Just watched "The Suitcase" and would definitely rank it up there with the top episodes for this show all time. Didn't want it to end.

I think my favorite exchange was: "Why is there a dog in the Parthenon?" "That's a roach, let's go some place darker."

I agree whole heartily

Have you gone the whole series not knowing his name is Duck?

Probably. Sounds like Doug to me.

Those ducks on the wall of his office probably make more sense to you now.

I thought he liked hunting.

Excellent episode.

Too bad I couldn't keep the interwebs from spoiling the plot.

Avoid reading about this week's White Collar if you haven't seen it yet.

Sick burn, bro.

Cite some obscure show no one watches that isn't even currently airing.

Kudos.

It isn't obscure, it does fairly well in the ratings, and a new episode aired as recently as Tuesday.

Oh, and as the internet advised me before I got around to watching

Indeed it is (at least the latter).

Yea for critical reading.

FTR - you DO realize I was trying to provide an honest warning, not a burn, right? I was honestly bummed to be spoiled on WC and wanted to warn others.

I do.

I've been cable-less since January and, essentially, rely on word of mouth for new shows. Honestly, my first thought was that WC was a Mad Men fansite.

Not sure I liked the diary as narration device, but it's good to see the writers finally ended the downward spiral arc.

The voiceovers work because you don't get the sense that Don is being completely honest with himself. He's not really writing as Dick Whitman. It felt like he was trying to convince himself of things.

Lots of new stylistic stuff in the most recent episode. Besides the voiceover there was the Stones song, the alcohol craving zoom effect, swimming motif, etc.

As a 26yr Old whom is throughly confused by the 60's this episode provided yet another confusing look into this era in time.

Just the entire time period and the change that was incurred not only as a nation but on a global level just makes my head spin....

maybe it sounds silly to some of you - but this is sincerely how I feel and the only way I can think in my mind that would have made any sense of it was to have lived through it...

Agree on the voiceovers, but I doubt it's a technique that Weiner et. al. carry over.

The swimming thing was pretty obvious (but still effective), water as rebirth/cleansing.

Yeah, I doubt it shows up again. Maybe once more in another season or something.

I can't wait until Don goes to AA the fat guy who pissed his pants will be his sponser

RIP - inquiries as to whether 'YOU GOING TO THE TOILET!!'

My MOTHER made that!!

ROFL ROFL

Great line, and even better that Ms. Blankenship is gonzo.

Eh, it seems to me that they are trying to fit too much plot into a single episode. I'm sure some will appreciate it, but it's just going a bit far (in an episode) for me. Focus on 2-3 story lines more deeply. JMO.

Which is interesting in a season that has been nearly bereft of plot altogether. It caused me (and I suspect a lot of the audience) to react to the show with beating chest and a palpable sense of nervousness - a lesser version of the panic that Don Draper was feeling. I had no problems with the abundance of sudden plot advancement. SHIT WENT DOWN and it was exciting and kept me reeling. Sometimes you have to air a "move the pieces into place" episode. If you can do that with as much artistic flair and impact as last night's episode then you're doing something right.

Damn this show is good. Last night's episode was awesome.

Thought it was interesting how they subtly counterposed Don's rationale for writing his open letter to the NYT and his proposal.

Thought that was a great season finale.

Don's been working on improving himself through the latter half of the season (as his new fiance notes), and yet instead of confronting Dick Whitman and doing what Faye thinks will cure that feeling in his gut, he retreats into a quick engagement to someone who only thinks she knows him. As a viewer, I was torn between being happy for him (because he does seem genuinely happy and she is smokin and she's good with the kids), and being concerned for him because this is impulsive and will force him to perpetuate his lies to a new wife.

I also thought Peggy's role in the episode was great. She saved the firm, and barely got any recognition (although Don was genuinely proud of her). And also that statement Don made -- something along the lines of "there's a lot about her that reminds me of you" -- was very interesting.

A statement that perfectly passes both sets of ears in completely different ways.

Don says it in an effort to convey the esteem he has for Peggy, ignorant to the matter of relative attractiveness.

