MERCURY ANALYTICS
TV Pilot Concept Test
The Madison — Project 10180
Confidential Research
Mercury Analytics © 2025
Mercury Analytics · Qualitative Research · Project 10180

The Madison
TV Pilot Concept Test

Online focus group evaluating audience response to an unaired pilot episode starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, and Matthew Fox — exploring family drama, grief, and a city-vs.-country journey.
11
Participants
~85min
Session Length
4.3
Avg. Pilot Score
(Scale 1–5)
9/11
Would Return
to Watch
01

Study Overview

Session context and discussion guide

About the Pilot

The concept test evaluated a first episode of The Madison, a Taylor Sheridan family drama intended for Paramount Plus. The show opens with the death of patriarch Preston (Kurt Russell) and his brother Paul (Matthew Fox) in a mountainside accident, leaving widow Stacy (Michelle Pfeiffer) to navigate grief alongside her adult daughters — Abigail and Paige — back at Preston's cherished rural cabin. The journal he left behind becomes the narrative roadmap. The pilot spans two worlds: the family's wealthy New York life and the rugged Montana/Idaho-style country setting.

Score 5: 6 participants
Score 4: 4 participants
Score 2: 1 participant

Discussion Guide — Key Questions

Q1 — Concept & Premise
How would you describe the idea here? What's the show about in your own words — what's the hook?
Q2 — What Worked / Didn't Work
When were you most and least engaged? What scenes, characters, or storylines elevated or hurt the episode?
Q3 — Looking Ahead
What storylines, characters, and questions make you want to come back? What would be deal-breakers?
Session FormatOnline video focus group
Project ID10180
Participants11 TV drama viewers
ModeratorJamie (Mercury Analytics)
Target PlatformParamount Plus
CreatorTaylor Sheridan
Lead CastMichelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, Matthew Fox
Genre ClassificationFamily Drama
02

