Mad Men

[strawberrylover]

Re: the most recent episode.

What was up with that kid??? You know the one I'm talking about. He seems creepy and kind of effed up.

Good points: I like how Pete is turning out to be more than just the obnoxious buffoon he was in the first episode.

Edited to add: Just watched the previews on its website for this week's episode and oh my god, Jon Hamm is soooo yummy! Can't wait!!!

[Deleted]

Thanks for suggesting the previews... Y'know, people intrigued by our enthusiasm for this show would probably very much enjoy the videos on the amc site. Not only do you get the previews, but the behind-the-scenes 30-second blips are a hoot, especially regarding costumes -- the men say their foot-long zipper flys help them get into character and the girdle-wearing women are all "don't even."

I'll bet everyone on this show loves every minute they're at work.

And, yeah, Helen Bishop's kid is totally a Future Serial Killers of America member. Also, I can't believe I didn't recognize Robert Morse as the no-shoes-wearing head honcho!

(Can you imagine a Mad Men Drinking Game? You'd be plastered ten minutes in!)

[strawberrylover]

Hah! Drink every time you see someone smoke.

Five minutes later: Uh... who turned off all the lights? *gargle gargle gargle*

Thanks for putting up that link! AMC is taking a very smart tack in all of this by layering so much previews, behind the scenes and historic info into the marketing. Helps audience get the show.

I do wonder about how historically accurate it is though. There's quite a bit of discussion on IMDB about Pete's salary that was revealed last week. $75 a week. Some people were saying it was waaay too low for a junior exec since a waitress could earn $70 a week.

And honestly, I don't know how women did it back then. Girdles, heels all the time, having to be domestic and sexy.

[Malle Babbe]

Weren't doctors really generous with the Valium back then?

[Deleted]

strawberrylover said:

Hah! Drink every time you see someone smoke.

Five minutes later: Uh... who turned off all the lights? *gargle gargle gargle*

Or take only a sip every time someone has drink! And a gulp for every time someone has a drink in the office. And finish it every time Joan thrusts her bullet-bra out in that sweater set.

We favour Kentucky bourbon, Champ and me, not Canadian rye, for our viewing refreshments. And don't think I'm not dying for a cigarette by the time the opening credits finish.

[Sunnyhorse]

mallebabbe said:

Weren't doctors really generous with the Valium back then?

My first job out of journalism school was with a small medical-publishing house whose marquee journal was devoted to reproductive medicine. One slow day I went down to the basement and started flipping through the archives. Back in the 1960s, there were more ads for mood-altering drugs (e.g., Valium) than there were for medications for female plumbing problems. I was horrified.

[Dharma]

I'm continually blown away by how much they drink in this show! And I had to laugh when I saw an empty glass on top of the cake box on the seat next to Don when he went to pick up Sally's birthday cake.

[Deleted]

I missed the show last week so I just downloaded it from iTunes and watched it on the plane today. It sort of made me want to order a drink, but I didn't dare b/c I don't want to end up on some Homeland Security watch list for drinking before 5pm.

Mr. Saltpeanut's mom was a senior exec in 1960 (although not for an ad firm), so we've had a lot of conversations about the time period and accuracy of the show. Based on her comments, I'd love to see a female exec or junior exec shake things up in the office. They certainly existed and the dynamics created by having a female boss sound fascinating. That's probably too much for this show (which is already stuffed to the gills with social commentary) but hey, a gal can dream.

Loving Pete and Don! I feel for Pete who's more prepared to survive the future than the rest of Sterling Cooper combined, yet doesn't have the saavy to be respected in the present; and poor Don.. he reminds me of an astronaut who's about to be ejected from the ship by HAL. The coming decade is going to turn on him and leave him adrift and I think he knows it.

[mrpancake]

I'm trying to watch it right now. They have the episodes for free through On Demand, but the second episode keeps cutting out and it's pissing me off. I hate Time Warner, but the show so far has been pretty interesting. I wouldn't say I'm a fan yet, though.

[strawberrylover]

bstewart said:

Or take only a sip every time someone has drink! And a gulp for every time someone has a drink in the office. And finish it every time Joan thrusts her bullet-bra out in that sweater set.

Which doesn't happen often ENOUGH. Love Christina Hendricks. She's the reason I started watching the show in the first place, and I hope they give her more screen time. She needs to have an affair with Don's boss, that white-haired guy who played the politico in Sex and the City.

We favour Kentucky bourbon, Champ and me, not Canadian rye, for our viewing refreshments. And don't think I'm not dying for a cigarette by the time the opening credits finish.

Oh god, me too! This show brings back teh sex with cigarettes! Yum yummy cigarettes. <-- that's me drooling.

saltpeanut, I feel bad for Don too, but probably in a different way from you. I get the feeling that what he needs is the sexual awakening and the social upheavals of the Sixties and Seventies. But the problem for him is that he'll be too old to enjoy it all. He can't exactly ditch his family and go live in a commune, ya know?