SummaryIt's New York in the 1960s, and the men and women who work at the Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency are some of the top names in the industry. Master manipulator and leading ad man Don Draper is at the top of his game, but there are those who want to see him topple down. Can he maintain his formidable status? Writer and executive produc...
SummaryIt's New York in the 1960s, and the men and women who work at the Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency are some of the top names in the industry. Master manipulator and leading ad man Don Draper is at the top of his game, but there are those who want to see him topple down. Can he maintain his formidable status? Writer and executive produc...
The sumptuous two-hour opener to Season 6 is a remarkable piece of work--beautiful, provocative, and deep. It's an unexpectedly exquisite distillation of the show's themes and aspirations.
Jimmy Spoiler-free reviews 2013 things:
Mad Men Season 6...
Like most good dramas that lack action or strange twists to keep you watching, Mad Men is often ignored. This season was probably the least eventful of them all, and it’s one of the most brilliant. From snowy New York streets to an old ****, the scenery is always varied and refreshing. But that's not what makes season 6 unique. It throws away most conventional draws to a show in favor of full character development. After all, the main reason anyone watches Mad Men is it’s exquisitely developed characters not the 60’s atmosphere, interesting plot or moments of excitement.
The fact that it’s a period piece of the 1960’s is, however, interesting, and many adults who may remember the era might find that a reason to watch it. Yet I can’t say many people my age are that interested in the show. But I can tell you, it’s not just for those 50-something year olds that appreciate costume drama, its for anyone that enjoys a quality tale of loss, power, and (particularly in this season) admitting one’s flaws, mistakes, and troubled past. Since this season takes place in 1967-1968 America, there are some... interesting scenes involving drug usage and counterculture, but that’s not what’s affecting these Madison Avenue ad men. Their own struggles are affected by these movements of the 60’s, sure, but they don’t completely revolve around them.
People would like Mad Men, particularly the sixth season:
-Those interested in period/costume drama
-Those who don’t mind shows lacking excitement
-Those interested in the 1960’s, particularly the counterculture of the late 60’s
-Those who like good drama
-Those who enjoy well written television shows
-Those who are fans of Jon Hamm & Elisabeth Moss
-Those who enjoy strong female characters
-Those who like reflective and emotional shows
-Those who enjoy shows about an office space
-Those who like shows set in New York City
People would not like Mad Men, particularly the sixth season:
-Those who like actiony shows or shows with a lot of twists
-Those who bore easily
-Those who can’t get into a slow-paced show
-Those not interested at all in 1960’s America
-Those who like shows where you can clearly see where it’s going next
-Those who dislike shows that are too intelligent
-Those who like their shows to have the same feel season by season
This show is excellent, but I'd like to see it gain more popularity.
10/10 for Mad Men Season 6
Weiner’s end-game for his leading man does not appear to be brightly lit. Nor is Season 6 of Mad Men off to a particularly sparkling start creatively while we wait for the worst to come.
Without giving anything away, the guest cast is unusually strong, offering the prospect of fertile subplots going forward, while some of the regulars don’t figure prominently at first--again, pretty par for the course.
Mad Men is that rare thing that can be as infuriating as it is perfect. I’ve gone back and forth (and hot and cold) on it as much as a critic can; I warmed to it last season but feel a familiar chill this time.
The show is top class entertainment with great ingredients whether we are talking writing, directing, acting, music, fashion, history. You name it.
I love how every season brings me equal anticipation. I fear skipping a minute because I know I will miss a great line or some little detail about some fictitious character that for some strange reason is of great importance to me. It takes a great deal of genius to stretch fiction this far within one's own immigration. This is suddenly the time and place you badly long for although you are not from the Mad Men generation neither you lived in New York City.
I enjoyed seeing how the characters grew in their roles, some to the most unexpected demeanours. I make a special mention of how a new Pete Campbell emerges from the sleaze that he wore flawlessly to this likeable character with this occasional outburst of morality and social intelligence. I admire how the writers and cast are playing with our sense of judgement and it is very difficult to have a favourite character in this show.
It would be an impossible to say praises to the cast in few words but I can say that the choice of actors is masterful. Jon Ham has certainly fulfilled his mission on earth by bringing to life the legacy of a Don ****. That this pure power. The list goes on and on: Peggy Olson, Betty ****, Joan Harris, Roger Sterling, Lane Pryce, Megan ****, Lane Pryce, Trudy Campbell, Ted Chaough, Bert Cooper, Ken Cosgrove, Harry Crane, and a very long list of unforgettable characters
The urge to write this review is predominantly to say that it is too early to close the curtain on this show. It still has a great deal of steam and because it will leave an obvious void in the TV landscape.
This is what I call "Bravo TV"
Does anyone understand that what they are seeing is four terrific portrayals of different versions of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, plus one of the confused opposite thereof? Don, Roger and Pete played =so= well by the under-appreciated Vince Kartheiser are the sons of (respectively) alcoholic and abandoning, smugly prideful and over-controlling, and barely conscious but achievement-obsessed parents.
Joan is likewise the daughter of an obsessively controlling mother, and Joan =needs= to be in =control=. Peggy is the daughter of working class fools who sabotaged her at every turn, leaving her without a sense of identity, as well as much self-awareness. (Does it take a Scientologist to nail a role like that one? Could be.)
All five are simply trying to live up to the expectations either programmed into them by their domineering parents... or struggling to find some "rules to live by" in a world where (only) money talks... and =matters=. (Listen carefully when old Burt speaks.) All five are half-conscious "false selves" trying their best with what limited awareness they have to play a game that is way over their heads. Thus far, Roger has it more figured out than the others, but he's as often caught in his own blind spots as the almost-as-perceptive Joan and Don.
Don and Joan will make up. They =have= to. Because they need need each other's awareness to stay in The Game. As good a "player" (rather than a "piece" like Peggy) as she is, Joan is not going jeopardize her standing as the office manager in a shooting war with New York's most charismatic creative director... unless she forms an alliance with the CD at Peggy's old agency. Just like the rest of them (save possibly for Pete, who's too immature, rule-bound and self-righteous to understand the realpolitik), the other principles will continue to rescue Don from his alcoholism. Not because they "understand" why he drinks, but because as long as he keeps hitting homers, he's their "franchise player."
This series has been one of the best I've ever seen, up through the end of season 5. But in season 6 it went off the rails, or became afraid of its own trajectory and retreated. Don **** was set up to vault into totally unknown territory at the end of season 5, but season 6 did not follow through, and suddenly the whole theme of the show the whole thing about Don's identity has become irrelevant. It is so strange. I'm not sure why the writers retreated, but instead of launching into where the story has brought them, the writers have backtracked and backpedalled and most of the show in season 6 and season 7 is nothing more than repeating things that have happened before in the series. This has been a real let down and is kind of shocking. Just pretend the series ends at the end of season 5, and it will seem like a really excellent series, and you can imagine what happened following season 5 rather than watch the sad truth.
I am probably ruining the popularity flow here but I am not feeling Mad Men as much as had in the past 5 seasons. I have been a devoted fan up until the start of season 6. I am getting a little tired, as someone else wrote here, "of the Mad Men formula". I think the demise of my interests also stems from the ability to feel like the story line is going somewhere. I think this is the end of Mad Men for me and I must say with great sadness, "It has been a really great ride".