Wednesday, August 20

It's A Mad Men World!

Are you watching Mad Men? If not, I think you'd really like to be. I don't just love it because it takes place in an advertising agency (my old stomping grounds), but because its 1950's set design and wardrobe are just so much fun! Not to mention, it's got excellent, witty writing and brilliant acting. This year Mad Men was nominated for 16 Emmys, even though there's only about a million people watching; one of the lowest rated, under appreciated shows on television. I think you'll find all the costumes and sets mesmerizing, so much so you might not even notice that they chain smoke, drink whiskey at lunch and treat women with complete chauvinistic disdain. Well, you'll probably notice all of that, but it will be a fun look back, and hopefully you'll feel elated at how far we've come. Mad Men airs on the AMC Channel, of all places, but I download it on iTunes.









23 comments:

Anonymous said...

"it's got excellent, witty writing and brilliant acting"

this season so far is just eh...

Anna @ D16 said...

Pssst...it's set in the '60s, not the '50s. :)

Unknown said...

This is my favorite show by far. I'd watched the whole first season via I-Tunes (we'd missed a few episodes and then just bought the whole season). This second season is a little different, but I think they are leading up to some big things. As I recall, the first part of the first season was a bit slow as they developed the layers of the plot. I just love all the little details and how authentic everything is to the very date.

Keyse said...

I love how the characters are evolving. The first thing I noticed about the show (what lingered anyways) is the sexism and racism. My women studies cap is always on ;) But yea, I love the clothes and sets!

Anonymous said...

I am only just beginning and so far I love it. Very entertaining indeed.

Anonymous said...

Have you found any shots of their living room??? It's amazing! I've been searching for stills and haven't had any luck.

...AND this could surely be the 50s. It takes place right before the Kennedy/Nixon election in 1960.

The show is just as good as the costume, make up, and set decor...way to go Mad Men!

sfgirlbybay said...

Anna & Allison - I know the description says 1960's, but I thought as Allison said, it's just on the verge of the '60's - right before the election.

Keyse - yes - sexist and racist for sure - but I think the show points out our flaws and allows us to see how far (and sometimes not so far!) we have come.

Anonymous said...

I love the wardrobe. Minus the smoking, I think I could have totally rocked the 50's! It's nice to see certain parts of that era making an appearance in fashion again.

Molly said...

I just recently discovered Mad Men, and love it!

Uncle Beefy said...

Oh Miss Victoria! Woman! Yes, yes, yes...I LOVE the Mad Men! Hooked from day one!

And your comment to Keyse was spot on. But, Keyse, as a former Women's Studies major I here ya'. It can be rather jarring to say the least.

eM said...

is it just me, or does the laundry basket in the second shot look wrong..
I dare say: I have that rubbermaid laundry basket - circa 1999.

Love the show just strated wtching on netflix.
Miss Holloway is a fave as she actually looks appropriate for the period - many of the "girls" could use a little padding IMO

diana murphy said...

I'm mad about Mad Men - I've watched it from the get go. Can't get enough of Jon Hamm, January Jones (girl crush!) and the delicious Christina Hendricks.

It's great seeing Robert Morse in his senior partner role all these many years after he starred in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. There's some poetry in that.

Anonymous said...

I'm dating myself, but I was a teenager in the 60's. I love Mad Men - the sets, the costumes, the props, the 60's conversations and gestures. Everything is so true to life in the early 60's - the chain-smoking stay-at-home mothers, kids playing with plastic bags and mixing drinks for the guests, blatant sexism in the office. I keep looking each episode for more of these generational gems... I remember my first job when I encountered both an electric typewriter and a teletype machine. High tech! By the way, I love your blog, such wonderful design finds and you're in my favorite city in the world other than Paris.

Christina said...

i adore this show. the sets and outfits are such great eye candy and good writing too. love your next post about where to get the furniture look. now i just need someone to tell me where to get all of Joan's outfits - i'm in love with her style!

Nathalie said...

Hi V ! it hasn't arrived to my Irish screen yet but i have heard about it ... i work in advertising so i can't wait to get some history lesson :) how cool would have been to prepare the set for that !!! Can't wait to see it.

Anonymous said...

ahhh - smoking in the office, smoking at home on the couch - but distant memories...

Anonymous said...

I looooove Mad Men. It jumped onto my best TV show list pretty much immediately.

And yes the 1st season was in 1959, but the new one has moved into the 1960s, I believe 1962 to be exact.

I feel like I have to watch every episode twice, the first time for fashion/decor and the second for content.

Kelly said...

Yes, I love it too. I did think that the season premiere a few weeks ago was just "eh," but the past 2 weeks have been a lot juicier.

To clarify: the first season was set in '60, around the election. (They had an episode where the staff stayed late watching the results -- boy, did those young Republicans hate Kennedy!), and this season, they've jumped to early '63. All this according to an article I read in the L.A. Times Calendar.

muranogirl said...

I LOVE everything about this show! I will often watch an episode twice to soak up every detail...

Unknown said...

Hee hee...to add to the timing discussion... The first season was definitely based in 1960 (I watched the "making of" and they discuss this quite a bit. The first season ended taking place at Thanksgiving of that year. The creator mentions that during the birthday party episode for the little girl they were going to have her open a "Etch a Sketch" as her gift, but realized it didn't come out until later in the summer that year so they couldn't use it as a prop since it wasn't authentic to the timing of her birthday (early summer 1960). The season 2 opener takes place in February (Valentine's Day) 1962. (Again, I'd watched the "making of" where he mentions that he wanted it to take place a little bit later and mentions that roughly a year and some months have now passed since we last saw the characters and they have evolved quite a bit (note that Peggy's child is toddling around as a roughly 15 month old might).

Suzanne : : S.HOPtalk said...

Oh yes...I'm a big Mad Men fan. I was instantly hooked last season. I think I'm going to have to treat myself to "The Making Of..." after reading Meagan's comment.

Anonymous said...

Oh gosh I love this! I have to start watching MadMen now ;-)!

Anonymous said...

yeah thats true that its a mad men world and there are lots of mad men freaks available here.I am also the one and desperately searching to download mad men episodes hopefully i would get them here.