Mad Men: Season 1

This is the first television series I've seen that feels like a theatrical movie rather than another jittery, overly busy, manipulative made-for-TV video series, with frequently good acting wasted on formulaic, or non-existent, plots (the "criminal minds" of the series by that title are the writers) relying upon sensation, violence, and cheap digital effects to hook and maintain the viewer's interest. Moreover, the characters in "Mad Men" are not cardboard stereotypes but multidimensional and complex. But perhaps not as much as they would like to think. Women viewers need not feel guilty about watching "Mad Men" on the basis of the following features designed to attract a large female audience: the compelling if not magnetic quality of the flawed but strong and reassuringly handsome lead, John Hamm, who plays ultra-cool ad man Don Draper (he's got the right charisma to anchor an entire James Bond movie series); the representation of women in the 1960's, a period that requires a woman to be at once a "toy doll," a "perfect housewife," and of course, an unquestionably competent secretary, who has nothing but time on her hands to perform her duties with unfailing mechanical precision, always ready with the proper smile or facial expression at the proper time (or risk being fired, and without the ceremony offered incompetent male employees).Needless to say, the women who "succeed" are those who are, by the unspoken requirements of their subordinate position, academy-award winning actresses, capable of either a. landing a man who is a paid ticket to a suburban castle with charming children (and servants to smooth out life's ruffles) or b. miraculously carving out a place where they are recognized for their actual abilities, talents and individual potential. The slights inflicted upon women on a continual basis are subtle and cumulative. Like the series itself, the duplicity required of women to succeed, or simply to survive, in the work place becomes manifest gradually, requiring the viewer to pay close attention to the smallest details of dialogue and "mis en scene" (by contrast, most television series make NO demands of their viewers because there's "nothing to look at": in the overwhelming majority of television dramas the moving camera and shock editing is relentless, continually loud and intrusive of the home spectator's viewing space: in television, it seems, "overstatement" rules, giving the viewer no room for choice let alone interpretation. The medium behaves as though its only mission is, as quickly and as surely as possible, to "captivate" a witless audience that will think and feel as the camera and sound-track dictate. "Mad Man" is, by contrast, an imitation of a far more recognizable life, one offering inscrutable, even dangerous "games" to every individual who's in the job market, desperate for a good job with benefits and opportunities for advancement but damned if he allows the urgency to show. Moreover, the series is undeniably, from its first smoke-filled shots, a "period piece" that represents the '60s as some of us will certainly (if reluctantly) remember those years. But it's more than a disturbing view of the past: it's a critique of the unexamined life and, necessarily, of the life of commercial television in the present age of "late"-capitalism, when even the most under-educated viewers are becoming increasingly aware of the unbreachable divide between the haves and the have-nots, between those who exploit and profit from the desires of the American consumer and those suddenly made aware of the high cost of the American Dream and its increasing distance from the vast majority.You may need to pick up the series for rescreening if, to select a chapter at random, you missed the following in Episode 7, "Red in the Face": The subtle collusion between Don and the elevator operator to assure the unforgettable climax of Roger's humiliation. Notice Don's brief business with him both before and after the oysterfest, and notice the expressions on Roger's and Don's faces at the end of the episode. Besides such details, consider the overaching design of the episode. The theme is male predators, survival of the fittest, and misplaced hubris. Roger will hit on Betty Draper, and the pathetic Pete will do the same with the store clerk who refuses to refund in cash his returned chip and dip. Both come up empty-handed, though both try to sustain their moment of heroism. Pete's sitting Peggy down on a couch to hear his story of gutting a rabbit and eating it in view of the fair damsel is parallell with Roger's stories to the overly appreciative (in Don's double-standard view) Betty. Then we have the chivalric subtheme of Betsy