I can’t believe I didn’t jump on this bandwagon sooner.
One reason to love Mad Men is that it’s incredibly stylish. The clothes! The clothes. I love Joan’s sexy office-wear and plan on scouring the internet to find myself a gold pen necklace. In fact, part of the reason that I love Joan Holloway is that I find her to captivating to watch. The actress, Christina Hendricks, has a mesmerizing face and she carries herself as Joan with an enviable sex appeal.
Betty Draper, wife to smoldering leading man Don Draper, is stunning. She’s played by January Jones – a former model – and looked as though an artist created her face as a prototype for classic beauty. She wears beautiful dresses at home and even more beautiful dresses when out with Don.
The other great thing about Mad Men is the setting – 1960s Manhattan. The employees of ad agency Sterling Cooper down cocktails like a night shift worker chugs coffee. They smoke all the time – not something I find appealing, but it’s true to the era. The 60s were a fascinating time in America and major historical events influence the plot in a very interesting way.
Mad Men is a subtle show. It took me a few episodes to get into it, and I’m still having the “Who’s your favorite character?” debate with my boyfriend. I like Joan, but he thinks she’s kind of a bitch. Which she is, but in a totally fabulous way. I also like Don, even though I feel as though I shouldn’t because he’s a philandering jerk. But a smooth and incredibly handsome one. Then we have the young, ambitious account executive Pete Campbell – someone I can only describe as a weasel. He’s unlikable but expertly portrayed.
It’s easy to root for Peggy Olsen. Though she’s decidedly less glamorous than Joan and Betty, she’s smart and ambitious and holds her own in a seriously male-dominated world. A shocking plot development in the season one finale caused me to question my love for her a little., but I won’t spoil it for those of you who haven’t seen the show yet.
Mad Men is a beautiful, artistic, captivating show that both men and women can enjoy. It’s perfect for you if you love old movies, retro fashion or well-written and smart television. It’s also a great theme for a party (hint hint, people who are my friends). I thoroughly enjoyed season one and can’t wait to watch more. For those of you caught up on the first three seasons, the fourth season will debut this Sunday, July 25. In the meantime, get your 60s ad exec fix and “Mad Men Yourself“:
I'm a fan of Don Draper. What I like most about him is his tact. And it's not a respect-everyone-all-the-time-no-exceptions kind of tact. It's a tact that's about treating respectful people with respect. In the episodes I've seen, Don doesn't rag on friends or speak down to the secretary pool just because. But he does get angry and brusque when he thinks someone else is being indecent/senseless, i.e. the first time he meets with Rachel Menken.I haven't wrapped my head around how his marital infidelities change my picture of him as a faithful guy, but outside of his relationship with his wife, Don strikes me as loyal to and respectful toward his truer friends. (I guess it gets a little muckier, though, when we try to figure out whom Don really values as his "truer" friends.)
He's pretty sexist (not that most men aren't), so I've got to disagree with you on how he talks to the secretaries. And I thought he was really ride to Rachel. I don't think he's very loyal either, I think he looks out for himself most of the time. I think he's a fascinating character and a smart businessman, but I can't agree with your image of him as morally upstanding.
Not that most men aren't!!!!! What a caption!
I think most people would go the way you do on him, but I see him as this stark individualist who understands that you get what you give, and, therefore, he sometimes gives very respectfully and caringly. I find something dignified about the way he treats others, e.g. how he sticks up for Peggy when Pete messes with her in one of the early episodes. I don't think he's perfect, and he sometimes acts like a baby (rude, impatient, not understanding), but I just can't shake this feeling that those moments are the aberrations for him and that he's really a decent guy.Did you catch Last Comic Standing last night?
Most men on Mad Men, I meant. Are definitely sexist. It was the times.He may have stuck up for Peggy a couple of times, but he treats her badly as well. Like calling her in the middle of the night after drunkenly crashing his car in the midst of the affair, and having her bail him out with his own money. I wouldn't be giving him a "World's Best Boss" mug any time soon.Last Comic Standing post is coming up!