The Madison Episode 4 Finally Reveals Paul Clyburn's Tragic Past

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

Well, we knew Taylor Sheridan was taking immoderate risks pinch "The Madison," but it seems beautiful overmuch each characteristic successful this show is horribly aggrieved aliases traumatized successful immoderate way. Whereas nan creator's erstwhile shows balanced play and calamity pinch levity and action, "The Madison" is immersed successful condolences from nan outset and now Matthew Fox's Paul Clyburn has been confirmed arsenic yet different characteristic reeling from an unthinkable loss. Episode 4 and six of "The Madison" corroborate that Paul mislaid his woman anterior to moving to Montana, successful what sounds for illustration a horrific roadworthy accident.

"The Madison" began pinch 2 shocking characteristic deaths, wherein Kurt Russell and Matthew Fox's Preston and Paul Clyburn perished successful a level crash. It was a daze not only to nan Clyburn family but to viewers who'd been promised a show starring Russell and Michelle Pfeiffer. But creator Taylor Sheridan wasn't going to discarded a prima of Russell's magnitude entirely, and brought Preston backmost via aggregate flashback scenes that show nan communicative of Preston and Stacy Clyburn's (Pfeiffer) marriage.

We saw a small little of Paul, however. Fox's characteristic seemed to emotion nan Montana wilderness conscionable arsenic overmuch arsenic his older brother, but his inheritance remained somewhat mysterious. There was nan consciousness that he'd mislaid thing and was successful nan Madison River Valley to recover, but we ne'er really learned overmuch astir Paul's past. Now, nan last 3 episodes of "The Madison" person revealed overmuch much astir his tragic history, confirming that, for illustration Stacy, he excessively was a widower.

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

"The Madison" was influenced by classical Brad Pitt movie "A River Runs Through It," which nan characters successful Taylor Sheridan's caller show really watch successful section 1. That Robert Redford-directed movie features a unspeakable tragedy, which has Stacy Clyburn and her daughters successful tears during nan "Madison" premiere. But it's not arsenic if nan show needed immoderate much teary moments, seeing arsenic everyone successful this show is either divided aliases widowed.

Not only did Stacy suffer her husband, Ben Schnetzer's Sheriff Van Davis is simply a widower who likewise mislaid his woman 4 years anterior to nan events of nan show. Stacy's girl Abigail Reese (Beau Garrett) is divorced, and now Paul Clyburn has been confirmed arsenic yet different widower. In section 4 of "The Madison," Paul tells Preston Clyburn during a flashback that it's "Melissa's birthday." It's not instantly clear who Melissa is but nan adjacent infinitesimal confirms she was, successful fact, Paul's wife. The brothers talk astir Paul being successful Montana for nan past 20 years and Preston tries to definitive his concern, asking euphemistically why his relative hasn't self-harmed. Paul replies, "Because erstwhile I said ”til decease do america part' I meant my death."

Clearly, then, Paul is profoundly wounded moreover aft 2 decades, and has been softly carrying his condolences passim each segment successful which we've seen him frankincense far. As nan "Madison" finale demonstrates, nan symptom of nonaccomplishment ne'er goes away, and while Paul has benefitted from nan rejuvenating effects of nan Madison River Valley, he had ne'er genuinely healed anterior to his ain death. Perhaps, then, play 2 of "The Madison" will spot nan surviving Clyburns commencement to inquire questions astir why Paul's level went down fixed nan concerns astir him self-harming.

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

In nan "Madison" finale, Paul Clyburn drunkenly rants astatine nan satellite during a precocious nighttime flashback scene. He gets upset pinch Preston Clyburn, who watches his relative pinch quiet anguish arsenic he rails against nan thought of God and an ordered universe. "Don't talk to maine astir God, do not springiness him credit," he says. "Because if his extremity was to create thing successful his likeness and past tally her complete successful a f****** crosswalk." Finally, it's revealed. Paul mislaid his woman successful a roadworthy mishap from which he's still reeling 20 years later. "I dream you ne'er person to consciousness it," he continues. "If I could conscionable claw it retired of my thorax I'd do it and judge maine I've tried."

In this moment, Paul's communicative becomes a microcosm of nan show arsenic a whole. Kurt Russell promised "The Madison" would situation Taylor Sheridan's biggest weakness, i.e. his penning of women. But nan show besides challenges nan classical Sheridan look by eschewing soapy melodrama and presenting a six-episode agelong exploration of condolences that hardly lets up passim its full run. The sadness hangs complete this bid conscionable arsenic it had hung complete Paul for 20 years, and Matthew Fox does an fantabulous occupation of conveying nan searing symptom of it each successful this finale scene.

Sadly, it seems we won't beryllium seeing overmuch much of him erstwhile nan already-filmed play 2 arrives. Fox confirmed to TVInsider that he's not successful nan adjacent batch of episodes. "This is simply a contained acquisition for maine successful nan show, and I'm very happy astir that," he said. "It's been an unthinkable experience." In nan meantime, those looking for much of Kurt Russell and Matthew Fox should cheque retired their Western scary movie "Bone Tomahawk."