SPOILER ALERT AND WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Madison Season 1, Episode 3. It also contains discussion about suicide.

One of the best scenes in The Madison comes from Season 1, Episode 3. It’s also one of the show’s toughest scenes. “Watch Her Fall” could refer to either Stacy Clyburn or her daughter Abby at this point, as the whole episode revolves around their dysfunctional relationship. It’s as if Taylor Sheridan is asking the audience to judge which one of them is more lost.

Further flashbacks reveal details about Abby’s divorce, albeit not from her but through a phone conversation between Stacy and Preston. It would be nice to hear or see the demise of this relationship from the perspective of the person actually in it, but her parents are talking about the aftereffects of the divorce: do they continue supporting Abby and her two children, or do they cut ties and force her to live on her own? Once again, The Madison director Christina Alexandra Voros tells a beautiful visual story, using the contrast between the family’s expansive white townhouse (the one Stacy is about to sell) and the cabin on the ranch that Preston is calling from. The visuals have become key to this series, as they perfectly illustrate the messages Sheridan has in mind.

Abby takes the brunt of the blame in “Watch Her Fall,” which opens in part with a full-on physical fight between her and her sister Paige. It’s eventually followed by Abby getting into a shouting match with Stacy, and asking to be let out of their truck. The whole premise here is that Abby is a lifelong wild child who needs to stand on her own. Despite that, Stacy’s ultimatum for Abby to either stay on the ranch or be cut off financially still sounds like an impulse decision. Stacy may call it “tough love,” but the audience is most likely thinking that this also affects Abby’s daughters. Or that it’s okay for someone not to have specific goals when they’re still navigating a major life change like a divorce and the death of a parent. The Madison makes clear that this isn’t the first time Abby has procrastinated, but in this specific moment, it feels totally valid that she doesn’t have a ready answer.

Abby is also involved in the weakest part of Episode 3, which is her romance with Van Davis. The sheriff’s deputy played by Ben Schnetzer is perfectly charming and seems to be a great character on his own. But it feels rushed that just hours after meeting Van, and audiences only seeing one serious conversation between them (about their previous relationships no less), the duo are kissing passionately. Sheridan gets a bit of a pass here given that The Madison is only six episodes, so maybe he had to move his plots along a little faster than normal. But it would have been nice to let the Abby and Van relationship grow for one more episode—especially since the whole argument in this hour is that Abby makes terrible choices.

It’s easy to see where Sheridan is going here; there’s talk by both Abby and Stacy about how Abby’s ex-husband was a poor fit for her. She’s going to find a much better partner in the gentlemanly Van, who is also a single parent after the death of his wife, and thus she’ll finally grow up the way her mother wants. But Schnetzer and Beau Garrett sell the idea even if it’s not the most original. And Van’s wife likewise having died in an accident is something The Madison can utilize so that he’s not just Abby’s love interest; he and Stacy could probably have a meaningful conversation. Like Kevin Zegers before him, Schnetzer adds something positive and engaging to the show’s canvas. The characters around the Clyburn family are just as interesting as the family.

Speaking of Zegers, he’s the MVP of The Madison Season 1, Episode 3 and it’s not even close. When Stacy finds a gun in the center console of Paul’s truck, she briefly contemplates using it to end her own life. Her grief is still incredibly out of control. Zegers’ character Cade stops her from doing so—and tells her that three of his family members have died by suicide. Zegers’ performance as all this information comes spilling out is a thing of beauty. Cade maintains his composure, but Zegers is able to communicate his heartbreak in his eyes, as well as his hope for this stranger he’s barely met. Sheridan deserves credit for broaching this subject as a part of his exploration of grief, but Zegers is the one who elevates it into something poignant.

Stacy ends up calling her friend Liliana and telling her to get there, which is fantastic news because viewers get to see more of Rebecca Spence. She was a standout in the series premiere and now viewers will get to see Stacy and Liliana’s friendship beyond just a few moments. Plus, it’s nice that Sheridan hasn’t simply tossed aside the New York part of the story—as many other writers would do. The Madison doesn’t forget that Stacy has a life and friends in New York, and that life keeps going whether she’s there or not.

“Watch Her Fall” is a tough examination of Abby and Stacy, both on their own and as mother and daughter. Audiences see how Stacy continues to struggle with her pain and how Abby doesn’t know to how to deal with anything. The characters contrast in the more obvious ways and yet there’s also a commonality in how they’re both lost. It’s a little bit awkward to end the episode with Stacy telling Preston what amounts to “I told you so,” but almost everything leading up to that point clicks for the viewers. It’s a fine halfway point for the whole season.

The Madison streams Saturdays on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Paramount+.

Article content is (c)2020-2026 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.