Mad Men

[Reaper16]

Season 4 premiered tonight. I would have bumped the season three thread but I titled it "season 3," which no longer seems appropriate.

Who saw it? It was a stupendous hour of television. All sorts of shit has happened in the eleven months that have passed (in-story) between the formation of Sterling Cooper Draper Price and the beginning of season 4. The premeir was stepped in the juices of the sexual revolution. It also had a lot to say about the increasing role of the media in the success or failure of things. It was great to see Don fail a little bit, and it was exciting to consider the future implications at the end of Don crafting a public/media persona that is completely unlike his actual personality.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

I think he cares, but just can't demonstrate it.

I think he cared; now I think he's become removed enough from his family that he thinks of them as a fond memory. He doesn't seem to have any active role in their lives and seems wholly content with that.

I'm sure it's intentional that the 3 women you've cited as his only positive influences are the only 3 major female characters that he's not slept with on that show. He does seem to create a dichotomy between women and **** toys but I'm not sure when or how he draws that line. Maybe they're all **** toys and the ones that don't bang him slowly evolve into women that he can then see as positive influences on his life.

[Demonpenz]

I think Don treats megan like a little kid because that is how men treated woman in those days

[Jenson71]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

It's mostly become a show full of devoutly unhappy people that make it easy to hope they all somehow die in the same subway accident. There's no more of the comic relief provided by Roger or the glimpses of brilliantly talented but tortured 'alpha-male' that make us forget that Don's probably a cad.

Mad Men is slowly turning into a snuff film.

Even Sally, who showed a lot of promising qualities in the middle seasons, has become a loathing bitch.

On the other hand, Roger's delayed breakdown was touching.

[Demonpenz]

I did love the way Don destroyed the Jaguar pitch...

[bowener]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Did you watch last night's episode? If so, let me know and I'll include spoiler tags.

Yeah, I'm up to date on everything. Thanks.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

That's a different and valid take, although I disagree with the sentiment that he cares about his family, albeit, children. I don't think he gives a shit. Otherwise, he'd be far more involved in their lives.

Also, consider its not made clear when Don started his womanizing ways. He didn't seem like a man capable of being smooth with women when he was still Dick in Korea. Do used car salesman have game? Did it start when he was a furrier?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Also, consider its not made clear when Don started his womanizing ways. He didn't seem like a man capable of being smooth with women when he was still Dick in Korea. Do used car salesman have game? Did it start when he was a furrier?

In all honesty, I have no desire to find out.

What made this show great for me was that it depicted an exciting era, city and industry. Don's story was certainly compelling.

Now, it's beginning to feel, as I mentioned earlier, "cartoonish". It's almost becoming whiny, because the creator of the series seems intent on making Don a textbook case for his identity. Instead of Don realizing his faults and making headstrong decisions to combat and overcome, he just keeps falling into the same routine which yield the same results. It's become stale.

I'm just waiting for them to reveal that he was in 40's porn films, then watch him jump off the building in Manhattan during the series finale.

[Reaper16]

I'm fine with the repetition, with some characters repeatedly making the same mistakes. To a point, anyway. There's a danger of the repetition feeling less and less like a deliberate statement and more like a show circling around because its contracted to provide more seasons than there really should be.

I'm not worried about this season yet. I thought the two-part opener was good. The most recent episode absolutely didn't need those flashbacks, but I have faith in the show to recover from what felt like a C-level episode. It seemed largely about putting pieces into place anyway, and still had stuff to really like (namely Trudy).

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

In all honesty, I have no desire to find out.

What made this show great for me was that it depicted an exciting era, city and industry. Don's story was certainly compelling.

Now, it's beginning to feel, as I mentioned earlier, "cartoonish". It's almost becoming whiny, because the creator of the series seems intent on making Don a textbook case for his identity. Instead of Don realizing his faults and making headstrong decisions to combat and overcome, he just keeps falling into the same routine which yield the same results. It's become stale.

I'm just waiting for them to reveal that he was in 40's porn films, then watch him jump off the building in Manhattan during the series finale.

Not to break the string, but do you ever make contact with the UBC/Earwolf crowd?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Not to break the string, but do you ever make contact with the UBC/Earwolf crowd?

Yes. I was just at Matt and Jimmy's studio Saturday.

[Demonpenz]

Peggy's secretary reminded me of Dave Chapelle when he is that guy who is on crack.

[siberian khatru]

Hypocrite much, Don?

[Discuss Thrower]

Goddamn this has been a heavy episode.

[Pushead2]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Goddamn this has been a heavy episode.

definitely - it was one of the better ones in a while.

[Buck]

Don is on a downward spiral. I wonder if he dies in the finale.