After all of the hype, I decided to check out the show Mad Men. I ended up watching most of the first season last weekend. It’s a very interesting show, I was a bit surprised it was set in the ‘60’s.

I think that’s part of its charm. In one of the scenes of the first episode, Joan the “head secretary” as it were, was showing the new girl, Peggy, to her desk. She pulled the cover off of the typewriter and assured Peggy, “don’t let all of this technology intimidate you.” Later in the same episode, Don, Peggy’s boss, was chastising her for letting a junior executive take a report from his office. “I don’t think there’s a magical machine that makes copies…”

The dialogue is also interesting, the worst word I’ve heard uttered is “Damn.” “That’s neat!” and “that’s swell!” are also common phrases. I don’t know if AMC is like HBO or ShowTime in allowing profanity and nudity, but there hasn’t been any of either on Mad Men. Whenever there’s a sex scene, the camera slowly fades off to the side. I wonder if that’s part of the show’s reflection of the times, intimacy was just that, intimate. Advertising didn’t involve PhotoShopped breasts and sexual aggressiveness, at least not compared to today’s standards.

What’s also weird when watching the show is all of the smoking and drinking. Every single scene has someone smoking. They smoke in bed, in the office, in meetings with clients, at dinner  with their kids, everywhere. I don’t smoke, but I must admit, I’m tempted to light one up when watching. Drinking is another norm as each of the offices is stocked with liquor and meetings are often ended (or started) with a round of drinks.

I know some bloggers and critics have said the show is sexist and there’s no arguing that. For a show set in 1960, did critics expect anything less? How many women were presidents of companies or anything other than secretaries? It was common to call secretaries “sweetheart” or “darling” and to make comments about their dress. All of the black characters on the show are either elevator operators, doormen or maids. Keeping things in context is important when watching a show like this. I know my neighbour Maureen probably wouldn’t watch more than ten minutes of it.

I’m hoping to watch season two this weekend as I’ve become intrigued. The show is very well written and it takes its time in developing the characters. No one show is dedicated to all of the characters, it all unfolds slowly. I must say though how pretty Jon Hamm is. I didn’t think he was pretty enough to be in the bubble when he was on 30 Rock, but there’s something about him on Mad Men. I don’t know if it’s the slicked-back hair or the cool but confident demeanour. Maybe it’s the way he pulls on his cigarette before delivering a line. It’s very seductive.

In honour of the show, I thought I’d post pictures of myself. Even S has agreed to let me post hers. Don’t hold your breath though, the pictures have been made over in true Mad Men fashion:

Me

S

That’s swell, isn’t it?

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