Film & TV Is anyone else watching Mad Men?

[Elmira]

It's brilliant. It's like the only thing I'm looking forward to watching this fall. I just started and the show is on it's third season, so I have a lot of catching up to do. It's on AMC, and I expect it to be on HBO for some reason... anywoop. Get into it --

AMC » Mad Men Official Site

 

[Cooper]

yea seen em all so far

 

[Ristol]

I'm in the minority on this, but I'm not a fan at all. I'd much rather sit down with a nice episode of Entourage.

 

[S O F I]

I enjoy Mad Men and Entourage. Two shows I'm following at the moment..

 

[Cooper]

I'm in the minority on this, but I'm not a fan at all. I'd much rather sit down with a nice episode of Entourage.

Mondays are awesome. I watch both.

 

[roaches]

Entourage fell off. The Tom Brady episode was the only good one this season. In this troublesome recession I need the escapism of carefree Hollywood hedonism and lots of tits more than ever, not Eric personal development and inevitable impregnation of that Gollum lookalike. I still watch because, you know, it's a social activity but goddamn does that shit suck now.

Mad Men is the best show on TV now, imo.

 

[Elmira]

Oh good, I'm glad this thread went beyond "yeah seen em all so far." How wonderful that you've seen every episode into the third season, and yet you have nothing to say.


I don't think Mad Men and Entourage are really comparable. They're both entertaining for sure, in their own ways. Mad Men requires a bit more patience, well, a great deal bit more patience. It's in the same style that the Sopranos used to be -- where the shows takes on the subject of a complex character-study and sees into the minds and hearts of its multi-faceted leading characters. Less action, more talk. Matthew Weiner favors writing as leads the heroic father-husband-working man figure, a decent society man -- with some ills and shadows, that haunt all of us to be sure -- trying to do good by everyone within the framework of an indifferent universe. I especially think he's nailed it with this Don Draper fella. I used to think Tony Soprano was complex, but man.

I see Don as having this Matryoshka doll effect of layer upon layer of character -- there is his career-life at the ad agency, and the mask he wears for that. Then there is his private home life with Betty, then his many liasons and his secret life outside the home and the office, then there is the haunting childhood that tends to consume him at points. It is riveting to watch, all the many masks, and the way in which the actor "acts" accordingly, acts out each role beautifully -- while essentially remaining the sum of all his parts.

Roaches, what is your take on Paul Schulze's guest appearance in 'the Hobo Code' episode from Season 1? His '...and I slept like a stone' speech to the young Don gave me chills, absolutely. There is when I knew I wanted to make sweet love to the writer and have his babies.

 

[S O F I]

It's not that they are comparable but that they supplement each other in a way that the viewer is left entertained and satisfied. I watch Entourage because it entertains me in a feel-good way while Mad Men provokes thought and immerses me in the psyche of the characters. But at the end of the episode/season, I'm always left feeling shitty. It's similar to the way I felt after watching The Savages. A beautiful film and enjoyable, but left me depressed while a film like, say, Old School, entertained me and left me in a cheerful mood. I think it's good to balance the genres. I used to just go on drama-marathons and I would feel shitty for weeks even though I'd enjoy the films.

 

[Elmira]

Why do you become depressed when you watch a drama series that makes you think? Isn't that a bit odd?

While watching feel-good shows like Entourage listlessly, where you (well, not you in particular) stare at the TV like a drone, like a kid watching cartoons, that satisfies you and entertains, but is that what makes good television? I understand that going to the movies and watching the tube is supposed to be a form of escapism, and that the audience wants to forget about their own reality for the length of time the show lasts. And I am not saying that "quality" programming isn't found in shows like Entourage. But I get far greater satisfaction out of a series that leaves some sort of contemplation and provokes thought in the audience -- then, at least, I know it's fair game, that the creative minds of the series value our own opinion as well as they do their own.

 

[Preach]

Why do you become depressed when you watch a drama series that makes you think? Isn't that a bit odd?

