Rewatching Another Classic: Mad Men (1 Viewer)

[jbutler]

Did this once before for the Sopranos, but I think there are more Mad Men than Sopranos fans around here.

I watched the pilot years ago and it didn't grab me at all. And all the super fans I knew loved the series for all the wrong reasons (basically Entourage fans who wanted to pretend their fantasies were classy). But I caught some of an interview with Matthew Weiner recently and he was so articulate and interesting about what he was trying to accomplish with the arcs in Mad Men that I wanted to give it another shot.

Glad I did. I'm now closing in on the end of season 3 and it's fantastic. Season 2 is by far better than season 1, but I'm not sure which I'll prefer between 2 and 3 until I finish the last two episodes. If they're as good as episode 10 ("The Gypsy and the Hobo"), season 3 will be hard to beat.

Nothing new to longtime fans of the series, but in all the discussion I've heard but not bothered with over the years, I'd never realized:

(1) That Don Draper's dual life is really the core of the series. I knew that it was to some degree about identity, but didn't realize how thoroughly that is dealt with and how it forms the undercurrent for very nearly every plot point on the show.

(2) How much the series is nearly as much Peggy Olson's as it is Don Draper's. She's had a bit less going on in season 3, but I might have to take Peggy's arc over Don's in seasons 1 and 2. I just briefly looked, but it looks like Elisabeth Moss didn't win an Emmy until 2013. That's just a pure joke because she destroys every other female performance on television.

If past performance is an indicator of future results, I will power through all but the last season of the series in two weeks and then take three months to finish up. I'm glad to finally know what everyone was abuzz about for so long, though. Always good to find something great that's new to you.

 

[ssanel54]

Glad your enjoying it. I think you're pretty spot on, though Id say its not so much his dual life thats core to the series, but rather his inability to accept himself which seems to manifest itself in different ways throughout the series.

I had a similar experience with the series Arrested Development, which for some inexplicable reason, I could not get into the first couple episodes that I watched. I went back and started over a few years later, and it absolutely blew me away.

 

[jbutler]

Glad your enjoying it. I think you're pretty spot on, though Id say its not so much his dual life thats core to the series, but rather his inability to accept himself which seems to manifest itself in different ways throughout the series.

I had a similar experience with the series Arrested Development, which for some inexplicable reason, I could not get into the first couple episodes that I watched. I went back and started over a few years later, and it absolutely blew me away.

I've still only ever watched the first season (and maybe not even all of it) of AD. I didn't dislike it at all, just didn't continue on for some reason. Maybe that will be my next catch-up.

 

[jbutler]

Finished season 3 and started season 4 last night. I had heard a lot about the season 3 finale being one of the best episodes of the series. It was good, but honestly s03e10 was better for me and kind of hit the same notes thematically.

I also was not a fan of how they completely skipped the build up of the new firm from a hotel room to a full floor of offices and staff. In the season 3 finale they were nothing and then in the first episode of season 4 they were a viable competitor with a full administrative staff.

Things are still very good overall, though, particularly Peggy, so I look forward to the rest of the season and the show.

 

[Toby]

I think the show could've ended a couple of season earlier than it did. The later seasons meander and lack coherence. I'm not sure to what extent my appreciation of the show declined with the arrival of kid 2 and attached chaos. Also, AMC's irritating split season broadcasting: the gaps in narrative left me somewhat disorientated...

Still, a great show, with some excellent writing. I remember being blown away by the Kodak pitch, one of many memorable moments.

Peggy is a fantastic character and a definite highlight of the last two (especially final) seasons. I also really enjoyed Roger. He's great value.

 

[kirchhausen]

Madmen is one of my top 3 all time series, (The Wire and Breaking Bad are the other two), and although I vacillate between these (usually between the Wire and Madmen) if I take sentimentality out of it I would probably put Mad Men #1.

Season 3 was likely my favorite of all of the seasons, but I did not find one season I didn't enjoy.

My all-time favorite episode was the Wheel, Don's pitch to Kodak was probably the best thing I have ever seen on television.

 

[jbutler]

Yeah beautiful scene. Great pitch.

 

[jbutler]

Watched a couple episodes last night that both qualify as the best of the series so far imo: Waldorf Stories (s04e06) and The Suitcase (s04e07). I was emailing with @Chicken Rob over the last few days discussing the quality of Jon Hamm's performances in the series and he really blew the doors off in The Suitcase.

And in Elisabeth Moss's performance in The Suitcase, I saw a bit of what I loved so much in my favorite movie of this past year, Queen of Earth (wiki; trailer). Very different tonally (the movie is a psychological drama), but if you love Elisabeth Moss and want to see her emote the bejesus out of a role, definitely check it out.

 

[BukNaked36]

I tried watching several episodes in the first season of Mad Men. I found them slow and stiff, but loved the other seasons. Even with my love of the show, I don't know if I could get through season 1 now.

 

[BukNaked36]

Glad your enjoying it. I think you're pretty spot on, though Id say its not so much his dual life thats core to the series, but rather his inability to accept himself which seems to manifest itself in different ways throughout the series.

I found the 2nd life story line to be a distraction. I think it helps you understand Don's self loathing, but didn't need to be brought up over and over.

 

[jbutler]

I tried watching several episodes in the first season of Mad Men. I found them slow and stiff, but loved the other seasons. Even with my love of the show, I don't know if I could get through season 1 now.

I definitely saw an immediate upswing in quality with season 2, but damn there are some killer episodes in season 1: The Hobo Code, 5G, Long Weekend, and the already-mentioned The Wheel. Plus it establishes so much of Don's baseline reality that it seems absolutely essential to understanding so much of the show.

I found the 2nd life story line to be a distraction. I think it helps you understand Don's self loathing, but didn't need to be brought up over and over.

I guess this explains our different opinions. I think Don's other realities - his pre-Draper life and his lasting relationship with Anna - to form the core of the show and that without them the "main" storyline would be, at best, entertaining.

 

[jbutler]

Made it through all but Season 7.5, so I guess I have 7 episodes to go. I've really, really loved it.

One criticism I do have which I would have thought would have made a bigger, more negative impact but didn't is that I've never really bought the Don/Megan relationship. I get that she was intended to represent a sort of desperate attempt by him to recapture some stability and to show how he is truly incapable of existing on his own without someone looking to him as something more than he is. But it seems like Megan's character wasn't really crafted with enough care to carry her through as much as she goes through on the show. It's ultimately not a fatal flaw because there's so much going on apart from her, but it's something I couldn't help but notice.

Looking forward to finishing it out.