It's gonna take a while. I'm only at the end of S2. And I love it for the very same reasons you mentioned. And it's so laid back, smooth and cool. Plus, it seems very subtle and smart a lot of times.
I especially loved
The scene where, after Don finds out he's apparently known as a womanizer, he's in the bathroom shaving and his daughter walks in, sits and starts to look at him admirably and with a big smile on her face.
He catches her looking at him, and sends her away, as he feels tears forming.
I can't say for certain and I may be way off, but I read that scene as him being very doubtful and guilty of what he's become, and being protective of his daughter and interpreting her look as similar to what women seem to give him regularly, admiring him. He suddenly sees his own daughter exploited by other womanizers?
That was my read anyway. I great scene and so subtle.
It's strange, for some reason I seem to be certain I watched the first 3-4 seasons ages ago, but I cannot remember almost anything from the start of S2 onwards.
And, is it really true that few enjoyed it? I was under the impression that it got generally very positive reviews. Maybe I just read into that.
It did survive for 7 seasons though, and wasn't cancelled, so there must've been some viewership.
I'm not sure what to make of that scene though I vaguely remember it, I'll have to watch it again.
When I tried to discuss about the series with a few friends, none of them liked it and they'd usually stopped watching after one or two episodes. So I assumed it wasn't for everyone, but honestly it wasn't a very large sample. From what I remember, the score was pretty good.
It must depend how people vote too. I won't vote against a movie or a show just because I don't like the genre.
I found the character of Jack too smarmy for my liking, especially when you consider who his parents are. In fact, his character reminded me of folks from STD and earlier series of Picard, and not in a good, positive way. I only wish he'd taking Shaw's place in departing.
Few people seem to enjoy this show, because as you said nothing much happens, but I loved the atmosphere, the characters and the portrayal of the society at that time.
Maybe it was popular here too but I just happened to talk to people who didn't like the genre, and it gave me the impression that it wasn't for everybody. To be frank, I was surprised they didn't find it interesting.
But as I said, I don't think those people would downvote it just because it's not their cup of tea. Or would they? I'm not sure, but I think most people would only downvote it if they liked the genre but found it badly executed.
I can see Mad Men not being so popular in other countries, as it's certainly not a contemporary show. Likewise, a show centered on the sixties era and taking place in a different country would likely not be so popular in the US. It's too bad though, because if people can look past the drinking, smoking, and outright women/racial abuse/bias, Mad Men was truly a classic.
I think that how the women were considered in society vs men, the smoking or the drinking - even during working hours or if someone had to drive - were the same in western Europe. I've seen glimpses of that with my parents, although they were a later generation that had already made some progress. But compared to French movies of the same genre, many of the characters and their preoccupations might seem a little superficial in comparison. There's no real passion in there.
I started watching it again, since I ran out of series. Before the 5 first minutes of the first episode were over, we see Don Draper smoke, drink strong alcohol and have an affair with someone who isn't his wife. It's not until the very end of that episode that we see he has a beautiful and loving wife, and two small children. I had forgotten this, or maybe I didn't pay attention the first time, but it was quite the introduction to the series.
Don seems so shallow at the beginning. He has talent and he has presence, but it's as if there was nothing inside. There's a small scene that echoes this, and that I found very appropriate: his wife, while he's sleeping in their bed at the start of the 2nd episode, says "who's in there?" It's only much later that we start to see Don's conflicts, and his genuine care for some people.
One of the most interesting characters, in my opinion, is Peggy. She's quiet, reserved, even submissive, but she observes and notes how society works, and who does what. She clearly has a lot of ambition, and seeing how she develops is quite remarkable. There's one side of her that starts in the first 2-3 episodes and that has always intrigued me:
It's obvious that her relationship with Pete starts on the wrong foot, but when he's drunk and calls on her one night before his wedding, she invites him in and they spend the night together. Later she seems to have true sentiments towards him (it's not clear whether it's reciprocal or not). What happened? Was that a calculated move to get an ally? Was that only a strange infatuation? Did she see something in him despite his degrading behaviour?
My interpretation is that she saw some potential, chose to overcome his behaviour and decided to make him an ally to help with her career, after failing to charm Don. But it's so cold and calculated, and she seems to care for him later, so I'm not entirely sure. I think I want to believe there's something more human than that in her, but the series leaves that ambiguity for the public to decide.
I think that how the women were considered in society vs men, the smoking or the drinking - even during working hours or if someone had to drive - were the same in western Europe. I've seen glimpses of that with my parents, although they were a later generation that had already made some progress. But compared to French movies of the same genre, many of the characters and their preoccupations might seem a little superficial in comparison. There's no real passion in there.
I started watching it again, since I ran out of series. Before the 5 first minutes of the first episode were over, we see Don Draper smoke, drink strong alcohol and have an affair with someone who isn't his wife. It's not until the very end of that episode that we see he has a beautiful and loving wife, and two small children. I had forgotten this, or maybe I didn't pay attention the first time, but it was quite the introduction to the series.
Don seems so shallow at the beginning. He has talent and he has presence, but it's as if there was nothing inside. There's a small scene that echoes this, and that I found very appropriate: his wife, while he's sleeping in their bed at the start of the 2nd episode, says "who's in there?" It's only much later that we start to see Don's conflicts, and his genuine care for some people.
