Mad Men

BenjAii

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article4352221.ece

"The smoking, drinking and sexism of Mad Men has made Emmy Award history after bagging 16 nominations and securing a shot at the prestigious Outstanding Drama Series gong.

The critically acclaimed show, set in a 1960s advertising agency, and Damages, an American legal drama, are the first basic-cable programmes ever to be nominated for the best series award. "


I can't recommend this enough, and this from someone who doesn't watch telly any more, just what i like from the internet.

Started watching this online at the weekend, and i'm hooked ! Have watched 8 out of the 13 episodes so far.

Apart from all the "Life on Mars" type in-jokes about life in 1960, this tv series has it all. Compelling drama, and a bit of mystery & comedy thrown in.

Well worth it for the discerning tv viewer.

lostexpectation

new series starts next week

Great show which rightly cleaned up at the Emmys last night.

mike65

Saw that, quite right too.

Mike.

ixoy

Deleted User wrote: »

Great show which rightly cleaned up at the Emmys last night.

It wasn't the Emmys - it was the TV critics awards. It's been nominated for the Emmys.

It's good but "The Wire" is a far superior show and it's a shame it's got so over looked. Still "Mad Men" is a polished production and hopefully Season 2 will maintain the fast-paced action-orientated storylines that were the hallmark of the first season

mike65

har har! Some of us prefer charcater over akshun!

Mike.

My bad, was reading the Emmy nominations and critics awards one after another earlier.

The Wire is certainly a far superior show but it's never recieved the acclaim it so rightly deserves and I think I've resigned myself to the fact that it never will.

BenjAii

Finished watching Series 1 now and I'm really impressed with the whole thing. Having done some research, the guy who wrote it, Matthew Weiner was one of the main writers on 'The Sopranos'; so he has a pedigree with brilliant writing for TV.

I think it's fascinating the way he uses advertising (as it was in 1960) as the backdrop for exploring fake appearances and the essence of truth behind things.

I think Peggy is the most interesting character. Played to type, hers would be a very conventional story of plucky girl wins through and probably gets the man. But she's a mix of naivete, and sexual cunning and you can tell she doesn't have the self-knowledge to know when she is playing which card; she's ignorant and doing it all on instinct.

The Don Draper character is the epitome of all this, but i don't know, I find him just a bit to unbelievable. He's frequently presented as kind and decent (and not just when he's doing it for political effect) but he seems so untroubled by his heartlessness.

I could kind of believe it, if that just to do with the women in his life, but his treatment of his brother was just too much. Someone that much of a bastard, couldn't really redeem themselves. Oh well, back to 'Sapranos' territory I suppose..

Really looking forward to Season 2 on this, going by who's in charge, chances are they won't drop the ball.....

lostexpectation

i couldn't figure out where i'd seen pete before, had to look it up to realise he was conor from angel. what a transformation

TheScript

Ok so today so the announcement that this autumn RTE will broadcast Mad Men, a AMC American drama. It is created by a guy that worked on the Sopranos created David Chase. It is in its second series in the US. To date the show has been a success winning many awards and also being nominated for several. If my memoory serves me right I believe an actor in the series who a best actor award.

Looks like it may be another HBO hit. Looking forward to it being televised in Sept. or so!

Amz

For starters it's not made by HBO.

It's a great series, already enjoying Season 2. RTE are very much behind the times with this one.

Definitely worth a watch though.

thats_life

whats the jist of it?

TheScript

my bad, its the show Generation Kill i was thinking of thats made by HBO.Sorry!

Amz

thats_life wrote: »

whats the jist of it?

It's set in the early 1960s, set primarily around the Advertising execs in a Madison Avenue ad agency. It's not a very fast paced series, but I think it's very good.

mike65

Its made by AMC. There is already thread about this show, and as Amz has said everyone is waiting for series two which starts on BBC4 next winter/spring.

Mike

Mr E

Thread merged with original from a few weeks ago.

I watch Episode 1 a few weeks ago to see what it was all about, and I liked it alot. Great writing, authentic setting and very good acting. An excellent adult drama....

seabee

Series 1 starts on RTE2 on Monday Sept 1st at 11:30pm

jayteecork

Bought the season 1 boxset and WOW is this show amazing.

The look is probably the best I've seen in a TV show, ever, and the performances are top notch.

It really is a trip back in time to a different world.

another reason why TV absolutely owns film these days.

ShaneU

*BUMP*

Does anyone know when RTE are airing season 2?

Poochie05

If you have BBC4, season 2 is starting on Tuesday 10 Feb at 10pm. RTE usually try to pip the UK stations at the post so that they can say 'see it first on RTE2', so watch out for it on RTE in the days before then.

mike65

Bump! I forgot :eek:

Its repeated on BBC2 N Ireland 12:20am Thu 12 Feb and BBC4 11:30pm Fri 13 Feb.

