Mad Men

DeSica

DeSica

Well-known member
Is anybody watching this thing on AMC? I am seriously hooked on this show.

"It's gold, Jerry! Gold!" --- Kenny Bania
 
I have only caught a couple shows, but that first one hooked me too. The problem is, I just miss it when it's on, or find it during the last 15 minutes. At this point, I have no idea what has happened. It's a real bummer too, because I really liked it. I guess I'll just have to wait until it comes out on DVD and rent it.
 
I dig this show. It's a fascinating time capsule to a time when you not only could sexually harass your female co-workers, you were expected to (not saying that's a good thing). I think it's nearly great, but not quite. It's a little too slow and haphazard in its plotting, like the Sopranos, but Sopranos had life and death stakes which gave its storylines more dramatic tension. ...The highlight is for me is watching Jon Hamm become a movie star. His character is interesting and he plays him brilliantly. Wished they had cast him as The Green Hornet and not Seth Rogen(!?). The red head is hot as all hell, and I like the actor who plays the wormy young guy (I forget his name). Catch it if you can, just don't expect a rip-roaring tale, its a slow paced time, place and character examination.
 
The one episode I watched fully, the new secretary started, and her co worker gave her the how to's of working in the office. As new girl tries flirting with her boss, he tells her quite bluntly, "I'm not your boyfriend, I'm your boss". I liked his no nonsense attitude towards the way things are. Sure, he's a two timing jerk, but he's got some morals.
 
Capt Quirk said:
The one episode I watched fully, the new secretary started, and her co worker gave her the how to's of working in the office. As new girl tries flirting with her boss, he tells her quite bluntly, "I'm not your boyfriend, I'm your boss". I liked his no nonsense attitude towards the way things are. Sure, he's a two timing jerk, but he's got some morals.
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That was the pilot. He really gets going from there, as do many of the other characters.

Everything about the show is quality. The writing, the acting, and especially the production values. The sets and costumes are great, and the feeling is lush and vibrant. Weiner picked 1960 because he felt it was a promising and sexy time in American history. It was the end of the 50's, but you didn't have the political stuff and war that darkened the later part of the 60's.

One element that was recently revealed came as no surprise to me (due to knowing that Matthew Weiner was involved with the Sopranos), and I felt you could see it coming if you paid attention to the character, but it still fits the show and is well done.

The wormy guy someone mentioned is Vincent Kartheiser. He was in Another Day In Paradise with James Woods and Melanie Griffith, and was recently in Alpha Dog.

If anyone has TV on Demand (such as Rogers here in Canada), you might be able to view back episodes for free (we can here.) Otherwise, it can be seen Thurdays at 10 pm on AMC, and is repeated right after at 11 pm.

I love the pacing. Slow is good.
 
DeSica said:
I love the pacing. Slow is good.
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I don't mind slow sometimes, I just think the show is a little narratively unfocused. It's still better than 99 percent of what's on TV, I just think it could be great instead of really good.
 
Wow, what a great finale! This show coalesced in the home stretch from a really good show into a great one. Best line was from peggy, "...get the woman you liked, she's probably at home with the relaxisizer right now." Her arc in this show has been great, and the payoff at the end was unexpected, can't believe I didn't see it coming. Don's pitch of the carousel slide projector even made me a little misty. Glad they got a season 2.
 
Anyone watching the new season? This show's still going strong...What Don did to that comedian's manager last night was the greatest pimp move of all time, like some Jed-Vulcan mind pinch, except he wasn't pinching her neck if you know what I mean. Awesome stuff.
 
Hmm...some interesting theories about what Don did to the comedian's manager last night. Many believe that "Bobbi" is actually a man, or a woman with man parts, and I'm starting to believe it. One, he washed his mouth out after he came home from the romp in the car. Two, his threat that "He will ruin" Jimmy only makes sense if he has something he can ruin him with, which would be that his manager/lover is a tranny. Seems he might have been grabbing something else under that dress. Interesting.
 
That may be reaching (no pun intended) I dunno, this is a civil & upbeat message board, so I won't elaborate on why I think Bobbi is simply a woman. I think Don Draper has the power to keep that bee-otch in line based on his persona. Not that I won't discount those theories, but I think it's much simpler.

This week's episode was the first time that I really registered a simularity between Don Draper and Tony Soprano. Will he continue his decent into badassery? How long before he beats up a copywriter to show that he's still the boss? :Drogar-Evil(DBG):

BTW-seeing this show in HD for the first time is awesome (and long overdue). The backlit scene where Don and Bobby first meet is amazingly lit.
 
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MadMen rocks. I'm so happy to have this ONDemand in HD and AMC in HD now. Season one looked like crap on a stick in SD. AMC generally looked bad, but that show really looked flat and blurry.

Oh, their opening title sequence is currently my screen saver. Bitchin.

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This series has certainly evolved in season two. I just finished watching 211 and I'm not sure I've figured everything out yet. It just gets better and better.

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I still love the show, but they seem to have second season syndrome a bit. Usually the first season is all forward story momentum, but when they figure out the thing is a hit they decide to slow things down and stretch out the story arcs so they can keep it going longer. Don and Betty's storyline has progressed nicely, but everyone else seems to be running in place. Peggy has gone nowhere, Sal is still deeply in the closet, Pete is still trying to have a kid, etc. It's still the best thing on right now, though.
 
Batutta said:
I still love the show, but they seem to have second season syndrome a bit.
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I was thinking sort of the same thing the other day. Recently bought the 1st season on DVD to revisit, and it really is nothing short of amazing.

That being said, this season of Mad Men is still light years ahead of anything else. (on my list of favorite TV shows, that is.)

I wish they could devote more time to pitch sessions and other things advertising-related. There seemed to be more of that in season one. (Lucky Strike, Kodak, Menkin's Dept Store) This season seems to be more of a glorified soap opera.

Enough Don & Betty relationship crap, I want to see more about the other character's developments like Kinsey, Sal, Joan & Kent. (& Don's hot new secretary...Hayohhh!) And the whole thing with Peggy & Tom Hank's son is one major snooze.
 
I love Joan and would never have cheated on Birdie. Except with Joan. Sweet Jesus.

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Good show, Great art direction and cinematography

My buddy Denis is a camera op on this show. FWIW, he also owned a DVX when they first came out, using it on some flashback sequences for CSI back in the day.
 
Jim Brennan said:
Good show, Great art direction and cinematography

My buddy Denis is a camera op on this show. FWIW, he also owned a DVX when they first came out, using it on some flashback sequences for CSI back in the day.
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Wow that's really cool your friend is working on Mad Men! I absolutely love the cinematography on this! I watched a behind the scenes special on this, and I love how much attention they pay to detail in making it a successful period peice.
 
Yep, it looks great. And Denis is a super nice guy. We went to high school together, but I only see him now at NAB.
 
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