I don't know about anyone else...but this weekend was a total blur due to a little East Coast team football game PLUS the excitement of the primaries has left us with little time to focus on our regularly scheduled TV shows. Well, last night...before catching up on a little No Reservations, I was excited to see that there was an episode of Madmen our trusty little DVR had recorded...yeah, just sitting there waiting to be viewed by my eager eyes.
I'm still kicking myself over dragging my feet on automatically programming this into our scheduled recordings after a friend had highly recommended it. Produced by those who also brought us The Sopranos, Madmen is equally high in production value. Set in mid 20th century Manhattan and based around a Madison avenue advertising agency, it's glossy set design, authentic costuming, a superb ensemble cast as well as engrossing storylines, I am absolutely hooked. Though much of the plot is devoted to one lead, each episode sheds a little more light on at least one additional surrounding character. It not only leads to the complexity of each role, but I think it also lets the audience empathize with more than one storyline. Additionally, the writers make it a point to comment on the differences in the social workings of the 1960's as compared to today's norms. Everyone drinks, everyone smokes, divorcees and working women are shunned, and the wives are at home while the husbands provide for them, both equally miserable in their canned happiness.
Needless to say, I suggest anyone with a soft spot for mid-century anything should absolutely check it out. The only downside...it doesn't come back until FREAKING JULY!!! Ugh...and I thought the wait for LOST was bad!
Check out more information on MADMEN here.
