Madison Clark: Eloquent Nonchalance

[Nashville]

She couldn't even manage much of a smile after the car sex. 

 

Neither could the car.

[queenanne]

I may be showing my age a bit, but I remember seeing Splash in the theater.... on Long Island. When that scene came up, everyone fell out laughing. Though most people in that theater were probably from Long Island and (eastern) Queens, and I'd like to think we were fairly progressive, so, if we thought the name was ridiculous, I wonder how FTWD's Madison fared during her childhood.

 

 

Edited post:

In the first episode, she commented about Nick's addiction being "in the genes." If we extend that comment to your hypothesis, and throw in the use of a completely non-traditional name for her time-period, we may have a good psychoanalysis of this character. However, there's the old adage, "Keep It Simple, Stupid." I highly doubt that the writers have thought that hard about this. Yet, I'm now more interested in her backstory (and how she got that name), than I am in the actual show itself (which as I promised myself, I'm only reading the threads; I refuse to watch beyond episode 1).

 

I remember the laughs too, and I thought the laughs were at least equally because a sight gag was involved, though?  I mean, it's been a while but I thought i also remembered a cut to the "MADISON AVENUE" sign.  I don't know if the audience thought it was stupid simply because it as Anglo-Saxon intrinsically "seems or sounds stupid", but because they in particular would know that the character named herself after urban planning.  It'd be like if "we see the character see a billboard", and then announced she was "Ciroc" or "Courvoisier".  

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Sorry to be crude here, but Maddie must be able to give BJs in eight dimensions at once, or vibrate like a tuning fork, or something in that ballpark. She has to be doing SOMETHING over-the-top unbelievably phenomenal, for someone else to put up with the rest of her bullshit and baggage.

 

Maybe Travis has a very weird necro kink.  Screwing women who just lay there like a dead body, or at least their face gives nothing away during the act of copulating.

[jonesingjay]

I liked the slap down she gave Nick. 

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I liked the slap down she gave Nick. 

 

Probably the best and most redeeming thing she'll do all series (as long as she's alive, that is).

[Nashville]

Probably the best and most redeeming thing she'll do all series (as long as she's alive, that is).

Travis might disagree.

But I bet the car wouldn't.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Travis might disagree.

But I bet the car wouldn't.

 

Eh, he's not too worried about it - he's still got Liza around if he needs to get his rocks off, with a woman can at least fake interest and enjoyment of the act (Madison might be interested and enjoying herself, but who can tell with that blank canvas of a face).  ;-)  

 

And I also bet the car definitely wasn't appreciating that.

Edited September 24, 2015 by iRarelyWatchTV36

[GreyBunny]

I liked the slap down she gave Nick. 

Now someone needs to slap down Madison, for at least an hour.  Preferably Liza. 

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

You have to give Kim Dickens some props.  She's making it spectacularly easy to plan for her future death and walker-ization (if it were to happen). 

 

All they'd need to do is give her some milky blue contacts, a little painted up to show her reason of death, and all that would be left is her raspy moans and shtambling around.

[Nashville]

all that would be left is her raspy moans and shtambling around.

...annnnd we're back in the car again.

[jonesingjay]

Now someone needs to slap down Madison, for at least an hour.  Preferably Liza. 

 

I don't know. She's got a 'hard' look to her face. Liza might hurt her hand on it. 

[GreyBunny]

I don't know. She's got a 'hard' look to her face. Liza might hurt her hand on it. 

She can use a 2 x 4.  I'm not picky.

[lkhllywd]

Kim Dickens is a tremendous actor and I cannot wait to see her stretch her legs in this role. A lot of what I'm seeing here though is people complaining that she is not reacting the way you want her to react. But think about how boring much more boring the character would be if she immediately knew what was happening and what she was doing. She is obviously going to grow into the strong leader of the group, which is infinity more interesting to watch than watching someone who has it all together.

PRECISELY.  THANK YOU.  The reactions here to this character remind me very much of some reactions to Andrea's actions in TWD Season 3.  Laurie Holden's reply to those reactions was to say (among other things) in an interview  "Andrea doesn't WATCH The Walking Dead."  And you know what?  Neither does Madison Clark!  

[Ohwell]

God I want to punch her in the face so bad.

[GreyBunny]

Kim Dickens is a tremendous actor and I cannot wait to see her stretch her legs in this role. A lot of what I'm seeing here though is people complaining that she is not reacting the way you want her to react. But think about how boring much more boring the character would be if she immediately knew what was happening and what she was doing. She is obviously going to grow into the strong leader of the group, which is infinity more interesting to watch than watching someone who has it all together.

 

I can forgive a character not doing what I want them to do or being slow to catch on if they make up for it by being likable.  Madison is not likable, she's a stank bitch.  Even if she becomes some super zombie-killing badass leader of the group I'd still hate her because she's still a stank bitch.  She'll never be fit to lick much less wear the boots of Roberta on Z Nation, whom I love.

 

I've never seen Kim Dickens in anything else and, based on her performance in Fear, I have no desire to.

