Is The Madison a Yellowstone Spin-Off?

The Clyburn family moves to the idyllic countryside of a ranch in Montana in Paramount’s ‘The Madison.’ They leave behind their very different life in New York, and their struggle to adjust to the new environs of the West is what serves as one of the core conflicts of the story. At its heart, however, it remains the story of a family with a complicated dynamic that tests their limits. This might sound familiar, considering that a few things we see in the Clyburns may or may not remind one of the Duttons of ‘Yellowstone.’ Since both shows come from the mind of Taylor Sheridan, there is an obvious connection between them, but does that mean they exist in the same universe? Not exactly. SPOILERS AHEAD.

The Madison and Yellowstone are Different Stories Woven With the Same Thread

‘The Madison’ and ‘Yellowstone’ come from the mind of Taylor Sheridan. Both shows take place in the sweeping landscape of Montana, following a family that is fractured and must find a way to come together in the time of great difficulty. The ranch that they live in becomes a character of its own, playing an important role in their personal growth, while also becoming the thing that brings the family members together. These themes create a strong connection between the two shows; however, this is the extent of the similarities between them. They are distinct stories that follow families with problems and struggles unique to them. Initially, ‘The Madison’ was developed as a sequel to ‘Yellowstone.’ At the time, it was titled ‘2024.’

However, as the story and characters developed, Sheridan and his creative partners decided it would be better for the show to remain a standalone. Thus, ‘2024’ became ‘The Madison,’ with the Clyburns taking up the spotlight all on their own, without any connection to the Duttons. Despite some seemingly major similarities, the two shows tell very different types of stories. With the ‘Yellowstone’ universe, and in fact most other shows created by Sheridan, the stories often tend to be male-centric, with a patriarch trying to maintain the status of their family or trying to elevate it. With ‘The Madison,’ Sheridan takes a more feminine approach to storytelling, where he drops conflict created from external factors and the threat of violence to explore the personal connections, or lack thereof.

He is more interested in exploring their inner turmoil and how it affects their relationship with other family members. For example, there is no fighting over the land, but more emphasis is placed on Stacy and Preston’s seemingly perfect marriage, which yields no earth-shattering revelations about his death. Kurt Russell, who plays Preston Clyburn, described it as a story told from the female gaze, which rather accurately encapsulates its essence. Sheridan, too, called it one of the more intimate pieces of work to have come out of him yet. Still, the audience will find it written in a trademark Sheridan, where the character-driven stories are steered by strong emotional punches.

While ‘The Madison’ may not have the Duttons, fans of ‘Yellowstone’ still have a lot to look forward to. The show already has two spin-offs, ‘1883’ and ‘1923.’ A sequel series, ‘Marshal’ premiered in March 2026, with another sequel, ‘Dutton Ranch’ lined up for release later this year. Additionally, there is another prequel series in the works, titled ‘1944.’ Reportedly, another series, titled ‘6666,’ was being considered, though there has been no confirmation about the project so far. All in all, ‘Yellowstone’ fans a lot to look forward to, and the fact that ‘The Madison’ is not just another spin-off means that not only can new viewers to the Taylor Sheridan universe enjoy a standalone series, but it also means that the new show will remain entirely unburdened by the success of its superiors, charting a new path for itself.

Read More: Is The Madison a True Story? Are the Clyburns Based on a Real Family?