I'm a Mad Man enthusiast, so my negative comments today come with some difficulty.
When the show hit TV, I found it imaginative, creative, historically fascinating, and simply fantastic. I think my esteemed colleague Valerie joins me in this view. We have gotten glimpses of life in the office in the 60's, enjoyed the dress and mores of the innocent days, watched as the dashing Don bedded women here and there, and marveled at the punchy dialog and quaint office politics.
This season makes me wonder where the fine writing has gone. Last week, the opener was mostly a dour look at divorce. OK, we get the idea that Don is off his game, so he's screwing up at the office and drinking too much. But must we watch as he and his ex, or soon to be ex, snipe at each other for most of the hour?
Last night, the bar fell further. We got to witness some disturbed, horny pre-adolescent boy "chase"Don's little girl (nearly obscene, in my mind). We saw Don drink too much and act all lonely. We watched Don's ex's house get vandalized. We saw a totally unreal client "bully" the ad guys. In fact, stupidly, we witnessed a Christmas-themed show in the middle of summer! In short, we saw little that reminded us of the show's magic.
Exceptions: The office gang did the "bunny hop" in a classic view of old times. Peggy struggled with love...or the lack thereof. Don demeaned his secretary without meaning to. And there were maybe a few other bright spots.
Grade: C I suggest the writers get the show back in the office, back where the standards of behavior in the 60's grabbed us and made us think, "Gee, that's how it really was!"
Back to you, Valerie, for some much-needed hope and your usual thoughtful insights.
"You Honor, may I address the court?"
ReplyDeleteO.k., here goes. I still love this show. I find the dialogue incredibly tight this season. The acting superb. Don's close-up in the cab when he is declined by his date is remarkably subtle yet so transparent; I can read every thought.
As you know, I dig dynamic character development, where one's layers are revealed and one goes through changes. So, I find these life changes intriguing. The man who has everything now HAD everything. How is he affected? I actually perceive less domestic scenes than the end of last year, especially with Betty. (My litmus is that I don't remember what she wore!) And now, Don isn't bedding every woman he meets; he's not even coming on to every one. The scene with secretary didn't make me mad because, really, that just very likely would happen between two adults in that situation. She'll learn.
The show is not just about Don. Watching other characters evolve holds my interest. Peggy is positively morphing before our eyes with acute, yet subtle again, changes in her body language, voice, dress, that reveal a woman who is blossoming. I still think this show is mostly about the biz; I am still learning a lot about the advertising machinations and business dynamics. Roger Sterling's embarrassing "bend-over" for his Lucky Strike client was painful and poignant to watch. Whether realistic or not, accommodations made for clients are probably not far off.
Laugh at me or not, but I loved the Christmas party! Here's why - I actually love Christmas in August scenes because it lowers my body temp., I swear. (I'm serious!) Brrrr. And I also enjoyed those old office party images we used to hear about and see them replicated.
Now here's another slant to this season: I find a eerie parallel to our own economic times. To watch what a company goes through when it is struggling to simply make payroll mirrors many today, especially one that relies on image. I believe this could be intentional.
The show still gives me lines to think about, such as, "Life is all about the conflict between what you want to do and what is expected of you."
I even appreciate the plotline of Freddie's struggles with alcohol and his well-founded concern for a fellow AA buddy who has fallen off the wagon and become too entertaining at lunch.
The pain of Sally's adjustment to new household pierces my heart.
Closing song of "Tobacco Road" (echoing Don's childhood, [along with the Glo-Coat commercial]) and Teresa Brewer's "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause" were brilliant.
So, through the long, hot days of summer, whether in Austin or AZ, I am glad to have Mad Men around.
The defense rests.
P.S. I predict Don Draper's character will become an iconic piece in television history (there! rare hyperbole from Valerie! haha)
I don't have the option of editing a COMMENT, but the English teacher in me MUST change "a" to "an" (paragraph 5 before "eerie.") Merely careless editing.
ReplyDeleteGeeze, I must be OCD!
OK, English teacher, I halted mightily on the A word!!! Shame on you! (just kidding, hahahaha). You're no more OCD than the rest of us, good friend! Well, as usual, you have shed light on my darkness! Very, very perceptive comments on the positives in MM. Most of all, I have to agree that the interest in character development comes from seeing change. Good point. I must stop being so stuck on the old portraits and be open to growth. Yes indeed, Don is not the same woman-slayer he once was...which is probably a good contrast to his ol' macho self. Peggy is popping out of her shell, and this is a welcome change. Now for our differences: the Lucky Strike client just does not work. As you wisely use your feminine instincts (e.g. memory of clothes) to sniff out "real" issues in character development, I use my male psyche as a sniffer. Sorry, but I've dealt with many bullies, from street to school bullies, and this particular situation would not stand. If I'm Roger and some client sticks it to me, I put it back in his face...money or no money. Most guys would. Also, while I appreciate your "cooling down" feeling during our blazing hot AZ summer, I cannot really get into the holiday spirit when it's not the holiday. With all my craziness for freedom and my image of myself as an open-minded guy, could I be stuck in society's rut of Xmas at Xmas time???!!! Again, I was mightily grossed out by the little boy pursuing Don's little girl...don't like this kind of child exploitation theme in any film. Back to a positive: nice note on "I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus"...made us laugh. I will take your comments to heart as I watch the third episode...and try to focus on the strengths of this original series.
ReplyDeleteYes, the pre j.d. in the neighborhood is creepy.
ReplyDeleteI will defer to you on the client issue, since you have the business experience.
Speaking of Christmas in August, one of my all-time favorite t.v. commercials is the one for Staples with Dad skipping through the store with "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" being played for Back-to-School. Hilarious.
One thing I learned about this series is that it is difficult to judge a single episode, the whole season has to be taken in one episode at a time. I watched seasons one and two one right after the other, then had to suffer the indignity of waiting a week in between each episode after that. When someone asks me to explain why I like Mad Men I say it is unlike any TV show I have watched because there is so much care to each episode, yet when the episodes fit together the work as a whole is even more remarkable. I agree that this last episode made me feel let down, but it isn't the first time and because I am a fan I cling to the big picture on this. I think this season more than any other we will see extreme highs and lows, but that's because this is such a pivotal season of change.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Keiko. A lesser episode of MM beats a "best" episode of most of today's junk on t.v., eh?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Keiko, for weighing in. We need lots of different views to get the real scoop on films! I agree that MM must be taken as a whole. I too watched the entire first year uninterrupted to catch up...and it was a marvel! Interesting that you agree that the last episode was not tops. But as Valerie wisely notes, a lousy MM beats the best of today's TV fare. In a season of change, I'll try to be open-minded and accept some of the new personality quirks.
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