[kj4ever]

I can forgive a character not doing what I want them to do or being slow to catch on if they make up for it by being likable.  Madison is not likable, she's a stank bitch.  Even if she becomes some super zombie-killing badass leader of the group I'd still hate her because she's still a stank bitch.  She'll never be fit to lick much less wear the boots of Roberta on Z Nation, whom I love.

 

I've never seen Kim Dickens in anything else and, based on her performance in Fear, I have no desire to.

Exactly.  I don't care if characters do what I want them to do, but they at least should have more then one facial expression or be able to emote a little.  The only thing this actress emotes is, as you said, "I'm a stank bitch".

[NurseGiGi]

I can forgive a character not doing what I want them to do or being slow to catch on if they make up for it by being likable.  Madison is not likable, she's a stank bitch.  Even if she becomes some super zombie-killing badass leader of the group I'd still hate her because she's still a stank bitch.  She'll never be fit to lick much less wear the boots of Roberta on Z Nation, whom I love.

 

I've never seen Kim Dickens in anything else and, based on her performance in Fear, I have no desire to.

I gave her the benefit of the doubt in the beginning but, damn, her expression never changes!  I'm wondering what kind of direction she's getting because she was much better in Gone Girl.  Or has she maybe had some botox?

 

Roberta is the best.  She, Doc, and 10K are the 3 I would most want to be stuck with in the ZA.

[rab01]

I really wanted to like this character at the start of the series and people on the boards (and some reviewers) said great things about the actress' prior work but I just can't with this performance. Whether she's botoxed too hell and back or the director has asked her to play it as a person keeping a lid on her emotions,* I can't stand watching someone whose expressive range goes from: "Oh darn, they're out of pumpkin spice lattes" to "how dare you mess up my pumpkin spice latte."

 

* By the way, I think it actually is botox because her three most emotive and effective bits of work all had to do with body acting, not facial expressions - the breakdown at home after killing her principal was done with her back to the camera, slapping Nick was also largely with her back to the camera, and the shaking coffee cup of booze was focused on her hand.  On the flip side, she is really is extraordinarily youthful looking for her age.  She is older than I am but looks younger while Norman Reedus is my age but looks older.

[bangs]

It's so sad that I am praying that she gets bitten and turns in the finale just so I can see a different expression on her fucking FACE!

[Ohwell]

It's so sad that I am praying that she gets bitten and turns in the finale just so I can see a different expression on her fucking FACE!

I hate to disappoint, but if she gets bitten, I doubt the expression on her face will change.  It will just be frozen in time.

 

I agree that she is a STANK-FACED BITCH.  For me, I became acutely aware of that when she got all stank-faced because Liza wasn't there to help her clean her house.  Like Liza was a maid or something. 

 

Also, count me in on the Roberta love (along with Doc and 10k).

Edited September 28, 2015 by Ohwell

[Cthulhudrew]

Maybe Travis has a very weird necro kink. 

 

That would explain his reluctance to kill the zombies.

[bangs]

I hate to disappoint, but if she gets bitten, I doubt the expression on her face will change.  It will just be frozen in time.

 

I agree that she is a STANK-FACED BITCH.  For me, I became acutely aware of that when she got all stank-faced because Liza wasn't there to help her clean her house.  Like Liza was a maid or something. 

 

 

That was the exact moment I turned on her too. She acted as though Liza was slacking off instead of helping the neighbors with their health.

I wanted to like her and kept giving the character passes but I really don't like her and the way she stares through people. Ugh.

[Nashville]

I was originally willing to give Production the benefit of the doubt in taking time for character development.

That was before they decided to collapse the story timeline at the same time.

Now it's like timeline events are fireflies, flickering at too-fast-to-be-perceived speeds past the stolid unchanging lumps of clay which are the cast.

Accelerator or brake?

One or the other.

MAKE UP YOUR FRIKKIN' MINDS.

[whyjen8]

Who is Kim Dickens' agent?  He/she has to be the best one that has ever existed.  This woman is on everything!  She pops up on all my shows it seems and she's always the same.  Always the same emotionless acting, always bitch faced, always that monotone voice.  I want her to get bit just to see if she will change facial expressions.

Edited October 2, 2015 by whyjen8

[SyncMaster]

Why was she always grabbing the rifle that they'd taken from the neighbor's house?  She was grabbing it like she was an expert with weapons.

[Nashville]

Why was she always grabbing the rifle that they'd taken from the neighbor's house?  She was grabbing it like she was an expert with weapons.

Well, (a) it was a shotgun not a rifle, and (b) how do we know she's not? :)

[kj4ever]

It was a bit funny on TTD when Travis beat out Madison for the new "Rick".  KD almost had disgust rather than mild disgust planted on her face.

[JBody]

I know this is going to sound awful but I kind of like her dead eyes and expressionless face. She's like a shark. It's kind of nice to see...err..stoicism in a female character. She won't dissolve in tears or panic at the drop of a hat. I want to see what really rattles her cage. Probably her precious druggie son biting it because aside from the obvious I feel she blames herself for his addiction. Anyhow I think it's rather interesting they have a high school guidance counsellor as the most well equipped ZA survivor (aside from the Salvadoran dude) based on her personality alone.

She is the new Rick. Travis is the new Hershel/Glenn. I think she is the natural leader out of all the psychopaths to choose from and I think we've been lead to view her that way.