S O F I is a little carebear deep inside, and he can't help but invest emotions in the actual characters in the script. I'm the same.

I watched Watchmen last night and I got really angry when they stole Rorschack's mask!

I haven't seen Mad Men unfortunately, but I will check it out. I don't know anything about the show, but why is it being compared with Entourage? Looking at the show description it sounds nothing the least like it at all.

 

[S O F I]

Why do you become depressed when you watch a drama series that makes you think? Isn't that a bit odd?

because I tend to resonate with what the characters are going through and quite often, it strikes a personal chord. It's not that thought provoking series make me depressed, but the thoughts that are provoked do. Hopefully that helps you see that it might not be as odd.

While watching feel-good shows like Entourage listlessly, where you (well, not you in particular) stare at the TV like a drone, like a kid watching cartoons, that satisfies you and entertains, but is that what makes good television?

I never said it makes for good television and most people don't. I actually often don't watch films for their entertainment, but for the message or as the russians used to believe that all cinema should be educational.

I understand that going to the movies and watching the tube is supposed to be a form of escapism, and that the audience wants to forget about their own reality for the length of time the show lasts. And I am not saying that "quality" programming isn't found in shows like Entourage. But I get far greater satisfaction out of a series that leaves some sort of contemplation and provokes thought in the audience -- then, at least, I know it's fair game, that the creative minds of the series value our own opinion as well as they do their own.

There's different levels of satisfaction.

I get satisfaction from sex.

I also get satisfaction from visiting my grandmother at the old folks' home who lost her left leg to diabetes. Every day she could die. I get satisfaction, but it's a sad one. Every day I leave after the visit, I don't jump in excitement, but I was glad to have seen her.

..

 

[Elmira]

I actually often don't watch films for their entertainment, but for the message or as the russians used to believe that all cinema should be educational.

..

Errm by 'educational' did you mean 'propagandist' or 'didactic?'

 

[roaches]

Roaches, what is your take on Paul Schulze's guest appearance in 'the Hobo Code' episode from Season 1? His '...and I slept like a stone' speech to the young Don gave me chills, absolutely. There is when I knew I wanted to make sweet love to the writer and have his babies.

Honestly, I don't remember this. One day I'll go back and rewatch season 1 and look back on all the things I missed (I binged on it just before the second season started, I'm almost always late to the party with TV). I think the greatest moment of that season was the carousel speech, though.

The most recent episode was amaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing in all the wrong ways.

"Just when he got his foot in the door..."

And on another note, here's pretentiousness at its finest:

The Elegant Variation: CONTRA MAD MEN

 

[Elmira]

That article has an iota of truth to it, maybe a smidge of a fraction of an iota. But it does reek of pomp -- what do these people watch anyway? It's dismissing what a fine hand is needed to get a show like that moving: anyone can interest themselves in a period piece, sure there are so many topics that stand out from the decade, but frankly the show is not pulling for laughs or "gaffes" for the audience to s****** over. I don't think the point of the show is to say: "Oh we're past that now, so we can all laugh about it."


Here is something, also inflammatory, but with the best intentions:
Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis from Between Two Ferns, Comedy Deathray, Zach Galifianakis, and Jon Hamm - Video


edit/ lulz: apparently I said a bad word.

 

[Flipmo]

Entourage fell off. The Tom Brady episode was the only good one this season. In this troublesome recession I need the escapism of carefree Hollywood hedonism and lots of tits more than ever, not Eric personal development and inevitable impregnation of that Gollum lookalike. I still watch because, you know, it's a social activity but goddamn does that shit suck now.

Mad Men is the best show on TV now, imo.

Entourage fell off cause the writer changed. It's this woman, Ally Musika, who is raping all of the slick dialogues and turning into a gossip fest.

Notice how all the guys keep talking about E and the other guys love lives? It's like it turned into fucking Sex in the City. The writer is fucking everything up this season. Even Ari isn't as intense as he should be.

Edit: Also, I never heard of Mad Men, but I'll be sure to check it out.