Will Yellowstone: The Madison redefine how Taylor Sheridan writes female characters? Speculations explored 

Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone franchise has been a hit. Still, it isn’t without its issues—especially in how he writes female characters.

Beth Dutton began as a sharp-tongued powerhouse, but over time, her character has started to feel exaggerated. And then there's Landman's Ainsley, who got people upset because she didn't seem very well-developed. Now, we've got The Madison, a show coming in 2026 that's part of the Yellowstone family, and it's looking to change that. It will star Michelle Pfeiffer, but the story won't revolve around the Dutton clan.

This is a big bet for Sheridan because Pfeiffer will carry the show on her shoulders. he looks like he's trying to prove that he can write strong, complex women without relying on the Dutton family drama we all know so well.

This latest step shows that the Yellowstone franchise aims to grow beyond its ranching dynasty into fresh, character-based tales. Sheridan attracts Hollywood names to his projects, but getting Pfeiffer on board is a game-changer.

If she gets the kind of deep, emotionally satisfying roles that Helen Mirren talked highly about in 1923, it could mean a shift in how female characters are presented in Sheridan's Western-themed universe. Or so we hope!

Taylor Sheridan's history with women in Westerns

Taylor Sheridan is known for strong female characters that fans can't get enough of, like Helen Mirren's Cara Dutton and Julia Schlaepfer's Alex in 1923.

But he's also been called out for going overboard with the melodrama. Take Beth Dutton, for example. Played by Kelly Reilly, she started as a badass but ended up feeling more like a caricature in the later seasons of Yellowstone.

Helen Mirren told The Hollywood Reporter:

"Young women should be very grateful to Taylor Sheridan for writing such great women roles."

She believes he writes strong, interesting women who are flawed in a very real way. If an Oscar-winning actress praises his work, that’s saying something. Still, Sheridan needs to maintain that standard consistently.

The Madison is Taylor Sheridan's biggest test

The Madison is the first spinoff of Yellowstone that doesn't show any of the Dutton family at all. This means the show’s success will depend on Pfeiffer’s performance and Sheridan’s ability to craft a compelling story without leaning on the Dutton dynasty. Pfeiffer can't save the show if the script is bad. Can she?

Taylor Sheridan has got his work cut out for him because he will keep that same style everyone loves, but tell a story that's not full of over-the-top drama.

Kevin Costner, who had laid the groundwork for Yellowstone, expressed a similar thought at the opening of his Horizon series.

He said to Decider,

"You have no West without women."

In the past, Westerns often pushed women to the side of the story, but now, with shows like 1883 and 1923, they're finally taking the lead role.

Should Pfeiffer's character pull it off, Taylor Sheridan's image will be repaired. He will prove women can handle such stories well with the necessary grit.

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Taylor Sheridan's The Madison will be on Paramount+.

NEXT UP: Will we ever get to watch THIS Yellowstone spin-off?

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