who else taken with AMC's "Mad Men?"

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/20/07 at 4:28pm

As the Times promised, it really is part GRAY FLANNEL (luckily, without Jennifer Jones' whiney archness), part FAR FROM HEAVEN, and entirely original. Anyone else besotted with late 50's/early 60's -- a ripe era for fresh exploration -- should take a look. I was impressed with its evocation of the work place and the non-cliched handling of the female characters. Yes, there's a bit of the coolly uninvolved "career gal" vs. the suburban pre-Stepford, but one senses that the creators won't settle for stereotypes. The men are compelling. Most of all, it's smart and funny without going for easy camp. Terrific color palate in the design, too.

Updated On: 7/20/07 at 04:28 PM

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 7/20/07 at 6:23pm

This is easily the most promising pilot I've seen in a long long long time.

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 7/20/07 at 6:52pm

God, I love the cinematog. Very FAR FROM HEAVEN-esque.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/20/07 at 9:31pm

I have a mid-life love affair with the late 50s (which 1960 really was...the 60s began, tragically but officially, with the Kennedy assassination). The Eisenhower years remain the definitive cultural context for most baby boomers, even if we prefer to identify with the more dramatic 60s. If anyone wants to learn more about the era, three books: Halberstam's brilliant THE FIFTIES, Dan Wakefield's NEW YORK IN THE 50s (the romantic era of BEST OF EVERYTHING, plus Mailer and the downtown beats in ascendence -- and a 3 bedroom apt on the upper west side for 150 bucks a month), and an invaluable book from the cheap tables at B&N, THE FIFTIES, which chronicles the decade year by year, books, movies, politics -- a must-read coffee table tome, encyclopedic and full of wonderful pictures, LP covers, lobby cards, you name it.

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 7/20/07 at 10:47pm

Dammit. I missed everything by being born in the late '80s.

[jsrocks]

Posted: 7/21/07 at 4:22am

I'm really liking this show. It's nice to see something different on tv besides another reality show, medical drama, or a crime drama.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/26/07 at 11:07pm

Bravo tonight! The 2nd episode was even better, or rather, beautifully augmented all that was expertly set-up in the pilot. The yin with the yang -- the domestic arena -- was handled with great freshness while dramatizing a universal experience of the time (and these times, too, Betty Friedan's "problem with no name." Terrific, nuanced scenes, and a wonderul subtle monologue with the shrink. Then, that great DOLLS HOUSE kicker.

I love this show.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 12:49pm

I didn't think last night's episode was that great.

First off, only the ugly girl gets hit on. Too much sex, too soon. In the first season, she shouldn't be hit upon by every guy. There's no room for future episodes. For balance, they should show her apartment and home life. If they aren't careful, it will fall into soap opera.

The tour of the office was wasted time. We don't need to know all that. The audience wants action not boring dialogue. The best way to find out who does what is to have characters talking about their jobs. The fact that the office was empty makes the show look low budget.

The actress who plays the wife needs speech lessons PDQ. If she hit one more bad "S" I was going to mute her.

Robert Morse was good. He should think about playing Tennessee Williams.

[Chloe]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 1:19pm

I missed the pilot but saw the show last night. I think the creators did a wonderful job of evoking that time, which exists dimly in my childhood memories. Now seeing it with adult eyes is somewhat revelatory.

[RobbO]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 11:58am

love it! i miss the days when you could smoke, drink and harass women at work!

oh, and gothampc, the office was empty because everyone in the 50s went to lunch at the same time. it had nothing to do with budget, silly.

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 2:37pm

AMC so overhyped this show that I'll never watch it, just out of spite

[RobbO]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 6:35pm

that'll show 'em!

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 7:19pm

You're probably right, Robbo, there are planty of brain-dead couch potatos out there who'll watch ANYTHING if its crammed far enough down their throats.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 9:10pm

Well, for my money, it's far more compelling (and not so pretentiously contrived) as the over-hyped DAMAGES. I am enjoying Glenn, but that show doesn't have the freshness. MADMEN has a kind of effortless evocation of time and place, and doesn't push to turn the plot wheels. In fact, the less pushy paced plotting is entirely consistent with the era--a meld of style and content. Can't wait for the next one. And I love the company of actors.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 8:02am

It's my new favorite show currently running - really good writing and performances, great evocation of the era, good direction and cinematography. My only question is this: is Brian Batt's character supposed to be in the closet? He's certainly playing him that way.

