Season 1 |
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Episode Guide
Episode 1 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 2 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 3 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 4 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 5 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 6 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 7 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 8 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
The Madness doesn’t necessarily do anything new or unique in the thriller genre, but what it does, it does incredibly effectively. With strong characters and an enticing mystery at its core, Netflix’s latest binge-watch is an easy recommendation, despite a few wobbles along the way.
The story is your typical stumbled-into-the-plot set-up. A seemingly innocent man finds himself in over his head after discovering a wider conspiracy involving shadowy figures. To make matters worse, he’s framed for something he hasn’t done and has to race against time to try and resolve it before it’s too late.
It’s a simple enough set-up, making use of that “ordinary person pushed into extraordinary situation” and it immediately suckers you into the story. This isn’t new territory for streamers, with both Paramount+’s Rabbit Hole and Netflix’s Clickbait coming to mind here for similar bingeworthy structures that play with the same ideas.
The Madness though takes on a slightly different edge. Here, it centers on a CNN media pundit called Muncie Daniels. A charismatic man used to public scrutiny, Muncie heads out into the middle of the woods to try and get some alone time to craft out his next writing piece.
When the power goes off, Muncie stumbles upon his neighbour dead and assassins after him. Naturally, Muncie goes to the police… but then there’s no evidence of a dead body or any sort of foul play. Given Muncie’s ties to being a writer, question marks begin to circle around his mental proficiency and whether he’s actually sane of mind.
This is something that becomes a centerpiece for the show’s first half, as Muncie finds himself uncovering small slivers of clues that lead him higher up the chain of command and discovering something much bigger than he initially thought.
The second half is where this one tightens the screw and starts to deliver some answers, including a reveal over who the big puppet masters are and how they tie into the larger narrative.
The set-up works pretty well and Colman Domingo does an excellent job bringing Muncie to life. He’s instantly likable from the off, and he’s also a dedicated family man too. However, things at home are far from peachy.
His estranged wife Elena (Marsha Stephanie Blake) isn’t exactly happy that he’s not signing the divorce papers, while their kids Demetrius (Thaddeus J. Mixson) and Kallie (Gabrielle Graham) find themselves caught right in the middle of this estranged family set-up.
As the show continues, there’s a pretty decent balance between the thriller aspects and the quieter, introspective family drama, but personally the family element is one of the weaker parts of the show. This is especially prevalent when it comes to Muncie and Elena’s ties, and how quickly they go from hot/cold with one another.
I understand that extreme circumstances can push people away (or get closer together) but I would have liked a bit more time to properly and organically deliver what takes place between them, just to help the emotional beats pack that much more of a punch later on.
The larger conspiratorial work is where this one really shines and to be fair, the show does a pretty good job remaining balanced, especially as it touches on social topics like racism, sexism and gun rights. I won’t get into any of that here, don’t worry, but suffice to say, The Madness effectively tows that line without making a statement either way which is quite refreshing.
This also feeds quite organically into the story too, especially given Muncie’s job and his ties to politics. It’s a pretty effective tool to drive the narrative forward and certainly works well here.
Around Muncie’s journey, the midway point also sees the story split slightly to follow several other characters. We see Agent Franco Quinones and see what he uncovers, along with another woman called Lucie who ties quite importantly into the central narrative (but I won’t tell you how!)
The creators mentioned in an interview ahead of release that the idea here was to stir questions around the hierarchical way power flows upward to those at the top, along with how narratives can very easily spread into the mainstream – and be manipulated. The show challenges you to question what we’re being fed by mainstream media, which is pretty on the money, and this can be felt numerous times throughout.
For those familiar with Amazon’s fantastically underrated Mr Robot, the idea of a wider conspiracy and paranoia felt within the show’s seasons are echoed here too, although The Madness isn’t anywhere near as good as that show. However, it’s still a decent comparison to make if you’re going in blind to this one.
And to be honest, I’d highly recommend doing that. Don’t watch the trailer or read any of the press junkets for The Madness. While the show does have room for a second season to grow into, it’s really not needed given how the plot is wrapped up, and the little twists and turns along the way. There’s a nice ebb and flow to this one, and apart from the issues with the family drama, the pacing on the whole is just about right.
Aesthetically, the show is pretty decent, with a muted colour palette for large stretches to give this one a grainy, gritty feel. You never get the impression of this being an over the top thriller, and even during some of the crazier twists, there’s usually an explanation or some grounded choreography and camera work to prevent this one from falling into farcical waters.
The Madness definitely comes close though, and there are a couple of plot contrivances and stretches that the show expects you to accept for the sake of buying those twists or shocking reveals. This is usually raced over quite quickly, especially a reveal late on that results in several deaths.
It’s not a deal-breaker though, nor does it take away from the enjoyment with this one. However, it’s still worth bearing in mind, especially for those who want their thrillers to be absolutely on the money with realism.
Overall though, The Madness is a nice little surprise. It’s certainly not going to move the needle and become the best show of 2024, but similarly, it’s not an absolute chore to sit through like some shows that have released recently. This is an easy binge-watch and if you’re after a solid, enjoyable thriller, you’d be mad to pass this one up.
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Verdict - 8/10
8/10