‘The Madness’ is an Uneven Thriller
Colman Domingo in The Madness | Credit: Netflix
Muncie Daniels (Colman Domingo), a media pundit, seeks to get away to write a book. But when he is framed for a man’s murder, he is thrust into the world of online extremism, militias, and white nationalism.
The Madness has a lot of interesting ideas that it wants to explore, but the show is somewhat difficult to get through. I watched the first episode and wasn’t really excited to continue watching. For some reason, I wasn’t pulled into this world or particularly interested in solving this mystery. I’m still not sure why that is.
I’m glad that I kept watching because the show does improve over the course of the season. Once Muncie is neck-deep into this mystery, the show begins to explore themes around activism, money in politics, online radicalization, and more. There are a lot of really important and relevant things to think about the show seeks to explore. But it’s hard to get to that point.
The Madness is pretty oddly paced, with some of its weaker episodes being earlier in the season. Some episodes tease out information that is paid off later, but that never comes at the right time. I often felt as though I was receiving information either too early or too late. And sometimes, the show wants to answer questions that I just wasn’t asking.
While watching, I kept wondering if there were too many episodes in the season. Would this story have been better if it was only a six-episode series instead of eight episodes? Maybe that time limitation would’ve been helpful in trimming some excess parts of the series, focusing on the central mystery and really important themes it seeks to focus on.
Colman Domingo in The Madness | Credit: Netflix
I watched The Madness because it stars Colman Domingo, and he absolutely delivers in the lead role. It’s really interesting and heartbreaking to watch Muncie descend into the madness as he seeks to clear his name and keep his family safe. You feel the absolute terror that he experiences when people are conspiring against him. At multiple points, he is trapped by those who seek him harm, and the desperation he feels is palpable.
Gabrielle Graham plays Muncie’s daughter, Kallie, with whom he has a strained relationship. She is an absolute gem! Honestly, Kallie was my favorite character in this show. I got so excited any time she showed up on screen.
Kallie has an entrepreneurial mindset and makes her own way in the world. She’s also unafraid to tell it like it is and set clear boundaries when she needs to. But she’s also available to help her father when things are spiraling out of control for him. She’s a wonderful character and has so much charisma.
Though I think The Madness is far from perfect, I’m glad that I watched it. There are a lot of good ideas that will get you thinking, and it features some wonderful performances. If you can get past the first couple of episodes, you may find yourself sucked into the madness with Muncie.