In some ways I was a little intimated by the thought of blogging for this show. Here's what I thought might be daunting:
- It's a period piece. Don't get me wrong, I love learning more about bygone eras, but it's a little weird to talk about a time period I have no familiarity with. I mean, I hadn't even been born yet in the early '60s.
- It's from one of the producers of
The Sopranos. This actually doesn't carry too much weight with me because I never really got into the show. It potentially does the writer/creator a disservice because even though I personally wasn't a fan of his last show, I do expect a superior level of writing and storytelling. And
Mad Men delivers.
I find this world fascinating. I love that these men (that's right, the ladies are relegated to the steno pool) are quintessential men; they smoke, drink and have sex with practically anything with legs. Umm, can I please have that job? But seriously I feel like I'm watching men be themselves and there's something very interesting in that. And they have no illusions about who's in charge. White men rule their world. Women know men act differently when they're together and I feel like we're getting to peek behind the curtain. It's exciting.
Don Draper is the creative director of the advertising firm Sterling Cooper. When we first meet him, he seems to be having some sort of breakdown. He's having trouble devising a new campaign for
Lucky Strike cigarettes. With the amount of smoking portrayed here, I'm surprised everyone didn't drop dead of lung cancer by the age of 50. I remember the days when I had to worry about getting that nasty cigarette smell out of my hair and clothes if I went out to a bar. I'm so happy those days are long gone. Don's dilemma is how to sell the cigarette without extolling its "health benefits," since one of their competitors is being sued by the federal government for false advertising. The client almost walks out of the room before Don comes up with a brilliant idea on the fly. His boss, Mr. Sterling, is impressed and so is the client. That's why Don gets paid the big bucks.
Pete Campbell is the young buck gunning for Don's job and he comes on way too strong, with Don and with the ladies. Not only is he happy to sexually harass Don's new girl, Peggy, but he gets rebuffed at his own bachelor party when he's too hands-on with a girl he meets at the club. With all that entitlement and insecurity going on, I think Don should be very worried about Pete. Not only is he young and hungry, he isn't above stealing information to get an edge. This is demonstrated when Pete presents an idea to the Lucky Strike guys - an idea Don vetoed with his "research man" Dr. Gottman, who is a woman. Who would believe the crazy notion that everyone has a death wish?
The other guys are a bit of a blur, but I am intrigued by the Italian Salvatore, their token ethnic guy. Too bad he's gay. I hope his colleagues never find out.
The women are interesting too. Joan is a worldly woman. She knows exactly how to play the game to get what she wants, with both men and women. I think she's going to be an interesting mentor for Peggy, who I feel has already been led astray. I was very surprised she let Pete into her apartment. But I guess she's going to do whatever she must to get ahead. Don's girlfriend Midge seems like a somewhat liberated woman. I liked when she rebuffed his martial plans by telling him she doesn't "make breakfast or plans." Rachel Menken is great too. When she tells Don she doesn't have a family of her own because she's never been in love, he tells her how love is something ad men created to sell
nylons. She calls him out, says he's feeling disconnected just like she is. I felt a little spark between these too. I hope we see Rachel again. And I had a sneaking suspicion Don was married. Creator Matthew Weiner did an excellent job throwing me off the scent when Don said he wanted to marry his girlfriend. And I enjoyed the reveal at the end: a pretty, blond wife and two adorable children. It also doesn't hurt that he's a war hero. A man like that can't be all bad.
I love how moral and ethical lines are examined and oh-so-nonchalantly crossed. Don's black waiter is admonished for being chatty with Don although he's only doing his job. Peggy goes to the doctor to get birth control pills, thinking she's being responsible, but gets a lecture from her physician. Don storms out of a pitch meeting with a potential new client because the client, a woman, dares to state her opinion. Pete sweet-talks his fiancée on the phone while planning a night of drunken debauchery for his bachelor party. I'm hooked and I can't wait for more.
Check out our
Online Video Guide and
Matt Roush's
review for more. I can't wait to hear your thoughts.
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In some ways I was a little intimated by the thought of blogging for this show. Here’s what I thought might be daunting:— It’s a period piece. Don’t get me wrong, I love learning more about bygone eras, but it’s a little weird to talk about a time period I have no familiarity with. I mean, I hadn't even been born yet in the early '60s.— It’s from one of the producers of The Sopranos. This actually doesn’t carry too much weight with me because I never really got into the show. It potentially does the writer/creator a disservice because even though I personally wasn’t a fan of his last show, I do expect a superior level of writing and storytelling. And Mad Men delivers.I find this world fascinating. I love that these men (that’s right, the ladies are relegated to the steno pool) are quintessential men; they smoke, drink and have sex with practically anything with legs. Umm, can I please have that job? But seriously I feel like I’m...
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