Mad Men - Season One (2007)

Well directed sleeper hit has signficant flaws

AMC's sleeper hit, "Mad Men", is garnering rave reviews. Although the directing is masterful, especially the cuts, and the mood lighting is excellent, both the pseudo-sophisticated writing and the casting are naive and uninformed. The cynical show suffers from the lack of even one major character who could be viewed as a person of integrity. Maybe the author intends to indict the advertising profession? Maybe he intends to present a vacuous domestic life of the 50s and early 60s? Whatever his motives, an emphasis on pathological selfishness weighs down this dark show and leaves the viewer with a bitter taste. An unwholesome bleakness permeates; the scripts lack the occasional light moments of boilerplate soap opera.

There are major anachronisms in the set design and props, such as the electric typewriters, which were not in offices yet in March of 1960 when the show opens. The language also is not period authentic: "Pretty much", a ubiquitous expression today, was rarely employed in 1960.

The meetings with clients often turn confrontational; if advertising folks conducted themselves in this fashion, then and now, their firm would not remain long afloat.

Considering the major failings of "Mad Men," it is the directing alone that qualifies it for hit status.

November 17, 2008

Wonderful. Great series.

Thoroughly enjoyed this DVD at a great price. Can't wait for the second season to come out on DVD. November 11, 2008

Skip it; go directly to Season Two

The first season of Mad Men, while showing some promise, for the most part just meanders and bores. The production values and acting are there, but the writers just aren't. Far too often they equate creepy with dramatic, which obviously is a false identification. The proof is also in the fact that you can skip the first season and go directly to the second and miss at most one or two important scenes (which aren't even really that important). Which is exactly what I recommend you do. Season Two is as masterful as Season One is dull and repellent. November 10, 2008

THE OPENING CREDITS ALONE ARE ENOUGH TO MAKE ME LOVE THIS SHOW!

Four reasons to watch this:
1. Jon Hamm is unbearably sexy.
2. The sets, clothing and other depictions of the era are perfectly done but not overwhelming. They don't take on more importance than the story itself.
3. The characters are complex, human, complicated. No one is a caricature or a cartoon. Everyone, even some minor secretary whose purpose in the show is to have sex with a major character, is shown as complex and human.
4. The story lines are intriguing, compelling, multi-layered.

There are some story lines that don't interest me: I get up and fold laundry or brush my teeth and floss anytime one of the kids are central to a scene. And I'm not interested in the horse-back riding life and intrigues of Betty. But those scenes don't dominate this fabulous show. November 9, 2008

The Emmy and strong reviews must reflect how BAD (perhaps MAD) most TV shows are these days

We watched 2/3rds of the first season. All of the episodes were slow paced. Often excruciatingly slow paced. The show seems to be (really IS) mostly about smoking (mainly at work), drinking (mainly at work), and extramarital sex (mainly at work). Oh yeah - each and every character (including the children) is unhappy and behaving in a way that will lead them and those around them to greater unhappiness. Unless you are somebody who worked in this kind of environment and are looking for some nostalgia (and even then...), this show will not appeal to you. November 6, 2008

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