Mad Men - Series 1 repeat - BBC2 Sunday Nights

That reminds me of something I love about Mad Men, all these actors look so different you hardly recognize them.

For example, you'd never know that the actress who plays Francine was Amber in House. Pete was Connor in Angel. Pete's wife Trudy is Annie in Community. Joan was Mal's con-artist wife in Firefly.
 
That's a good point, a very good point. I'd assumed Don was buying some errr, stuff for when he went to see his artist, thoughit appears like he had a bit of a bad trip there :(
Indeed. There was a comment after that meeting about Don hanging a past client out of the window. He appears to have a tough reputation and (I think) has also been heard to say that clients shouldn't get involved in the creative process
Don was also particularly irked when Pete pitched his won idea to Bethlehem Steel - Don seems to be very protective/aggressive about his role in the company.
Hmmm, I wonder if the drugs and the paranoia are linked?
 
I've seen every episode before, but it's really interesting to watch from the beginning again. I'm noticing things I didn't the first time 'round, getting new insight. And I'd misremembered a few little things - like Sal's dinner with the Belle Jolie rep. For some reason, I'd remembered him denying his sexuality, but that wasn't it at all.

Pete's outdoorsman fantasy was equally creepy this time 'round. Vincent Karthesier does such a good job.

Don did pay off the attendant to say that the lift was broken. I suspect he wanted to embarass Roger by making him walk up all those flights of stairs. The vomit was just a (disgusting) bonus ;)
 
Great summary.

It almost makes me want to work in the Corporate world again.

I was in marketing for a large american multinational, and worked in 4 different countries over 12 years but never the US. Our agancy was Ogilvy and Mather and although MM is the 60's I can see O&M of the 80's all over it.

A couple of times, Don has gone into 'Mr Hard-man' mode with his team, although they just seem to carry on their banter when he does.

Most of my bosses were brilliant and I'm in touch with many of them as are the people I managed as I moved up the organisation.

But there were a few US very senior guys who were renowned for 'Kicking ar*es and taking names' as the expression went.

Despite my thought above, I could never enter the corporate world again. By the time I left, I was becoming a clone of some construct of such books as Dale Carnegie, The One Minute Manager and Quality Control manuals.

I'm not sure I had a single idea of my own in my head. But I could walk the corporate talk with the best of them. I wasn't a Pete or a Peggy, but I can recognise what they are doing in what I did.

Overall, I just couldn't be a nasty bastard, Don-style anymore. When one very smart subordinate burst into tears after the way I addressed her and I had to stop a large meeting, I realised that it was time to get out, so I did, turning my back on some very nice stock options which would have matured to a nice sum if I had lasted another 3 years.

By the end, I'd become 'The I can't last one more minute manager':D

Anyway, my personal history aside, I can at least enjoy programmes about the corporate world because I'm not in it anymore.
 
Stick with it. I almost gave up a couple of episodes in as I thought it was too slow. After about four episodes I started to like the characters and realised the slow pace is what makes the show different. On the surface not much may seem to happen but you have to look deeper. Its a unique series, not for everyone, but I am glad I did not give up.
 
I missed the first two episodes, but caught up on iPlayer, and now have it on series link on BBC HD. Watched the other two episodes yesterday. I'm enjoying it so far, but can't help feel that sometimes it's a little too knowing with regards to the smoking and drinking and casual sexism. Yes, we know they did all those things in the 60s, but they didn't do them 24 hours a day! Sometimes I feel the characters may as well wink at the camera as they blow smoke into someone else's face.

That's a very small criticism, though, because like I say, I am enjoying it. Some random thoughts so far;

- Don's background. What's the big mystery? Already mentioned a few times that he doesn't talk about his past, and that guy on the train who thought he was someone else... intriguing.

- Glenn. That boy ain't right!

- Pete. I quite like him. Seems that he was set up as the series bad guy, but I'm not sure that's true. I hope Mad Men isn't the type of series where bad guys are always bad and good guys are always good.

- That Italian artist guy. I'm guessing he's gay? He's a bit camp.
 
this program is so blinking good, that i could not wait to see if the beeb show seasons 2-3 before beeb 4 airs the new season 4 next month.. so i spent 30 quid on amazon and bought seasons 2&3 on blu-ray

you beauty!!!

watched 6 eps of season 2 over this weekend.... second only to sopranos in the ultimate tv gold stakes.

sooooo watchable.
 
Clearly lots to find out about Don. As you say, that guy from his past (Navy?) addressing him as Richard Whitman?

Pete Campbell. Yes, I thought he would be the archetypal smarmy bad guy but he clearly isn't.

The Italian artist guy? Salvatore. Definitely gay, I reckon and this will doubtless feature in future episode(s). During the stag night in episode 1, someone asked him if he had a girlfriend and he replied "I'm Italian!".
 
Glad to have a chance to see what all the fuss is about after hearing everyone go on about this series.

I enjoyed it. Not exactly gripping, but subtly written and classily acted. I found it fairly engrossing to see how shockingly different the values were back then, especially as regards the treatment of women. Feels like a slow burner, but so far I'm willing to stick around for a few more episodes.
 
Having seen half of season 3, I picked up numerous aspects of the characters in the first 2 episodes where the writer is giving a key/clue. Only because I've seen what is ahead was I able to pick up the significance of these things. If I hadn't seen the forward episodes, I would never have thought twice about these signs.

So to all the newcomers, even those who are still neutral, I'd repeat my exhortation to stick with it (and I rarely exhort!!!).

The brilliance of this series is the nuanced levels of the characters which go deeper and deeper the longer you go.

The longer it goes on, the significance is in what is not said not what is. There are few series like this. I certainly can't remember one.

Keep watching;)
 
hmm, i dont like it that much, i rented the dvd of season 2 and just cba to watch one episode everyday, but i think i could manage one or two a week!
 
Yeah, but you couldn't get your sister to stick with it could you tennis? :D:D:D

Anyway you've convinced me, and i'll stick with it, although i have to say it did help being a fan of mid century modern style and was that Angel's Connor i spied?:D.
 
So engrossed in it, I even noticed a litlle continuity blip where Don and Betsy were on the bed chatting with their legs out on top of the covers. A few cuts later their legs were under the covers.

Something rather depressing about Roger - the rejection by his moody daughter. And those scenes with Joan in that dour hotel room.

'Joaney, you smell so good' Yeah, of all that scotch and cigarettes - aggghhh!

Peggy - A basket of kisses - Brilliant.

Trying to get back into the real world this morning!!!
 
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