[RobbO]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 9:09am

i think so, with the sly comments he makes. how he didn't answer the "got a girlfriend?" question ("i'm italian aren't i?) and how he said something to the effect "i cannot imagine anyone saying they live their life one way and really living it another" when they were talking about the survey of what people do vs. what they think you want them to do/say.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/3/07 at 12:01pm

Last night's episode was even more compelling, especially the 2nd half birthday party, when the new "divorcee" turned up. This show dares to offer in beautifully textured writing a provocative, authentic depiction of the milieu DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES sends up with wink-wink-laden irony. Who knew it would be daring to be merely ... real? (SPOILER:) Don's sudden disappearance at the end was seemingly out of left field and bizarre, but fit beautifully with the eerie prologue on the train, when he was called a different name by the chubby fellow. We get the patina of the era, but with much digging beneath the surface. I'm mesmerized by this material and its execution.

Fans of FAR FROM HEAVEN -- don't miss this. We're in some of the same territory, with almost as much care to the evocative detail.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 8/3/07 at 12:26pm

I missed the first episode, but I've caught the last two -- I'm loving it. Far From Heaven is one of my favorite movies of all time, so that is definitely feeding my compulsion to watch Mad Men.

I just love that late 50's/early 60's look, and seeing how the superficial attitudes of everyone at the time weighed on their lives.

OH, and about Bryan Batt...I was thinking the same thing about hime being closeted. I mean, let's face it, they're gonna deal with the gay issue sooner or later. There are simply too many facets of it in relation to the time period to not explore it. But the fascinating thing to me is that there was no "gay agenda" back then -- nothing for anyone to "fear." Gays were just "flowery" men who went to art galleries. It would never even occur to Bryan Batt's co-workers to think that he's gay. He's simply not as much of a "man's man" as the others are.
Updated On: 8/3/07 at 12:26 PM

[landryjames2]

Posted: 8/3/07 at 5:16pm

Auggie and others--if you are interested in the 50's, I just read one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read: Bill Bryson's The Life and Times of The Thunderbolt kid. This is Bill Bryson's memoir of growing up in the 1950's, and is an absolutely hilarious account of his life growing up in Des Moines while providing rich historical context of what living in the 1950's was all about. Great summer read--most would finish it within 2-3 days.

Check it out!

[Chevstriss]

Posted: 8/4/07 at 1:12am

there's been 3 eps? was Smoke the pilot? that's the only one I've seen

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 8/4/07 at 2:16am

I've seen all three so far. The ONLY reason I even started to watch it though, is for ROBERT MORSE (who is great in the two minutes he's appeared in so far. lol) But the show is really really good! John Cullum has already made an appearance (in the first episode) and Bryan Batt stars in it along with Robert Morse, so hopefully we'll see some more Broadway people.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/4/07 at 3:39pm

Thanks Landry for the heads up about the Bryson book. I'll get it. I can also recommend Dan Wakefield's NEW YORK IN THE 50's. My absolute favorite about the era, required reading for New Yorkers, and especially, those of us who moved here to find fame, fortune, and a good board at which to post. Of course Halberstam's THE FIFTIES is definitive (the Wakefield books is a source).

Can't get enough of MAD MEN, which despite being "1960" of course reeks of the 50s. Most decades kick-in not at the turning year, but later, based on an cultural phenom or historical event. For many of us, the 60s officially began with Kennedy's death. This show feels like that fascinating age before, which of course is its appeal.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/12/07 at 2:29pm

Apparently, per the Times piece on Summer's basic cable successes (DAMANGED, etc), the ratings are beyond AMC's expectations. Does anyone know how many episodes are part of the initial set? Will it play into September? Looks good to renew, though it likely won't return until winter or spring of 08 -- but maybe I'm too obviously following the HBO model for sucessive seasons.

[Kringas]

Posted: 8/13/07 at 10:48pm

I've had all the episodes on my dvr as they aired and I finally started watching them last night. I completely agree with everything Auggie has said about the show. Without even having lived through late 50s/early 60s myself the show really feels true in its treatment of that era. There's such a realness to the proceedings and the show manages to make the characters feel contemporary without being anachronistic.

ETA: FUN FACT - Elisabeth Moss, who plays Betty on the show, played Baby Louise in the Bette Midler Gypsy.

Updated On: 8/13/07 at 10:48 PM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 11:41am

Kringas, it's authentic and beautifully developed ... yet still television, land of the ruined good ideas ... so as a result I keep holding my breath -- afraid they'll suddenly try to pull a LOST or even just a DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES. The show doesn't need twists, just to continue with its multi-dimensional character-driven writing. I was fascinated to read that the script had been around a long time whem AMC bit. Big surprise -- too fresh to get sucked up.

Looking forward to the day when it all appears on DVD. Anyone know how many episodes are in the can? 10?

Updated On: 8/14/07 at 11:41 AM