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What is the fuss about Mad Men?

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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,376 ✭✭✭metrovelvet


    They work in different departments though - she's in Creative with Don while Pete is in Accounts.

    My point was more about the expectations - the departments they work in are incidental.


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 34,942 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    In that she was hired as 'just' a secretary, yes there would not have been any expectations of her and nobody could have considered comparing her directly with Pete who was parachuted in as an executive... so I'm not sure what point you're trying to make exactly.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,715 ✭✭✭✭Earthhorse


    Mad Men made a point (an exaggerated one in the first season) to portray the actual morals and attitudes of the time...

    Actually, this was one of the things that annoyed me about it. Approaching the show, I thought it would be about the advertising world and how it was invented, or re-invented, by Madison Avenue. I thought we'd see some clever ideas and brilliant business strategies. Instead, that world mostly played as a backdrop and the writers seemed more interested in the soap opera of the characters' everday lives; this includes drinking in the office every time you win a new account, prevent an old one from leaving, open a door or answer a phone.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,592 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    Personally, I find it interesting, but slow and boring. I used to watch it just because of the ridiculous hour it used to be on RTE, I'd be up late studying and I'd keep the tv on.

    One of my first impressions was how unlikeable all the characters are, especially the main character Don, and that put me off for a while. But once I saw some of the later episodes once some of the other characters had developed a bit more (mainly Peggy) it does get quite interesting. Its just that it takes so long for everything to happen that'd I'd never be able to watch it religiously.

    I also think its quite strange how for a show that deals with sexism as one of its main issues, it gets a lot of its attention from the objectification of one of its characters..

    Anyway, just my 2c


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,894 ✭✭✭✭phantom_lord


    I'd be up late studying and I'd keep the tv on.

    I don't think you can really do that with mad men, at least not without doing it a great disservice. it's the minutiae that makes the show.


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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,592 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    That's fair enough, but personally I don't get any enjoyment out of the setting/details, I usually enjoy story/script rather than visual.


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 12,909 Mod ✭✭✭✭iguana


    Just for curiosity's sake, I did an average count of the number of words of dialogue in 3 Mad Men episodes and the same for 3 Sopranos episodes and the Sopranos was about 10% higher. There isn't a huge amount of talking in Mad Men; I'd say each line is carefully written to avoid yip-yap.

    Please tell me you had copies of the scripts on your computer and did a word count.:eek:


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,765 ✭✭✭Diddler1977


    I will be working in an ad agency in a few years.. (hopefully)

    Would be amazing if they are unchanged since the 1960's

    The smoking, the drinking...:) and I am planning to morph into Joan. ;)

    I bought a pen on a chain yesterday. I plan to wear it to work on Monday ala Joan ;)


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 34,942 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    iguana wrote: »
    Please tell me you had copies of the scripts on your computer and did a word count.:eek:

    I just downloaded the subtitle files and use Word's word count. No rainmannery :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,894 ✭✭✭✭phantom_lord


    That's fair enough, but personally I don't get any enjoyment out of the setting/details, I usually enjoy story/script rather than visual.

    I meant with regard to the acting and storyline.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 342 ✭✭Goldenlady


    I absolutely love this show, I bought the box set at Christmas Season 1, 2 & 3 and admittedly it was slow to begin with, for the whole of the first season really, but I found by Season 2 I was addicted! I have just finished season 4 and am now lost!!!! Roll on Season 5 - please god there will be one!!! Its probably the best show ive seen in a long time, I love the way you almost fight with yourself for liking certain characters, like Don and Roger, whom you know you should not, as if they were your husband/partner you would live a horrid life! But its great viewing....


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,933 ✭✭✭H8GHOTI


    I only watched the first episode of season 1 last night and really liked it. If, as everyone says, it only gets better, I think I'm going to love it. Didn't even think it was that slow tbh. Showed me enough to know what it's about and I'll definitely stick with it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,545 ✭✭✭tunguska


    MrsD007 wrote: »
    Hi Guys, I watch a bit of TV but I love nothing more than to purchase a good boxset that I can look forward to watching in the evening after a hard day in the office.