One of the most interesting characters, in my opinion, is Peggy. She's quiet, reserved, even submissive, but she observes and notes how society works, and who does what. She clearly has a lot of ambition, and seeing how she develops is quite remarkable. There's one side of her that starts in the first 2-3 episodes and that has always intrigued me:
It's obvious that her relationship with Pete starts on the wrong foot, but when he's drunk and calls on her one night before his wedding, she invites him in and they spend the night together. Later she seems to have true sentiments towards him (it's not clear whether it's reciprocal or not). What happened? Was that a calculated move to get an ally? Was that only a strange infatuation? Did she see something in him despite his degrading behaviour?
My interpretation is that she saw some potential, chose to overcome his behaviour and decided to make him an ally to help with her career, after failing to charm Don. But it's so cold and calculated, and she seems to care for him later, so I'm not entirely sure. I think I want to believe there's something more human than that in her, but the series leaves that ambiguity for the public to decide.
I think Peggy is supposed to be the fish-out-of-water character, that's learning how the machine works. Idealistic and principled at first, she gradually gives into some of the stuff she has to do to get ahead. But she still maintains some integrity.
While Don is very flawed in his own ways, I do enjoy that he has certain principles. He feels like what the romanticized version of what a "real-man" is. But he is, as we all are in our own, a product of that age.
It is an interesting portrayal. It might also feel for some as a portrayal of the "good ol' days". It was also the beginning of hyper-capitalism where marketing and media brainwashes the public.
But on the initial interaction with Pete, I felt that was more or less honest. She was given attention, which she probably wasn't used to? It didn't feel very opportunistic to me.
But gradually she see what she must become to be treated anything close to an equal.
One of the most interesting characters, in my opinion, is Peggy. She's quiet, reserved, even submissive, but she observes and notes how society works, and who does what. She clearly has a lot of ambition, and seeing how she develops is quite remarkable.
As far as the show had a central character and central theme, it was Peggy and her representation of the growing role of women in previously men-dominated fields. The most famous episode of Mad Men, as you may already know, is one in which it's just Peggy and Don in the office alone for 50 minutes, exploring the changing (and changed) nature of their relationship.
As far as the show had a central character and central theme, it was Peggy and her representation of the growing role of women in previously men-dominated fields. The most famous episode of Mad Men, as you may already know, is one in which it's just Peggy and Don in the office alone for 50 minutes, exploring the changing (and changed) nature of their relationship.
For me, Don had the central role. Everyone else and everything only revolves around him. The series begins and ends with him. The main story is about Don who starts as a fraud, enjoys his idle life, then finally has to question the path he's taken, and tries to sort things out.
A few people crossing his path - mainly Peggy and Pete, maybe Betty, and a couple of others to a much lesser extent - have an ambition and try to make their way up, but none of them is as essential as Don. They are antagonists, along with the changing times and his past catching up with him, because he can't have it his own way so easily anymore, and that pushes him to change. At least that's how I see it.
But despite that, I have the impression that Peggy plays a more captivating role than Don, and a more central one than petty Pete.
I always liked that, in the end, Peggy turned out to be as brilliant as any of the men, and exceeded more than a few. And whatever she got as rewards along the way, she earned with hard work. Certainly one of the best characters I've seen in telly over the past fifty plus years.
For me, Don had the central role. Everyone else and everything only revolves around him. The series begins and ends with him. The main story is about Don who starts as a fraud, enjoys his idle life, then finally has to question the path he's taken, and tries to sort things out.
Don Draper was certainly the main role, but I think an argument could be made that Peggy is the central role in that through Peggy, Don learns a completely different sort of relationship to women than he knows when we meet him. It's a big part of his evolution as a character.
I remember the show fairly well considering how long it's been since I've watched it, but talking and thinking about it now, I'm realizing that it's a good candidate for rewatching. I don't do that often these days because there's so much quality television out there, but I think a rewatch of Mad Men would be rewarding.
I always liked that, in the end, Peggy turned out to be as brilliant as any of the men, and exceeded more than a few. And whatever she got as rewards along the way, she earned with hard work. Certainly one of the best characters I've seen in telly over the past fifty plus years.
I watched the first 3 episodes of Handmaid's Tale a few weeks ago. It's...different. I'd say it's probably an acquired taste for a lot of people. Now I know why the lead looked familiar.
Last night I watched the final episode of Snowfall and man, talk about a great show and one I know I'll be watching again in the future. All in all I'm surprised so many folk actually survived, and Franklin basically turning into his father I didn't see coming, though it shouldn't be amazing. At one point I'd completely forgotten about Peaches yet they ever wrapped that thread up along the way. I know the creator of the show passed some time ago, I think he'd be pleased with how it all played out. I'd highly recommend the show if you've not checked it out.
Officially on the Succession train nowadays, Brian Cox thrives on playing evil characters!
Have also been watching Frontier, a Canadian Netflix series that focuses on conflicts between the Hudson's Bay Company, rival fur trading companies, the Metis, and the Cree. My niece has a thing for Jason Momoa, and introduced me to it. Liking it so far.
Have also been watching Frontier, a Canadian Netflix series that focuses on conflicts between the Hudson's Bay Company, rival fur trading companies, the Metis, and the Cree. My niece has a thing for Jason Momoa, and introduced me to it. Liking it so far.
I watched the first series of Frontier when it first aired and enjoyed it, as the history of HBC is pretty knarly, imo. Haven't watched the rest as of yet.
Perry Mason is keeping me enthralled, I'm through six episodes on the second series so far. Still enjoying it a bit more than the first batch of episodes.
Perry Mason is keeping me enthralled, I'm through six episodes on the second series so far. Still enjoying it a bit more than the first batch of episodes.
