Mad Men.

Regarding Don in the waves at the end, I took it to mean he was cleansing himself spiritually and symbolically of his past misdemeanors. The song played during the closing credits seem to highlight that also. Here are the song's opening lines:-

"I see Christian pilgrim,
so redeemed from sin,
Called out of darkness,
a new life to begin.
Were you ever in the valley,
where the way is dark and dim?"

The sound is interrupted by the announcer talking about the next programme, but the closing line of the song is:-

"To drink of the bitter cup, of lonliness within...."

Again this seems to relate to Don's feeling of being alone that was focussed upon this time. They always have a final song that sums up an important aspect of the episode.

So Don has been doing some soul-searching and coming to terms with himself. It will be interesting to see how his future relationship with Betty will evolve as a result of this.
 
I love action, explosions and car chases as much as the next man. But I also love this new thoughtful and unhurried, novelistic approach to drama ( see also The Wire).

If the vast majority of the public would rather watch The Bill, let them get on with it. There's neeRAB to be some TV that doesn't treat you like an idiot who neeRAB to be spoonfed the plot. Okay, so it gets low ratings; so does BBC4. There will always be more thickos in the world and it's their loss.

In ten years when it takes its place amongst TV classics, they'll be saying that they were always fans.
 
The problem here is that you are talking about the cable channel when it is the production company Lionsgate that owns the show and is determined to keep it going. In fact, AMC's contract for Mad Men expires after season 5. Lionsgate is already threatening to shop Mad Men around to other American channels after season 5 if AMC doesn't come up with more money. I know that Lionsgate has a very strong relationship with Showtime. (They make both WeeRAB and Nurse Jackie for Showtime.)



And again, it is Lionsgate rather than AMC that deals with Weiner on any business matters, as opposed to creative issues with the show. Weiner and Lionsgate have already had battles over how much he gets paid, with Weiner threatening to quit his own show over salary issues.
 
I think that Kartheiser's acting is a bit like when you see someone like Harry Enfield, Charlie Higson or Paul Kaye in a part. They can put on an act and do the voice and the make the right facial expressions and movements - but they never really convince you that the person they are portraying is real.

Pete always seems just too much of an act. When I am watching Mad Men I totally believe in Don Draper and all the others as real people - but not Pete.
 
1963 was the year of the March on Washington for civil rights and Martin Luther King's famous speech. No one at the party seemed upset or disturbed at the blackface makeup, but it seemed to me Roger was mostly doing an impression of Al Jolson. Perhaps in 1963 the blackface would have seemed old fashioned, and would have stressed the age difference between Roger and his wife.

Sal's acting out the commerical was a great scene. Kitty has obviously realised what the problem in her marriage is.

Gene's passing was poignantly portrayed, especially by the playing of "Over There" during the credits. It moved me to tears. It really suggested the passing of Gene's generation as well as Gene himself.:cry:
 
I always do that: I rent it from Love Film as against buying. It's amazing how much you miss. This is coming from someone who watches the first showing, the repeat on BBC4 and on occasions the repeat on BBC2 as well!
 
Same reason why Duck couldn't handle Chauncey looking at him in the same way. Luckily, Don didn't just abandon his daughter on the streets of New York though!
 
Apologies if this has already been covered.
I'm really enjoying MadMen although I've just started watching it. I saw the last 3 episodes of Season 1 and have been watching season 4 on bbc iplayer, but what I'm wondering is if season 2 is coming back on a sunday night?
Thanks in advance.
 
As soon as I saw the young girl I knew Don would make a move on her, but I was cringing a bit when he got around to it. It all seemed a bit...seedy....somehow. I think Don is starting to lose his touch a bit with the ladies...:D

Can't wait to see the back of Joan's husband, I really do not like him :mad: Don't have a baby with him Joanie...you'll only live to regret it! :)

As for Lane...you know, it didn't occur to me that they were call girls until the following morning when he asked Don how much he owed him for her. Another reason why I think Don is becoming a bit seedy...he never used to have to pay for it... :D
 
But the question is, are the accents they're using on the show their native ones or are they imitating British accents different from their own? To say they're all Brits doesn't really settle the question whether the accents they're speaking with are any good. Aside from Jared Harris, who is speaking with his native accent, I'm not familiar enough with the rest of the British actors to say.
 
