I've been meaning to check out the amazing AMC dramatic series Mad Men since it debuted in the summer of 2007. I thought it looked cool before any of my friends did, I swear. But then I got busy.
I finally "manned up" a little over a week ago and took the plunge. I fired up my Netflix subscription and dug in for an initial 2 episode session. 10 days later I'm 2 seasons deep and I love it. It's a marvelous bit of nostalgia even for me, having been born 21 years after the setting of the pilot. I remember going into my Dad's office in 1985 and people smoking at their desks. When did that stop? It's only been about 5 years since you could smoke in bars and restaurants here. Tangent.
I love looking at this world through the prism of the ad world - one that you don't see portrayed a lot on either the big or small screen, I love the characters, I love the scripts and I love the performances. I have caught myself on a number of occassions over the past few days practicing my "Don Draper" face. (It's pathetic, by the way.)
Since I was not alive in the early sixites I am reling solely on what I assume to be Mad Men's faithful recreation of the era as the basis of my obession with the following elements of 1960's American culture:
1) Pervasive smoking / drinking
2) Extensive use of carpeting / synthetic fibres
3) Those pointy bras / sexual harrassment
4) Cars / airplanes of the era
5) Hats (men) / gloves (ladies)
6) Well mannered children / few television stations
This is by no means an exhaustive list of reasons why I love Mad Men but I do love all of this stuff and I love this show. So happy it exists and I have 2 seasons left to discover. Please don't let it start to suck...