Participant Profiles

Full names protected — first name only as provided by participants
G
Georgia
📍 West Virginia
Landman Fan
● Pilot Score: 2
The group's most critical voice. Found the central premise — a couple deeply in love yet the wife never visited the cabin in 39 years — unrealistic and hard to accept. Liked the opening scenery and the crash but disconnected from the family dynamic thereafter. Would return only if word-of-mouth suggested compelling plot twists or drama.
They were so close and in love, but she couldn't bother to go there one time? I just didn't find that realistic.
A
Andrea
📍 Minnesota
The Pit Fan
● Pilot Score: 4–5
One of the most engaged and articulate participants. Immediately drawn in by the unique combination of mountain scenery and music, expecting something fresh. Strongly connected to the mother-daughter dynamics and Stacy's restaurant outburst. Cited the journal as the key narrative device. Prefers a show that splits time between city and country.
The family is going to come together. The grief and going through that together is gonna build them into a more cohesive unit — and they're gonna explore that beautiful scenery.
R
Rhonda
📍 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Landman Fan
● Pilot Score: 4–5
Attuned to emotional tone from the very first bars of the score. Described the show's essence as "slowing a fast-paced life down so you can enjoy what really matters." Found some of the fishing and porch scenes pacing-poor but would stay with the show. Anticipates Stacy eventually settling in the country with Abigail.
Initially, that background music really sets the tone — it tells you right away you're in for something emotional and touching.
S
Selena
📍 Houston, Texas
Lincoln Lawyer Fan
● Pilot Score: 4–5
Brought the deepest personal investment to the session — having lost her own father, she found the show intensely resonant and cathartic. Particularly moved by Stacy's line "he died living." Highly curious about the unspoken tension between Stacy and Russell, and eager to see Stacy's journey with Abigail unfold. Considers Stacy's continued presence a must-have.
I can relate because I lost my father. And Stacy's line — "he died living" — it's so true. It hit me.
F
Frankie
📍 North Carolina
Night Agent Fan
● Pilot Score: 3–4
Highly observant and detail-oriented viewer. Noticed that the show never actually confirmed Preston's identity — only the brother's. Connected the sister dynamic (Paige/Abigail) to her own sibling relationship. Found the New York punch scene jarring in terms of pacing and story logic. Would have switched channels during slow sections but stayed largely for the sister arc and Stacy.
The journal is gonna be the key to the plot twist. That's what's gonna pull everything together.
R
Robert
📍 Seattle, Washington
Self-Described Writer
● Pilot Score: 3–4
A self-described writer who flags clunky dialogue and noted Matthew Fox's character felt less believable than Kurt Russell's. Immediately drew comparisons to A River Runs Through It and was largely watching for Michelle Pfeiffer. Deeply affected by the "smelling the shirt" scene. Wants context on Preston's wealth and vocation. Considers Paige a possible deterrent.
When she smelled his shirt and immediately just broke down — I was aware of a bevy of people I didn't want to cry in front of. I had to keep stopping myself.
J
Joseph
📍 Boise, Idaho
Tulsa King Fan
● Pilot Score: 5
One of the group's most enthusiastic voices. Sees the show as a "relatable emotional rollercoaster that's entertaining even when sad." Views the journal as the narrative catalyst for the entire series. Believes the fishing scenes, though slow, are planting seeds that will pay off. Eagerly anticipates all backstories, particularly Stacy and Preston's relationship.
It's a relatable emotional rollercoaster — entertaining even when it's sad. My brain goes a million different ways. I'm excited to see where it goes.
R
Ralph
📍 Berlin, New Jersey
Tyler Sheridan Superfan
● Pilot Score: 5
Only one of two participants who had heard of the show before the session and was planning to watch it — entirely due to his loyalty to Taylor Sheridan. Describes Sheridan's work as dialogue-driven and always delivering. Expects a rich network of flashbacks. Realistically views family reconciliation as complex — doesn't expect everyone to come together, based on his own family experience.
I don't expect a cohesive family — everybody deals with death differently. That's what I'm interested in. I wanna see how each character handles the loss.
K
Katina
📍 North Carolina
Mayor of Kingstown Fan
● Pilot Score: 5
The second participant who already knew about the show and was planning to watch, again citing Taylor Sheridan's track record. Her opening three words — "I love Stacy" — set the tone for her engagement. Profoundly moved by Michelle Pfeiffer's performance; Katina described wanting to "just hug her" and will keep watching to see Stacy heal. Also curious about Abigail's upcoming divorce subplot.
Stacy was believable. Her pain — all the emotions she went through. I just wanted to hug her. I'll watch to see her healed.
M
Michael
📍 Phoenix, Arizona
Night Manager Fan
● Pilot Score: 4–5
The participant who made the most strategically important comparison of the session: likening the show's flashback structure to This Is Us, and noting that show worked because of its exceptional character development. Flagged Russell's underdevelopment and believes Paige's actress could be reconsidered. Engaged by the "two worlds colliding" concept — wealth vs. simplicity, technology vs. nature.
I hope they don't rely on flashbacks the entire show. But This Is Us did it so well — and it was because of the character development. If they do that well, it'll be an amazing show.
C
Christopher
📍 Bradenton, Florida
The Pit Fan · Brooklyn-Raised
● Pilot Score: 4–5
Originally from Brooklyn, Christopher found the New York scenes highly relatable — having witnessed street crime firsthand. Interpreted the show at its deepest as a story about regret and second chances, noting a moment where the pilot made him question his own life decisions. Sees the show's core as "the significance of one person's life" — how loss reshapes every family member's perspective.
There was a part when I started questioning my own regrets — when people asked me to do things and I wasn't part of it, or should have shared that moment with them.
03