Thank you, jon8769. I didn't think of the Zapruder film and the open convertible when the Aquanet commerical was first pitched, but I saw it last night when Peggy picked up the artwork. Very clever. I immediately thought of Jackie Kennedy when Betty was shown wearing pink. She looked great in that outfit- I love the cashmere short sleeve jumpers and the twin sets she's been wearing this series.

Thank you, Servalan- those are very insightful comments. I agree that Betty is probably attracted to Henry not just because he's a father figure but also because he's a sneaky character like Don. It could be Henry wants Betty mostly because she's a pretty face (why Don wanted her?) and he's going through the Mills and Boon courtship conventions to snare her. My heart goes out to Sally and Bobby- who knows how they and the baby will fit into Betty and Henry's life as they try to make a go of it as a couple. Poor kiRAB, so soon after losing their grandfather, adjusting to a new baby in the house, and the JFK trauma they're going to have to go through a divorce and (possibly) a stepfather.

I read in some interviews that Matthew Weiner was reluctant to include the JFK assassination in the series and he thought about avoiding it. I'm glad that he addressed it, because it would have been strange if he had skipped it all together- if we had gone straight from Summer 1963 to the next series, post Fall 1963. It made the show all the more powerful revealing how the events affect all the characters.

Parthena, I also wish the series wasn't ending. I can't wait for season 4.

Welwynrose, thanks for the link. The video is hilarious. Jon Hamm looks gorgeous even while he's clowning around.:)
 
I have seen the rest of Season 4 already..... boy are you lot on UK pace in for one hell of a surprise with the finale... :D:D

You will all be gobsmacked!!!
 
I can't agree with that. So far we've seen 3 or 4 'British' characters all with the same one identical haughty nose in the air personality, as if everyone in Britain comes out of a mould.

Mad Men is not a typical US trashy series and all the other characters - even very minor parts - are written and played with great individuality, subtlety and hidden angles. The Brits just aren't.

They're completely the wrong type of person that would be even working in an advertising agency in those days let alone sent to run the US office. Cold facetious types hellbent on snobbery just wouldn't have a job handling clients - yes, they might work in the Foreign Office which would rely on the old boy network but not in anything as vulgar and nouveau as advertising. They would in fact be very admiring of US advertising and very excited to be in Manhattan - this is 1963 when Britain, even London, was significantly poorer than and behind the USA. You don't get any of that, just cliched comments about 'empire'.
 
Makes no difference at all. They're all professionals. The guidelines concerning child actors would have been followed rigourously no matter what gender any of the crew were. There is a difference between americans' attitude to masturbation and that of brits (who are far more uptight about it). So there are frequent, if implcit (and not so implicit) references in Two and a Half Men - broadcast throughout the day, even though they blank out the word "ass". I do wonder whether the beeb axed any that scene to reflect the british unease about the subject?

10 y/o's in america have some basic sex-education so there is nothing in her scenes that would be new to her - except the reaction of the 1960's adults and it's a good bet that she was counseled or coached about that.

Just like the boy who Batty baby-sat, Sally doesn't appear to think that her behaviour was inappropriate and seemed to be to be more confused than ashamed or embarrassed. It only seemed to be the two women who reacted strongly.
 
I'm amazed that this came as a surprise to some ~ I thought it was pretty obvious she was pregnant and mentioned it on this thread a few weeks back. :confused: As soon as her skirt split I was sure she was going to be blessing the world with a little baby Pete (can't WAIT to see how he reacts to the news, mind you! I bet he'll be a git about it!)

I though it was pretty inkeeping with the era too ~ yes she was on the pill, but it was a relatively new invention and so possibly not as reliable a it could be after years of refinement & development. Plus that fact that Peggy was pretty 'green' (remember her with 'Lady Chatterley's Lover ;)) and so possibly wouldn't be aware that the changes to her body signified pregnancy, especially as unmarried women wouldn't have access to much information about fertility & pregnancy.

Gutted that it's finished now though ~ it was SUPERB. What am i going to do on a sunday night now that Gavin & Stacey, Pulling and Mad Men are all finished?? :(
 
Excellent episode, but I thought that maybe Peggy would of told Don that Pete was the father of her baby. Such a nice relationship between Don and Peggy, almost like Uncle and Niece.
Duck almost going to toliet in Sterling's office!!:eek:
 
Just caught up. Utterly brilliant, and excellent to see the way Don handled the situation. Pete is a fantastically vile baddie, with just enough simmering underneath to be not one-dimensional. Great acting all round, and the final episode of this series is, allegedly, even better.

It's going to be a long wait for the next series.
 
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