*Warning: this article contains major spoilers for The Madness*
New Netflix series, The Madness, unfolds a murder mystery that spirals into a complex conspiracy involving shadowy, powerful figures. Colman Domingo stars as media pundit Muncie Daniels, who finds himself framed for murder and must fight to clear his name.
The final episode’s first five minutes alone are packed with action, let alone the entire runtime which is just shy of an hour. So what exactly transpires in The Madness’ finale?
What becomes of Muncie Daniels and his family? Are there any lingering questions? Here’s all you need to know, but be warned, major spoilers lie ahead.
The last episode kicks off in the most dramatic way possible, with a lethal shootout. Julia Jayne, already exposed as the one who commissioned an ex-soldier to assassinate Mark Simon, murders Stu Magnusson and his bodyguard herself along with Laura Jennings, while also setting up Muncie’s framing, has located Muncie’s family, reports the Mirror.
She shoots Isiah, sending him tumbling down the stairs into the basement. However, Muncie’s wife intervenes, striking Jayne over the head, but not before she is shot herself. It feels like a cliff-hanger moment, but this is merely the beginning of the episode.
While his wife is recovering in the hospital, Muncie has been cleared of Mark Simon’s murder by the police, who have realised that Jayne was the real culprit all along. Muncie provides them with an audio recording in which Jayne implicates her boss, Rodney Kraintz, owner of Revitalise, as the mastermind behind everything.
Following his meeting with the police, Kraintz’s personal lawyer conveniently waits for Muncie in the corridor. He offers Muncie $5 million to sign a non-disclosure agreement and keep quiet. Muncie takes the contract but gives a curt two-word reply, showing no intention of signing. He discusses this bribe with his agent, who reveals that CNN wants him back on air for an exclusive story.
Muncie then meets with Mark’s ex-wife Lucie again, informing her that Kraintz is the main culprit. He asks her to share this information with The Forge, the white supremacist group Mark was part of, so more people are aware of Kraintz’s actions.
She does so, assuring them she wasn’t involved while subtly hinting at revenge. At FBI agent Franco’s wake, Muncie’s former partner hands him a notebook mentioning a cobalt mine and Revitalise. Muncie returns to CNN to deliver his story but not before his boss tells him to make sure he shows some emotion. Muncie delivers his piece, where he exposes Kraintz on air and the conspiracy in play.
Kraintz’s company owns a cobalt mine that will become deregulated ahead of a new bill passing and Jayne was hired to eliminate anyone that got in the way of that goal. Muncie also denounces the media world he was a part of and quits his job mid broadcast. We do get a brief glimpse of his family and friends watching at home where we see Isiah survived.
The media circus continues without him though as Muncie watches media pundits analyse his work on TV. He then argues with his son Demetrious about justice and his failing marriage.
Suddenly, we’re with Franco’s old partner and Lucie as they share evidence about The Forge, and their plans of domestic terror. She admits she wants the group taken down to make amends. Kraintz is shown on TV denying the recent claims. Conveniently, while Muncie is out on a run, a note is pushed under his apartment door.
It’s from Lucie and lists Kraintz’s office address. Demetrius reads it and suddenly decides to go there with his father’s gun. However, he is defeated by a chain link fence and Muncie is able to talk down his son. Despite convincing his son against murder, Muncie considers it himself and breaks into the office.
Kraintz’s office, filled with a large bank of servers and a solitary desk with a lonely laptop, very much a bad guy lair. Muncie contemplates shooting Kraintz, who admits to framing him for murder simply because ‘he was there’ at the time of the killing, stating they’re both cogs in a machine.
As a Forge meeting is raided by the FBI, Muncie walks away. One member manages to evade the heavily armed squad of officers by leaping over the balcony.
Kraintz reappears on the news, cleared of involvement with Mark Simon’s murder. However, the lone Forge member that escaped retaliates by gunning him down in an alleyway. In the meantime, Lucie relocates with her sons. Muncie, on the other hand, has chosen a new path as a teacher. The final scenes show him in the park with his children, grilling meat.
His ex-wife joins them, despite previously requesting space from him following her recovery from injuries. There’s no hint of a second season as all mysteries are resolved, albeit not neatly.
The Madness is streaming on Netflix