Peggy hears it as a judgement of relative attractiveness, ignorant to the matter of the esteem Don has for her.

This show is so good. So good.

:clap: Go Chiefs!!! :doh!:

this....can't believe we have to wait til next August.

I love the scene of Betty and Don. Kind of made you feel good / reminds you of the first season when it was so happy go lucky.

:clap:

This is an amazing review/recap of the season finale

http://videogum.com/235992/mad-men-s...ale/tv/recaps/

Haha. “I’m the head of boners I MEAN TELEVISION.” ROFL ROFL

That's awesome.

I think it also worries Peggy, as she sees her as another girl who is "working" her way up through the company/Don.

I usually love the Videogum recaps of the show, but that one pissed me off. In no way was the episode "boring," as the recap claims multiple times.

While I thought this season was well-acted, everything that happened was completely and overtly obvious.

Faye Miller said early on that Don would remarry within a year, so I wasn't shocked at all when he proposed to his secretary. The other character progressions were predictable as well.

I hope next season is better.

Assuming that your claim of overt predictability is true (and I would say that it isn't), is predictability necessarily a bad thing? What does predictability do in terms of the project of the show? Step your game up, Dane.

No, predictability isn't a bad thing but I stated early on that this season didn't feel like the previous seasons.

I also stated several times that my expectations were too high.

As far as my "game", I don't have enough passion for this show anymore to go into further detail. I was just expressing my opinion.

You're no fun. :(

Mad Men Season 1-3 will be $9.99 each on Blu-Ray and DVD on Amazon.com from November 25 (Thursday) through November 27 (Saturday)

Just a heads up.

Son of a bitch. There goes thirty dollars.

Amazon has been bringin' it lately. Got season 1 of Community for like $18 afew months ago and Kanye's new album for $3.99,

I got season 1 of Community from Amazon for $12.99, DVD though.

Amazon really hit it out of the park for their Thanksgiving Sale though.

I haven't seen it (2 failed false starts) but this is a hell of a price. I assume I should snap it up anyway?

Uh, yeah.

Uh, yeah.

Only buy if you like good things.

Yes.

Starts a bit slow. Keep with it.

Alright, I'm jumping on that as well. It's one of Fr. James Martin's favorite current shows. That's a good enough endorsement for me. http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/...&entry_id=2532

Considering its won the Primetime Emmy for best Drama every year its been in existence is a pretty good indicator that its good.

It was a semi-TIC post. I pulled the trigger 5 minutes after I posted.

Enjoy. Don't let the hype lead to unreasonable expectations but it is quite good.

Got my DVDs. Now I gotta find time to watch them. :cuss:

I just watched the first two episodes of the show last night. My wife got Season One and Two for me on DVD.

I'm looking forward to this experience. First impressions:
Solid acting. Good writing. Great direction. Amazing art direction/design. I actually like Elizabeth Moss in this. She's been terrible in everything else I've seen her in. The show is so misogynistic, and it's hard to watch for that reason. I understand that it's all part of the show; all part of the time/place/headspace/point. But, right now, I'm having trouble figuring out who (if anyone) I'm supposed to be rooting for. I'm, by no means offended, but there is this barrier for me. I wonder if this is commentary that will lead somewhere, or if it's just an excuse to get away with it. Sort of how people excuse old people for being racist just because "they're from a different time." I have to imagine it's the former. Surely, people wouldn't be so crazy about this thing otherwise.

But I'm very interested. I'm very excited to keep watching. My expectations are pretty high, obviously. Everyone loves this thing. After only 2 episodes, I'd give it a solid B+/A-.

that is the way stuff was. New York was actually even better with woman. In Missouri they would shove a cucumber in a womans mouth for speaking at church.

Absolutely. I wouldn't want them to change that fact, or even really sugarcoat it. Still makes it hard to watch for me. Not that it's a fault of the show. Just something I noticed.

I've got three episodes left in Season One.

Great show. Totally hooked on it. I can't recall when/if I've ever been so fascinated by a group of people I dislike this much. LMAO

Yes, silly. Mad Men is the most feminist show in television. It is a stunning achievement in feminism.