playing the fair princess to the unlikely 8-year-old knight whose mother's negligence leads to his coveting a lock of Betty's golden hair. It's a rare moment when Betty is both the object of adoration and an empathetic mother who reaches out (which she can't do with her own family). But just as Don blames her for Roger's bad behavior, the suddenly possessive mother of the wandering knight takes offense at Betty's gift. As usual, she's sent back to the psychiatrist, though the planting of the rifle as Pete's new toy will take its rightful place in the story when Betsy takes a gun to the neighbor's pidgeons. It's a moment of rage that is long overdue.Along with the examination of the pressure-cooker capitalism, the series is especially concerned with the roles demanded of (and therefore "played by") women. The seeds are being planted throughout the entire first season, but the fully realized force of the objectification and belittlement of women (nothing so obvious as "harassment") will culminate in a chilling, unforgettable and appropriately titled episode, "A Night to Remember," in the 2nd season (episode 8 from the 2008 season). The episode is a cinematic tour deforce, thus far the most ambitious chapter in a series that seems to be reinventing itself as it goes along, always improving. This particular segment is like vintage Robert Altman in its cross-cutting among the three women who have received the most attention. The time, historically, is the days immediately following news of Marilyn Monroe's suicide, and each of the three women--Joan, the queen-secretary who is herself a combination of keen intelligence in an hour-glass figure; Betty, the manipulated, blonde showgirl/perfect housewife/showcase trophy of Don Draper; Peggy, the innocent "country girl" who has wised-up sufficiently to the ways of men to play their game, attaining power to make decisions that will influence consumers throughout the nation--each of the three will receive potentially shattering epiphanies, showing them the emptiness of their programmed existences in a male-run world that expects of them only compliance along with adoration beyond any they themselves might receive for their physical attributes. The realizations of all three occur in a breath-taking "tour de force" of characterization. The potent mix of minimalist but thoughtful script-writing, artful directing, and "parallel" editing allows the viewer to receive the full force of three separate "actions" (actually, internal "epiphanies") occurring simultaneously.The series is uncomfortably faithful to the period, not only in its portrayal of male-female relationships in and outside the workplace but in the continuous gauzy veil of smoke thrown off by chain-smoking characters along with the ubiquitous portable bars in the offices of hard-drinking executives (just a few examples of the irony of the ad squad coming under the influence of its own subliminal messages). Most of the action is internal yet highly appealing to the eye, taking place in an office space that seems both capacious and capable of showing the viewer surprises and new discoveries with each episode. The colors are richly saturated--crisp and vibrant technicolor (not the faded, irridescent reds, blues, and greens that would replace them beginning in the late '60s and continuing throughout the 1970s), with a brightly lit, crystal clear, sharp resolution and a camera lens with revealing "depth of field" that takes full advantage of the big flat, high definition screens that have begun to dominate domestic space in just the past 5-6 years of the new millennium; the camera work--with striking angles but steady shots of sufficient duration to allow the spectator to see each crucial detail--has the professional sheen of a bonafide "auteur" such as the admired 1950s "Hollywood" director, Douglas Sirk.Frankly, I had all but "given up" on television--except for the talking heads on MSNBC and the mindless reality shows like "Pawn Stars" and "American Pickers." Most of what passes for television drama is manipulative and "busy" to a degree that the viewer is placed in the paradoxical position of having nothing to look at. Viewers are denied the "freedom to see" on their ever larger, higher definition screens. Everything of importance to the sponsors and filmmakers is magnified or grossly overstated, then thrown in the spectator's face by the hyperactive videocam and "shock" editing. But this series, sponsored appropriately enough by American Movie Classics, is the most refreshing, ground-breaking television drama since "All in the Family." We should all hope that it represents a new beginning rather than an anomaly, unique and distinguished as it is.

