Paige’s husband Russell (Patrick J. Adams). The women are confronted with the beauty of the land, however they cannot embrace some of the lifestyle, namely an outhouse and a freezer filled with freshly killed local meat. And, there are no lattes or cappuccinos in the area. How are they to survive?

Stacy decides to embrace this way of life. After all, it is the place Preston loves more than anywhere. And little by little she sees the ranch through his eyes. 

The story is filled with tragic elements as everyone faces a family drama that came out of the blue and hit them in the gut, so to speak. While in Montana, they fight, make up, and even bond. But the daughters are too spoiled to give this lifestyle a chance.  Abigail’s young daughters Bridgett and Macy (Amiah Miller and Alaina Pollack), however, are a bit more open to the outdoors and Montana life. Their snooty woke schooling tends to get in the way, but they soon learn the lesson of being kind to others, even when you don’t agree with them.

This is a story filled with emotions and viewers will feel every one of them. 

The show is filled with the “f” word, as well as plenty of alcohol consumption, so keep that in mind when deciding to watch this with others. Even though it is a show about a family, it is not for family viewing.

The first season of The Madison debuts March 14, 2026 on Paramount +.  There are six often gut-wrenching episodes in this season. Even though it is overflowing with many sad elements, it is a series that is worth watching. The acting is top notch (could there be an Emmy in store for Pfeiffer?), and every once in a while there is a spattering of humor. The bottom line is it is a heartfelt and heartening family drama.

Title Credit Paramount+

Individual Photos Credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+

‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ cements Sonic’s new family

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (streaming on Paramount+ and available on Blu-ray and DVD August 9) cements Sonic’s relationship with his new parents, Tom and Maddie. This little fellow not only realizes Earth and living in Green Hills with his new family is where he belongs, but he eventually feels comfortable bringing his new friends into the fold.

Sonic has completely settled in and wants to prove to everyone he is a real hero. When the evil Robotnik returns along with a new partner, an alien echidna named Knuckles, Sonic realizes he is in for a tough ride. But the little blue fellow has a sidekick in Tails, an alien fox who comes to Earth to help Sonic. Robotnik and Knuckles are after the great emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations, which is what Robotnik wants to do.

While all their efforts go into stopping Robotnik, Tails and Sonic form a kind of sibling bond. And when Knuckles realizes he is on the wrong side and joins forces with the two, the threesome becomes a strong force and a new family. They are each alone but thanks to the love and caring of Tom and Maddie, they now have a family unit and a place where they can call home.

 

The story is about love, friendship, and family and is a fun way for adults to relive their days playing the game and for kids to discover the genuine goodness and comedy of Sonic.

In 1991 the world fell in love with the Sega Genesis arcade character Sonic the Hedgehog. He was as popular as Mario and Pac Man. Sonic is the first video game character to be a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This is a positive message in a time when video games portray violence and sex.

While The Angry Birds and Pokemon, two other video games geared for kids, have been reimagined and turned into feature films, these franchises do not portray the family bond that is now strongly attributed to Sonic.

 

The blended family Sonic has joined, along with the other two little space critters, is akin to the family little Stitch joined when he came to live with Lilo and Nani. While it took a little time for Stitch to settle in with them, they eventually became a strong family unit. With his experiment “cousins” as well as Jumba and Pleakley, they formed an endearing Ohana. And as we learned in that film, Ohana means family – and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten. By the way, this is the twentieth anniversary of Lilo and Stitch.

Sonic has found his Ohana. Along with Knuckles and Tails, this new family has a lot of adventures ahead. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is on the horizon. This will undoubtedly be another story enforcing the family bond.

There are plenty of bonus features including a fun new animated short with Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails. Deleted scenes and bloopers are also included, and you know with this fun cast they are definitely worth checking out.A few additional features make up the bonuses adding to the enjoyment of this disc. Quite frankly, this movie and all the bonuses are even better than the original! If you have access to 4K, opt for this version as the colors are vivid and Sonic’s blue is bright and beautiful.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.

 

Photos courtesy Paramount Pictures and Sega of America.