I can never tell if you're ****ing with me or not. :p

I am not ****ing with you. This show would be detested if it were as misogynist as its characters. I could not in good conscious recommend it if it were so misogynist. Part of what makes the show so good it its staunch commitment to feminism.

I wouldn't call it the 'most feminist' show in television, but as you continue on, I think you'll sense that its form of unflinching realism, offers many opportunities for you to appreciate how strong the female characters have been portrayed. There's plenty of misogynist, racist, and classist stuff going on, but the portrayal leaves open exactly how much the 'winners' are winning, and how long their ways will continue to win the day. There's plenty of comeuppance, sometimes in small and subtle ways.

Most importantly, it rings true, and really starts to resonate as you realize the pending era they are on the precipice of, and you begin to theorize how what's going on now/then will survive/transform as time passes.

Much like The Wire, where it was the story of the B-more drug game, but was so much more than 'black folk are drug dealers.'

I don't know the statistics on this, but it wouldn't surprise me if Mad Men had the most female writing staff in television (perhaps even in the history of television). Seems like every episode is written by a woman (and Matthew Weiner).

Which show is, for you?

If I had to go off the top of my head, of current shows, The Good Wife.

Recently passed, Gilmore Girls.

I could see that. I haven't seen but an episode or two of that show.

It really is good television, making it's case to be in there with the serious shows that are a step above [The Wire, Deadwood, Breaking Bad, Mad Men].

Two things it does well, telling the story without telling it [reminiscent of TWW, but not so overtly so], and incorporating modern trends [bad news coming from TMZ, twitter, etc.]

If I could recommend an introductory episode that encapsulates the possibilities of the show, I'd recommend S1E17, where they are emergency litigating to suspension of medical insurance for a couple who need an in vitro procedure to save their fetus' life. From the opening scenes that tidily set up the informal setting where such high stakes are being decided to the machinations on both sides, the 'pageantry' such as Nyholm [insurance counsel] bringing her infant to the hearing to soften her client's image, wonderful stuff.

I like you, Reaper16. Just know that.

I've already started seeing this toward the end of S1. I had a feeling the show was going to be everything you're describing. And I'm so glad.

The show has already changed shape in subtle ways a couple of times. It's ever moving.

The female characters are some of the most interesting to me at this point. They're so well written. And the sexual politics are play are fascinating. There's this constant questioning of who is really being exploited/used.

Very cool.

Christina Hendricks is hot.

Finished up Season One.

Damn. Good. Television.

I love this show.

I am rewatching Season 1 Now as well - Just got done with the first Blu-Ray - Picked up Seasons 1-2-3 for $9.99 Each on Blu-Ray - Amazon Black Friday FTW

Well done!

Just finished season 4 last night, and i'm glad I waited to open this thread to find this gem. :LOL:

I'm on the 2nd to last episode of season 3, the one where JFK died. Holy shit, I teared up just seeing their portrayal of the reactions to his death. I just watched a show on 9/11 and the Yankees last night and I was tearing up the same way. I wasn't alive when he was killed and I never even thought about how the country felt when that happened, I'm sure it was the same as 9/11.

Well ****ing done.

Ok, just finished season 4. Why the **** did I wait so long to watch this show? So good.

I never thought that I could hate a bitch-wife more than Skylar White, but Betty Draper takes the cake.

I didn't think season 4 was as good as season 2 and especially not season 3, but I think "The Suitcase" (s04e07) is probably the single best episode of the show thus far. I thought Anna's ghost was a little cheesy, but the rest of that episode was spectacular. When Don burst out crying, my eyes teared up.

Same happened in the JFK episode in season 3. TV shows don't really do that to me.
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I was also upset that Paul Kinsey didn't make a single appearance in season 4.
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Have you played the game "LA Noire"? Cast members present, OTOH:

Ken Cosgrove (Accounts)
Paul Kinsey
Harry Crane
Grandpa Gene
Peggy's older sister (can't remember her name)
Pete Campbell

Probably a few more that i'm forgetting.