Really good show

Mad Men - Season One  has completely changed the way I view TV. I generally watch things at random and don't watch a lot of shows consistently. This is a show worth changing that for. It's hard to describe what makes this show such a rare event in TV. Somebody had the vision to put a show on TV that has something to say and is as raw, honest and true to the period it is based on. I, for one, am grateful for that.The show centers on the NY advertising world of the 1960s. Why "Mad Men?" The old row of famous agencies on Madison Avenue, of course. The men are sexist, rude, slicked up, and well dressed. The women are submissive yet cunning, half accepting sexism and half ignoring it.There's not a lot of political correctness here. That is bound to offend some. While my first reaction was to wonder as to the motives behind that, the truth is that after watching the show for a few episodes it becomes clear that the bigotry of the period is key to understanding the characters. Plenty that the characters say would get them fired today. For their era, sexist banter in the office was considered par for the course.There's also plenty of smoking, drinking and sexual situations. If you are very conservative this might not be for you. Yet even conservative people would have to warm up somewhat to the effectiveness of the portrayal. This show makes you believe you are witnessing things as they were. Not having been there, we can't know for sure. Regardless, this sure is convincing.There are some nice special features and extras sprinkled sparingly throughout the disks. Of course you have your usual commentary tracks on the episodes, which are actually worth listing to in my opinion. Not every show can say that.The behind-the-scenes documentary section is also standard fare, but well done. It covers the basic elements of how the show is put together, from characters, sets, makeup, wardrobes, and art design. You also get some small extras that are nice like a segment on scoring the music for the show, which is great, and audio clips of some of the period songs that are used.Because of the way the disks are set up, many of these specific extras are on the individual disks. So you have to search for them. Also, there are only a few episodes per disk (about 3). I guess those extras and commentary tracks took up a lot of disk space. Still, these are minor details.ConclusionThis is a great show and well worth watching again and again. I hope you will check this out if you haven't already.Enjoy!

Opera fondamentale per capire gli anni '60, l'America rampante dei giovani di quella decade, i mutamenti sociali e i primi segnali di crisi. Davvero incredibili gli attori, bellissimi i costumi e la ricostruzione degli uffici, delle case, degli ambienti. L'ultima puntata di questa stagione è indimenticabile e fa venire i brividi per come riesce a trasmettere l'identità del vero pubblicitario e del come riesce ad immaginare un prodotto non per quello che è, ma per quello che rappresenta per il consumatore.

まず思ったのが「これ、コンパクト？」他のメーカーのコンプリートBOXと同じですよ。このケースでは、コンパクトとは言えこの値段でも仕方ないでしょう。(１つのケースに６枚のディスクが収まる仕組み)ドラマに関してですが、登場人物がそれぞれみんな魅力的です。(クズな部分も含め)60年代のアメリカが舞台ですが、現代の日本企業でもここまであからさまではなくても、セクハラや女性蔑視はあるし待遇の格差もある。化粧室で泣く女性たち。理由は一切語られませんが、そういうことなのだと思います。(男性から女性への侮辱が当たり前で反論できない時代？)ペギーがそこをどう乗り切るか、出世してゆくのか、私はそこに感情移入しています。(シーズン最終話はまさかのまさかでしたが)女性の60年代ファッションも素敵です。グラマラスなジョーンのドレス、清楚なベティのワンピース、オリーブ少女(分かる人はアラフォー以上)のようなペギー。シーズン２以降も楽しみです。

Gran precio para gran serie. Lleva subtítulos en español. Audio sólo en inglés.3 discos en una Amaray del grosor habitual de las cajas Blu-ray de UK.

Les années 60s. Une période de transition, une société de consommation en plein essor, the American Dream en veux-tu en voilà, illustré par la vie publique et privée des membres du cabinet publicitaire Sterling Cooper. Cette toile de fond sert de trame à ces 13 épisodes de Mad Men et fait de cette série une perle rare, car peu nombreuses sont celles qui atteignent un tel degré de qualité. Le travail de recherche a dû être phénoménal pour réaliser les épisodes, (costumes, atmosphère, ambiance, vraisemblance historique et j'en passe). Rares sont les séries de ce calibre là. On n'est pas dans l'abondance des épisodes, mais dans la Qualité avec majuscule. Don Draper, un publiciste mystérieux, homme à femmes - mais marié avec deux enfants, mène la barque dans cette première saison au dénouement inattendu et très bien pensé. J'ai énormément aimé l'histoire des personnages secondaires, et encore plus la manière dont le rêve américain est illustré à travers la famille de Don Draper. Tous les acteurs jouent merveilleusement bien, et la nostalgie et la tristesse qui se dégagent de ces épisodes arrivent à nous toucher à notre insu. Une série qui fait réfléchir. Une série qui envoute et qui nous parle. Un must.