    I've heard people at work talk about Mad Men but I have never seen an episode of it myself. I'd love to hear the views of fans and people who have actually seen it, I believe it has been around a few years. Cheers!;)

    You beat me to it. Ive been wondering this for a while now and then there was the recent controversy over RTEs scheduling of series 4 that brought mad men back to my attention. So im stretching my dodgy calve muscles using a foam roller last night and mad men comes on the tv. I decide to watch even though its season 4 and Im way out of the loop in terms of context. But I have to say I loved it. Even though I had obviously missed a shag load of previous episodes, I still got a lot from it. Top stuff, great acting, heaps of atmosphere, razor sharp dialogue and a very very hot lady with red hair. Thought John Hamm as Don was brilliant.
    Although I'm left with a choice now: Buy the previous seasons on dvd and work my way along from there, or just continue from where I am now, season 4. What do you think?
    Cheers


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,385 ✭✭✭PhiloCypher


    Your thread title pretty much summed up my feelings when I first approached this show OP I'd heard all the hype of course but I was/am more into standard fair like 24 , the shield , Spartacus, entourage shows easy to catagorize and digest so I approached Mad men with some trepidation at first . My Initial reaction after finishing that first season over the course of a week was that it was kinda slow and that it wasnt for me so I deleted it off my hard drive .

    That would have been that had hmv's pricing and the shows continued acclaim not tempted me to take a punt on the 3 season boxset , money spent I had all the motivation I needed to see things through and watch the lot which is exactly what I did over the course of a week . It was only really on that second run through that the show really clicked for me in terms of the acting and writing no longer did I see Angels annoying son everytime I saw pete nore the presidents daughter when I saw peggy, where before I saw glacial pacing now I saw nuanced writing .

    I guess the point I'm trying to make is there is no set type that watches Mad Men If a shield 'n' Spartacus nut like me can get into it anyone can .


  • Registered Users Posts: 217 ✭✭Lynnsie


    Season 1 does start slowly but I'm glad I stuck with it cos I'm hooked. Great acting and writing and I'm really starting to like the main characters, at the start I didn't like any of them. Now I think it has a fantastic cast. I still find Betty quite insipid but that's the character more than the acting.
    I don't think you can really do that with mad men, at least not without doing it a great disservice. it's the minutiae that makes the show.

    +1, I'm currently watching the box set and never enjoy it as much if I just have it on in the background while I'm also doing something else. You miss out on a lot


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,310 ✭✭✭Zak Flaps


    I just started watching recently after receiving the box set as a gift. Liking it so far.
    Christina Hendricks is the sexiest thing on tv.


  • Registered Users Posts: 564 ✭✭✭Tigerbaby


    mad men is so subtle, ye either love it or hate it.

    I Think its magic. everything gells.


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,292 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    On the Series 1 DVD there is a double helping of Episode 1, the second version has a voiceover from the director explaining the characters and the casting, it's well worth watching.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16 jollygreengiant


    i got mad men for christmas and watched a few episodes but i wasnt completely taken by it. i was wondering is mad men really as good as some people make it out to be?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,183 ✭✭✭dvpower


    Its a matter of personal taste, but if all those Grammys and Golden Globes are anything to go on, then, yes.


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  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,978 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    Here's two recent threads from this forum that are asking similar questions:
    Mad men any good?
    What is the fuss about Mad Men?


  • Registered Users Posts: 55,433 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    Yep, this was discussed in exhaustive detail a few months back. Have a read of this thread for more info.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,041 ✭✭✭Havermeyer


    It's at least worth giving a shot, imo. Watch a couple of episodes. If you like, it you like it - if you don't, you don't. No harm.


  • Registered Users Posts: 239 ✭✭TheEscapist


    dvpower wrote: »
    but if all those Grammys are anything to go on

    That's right its so good that the music industry is now rewarding it :pac: It really is one of the best shows on tv though, well acted, looks great, interesting characters, funny and a really well told story. What more can you ask for?


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