Key Exchange Periods

Notable dialogues and turning points from the session
4:56 – 12:50
Defining the Concept — Log Line, Genre, and Comparisons
After a warm-up round of show introductions, the group moved into defining the show's concept in their own words. The log line that emerged organically was a family fractured by loss, forced to come together across the divide of two very different worlds. Emotional words dominated — heartfelt, relatable, introspective, redemption-seeking. The show prompted rich comparisons: A River Runs Through It (Robert), Yellowstone (Christopher, Frankie — family dynamic and scenery), and Landman (Frankie — the spoiled-child parallel). Rhonda captured the emotional core with striking clarity.
RhondaSlowing a fast-paced life down so you can enjoy what really matters.
AndreaIt's a past-present comparison. The family isn't cohesive right now — but the grief and going through that together is gonna build them up. They're going to explore the beautiful scenery.
MichaelTwo worlds colliding. The wealthy and the poor, the technology versus nothing. Those two things together.
RobertThe moment I saw the river and the mountains, I went straight to A River Runs Through It. Kurt Russell for Brad Pitt. It has this modernity to it, but the inroads are there.
RhondaAndreaMichaelRobertFrankieChristopher
15:57 – 22:15
The Viewer Journey — What Grabbed You and When
This exchange tracked the emotional arc of participants through the episode. Scenery and music hooked most viewers from the opening frames. The surprise deaths of Kurt Russell and Matthew Fox — two major stars killed off in the pilot — were a genuine shock and a differentiator. However, the immediate cut to New York and Paige's assault scene was widely experienced as jarring, disrupting the Montana-set emotional tone.
RalphThe scenery. It was beautiful. From the very first frame, I was in.
RobertThe fact that they killed off two major actors — Kurt Russell is Kurt Russell, everybody knows him. And Matthew Fox people harken back to Party of Five. Tossing away two major stars is definitely different.
GeorgiaI liked the beginning. When they crashed, I thought they were gonna survive and it was going a different direction. I just didn't like the family dynamic afterward. I would've changed the channel.
MichaelI didn't think they would kill off major characters right away. So when that happened — okay, the show's gonna be something a little different than what I expected.
RalphRobertGeorgiaMichaelAndreaRhonda
22:43 – 48:46
What Worked — The Recipe: Stacy, the Journal, and Emotional Scenes
The session's longest positive exchange catalogued the ingredients that worked. Michelle Pfeiffer's Stacy was the unanimous centerpiece. Three specific scenes generated the most emotional intensity: Stacy making Preston's coffee from memory at the cabin, her smashing the phone-obsessed dinner table, and the whole family appearing outside at dawn ready to begin the journal journey.
AndreaWhen she was planning to go out with Abigail in the morning, and the whole family was out there ready to go — that made me tear up. It showed they're gonna stick by her.
FrankieHer making that coffee. She'd never been there before, but she makes it — maybe from remembering him describe it over the phone. It puts me there with her, just yearning to be near him.
JosephStacy wanting to walk in Preston's shoes — she literally puts on his socks and boots and wants to read his journal. That's the plot grabbing me.
SelenaStacy made a comment: "He died living." It's so true. It tells you everything about what her journey is going to be.
AndreaFrankieJosephSelenaKatinaRalphRobertChristopher
51:16 – 1:08:37
What Didn't Work — Pacing, Paige, and Character Gaps
Pacing was the most widespread concern — the fishing and porch scenes ran too slowly. The New York punch scene felt tonally jarring, and Paige's character was broadly experienced as underdeveloped. Russell (son-in-law) was also flagged as underdeveloped.
RhondaSome of the porch scenes and fishing scenes — I would've wanted to fast forward. There was almost nothing there. The conversation between the brothers was just dry.
FrankieI'm still trying to figure out why the punch scene was the first thing we saw when they introduced the New York side of the story.
MichaelRussell and Preston — it almost seemed like they didn't know each other. And Russell's marriage seemed weird, like brother and sister, not husband and wife.
AndreaSome of the fishing scenes were kind of slow. They could have filled it with more dialogue to get to know the brothers better.
RhondaFrankieMichaelAndreaRobertGeorgiaJoseph
1:13:01 – 1:24:10
Looking Ahead — Top Hooks, Deal-Breakers & Audience Fit
Stacy's healing journey was the most cited hook. The journal was a near-universal second priority. Deal-breakers centered on losing Stacy or over-indexing on New York. The audience comp set: Yellowstone, This Is Us, Virgin River.
RalphI think at some point in the journal, she might discover something she doesn't like about Preston. That's the kind of stuff that happens. And that's going to be fascinating.
ChristopherThe impact the loss is going to take on each individual — from the little kid all the way up to the adults. How will each of them adjust? That's the draw for me.
JosephThe journal is the biggest thing for me. That's the hook that's going to pull everything else in.
FrankieThe thing that would honestly get me to keep watching is if there's a plot twist — like Stacy and Paul had an affair. Something unexpected that flips what we think we know.
RalphChristopherJosephFrankieAndreaRhondaSelenaMichaelKatina
04

Emergent Themes

Cross-cutting patterns identified across the full session
🎭
Michelle Pfeiffer IS the Show
No character or plot element received more sustained praise than Stacy as portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer. Participants across all scoring levels used her as the primary reason to continue watching. Her believability, emotional rawness, and fierce love anchored a pilot where other characters remain underdeveloped.
📖
The Journal as Narrative Engine
Preston's journal was universally recognized as the show's central plot device — variously described as a roadmap, instruction manual, and catalyst for the season's structure. Joseph called it "the biggest thing" keeping him engaged.
🏔️
City vs. Country — Compelling Contrast, Uneven Execution
The two-worlds structure was broadly appreciated as a rich source of drama. But the execution of the transition — jumping from a mountainside crash to Paige being punched on a New York sidewalk — felt tonally violent and disorienting.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👧
Family Dynamics as Core Drama
Participants were most engaged by how each character uniquely handles loss, the mother-daughter tensions, the sister dynamic between Paige and Abigail, and the unresolved question of whether the family will ever genuinely come together.
⏳
Backstory Hunger — Flashbacks Needed But Must Earn Their Keep
Participants widely anticipated and welcomed flashbacks. Michael's This Is Us comparison set the standard: flashbacks succeed when grounded in deep character development.
🔍
Reflective Depth — Personal Resonance Across the Group
Several participants described the pilot as prompting genuine personal reflection — on regret, on loved ones lost, on time misspent. Selena connected to her own father's death; Christopher described questioning his own life regrets mid-watch.
Qualitative Engagement by Story Element — Participant Enthusiasm Intensity
Stacy's Performance (M. Pfeiffer)
Exceptional
Preston's Journal
Very High
Opening Scenery & Score
Very High
Family Grief Story Concept
High
Surprise Character Deaths
High
Sister Dynamic (Paige/Abigail)
Moderate-High
City vs. Country Contrast
Moderate
Fishing / Porch Scenes Pacing
Low — Concern
Paige's Character (as written)
Low — Concern

