For starters this show is extremely clever. I feel like I learn something when I watch and it's also a show that I am not ashamed of (cough, cough, hint, hint Teen Mom). It helps to know business terminology when watching this show. Thanks to my almost completed Arts Administration degree this is not an issue. Who ever would have thought that a show about advertising in the 1960s would have been so interesting? There are masses of 1960s pop culture references (Who could forget the Bye,Bye Birdie style commercial in Season 3 or little Sally Draper going to see The Beatles at Madison Square Garden a few weeks ago? Or Peggy's Twist infused promotion party?) It also deals with real historical events, people and real products and companies. There was a whole episode dedicated to the day JFK was shot. It's clear that the writers and directors do their history homework. The agency also holds accounts with Bird's Eye, Playtex, Mountain Dew, Samsonite suitcases, Kodak, and Lucky Strike. This is a clever tactic because the audience is familiar with all of those brand names so it feels familiar and you can relate to the ads made on the show.
One thing that Mad Men does is that at the start of every season time jumps forward one year. This leads to things happening at the beginning of seasons that are never really explained. The audience just learns to accept them and move on . Also many major plot points are left unanswered and unresolved. Such as Peggy and Pete's illegitimate baby in Seasons 1 & 2 and what ever happened to Roger Sterling's daughter? I am sure we will find out eventually but for now we will just have to wait and wonder.
I think that Season 4 has been the best so far. It's a little different in the sense that Sterling Cooper is now Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce after the original agency was bought out at the end of season 3. It took a little getting used to a new set. The season is all about characters starting over in a new office as well as in life. Don Draper has finally gotten divorced from everyone's favorite bitchy housewife, Betty. Joan Holloway Harris is married with a husband (who is a complete tool and who raped her in season 3) in Vietnam. Peggy Olson is slowly rising to the top of the corporate latter and Roger is rekindling his affair with Joan all while starting the new agency.
My favorite part of the new season so far is the awkward somewhat romantic relationship between Don and Peggy. I did not see this coming at all. The more I see it the more I like it and I think that we will see them together possibly at the end of this season. I love the idea and I think it makes perfect sense because they are the male and female versions of each other and it just makes sense considering Peggy is pretty much the only regular female character besides Joan that Don Draper hasn't screwed. It would be a great plot twist and cause many troubles for the at the office. The more trouble we have at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce the better the show is!
I also love that we saw some more Joan and Roger. For those of your with penises I am sorry that this is all you get to see of Christina Hendricks ;)
Now for some other great moments from past seasons...
The lawnmower incident. This is just one of those what the f*ck moments that only this show could pull off. It's hilarious yet horrible and unlike any other scene ever put on TV. Even if you have never seen this show you know that someone got their foot cut off with a lawnmower on Mad Men.
Vomit. Yep you read that right. Vomit. For some reason this show has an excessive amount of vomit. There is no video for this because, well it's vomit and that's gross. I am not really sure why there is so much vomit on this show. It's gross yet funny at the same time. The most memorable vomit scene on this show would have to be Roger on the stairs after a lunch of martinis and oysters and before a heart attack after he and Don have sex with twin sisters. Okay moving on....
Betty VS. The Birds
This is such a great Betty moment. He truly showcases how crazy she really is. She is pretty fab. Gotta love her!
Now for some unanswered Mad Men questions...
How in the hell did AMC get away with showing a 10 year-old Sally Draper starting to masturbate? WTF?!?!? I feel a little wrong posting this. I am actually a little disturbed by this.
Why do Joan and Don randomly kiss? I fully support this but what does it mean? Is it some kind of odd brother-sister love or is it unresolved sexual tension?
I hope everyone enjoyed my thoughts on Mad Men. Please feel free to share your thoughts.
" Look, I want to tell you something because your very dear to me and I hope you understand it comes from the bottom of my damaged, damaged heart. You are the finest piece of ass I ever had and I don't care who knows it. I am so glad I got to roam those hillsides."-Roger Sterling
After reading the Rolling Stone article about this show I love it even more because it was pretty much self made by a bunch of Hollywood rejects. It's always great when nobodies can rise to the top :)
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