Mit MAD MEN ist dem amerik. TV-Sender AMC der große Wurf gelungen!Bei Mad Men stimmt einfach alles, die Storyline, die Darsteller, die Ausstattung, die Mode, die fabelhaften alten amerik. Autos - jedes noch so winzige Detail wurde mit größter Sorgfalt perfekt umgesetzt.Die 13 Episoden der 1. Staffel führen den Zuschauer in die ,gute alte Zeit' Anfang der 60er Jahre zurück, die bei näherem Hinsehen alles andere als gut war.Es geht um die Chefs, eine Handvoll männliche Werbefachleute und einige weibl. Angestellte (fast ausnahmslos Sekretärinnen und Telefonistinnen) einer erfolgreichen Werbefirma in New York, in der geraucht und getrunken wird was das Zeug hält.Die Hauptfigur Don Draper (Jon Hamm) hat einen undurchschaubaren Charakter. Weder seine bildschöne Ehefrau Betty (January Jones), noch seine wechselnden Geliebten, noch seine Chefs oder seine Mitarbeiter wissen genau woran sie bei ihm sind. Draper verbirgt seine wahren Gefühle genauso erfolgreich wie seine Vergangenheit - niemand weiß bei ihm mit wem er es zu tun hat. In seinem Job ist er brilliant, der Aufstieg in die ober(st)e Etage scheint vorprogrammiert.Betty die wohlerzogene Tochter aus gutem Hause hat zwar mit Don einen Gatten gefunden der ihr ein hübsches Haus, tolle Garderobe (Daumen nach oben für die Kostümausstattung) und eine Haushaltshilfe finanziert - aber das allein macht sie nicht glücklich. Sie spürt zunehmend dass etwas in ihrer nach außenhin glücklichen Ehe mit zwei süßen Kindern nicht stimmt... und sie wird Recht behalten.Peggy Olsen (Elisabeth Moss) ist eine Sekretärin mit durchschnittlichem Aussehen, Haare und Kleidung sind konvservativ wodurch sie von einigen Kollegen zur naiven Landpomeranze abgestempelt wird. Diese Einschätzung ist falsch, Peggy macht locker mit Fleiß, Talent und großem Ehrgeiz wett, was ihr an Schönheit fehlt. Sie schafft es in die ausschl. Männern vorbehaltene Domäne der Werbefachleute einzudringen und macht sich mit der Zeit für Draper unentbehrlich.Der Seniorchef Bertram Cooper (Robert Morse) fällt eigentlich nur durch seinen Asien- und Hygiene-Tick auf, er überlässt die Arbeit seinen Angestellten.Der 2. Mann in der Chefetage ist Roger Sterling (John Slattery), er dreht wie Cooper an den Schalthebeln der Macht ohne aktiv dafür arbeiten zu müssen.Die Box enthält 5 Discs in 4 schmalen DVD-Hüllen, in der 4. findet man eine zusätzl. Bonusdisc auf der jeweils die 1. Folgen von Mad Men, Liipstick Jungle und Life zu sehen sind.Wie zu besten Sopranos-Zeiten habe ich die 1. Staffel in 3 Tagen angesehen, bei den Staffeln 2 und 3 erging es mir trotz guter Vorsätze nicht anders.Die Mad Men haben gute Arbeit geleistet, ich hänge am Haken... und warte ungeduldig auf die 4. Staffel die erst ab Sommer 2010 auf AMC (USA) ausgestrahlt wird.Die Serie erhält von mir 4 1/2 Sterne, weil ich persönlich die Season 2 sogar noch besser finde.Von mir gibt es eine KLARE KAUFEMPFEHLUNG! *****Ich wünsche Ihnen gute Unterhaltung.