Note: Based on qualitative coding of participant enthusiasm and frequency of mentions — not a quantitative measure.

05

Key Findings & Learnings

Ten primary insights derived from the session
🔑
1. Strong Pilot Reception — The Concept Has Broad Appeal
With 10 of 11 participants scoring the pilot at 3 or above (6 at a 5, 4 at a 4), and 9 of 11 indicating they would return for future episodes, the show has a strong foundational appeal.
⭐
2. Michelle Pfeiffer Is an Unqualified Asset
Every participant cited Stacy's portrayal as a core reason to watch. Pfeiffer's performance was described as believable, emotionally raw, and deeply affecting.
📓
3. The Journal Is the Season's Most Important Asset
Nearly every participant independently identified the journal as the narrative catalyst — serving simultaneously as an emotional bridge to Preston, a roadmap for Stacy's journey, and a structural device for flashbacks.
🎬
4. The Casting of Star Deaths Was Daring and Effective
Killing off Kurt Russell and Matthew Fox early surprised participants and immediately signaled that this was a show willing to subvert expectations.
⚠️
5. Paige's Character Creates Meaningful Friction
The character of Paige was described as tropey, underdeveloped, and difficult to root for — but most participants would still return, suggesting Paige is a fixable liability, not a dealbreaker.
🐟
6. Fishing and Porch Scenes Need Dialogue Enrichment
Participants didn't want these scenes removed but felt they needed more meaningful dialogue to establish the brothers' relationship and divergent life choices.
🗽
7. The New York Introduction Was Jarring — Not Concept-Breaking
The cut from the Montana crash to Paige being punched in New York was "jolting." The issue was execution, not concept.
🔗
8. Russell's Character Needs More Grounding
His relationship to Preston was vague, his marriage to Paige seemed lacking in chemistry, and his role in the family hierarchy was unclear.
📺
9. The Comp Set Points to a Broad, Loyal Streaming Audience
Organic comparisons to Yellowstone, This Is Us, Virgin River suggest the show sits at the intersection of prestige family drama and emotional rural Americana.
🏡
10. The Country Setting Must Remain the Show's Emotional Home
Participants were near-unanimous that the show's heart must stay rooted in the rural setting. Excessive New York screen time risks diluting what makes the show distinctive.
06

Conclusions & Recommendations

Strategic guidance based on qualitative synthesis

Overall Verdict

This pilot demonstrates strong commercial potential. The concept is emotionally resonant, the lead performance is a genuine asset, and the narrative device of the journal provides clear structural integrity for the season. The primary risks are execution-level — underdeveloped supporting characters, pacing inconsistencies, and a tonally jarring city introduction — rather than conceptual flaws. These are addressable in post-production and in subsequent episode development.

Recommendation 01
Protect and Elevate Stacy's Screen Time
Michelle Pfeiffer's performance is the show's single greatest asset. She should remain the narrative center of gravity through the full first season.
Recommendation 02
Add Substance to the Fishing/Porch Scenes
The extended scenes between Preston and Paul need substantive dialogue that reveals character: why their lives diverged, what Preston sacrificed for wealth, what Paul chose instead.
Recommendation 03
Develop Russell as a Complex, Knowable Character
Russell's ambiguous relationship with both Preston and Stacy is intriguing but currently underexplained. His pilot scenes should establish a clearer emotional throughline.
Recommendation 04
Reconsider Paige's Introduction Scene
The New York punch scene as Paige's first significant moment is tonally jarring and positions her as naive in a way that feels like a writing shortcut. Her introduction should signal complexity.
Recommendation 05
Establish Preston's Wealth and Vocation Early
Multiple participants expressed frustration at not understanding how the family achieved its wealth. A brief early scene or flashback fragment would meaningfully increase narrative coherence.
Recommendation 06
Anchor the Show in the Country — Use the City Sparingly
The season structure should reinforce that the cabin — and the journal journey — is where the story lives. Audience expectations are already set: they are watching for Stacy in the mountains.