Mad Men

[Harvest]

Great first episode. I would have missed this if I hadn't read an article in my Sunday paper about this show and how the script was this Weiner guy's "legendary" calling card that had created so much buzz in Hollywood that it got him the Sopranos gig.

Too bad it's a finite series, like the awesome Rome, but that is better than never knowing if/when something I like will be canceled.

From the AMC page:
What you are, what you want, what you love doesn't matter. It's all about how you sell it. From AMC and the Emmy® Award-winning executive producer and writer of "The Sopranos" Matthew Weiner, comes MAD MEN, a provocative new primetime drama about how to sell the truth. Set in 1960 New York, the daring new series is about the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising, an ego-driven world where key players make an art of the sell while their private world gets sold. The 13-episode, one-hour original program produced by Lionsgate premieres Thursday, July 19 at 10 PM | 9C.

[Florimel]

I did miss it last night, but will watch the repeat showing tonight. The buzz on this show has been very good and I'm looking forward to it.

[catwoman1955]

I saw the show yesterday, and was very impressed. I think I'm going to like it a lot. Harvest, are you saying that the series will only run for 1 season?

Cat

[Harvest]

Thanks for posting, Cat. I think this will be a great series, and I'm glad I'm not the only one watching it.
Given that the AMC site says it is a 13-episode series, I was guessing it would be a finite run. But we can always hope it stays great and runs for years

Btw, by "great" I am not saying there's things about it that don't make me squeamish, in particular the sexual politics/sexism, but that all seemed to be put in there deliberately, so it's food for thought.

[catwoman1955]

...

Btw, by "great" I am not saying there's things about it that don't make me squeamish, in particular the sexual politics/sexism, but that all seemed to be put in there deliberately, so it's food for thought.

As I recall, the sexual politics, the sexism, and the racism/prejudice too that you saw in that episode were very much alive in 1960, when the series is set. As a matter of fact, if truth be told, a lot of that mess is still alive today. But, anyway, I was growing up during that era, so I remember how blatant (overt, as opposed to convert) those "isms" were, during that decade. Yes, I know...Quite disturbing, yet unfortunately true ... I admire the creators/producers, etc. for bringing those elements into the storylines. I'd say it's kind of a great history lesson.

I hope that the series stays on the air past its first season.

Cat

[pg13]

I was very much looking forward to this show...based on who was involved with it and the buzz that was surrounding it...

But I didn't enjoy watching it.

It wasn't the smoking and the sexism--I totally understood that THAT was the world that the producers of this show were trying to show us...

I gritted my teeth through the entire show because I didn't find one character remotely likable.

It's hard to watch a drama where you don't care what happens to anyone.

I also had issues with how they handled the creative aspect of being an advertising creative type--especially during this time, one of the most fertile eras of classic American advertising.

I used to be an advertising writer--and I just didn't buy that the lead creative for one of Madison Avenue's top advertising firms would react to a situation the way that the lead character in the pilot episode would...and I certainly didn't buy that the miracle pay-off that supposedly "proves" his creative genius would be a bog-standard variant of the "unique selling proposition"--an advertising theory as old as there's been advertising.

I think the writers of this show painted themselves into the same corner as Aaron Sorkin did in "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip"--that of creating a character is a genius at what they do (in "Mad Men"--it's advertising copywriter, in "S60" it was sketch-comedy writer) and then have ever other character SAY THAT THEY'RE A GENIUS AT THAT...without ever giving us any actual examples of them being that. The audience needs to see that genius in action...and not be told that this genius exists.

Having everyone say what a bad-ass Tony Soprano is would be one thing--but they were smart enough to show us plenty of times when Tony loses his temper...so we, the audience, KNEW it was true.


I also felt that too many jokes were like two-by-fours to my head...and that for a show that wants to project at least an air of "this is how it used to be", there were far too many anachronisms...or, at the very least, things that were done to get a knowing laugh from a modern audience at the expense of truthfulness in context (specifically the bait and switch about who the Presidential candidate who was a Navy hero might be...)

I barely made it to the end of the first episode...and I doubt that I'll be checking the AMC listings to find out when episode two might run.

And that makes me sad...because there's a distinct lack of quality programming right now...and I could use a good new show to hook up with...

pg--My HBO watching is now down to "Flight of the Conchords"...and that's not the same as when I could watch Sopranos, Six Feet Under, The Wire, etc.--seattle

[mom2g_and_m]

Personally, I liked it but found it very slow. I was born in 1968, so a little young to have first-hand knowledge. However, I grew up in the midwest, so a lot of this has an air of familiarity. I definitely remember having a lot of the stuff on the set in my own home lol.

To the pp who said they felt like they were being hit over the head w/a 2x4...there's probably a reason for that. Many people don't even know where Madison Ave is, let alone what happened in 1960.

I'll be watching at least a few more episodes...

[Harvest]

Well, I still like it!

We just saw Casino Royale on DVD, and I thought the opening credits looked very similar to those for this show.

[catwoman1955]

Well, I still like it!

We just saw Casino Royale on DVD, and I thought the opening credits looked very similar to those for this show.

I still like this show, too. IMHO, it has a style and tone that is very reminiscent of many of the movies that I grew up watching in the 1960's. I am also getting very engaged in most of the storylines. The relatively slow pace of the story development suits me just fine, since it gives me time to really study these characters.

Cat

[Harvest]

The "relatively slow pace" gives me time to enjoy/evaluate every choice they made in set design, costumes, props, casting, script, acting, the whole enchilada. I get to compare what I remember from just after that era and the movies from back then to the point of view that being presented, and have the time to think about it. That is enjoyable. For someone who just wants ADD-style fast-paced action, this series won't be their cup of tea, but when the commercials keep quoting that this show is the best new this and that, I have to think we are not alone in appreciating it.