Mad Men or The Backstory on the Greatest Ad in History (according to series creator Matthew Weiner).
If I have nothing to be grateful for in this quarantine period, there will be finally seeing "Mad Men". Around a decade or more back, Sunday nights were not my own, I missed a lot of tv. This series, "Breaking Bad" being prime examples. I also missed "The Sopranos", another show Weiner had a hand in. I blame refusing to pay for HBO as why I've not seen that. "The Sopranos" will be next on my must-see list.
I'm not immediately sure why "Mad Men" would grab me as quickly as it did. In many ways, a superb soap opera and I'll give it credit for having my wife as locked in as she was. She sleeps through everything else and it was great having equally engrossed company throughout the series. We took our time with this, not binge watching, one here a couple there...
At some point I learned the average age of MM viewers was 50 so not for everyone that's for sure. Why would Midwestern folks care about New York urbane sophisticates whatsoever? Was it growing up with stuff like "The Seven Year Itch", "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying", "The Apartment", so many others, and holding that out as some pinnacle of achievement? Whatever, I cared about these people.
Do I miss a world of male dominance with no consequences beyond the personal? Did I watch because i was expecting an indictment of that passed world? I expected that, looked for it.
In the end it was a celebration, warts and all. Maybe slow to develop, but watching the characters grow and adapt was exhilarating. Unsurpassed dialog, breathtakingly sharp and on point. So shrewd and sly and smart and hilarious, just wonderful.
The best ending to any show at any time, my heart soared.
So much to choose from, I'll just drop this here. A spoiler in its way and maybe not so meaningful to those unfamiliar with the story and the people. I hope you didn't have to see "Mad Men" to enjoy this particular magic --
From set design to wardrobe to the script to the casting and acting...
May 19, 2020, 11:07 AM
pulicords
Incredible series. Spoiler: Who would have thought that a scene about selling a new slide machine (the "Carousel") could bring viewers to the point of tears? A series like this could never make it on "free" TV. The big broadcasters always insist on playing to the lowest common denominator among their audience.
"I'm not fluent in the language of violence, but I know enough to get around in places where it's spoken."
May 19, 2020, 12:32 PM
Ripley
As the final season wound down, we got sadder knowing it was coming to an end, having no idea the finale was like going off the end of a ski jump.
To ease our impending loss, I told the wife we'll definitely be watching S.1,E.1 again asap. We needed those hopes, dreams and promises again. At 93 episodes I think, not penciling in the whole thing soon but yeah, gotta see the open again.
And yes, pulicords, we'd touched on Mad Men in the Best Episode thread, the Carousel was one of those things that, as it unfolded, I kinda lost equilibrium trying to keep on top of every wonderful moment building on the previous. Magnificent.
Set the controls for the heart of the Sun.
May 19, 2020, 05:35 PM
joel9507
quote:
Originally posted by Ripley: I hope you didn't have to see "Mad Men" to enjoy this particular magic --
Nope, never saw the show and that was hilarious.
May 19, 2020, 09:33 PM
NavyGuy
Having experienced some of that corporate culture very early in my business career it hit home for me. A bottle of Booze in your desk drawer was common place although it rarely came out during business hours, and few women where higher up that secretaries. They nailed all of the social hierarchy of that period and attention to detail was pretty good. Interesting characters that evolved as the series moved along.
Men fight for liberty and win it with hard knocks. Their children, brought up easy, let it slip away again, poor fools. And their grandchildren are once more slaves.
-D.H. Lawrence
May 20, 2020, 12:14 AM
Sailor1911
Yes, great show. Might have to start over and watch all of them again.
Place your clothes and weapons where you can find them in the dark.
“If in winning a race, you lose the respect of your fellow competitors, then you have won nothing” - Paul Elvstrom "The Great Dane" 1928 - 2016
May 22, 2020, 05:04 PM
FN in MT
Loved the show, but as it went on Don's self destructive behavior started to get tough to watch.
He had this loving family that he basically abandoned so much of the time. That bothered me.
Still a remarkable series.
"Hey. Trotsky". One of my favorite lines and scenes. She REALLY grew as the show progressed.
May 25, 2020, 07:17 PM
wingfoot
FYI, if you are planning to watch on Netflix, it is leaving June 9th. Time to binge it.
June 02, 2020, 01:25 PM
selogic
Peggy rocked . A little known fact was the sets were some of the most accurate and realistic ever . Supposedly even the magazines on the coffee tables were correct for that month and year in the script . Things you wouldn't even see but they still nailed it .
June 02, 2020, 06:08 PM
6guns
quote:
Originally posted by wingfoot: FYI, if you are planning to watch on Netflix, it is leaving June 9th. Time to binge it.
That's very good to know. Thank you!
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June 04, 2020, 08:32 AM
Pale Horse
quote:
Originally posted by 6guns:
quote:
Originally posted by wingfoot: FYI, if you are planning to watch on Netflix, it is leaving June 9th. Time to binge it.
That's very good to know. Thank you!
Yeah of course. That’s pretty on par for my luck. I’ve tried to get into it twice before and couldn’t. Finally a few weeks ago I was able to get into the show and now I’m really into it, and after being on Netflix for years it’s leaving in a few days. I’m nearing the end of season 4 and trying to binge my way through in the next 5 days.
“Everybody wants a Sig in the sheets but a Glock on the streets.” -bionic218 04-02-2014
June 04, 2020, 09:41 AM
wingfoot
quote:
Originally posted by Pale Horse:
quote:
Originally posted by 6guns:
quote:
Originally posted by wingfoot: FYI, if you are planning to watch on Netflix, it is leaving June 9th. Time to binge it.
That's very good to know. Thank you!
Yeah of course. That’s pretty on par for my luck. I’ve tried to get into it twice before and couldn’t. Finally a few weeks ago I was able to get into the show and now I’m really into it, and after being on Netflix for years it’s leaving in a few days. I’m nearing the end of season 4 and trying to binge my way through in the next 5 days.
You got this, adapt and overcome Marine!
June 04, 2020, 04:23 PM
Pale Horse
quote:
Originally posted by wingfoot:
You got this, adapt and overcome Marine!
It would be easier if the show didn’t make me want to constantly drink old fashioneds while watching. I get sleepy after three or four!
“Everybody wants a Sig in the sheets but a Glock on the streets.” -bionic218 04-02-2014
June 04, 2020, 06:19 PM
Ripley
quote:
Originally posted by Pale Horse: It would be easier if the show didn’t make me want to constantly drink old fashioneds while watching. I get sleepy after three or four!
