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[On The Edge of Insanity]

Interesting schism developing between the partners and the other long time employees. Unless I'm forgetting anyone I think Ken and Harry are the only two employees from season one who are yet to be made partners. Would not be at all surprised to see them both leave, maybe to start up their own company, before the season is out. Ken is just as effective as Pete, while Harry is doing a good job in TV, and they seem to work well together despite some personality differences - contrast the tone of Ken's rebuttal of Don and Pete with Harry's of Joan/the board, for instance.

 

[smokeymicpot]

It is a play on both. This is stated literally in the very first seconds of the first episode in season 1.

Edit: I like the Don D. Raper discovery.

I was about to say the same thing. Very start it says where the term Mad Men came from.

 

[Leona Lewis]

I really don't think Peggy & Stan's friendship is trashed. I think there was a strain, but rewatch that scene. Stan is smirking as he flies that bird. Peggy smirks back. Yeah, there was some bullshit involved, but this is probably not enough to wipe their whole friendship off the boards

Hell, knowing this show, this move Peggy pulled will end up strengthening their bond somehow.

Not to mention that if JWT got wind of the meeting, then obviously they didn't hear it from SCDP or CGC. Since there were other firms competing, why would Stan assume that Peggy (rather than Heinz itself) spilled the beans?

No pun intended.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

Not to mention that if JWT got wind of the meeting, then obviously they didn't hear it from SCDP or CGC. Since there were other firms competing, why would Stan assume that Peggy (rather than Heinz itself) spilled the beans?

No pun intended.

Another good point, one that didn't even occur to me. I mean, yeah, I'm sure Stan's going to feel like his trust was violated to some extent - but the fact there was a big firm ALSO in the hunt says this "secret" wasn't very. It's hard to blame Peggy when honestly it's not as if Ted's firm might not have found out anyway.

And even if it WAS only those two firms fighting out - I still don't think Stan/Peggy would fall to pieces over this. It'd have to be something really shitty. I just don't see Stan giving that much of a shit. If Stan had done it to Peggy? Maybe there'd be a bigger fallout. But Peggy doing it to Stan? That burly stoner is probably gonna just brush it off in a couple of days with all the effort it takes to ash his joint.

 

[f0rk]

I didn't think it would be that much of a deal last week when Peggy's boss mentioned others will be in for it they just have a head start. Like the Ketchup guy doesn't get anything from only letting 2 mid size agencies fight for his business.

 

[maharg]

Not to mention that if JWT got wind of the meeting, then obviously they didn't hear it from SCDP or CGC. Since there were other firms competing, why would Stan assume that Peggy (rather than Heinz itself) spilled the beans?

No pun intended.

Peggy kind of telegraphed it herself.

 

[Cornballer]

- The Paley Center panel interview with the Mad Men cast kicks off in a few minutes

Mad-ness Returns to the Paley Center

Tuesday, April 23, 2013
6:30 pm ET
New York

In Person
Jon Hamm
Kiernan Shipka
John Slattery
Vincent Kartheiser
January Jones
Jessica Paré
Matthew Weiner
Moderator: Brian Williams

This event will be live streamed at approximately 7:15pm ET/4:15pm PT. Follow @paleycenter on Twitter and use #PaleyLiveNY to join the conversation. Tweet your questions now. Some will be chosen for Brian Williams to ask.

On the go? Watch the live stream on the Paley Center app.

I've had problems getting their stream to work properly, but some of you might have better luck.

 

[Fjordson]

The likeability issue is an interesting one for television. There's a school of thought that says that it's almost impossible to make an unsympathetic main character on a show regardless of how nasty they are, simply because of the intimacy and familiarity that's part of the medium. People who stick around to watch will tend to grow to like the character, regardless of the intentions of the creators. That's why, say, All in the Family was so controversial not just on the right but also on the left; many people couldn't handle how it gave humanity to a racist, even though he was shown to be such a buffoon. At a certain point the dissonance is too great for some viewers and they have to bail out. That's kind of why I (sorry to admit) bailed on The Sopranos; too many reprehensible characters that I didn't want to stick with for more than a couple seasons, despite the brilliant acting.

I don't think Mad Men is at that point yet, though. Don's shittiness this season is nothing new; he's been an asshole from episode one, and his redemptive "arc" has already had many major backslides over the years. And he is never triumphing because of his bad actions--it's clear that bad things are going to happen to him this year. So as much as I shouted at the screen this past week due to his staggering hypocrisy, I know it's part of a plan.

omg don't bail on The Sopranos!

 

[Dion Blaster]

what is the most naked Christina Hendricks has gotten on this show

 

[Ultimadrago]

omg don't bail on The Sopranos!

