Mad Men

[Steve Tannehill]

Has anyone been watching Mad Men? I am getting caught up on the blu-rays before the show starts back up on AMC later this month.

It's addictive, just like the cigarettes that everyone chain smokes.

Three seasons, nine discs worth, are available for rent from Netflix. It's so good, I might just end up buying it.

Steve

[Shane Martin]

It's one of the best shows on TV period if not THE best. I'm working my way thru Season 3 right now on Blu Ray. I'm hoping I can get caught up prior to Season 4 starting on AMC HD.

[Steve Tannehill]

I just bumped my Netflix plan to 2 out at a time so I can get me more Mad Men. I just finished disc 2 of season 1 and hope to finish the rest in the next couple of weeks.

Steve

[Paul E. Fox, II]

I've seen it all through season 2...I'm one episode in on Season 3 (SD-DVD, my Brother's) but I've been so busy I haven't been back for more.

[John Celardo]

I'm adicted too. It's a great snapshot of NYC business life in the '50s and '60s. It looks great on a big screen in HD!

[Steve Tannehill]

Well, I just finished season 2. The first disc of season 3 should show up from Netflix on Saturday. Looks like my mission of completing the first three seasons before season 4 starts (on 7/25) will be successful.

[Steve Tannehill]

I finished season 3 in the wee hours of the morning. The last two episodes were as good as anything that ever appeared on The Sopranos, and that is high praise. Season 4 starts tomorrow night...can't wait!

[Allen]

Originally Posted by Steve Tannehill

I finished season 3 in the wee hours of the morning. The last two episodes were as good as anything that ever appeared on The Sopranos, and that is high praise. Season 4 starts tomorrow night...can't wait!

Those last couple episodes of season 3, with all the business dealings of the firm being sold, the key guys getting out of their contracts, etc., are what hooked me (my wife got hooked at the start of season 2, I think). We went back and rented all 3 seasons so I could be caught up for the new season.

Man, that pilot episode was fantastic - what a setup to see a "day in the life" of Don Draper - then discover at the end things were not quite as they seemed.

There was a review of the start of season 4 in the WSJ yesterday. Says the new firm has already gotten great digs in the Time-Life Building and Draper is now getting national recognition as an ad man as the season starts - with magazine stories like "Who is Don Draper?"

So the irony and double life continues....

[Michael Mitten]

I have it set up to record. I haven't seen it before. I wish Hulu had more than just clips.

[Hayes Preston]

We have watched all seasons thus far, and are really looking forward to tomorrow night.

Love the Who Is Don Draper in the press angle.

[Paul E. Fox, II]

I cannot watch this on AMC as DirecTV doesn't carry it in HD...the SD DVDs are horrible so I'm gonna have to re-rent the Blu-ray versions.

[Steve Tannehill]

I would even watch it in SD, it's that good.

[Shane Martin]

I finished season 3 in the wee hours of the morning. The last two episodes were as good as anything that ever appeared on The Sopranos, and that is high praise. Season 4 starts tomorrow night...can't wait!

Not surprising. The writers are the same.

Michael,
You'd be best served to start renting Season 1-3 from Netflix/BB. The show relies a lot on your past knowledge of the series.

[Michael Mitten]

Originally Posted by Shane Martin

Not surprising. The writers are the same.

Michael,
You'd be best served to start renting Season 1-3 from Netflix/BB. The show relies a lot on your past knowledge of the series.

Sounds like a lot of catching up! I'll see what I can do.

[Paul E. Fox, II]

Originally Posted by Steve Tannehill

I would even watch it in SD, it's that good.

I thought so too but I can't do it. I tried, I really tried.

[Shane Martin]

Me too. Luckily Cox has AMC in HD so I'm safe. I skipped a season and waited for the Blu Ray because I was spoiled with the PQ of the Blu Rays.

If you like Soprano's, this show is a can't miss.

[Allen]

It was a brilliant idea, to set this in the time period they did, and to choose advertising as the business.

The cultural stuff they end up incorporating is therefore naturally very much part of the story and very illuminating - and they get every detail spot-on accurate.

[Paul E. Fox, II]

You know the thing the jumps out to me (other than the use of tobacco)?

The way the women were treated...I can not believe that world ever existed but I know that it did. This show just illustrates it in an actual setting that is believable I guess.

So...for those of you who know, was it really like this for the ladies back in the day? And, if that's true, isn't Mrs. Draper just a bit ahead of her times with her "actions"?

[Allen]

No one commenting on last night's episode?

Henry's got the hot wife who's a cold bitch to her kids, and he now knows it - should get interesting.

The new firm is completely dependent on Draper for new business. Odd to see him blow up at the Janzen folks about the two-piece swimsuit (NOT a bikini! ), but he sometimes has that problem when accounts don't "get" his creative genius.

[Hayes Preston]

Originally Posted by Allen

No one commenting on last night's episode?

Henry's got the hot wife who's a cold bitch to her kids, and he now knows it - should get interesting.

The new firm is completely dependent on Draper for new business. Odd to see him blow up at the Janzen folks about the two-piece swimsuit (NOT a bikini! ), but he sometimes has that problem when accounts don't "get" his creative genius.

Last night was awesome, fantastic writting, and great performances.

Love the complexities of the Draper divorce, and how it effects all of Don's world. I think that his exchange with the "two piece" Bathing suit people was an attempt to show that he is still in control of his life.

Loved the interview at the end with the WSJ.

[DYohn]

I loved last night's episode, but I was disappointed that January Jones is still on the series. I thought she left. I have hated her wooden sleep-walking acting since the first episode and think there are plenty of other blond actresses out there who could be better in the role...

[Allen]

^I think she's incredibly hot, though she plays such a cold bitch most of the time on this show.

[DYohn]

Originally Posted by Allen

^I think she's incredibly hot, though she plays such a cold bitch most of the time on this show.

IMO "hotness" never makes up for the inability to act. At least not when acting is what's required.

[Steve Tannehill]

Geek Alert! I have been getting into Twitter, and recently followed MadMen_AMC. Tonight, I got an email that Betty Draper was following me, and offered that I could follow her:

http://twitter.com/bettydraper

This led to my discovery of all the Mad Men feeds on Twitter...one for almost every major character. So I followed all of them.

The tweets are in character. The interesting one (to me, at least) is Sal Romano, who is freelancing after his departure from Sterling Cooper. Since Lucky Strike is the major account at the new Sterling/Cooper/Draper/Price, he does not think he will be hired there. We also see what has been happening with Ken and Paul, who did not make the transition to SCDP.

Anyway, it's a fun way to follow the show from a different perspective.

[Paul E. Fox, II]

Mrs. Draper's character seemed to change dramatically between what I presume was the Pilot and the next/first episode...

Maybe that's just the way it was planned but a switch seemed to flip to me.

While being quite easy on the eyes, she's my least favorite part of the series. I don't really want to see Don at home...I like all the office stuff much MUCH better.