Mad Men

(Q1)  Saw every episode.

9 (16.7%)

(Q1)  Saw most episodes.

2 (3.7%)

(Q1)  Saw some episodes.

4 (7.4%)

(Q1)  Saw one episode.

3 (5.6%)

(Q1)  Didn't see any of it.

10 (18.5%)

(Q2)  5 stars

7 (13%)

(Q2)  4 stars

7 (13%)

(Q2)  3 stars

3 (5.6%)

(Q2)  2 stars

1 (1.9%)

(Q2)  1 star

1 (1.9%)

(Q2)  Don't care.

7 (13%)

Total Members Voted: 24

[Ecolitan]

starting in the middle of the series probably isn't best, the middle of a season is less good.  It's not as great as you might expect.  Just compared to other free TV offerings. 

[Alex Libman 15]

So can anyone tell me what is the appeal of this show? I watched about 5 minutes the other night to see if there was anything that might be interesting. It was some guy being moved to a new office and a board meeting of sorts with some employees being surprised about who was and was not promoted.

Why would I want to watch an hour of office politics when I already get about 40 hours of it a week?

Is there more to this show?

It appeals to upper-middle-class America (and those who admire that lifestyle) on many levels: nostalgia for the office environment where men were men (and secretaries could be fucked without rubbers) as it's slowly being watered down by the 1960s, Apollonian business ethic (Ayn Rand mentioned early in season one - see below), the mystique of Madison Avenue and cultural significance it had the world-over, transgressional heroics, adventures in capitalism, being able to relate to the tribulations of an overstretched work-life balance, and so on.

[youtube=425,350]EKX8C6qKuac[/youtube]

[miamiballoonguy]

So can anyone tell me what is the appeal of this show? I watched about 5 minutes the other night to see if there was anything that might be interesting. It was some guy being moved to a new office and a board meeting of sorts with some employees being surprised about who was and was not promoted.

Why would I want to watch an hour of office politics when I already get about 40 hours of it a week?

Is there more to this show?

There is a lot more to that show than office politics.  First off, notice the treatment of children.  Notice how the women were treated.  They all smoke in the office, they all have cocktails at all time while at work.  It basically shows what life was like back in the 60's.  Homosexuality was a very dangerous thing back then for the homosexuals, so you see how they had to deny themselves, and now they are starting to show the gay guy's problems surfacing with his wife when he did the showtunes commercial. 

I mean Brian Doyle Murray had a part where he passed out from drinking so much in the office that he pissed his pants and lost an account.

Believe me, if you can get into it, you will know how good this show really is.  The 4 best drama's on TV in the past few years have been, Mad Men, Nip/Tuck, Breaking Bad, and the Sons of Anarchy.  Sons of anarchy's season premiere ended with one of the most shocking endings I have ever seen on TV. 

[Alex Libman 15]

[S03E07]

Oh, and don't forget that last night was also the season premier of The Simpsons [BT],  Family Guy [BT], American Dad [BT], a spinoff The Cleveland Show [BT], etc.

[Alex Libman 15]

[S03E08]

[mikehz]

I tried it when it first came on, but was bored stiff and so gave up after the first episode. However, my daughter loves the show, and so has convinced me to give it another go.

I have Disk One from Netflix sitting on the TV right now, and may watch it tonight.

[Alex Libman 15]

I like the office scenes.  Family life bores me.

[miamiballoonguy]

I loved the John Deer episode...  now THAT was hillarious!

[Alex Libman 15]

That John Deer scene has been overpsychoanalyzed as foreshadowing the JFK assassination, etc... 

[S03E09]

[miamiballoonguy]

That John Deer scene has been overpsychoanalyzed as foreshadowing the JFK assassination, etc... 

[S03E09]

Well, I can't speak to that because the way I look at it, anytime a kennedy dies, it's a cause for celebration.

but last nights was pretty good too.  The whole disgust in don's voice about supporting rockerfeller was awesome.

[Alex Libman 15]

In semi(un)related news, from AFP via Breitbart -- Venezuela seizes a landmark Hilton Hotel --

President Hugo Chávez has ordered the "acquisition by force" of a landmark Hilton Hotel on Venezuela's Margarita island, the government's Official Gazette announced Tuesday.

The facility, on the Caribbean resort island of Margarita in Nueva Esparta state, was targeted for state takeover less than a month after it was used to host the Africa-South America Summit.

"The acquisition by force of the real estate, furnishings, and related assets (...) of the Margarita Hilton & Suites Hotel Complex, along with the Marina owned by Inversiones Pueblamar y Desarrollos MBK, have been ordered," a presidential decree in the official register read.

The sprawling complex includes 280 rooms, 210 suites, a casino, stores, restaurants, offices and meeting areas, as well as the adjoining marina.

The assets will be held by the state tourism corporation Venetur, which reports to the Tourism Ministry, as part of an "urgent" effort to boost "the social development side of the tourism and hotel industries in Nueva Esparta state," the Gazette said.

It is not the first time Chavez's government has checked into a Hilton and stayed for good.

Caracas has already seized the Hotel Hilton in Caracas, rechristening it the Hotel Alba, a reference to the Venezuelan-led leftist regional alliance Alianza Bolivariana para las Americas (ALBA).

In the past four years, Venezuela has implemented the nationalization of industries it sees as strategic including electrical utilities, cement, steel, oil services and banking.

I'll always use and even pay 200% the price to any energy company that has that Hugo thug's severed head on display in their corporate HQ! 

[AL the Inconspicuous]

[S03E10]

[AL the Inconspicuous]

[S03E11]

[mikehz]

Watched the first three episodes last night. Liked them. The show's a keeper, I think.

[AL the Inconspicuous]

[S03E12]