Netflix's New Thriller Miniseries With Colman Domingo Is An Instant Hit

There isn't a more exciting actor working today than Colman Domingo. The West Philadelphia born-and-raised began his career in the mid-1990s on the Bay Area stage, where he shined in numerous Shakespeare productions and in plays like "Journey to the West," "Desk Set" and "Fences." He occasionally booked work in film and television for a solid decade, but didn't really pop on screen until 2011, when he received a Tony Award nomination for his performance in Susan Stroman's production of John Kander and Fred Ebb's "The Scottsboro Boys." Hollywood took note, and Domingo gradually became a familiar face in movies and on TV series.

Domingo had amply flaunted his commanding presence by 2018 when he got what felt like something of a breakthrough role in Barry Jenkins' superb "If Beale Street Could Talk." The promise of that performance was realized and then some two years later in Janicza Bravo's sizzling "Zola," where he placed a magnetic, fiercely intelligent spin on the stock character of the controlling pimp. Going forward, we wanted to see Domingo in everything. Thankfully, Hollywood hasn't disappointed.

Domingo was already having a terrific 2024 with his searing performance in Greg Kwedar's "Sing Sing" and hilariously menacing appearance in Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke's "Drive-Away Dolls," but now he's hit a new high with a must-watch streaming hit on Netflix: "The Madness." 

"The Madness" is a new miniseries from playwright Stephen Belber ("The Power of Duff," "The Laramie Project") starring Domingo as a media pundit who finds himself embroiled in a murder mystery. It's a paranoid conspiracy thriller with a dollop of political intrigue, and it's got a killer cast supporting Domingo in the likes of John Ortiz, Marsha Stephanie Blake and Gabrielle Graham. Per Flix Patrol, the show is currently the most popular TV title on Netflix (which also streamed Domingo's 2023 triumph "Rustin"), and has been receiving generally favorable reviews, with most singling out Domingo as the series' steady anchor. Domingo commented on the show's popularity on Twitter/X:

Thank you so very much. Keep watching. Keep sharing. Stay ready. pic.twitter.com/PHZpb5QoYp

— Colman Domingo (@colmandomingo) November 30, 2024

At eight episodes, "The Madness" is the perfect Christmas gift for discriminating viewers who simply can't have enough Colman Domingo in their life. Though some critics have knocked the show for being a tad incoherent with its politics, we're willing to overlook that kind of mess when the tradeoff is being in the company of a brilliant actor. Could a second season of "The Madness" be in the offing? You'll have to watch the whole of this first season to find out! Do it for Domingo! Domingo himself weighed in on the possibility of a second season while speaking to Deadline, saying: "Listen, I don't really say this a lot about any show because I like going from moment to moment and having great moments in a show and moving on with my life and doing something else ... I would really love to engage with a Season 2, so we'll see if people think he's got more story in him as well, so I hope people watch."