Please use [spoilers] if discussing plot lines etc.

ShaneU

mike65 wrote: »

Bump! I forgot :eek:

Its repeated on BBC2 N Ireland 12:20am Thu 12 Feb and BBC4 11:30pm Fri 13 Feb.

Please use [spoilers] if discussing plot lines etc.

I forgot too, crap

jayteecork

Got my grubby mitts on all of season 2.

awesome.

Ps: Anyone read today(Tuesday's) guardian TV section?
VERY negative write up on Mad Men. "all style no substance" "missed an excellent chance to show the hollowness of the American dream" etc.

mike65

Just watched first episode, not a lot happens beautifully

ShaneU

mike65 wrote: »

Just watched first episode, not a lot happens beautifully

Huh I thought it was on at 12.20 a.m? Or was that last night? Damn you and your confusing times.

mike65

You can catch it again Friday at 11.30 pm BBC 4 (last chance though!)

Mezcita

Love this show.

Am I the only who who dislikes Don Draper though?

jayteecork

Mezcita wrote: »

Love this show.

Am I the only who who dislikes Don Draper though?

You're probably supposed to dislike him.
He's just another outlay for "There are no truly good or evil people, everyone is somewhere in between" theme that every single American TV show adheres to these days.

The Black Oil

I'm tempted to give this a go on DVD unless it's airing somewhere at the moment.

jayteecork

3rd season now long to go now.

darkdubh

While we,re on the subject whats hapened to series 2 on rte1 monday nights? They seemed to stop showing it halfway through.

bogman44

That would be typical behaviour by RTE alright.
Couldn't give a ****e about their audience.

Just finished watching series 2. Almost up there with the Wire for me. Unfair to compare them though.

Boardroom scene at the end was brilliant. Don Draper is the man. Poor old Duck.

jayteecork

One bit I'm not sure I like is the whole Don Draper/Dick Whitman scenes and all the flashbacks. It seems tacked on. Almost as if the television execs said "This here Lost show is popular, why don't we put in some of them there flashback scenes"

ShaneU

I couldn't be bothered trying to catch this on RTE, it's so poorly advertised (lol joke) I just wait for the blu-ray to come out to watch it.

DublinWriter

Fantastic series - the art direction is impeccable and totally recreates the world of that era.

herbieflowers

Excellent series, didn't think they could maintain the high standards set in the first series (once I got into it) but they nailed the cultural happenings of the 60s. Great acting too.

Shane St.

Just downloaded a few episodes there.
Cracking series

Stargal

The third series starts on AMC this Sunday - any word on when it'll be shown over on this side of the pond?

The Black Oil

I'm on the final disc of series 1. I'm enjoying it. I really like Don Draper as a character

(his wife seems to be crumbling at the moment)

and how the whole period is evoked seems to be pretty well done. However I can't help but feel it's missing something, a certain amount of depth... Not to say it's shallow - maybe I just need to give it more time and see how things unfold.

jayteecork

Just watched the first episode of the new series.

Seems fairly cool.
A lot of changes around the Sterling Cooper offices.

Ken and Pete going head to head in accounts, excellent!

The Black Oil

Finished series 1 over the weekend. Things seemed to pick up in the final 3-4 episodes. Was glad to see

Pete Campbell didn't get his way when standing up to Don/trying to get a promotion. He's a little a prick.

Chumpski

jayteecork wrote: »

Just watched the first episode of the new series.

Seems fairly cool.
A lot of changes around the Sterling Cooper offices.

Ken and Pete going head to head in accounts, excellent!

Good first episode, it was the best opening to a mad men season yet.

The women that Don Draper gets his hands on! Yeah Ken and Pete should make for some good tv. Plus someone finally realising Sal is gay!

jayteecork

Chumpski wrote: »

Good first episode, it was the best opening to a mad men season yet.

The women that Don Draper gets his hands on! Yeah Ken and Pete should make for some good tv. Plus someone finally realising Sal is gay!

well Don's the man you want to be caught by if you're in the closet. He's cool. Anyone else in the office on the other hand

Jared Harris was excellent in it, but boy has he aged since I've seen him last.

JP Liz

Jon Hamm SEXY!

ixoy

Ah so it looks like Nigel-Murray won't be the chosen assistant in 'Bones' now - shame!

mike65

Careful now!

The good news is the the first episode of Series 3 got a record audience for AMC of 2.8 million up 700,000 on the start of series 2. So the word of mouth effect (plus various raves and awards) seems to mean its future is secure.

The Black Oil

RTE have series 1 and 2 up on their RTE player thing. I've only seen the first so it will be good to catch up.

mike65

Soz for the bump, could'nt find the series one thread. BBC Two are showing Series One again starting Sunday at 11 pm with the first two episodes.