I have started it recently and am having a rather good time.

 

[Leona Lewis]

what is the most naked Christina Hendricks has gotten on this show

Not very.

It's ironic that she wields her sexual power so deftly, yet we've never seen her in a "sex scene" that wasn't overwhelmingly uncomfortable to watch. I certainly can't remember one.

 

[CRS]

Not very.

It's ironic that she wields her sexual power so deftly, yet we've never seen her in a "sex scene" that wasn't overwhelmingly uncomfortable to watch. I certainly can't remember one.

When her husband (the doctor) forced her to sleep with him in Don's office.

 

[Altazor]

Not very.

It's ironic that she wields her sexual power so deftly, yet we've never seen her in a "sex scene" that wasn't overwhelmingly uncomfortable to watch. I certainly can't remember one.

the rape back in S2? Though that wasn't really SHOWN, but her face said it all.

 

[kirblar]

I think you guys are missing the double negative there.

 

[Leona Lewis]

Erm, my point was that despite her apparent sexual prowess, we've never seen her in a loving, mutually fulfilling sex scene (see with her husband in Don's office, with Herb from Jaguar).. That was the irony I was pointing to.

Double negatives are never fun...

 

[CRS]

I think you guys are missing the double negative there.

Yep. My mistake.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

I just realized how much of smart assholes these cigarette companies are. The fact that they sold cigarettes to female market by saying "smoking makes you lose weight"is so awesomely vicious.

Off-topic? I hope not! The current episode reminded me of that when its mentioned by Joan (or her friend).

 

[Altazor]

Erm, my point was that despite her apparent sexual prowess, we've never seen her in a loving, mutually fulfilling sex scene (see with her husband in Don's office, with Herb from Jaguar).. That was the irony I was pointing to.

Double negatives are never fun...

oh yeah, my mistake

 

[Leona Lewis]

I just realized how much of smart assholes these cigarette companies are. The fact that they sold cigarettes to female market by saying "smoking makes you lose weight"is so awesomely vicious.

Off-topic? I hope not!

Yep, they inhibit appetite.

S6/S7 SPOILER, DON'T HIGHLIGHT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW:

Spoiler

Last season hinted that Peggy would be in charge of the ad campaign for the Virginia Slims cigarette brand, which (if they're using revisionist history) would mean she'd have coined the iconic "You've come a long way, baby" slogan.

 

[SaltyDoughnut]

Will the Paley Center panel be archived? Is it only watchable on mobile devices?

Thanks

 

[Gozer the Gozerian]

Show needs more Peggy. She's the best mad man.

 

[Cornballer]

Will the Paley Center panel be archived? Is it only watchable on mobile devices?

They put the Paleyfest LA panels from this year up on Hulu, so hopefully they'll do the same here.

 

[smokeymicpot]

Really digging Stan this season. Plus that beard is boss while smoking joints.

 

[SaltyDoughnut]

'Mad Men' writers mull show about 1960s Cocoa Beach

oh boy.

 

[Cornballer]

'Mad Men' writers mull show about 1960s Cocoa Beach

oh boy.

Yeah, seen that article floating around a few places, but they don't say which Mad Men writers unless I'm missing something.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

Is there anything to dislike about Stan. He's hilarious, has an awesome beard, doesn't give a F, and he is even part of the in-crowd with Don.

 

[smokeymicpot]

Is there anything to dislike about Stan. He's hilarious, has an awesome beard, doesn't give a F, and he is even part of the in-crowd with Don.

Exactly sadly they will give us a reason.

 

[Cornballer]

- USA Today vid: 'Mad Men' creator promises salacious new season
- Alyssa Rosenberg: ‘Mad Men’s Misery Problem And How TV Can Handle Characters Who Never Change *spoilers for some other shows*

 

[Ithil]

I kinda miss Bert being the untouchable, aloof boss above everyone else.

 

[ZedIndyLil]

smh @ you not sticking with The Sopranos. In the end the shitty characters get theirs.

omg don't bail on The Sopranos!

Ha, I know, it's terrible. Watching it well after it aired was part of the problem; once my momentum slowed, there were too many other awesome shows to watch. Now it's on the pile.

Back on topic, I'm surprised there's this emerging backlash to this season. It's not like Don hasn't backslid multiple times already. And I don't find it repetitive, because each time the gulf between him and the changing era around him keeps widening. It's clear he's going to get smacked in the face pretty hard this season.

 

[BertramCooper]

I kinda miss Bert being the untouchable, aloof boss above everyone else.

Sigh. Me too.

 

[Plasmid]

Stan is pretty cool, I want more peggy, the scenes she's in so far have been great.

 

[pigeon]

Why is Bert even back at the agency anyways? They still didn't explain why he returned after Season 4.

He didn't really quit, I don't think, he just threw a huge tantrum. Bert's a partner, so they would have had to buy him out for him to actually quit, and nobody had that kind of money. He probably just didn't come to work for a while.

 

[Cornballer]

- Tom & Lorenzo: Mad Style: To Have and To Hold

We got embarrassingly excited when the episode opened with a shot of those green and blue room dividers, opening up to a tableau of men all dressed in blue and green. We noted in the season opener that Peggy was working a lot of blue and green and that it was reflected in the men she was dealing with. We said at the time that it was a very popular color combination for the period and one that, to this day, still evokes and is identified with the ’60s. Then last week, all hell broke loose on the green-and-blue front and it seemed pretty obvious to us that this was a deliberate motif on costume designer Janie Bryant’s part. But what is she saying? What does it represent? We have a feeling we’re going to be debating that one all season.

And let’s just say it: it’s absolutely possible that Janie’s not saying anything deliberately and that this is just a popular color combination for 1968 that looks good on many of these characters. We’ll see. After all, it wasn’t quite so prevalent this week as it was last week. And the ways in which it’s being used isn’t always consistent. There’s been some talk among our commenters that the B&G combo signals “cheating” or “adultery,” and there’s something to that, since it featured so heavily in the Megan and Sylvia scene last week and then later in the scene where Ted convinced Peggy to “cheat” on Stan and SCDP and go after Heinz.

And this scene also has a very heavy undercurrent of cheating, as all three men meet secretly in a spot designed specifically for Pete to cheat on his wife so they can discuss SCDP “cheating” on Heinz Beans. And if the symbolism wasn’t obvious enough, Pete then offered the place to Don in case he wanted to cheat on his wife (not realizing that Don kept it all under one roof this time) and the Heinz guy literally licked his wedding ring and slipped it off as he left.

So yeah. A case can definitely be made that green and blue signal a form of adultery. As we’ve said before, however, color theory is a dicey thing to apply to analysis, because there will always be instances of the colors just popping up in scenes where no heavier meaning is applied to them, and because stating that “x color = x concept” is too simplistic in many cases. For now, we’re treading lightly, noting the times and places it occurs, and talking it out.

Much more via the link.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Excellent as always.

 

[Dance Inferno]

Wow, great Mad Style recap this week. I didn't even notice that black/white thing.

 

[Cornballer]

They pick up on a ton of stuff, even beyond wardrobe choices, that I've completely missed.

 

[ultron87]

Yeah, that article is probably my favorite piece of weekly TV analysis.

 

[Minus_Me]

I would usually listen to This Week in Mad Men Podcast, but they don't seem to be doing any new episodes. Can anyone recommend a good Mad Men Podcast?

 

[Cornballer]

- Gothamist: A Million Things We Learned At A Mad Men Q&A Last Night

EDIT: Youtube vid of the Paley Center event from last night. I'm having trouble getting this to load, but that might be on my end.
EDIT2: Seems to be working now.

 

[Empty]

yeah those tom and lorenzo pieces are so good. thanks for sharing them.

 

[Niraj]

That black and white connection is such a great catch by them. Awesome stuff.

 

[Kraftwerk]

- Gothamist: A Million Things We Learned At A Mad Men Q&A Last Night

EDIT: Youtube vid of the Paley Center event from last night. I'm having trouble getting this to load, but that might be on my end.
EDIT2: Seems to be working now.

Taken down

 

[Cornballer]

Taken down

Boooo. Oh well, hopefully that's an indication that the the Paley folks are going to put it up at some point.

 

[jtb]

Most recent ep was good. The problem with Don isn't that he's unlikable, it's that he's fucking boring. More Joan and Peggy please.

 

[Dance Inferno]

Matthew Weiner admits to historical error on the latest episode.

 

[f0rk]

Matthew Weiner admits to historical error on the latest episode.

Shut it down, it's all a lie. If they can't get this right how are they going to do a show about NASA, I bet they'll have the Moon landing in 1965 or some shit.

 

[barrbarr]

well it's not the first time they've made a mistake like this. If I remember right, in the first episode Don creates Lucky Strikes slogan "It's Toasted" when in reality Lucky Strike had been using that slogan since 1917

 

[f0rk]

That's because Don was so convincing they forgot it was already their slogan

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

well it's not the first time they've made a mistake like this. If I remember right, in the first episode Don creates Lucky Strikes slogan "It's Toasted" when in reality Lucky Strike had been using that slogan since 1917

I chalked that up to artistic license.