How many people loved "Mad Men?"

[Jayson1]

I finished the show recently and it is easy one of the top 5 shows all time IMO. It's been a couple of weeks and I still keep thinking about it. Perfectly nailed the times and setting of that era and I love seeing the progression from 1960 to 1970. The show is also way funnier than I thought it would be. I do wish we knew more about what happened to Salvatore Romano after his exit from the show.

 

[DonIago]

I watched the series itself some time ago, but am only now winding down making my way through the commentaries and special features (kudos to TPTB for making a feature-rich disc collection, though it's disappointing that after a certain point the commentaries become more limited in scope). It was a heck of a show, and gave me some distressing insights into the America of the 1960s.

I agree that Sal getting a bum deal is one of my pain points, though I also guess in a way that the last scene that shows him tells us, in a sense, all we need to know. But still, he seemed like one of the less skeezy guys in the series, and I miss him (I'll also be perpetually sad about Lane). Don's firing of him and Harry's part in events were, for me, low points for both characters (though really, in a way Harry falls the farthest of anyone over the run of the series).

After having seen Vincent Karheiser playing Connor in "Angel", he was kind of a revelation as Pete Campbell here.

What's kind of interesting to me is that I'm not sure there were any characters in the series whom it could be said I genuinely liked. Peggy probably came closest, but she has a lot of not-great moments of her own. They were all fascinating to watch, though.

 

[Jayson1]

I think Ginsberg was a nice guy for the most part though he had serious issues of course. Same with Stan who starts off kind of jerk but he kind of evolves. Same with Joan.

 

[StarMan]

Always smile when I think back to the scene of Roger throwing up in the office in front of clients after one too many martinis and oysters.

Fantastic show, and I'd probably put it in my top ten (if I had a list). Though it took me several attempts to get past the first few episodes. I rewatched with my mother and she felt similarly, but I compelled her to persist. She ended up loving it as well.

One of those shows where you can see there were real craftsmen in the writers' room and behind the camera. It was rich, immersive and well executed. I'll probably give it a third go-around down the track.

What's kind of interesting to me is that I'm not sure there were any characters in the series whom it could be said I genuinely liked. Peggy probably came closest, but she has a lot of not-great moments of her own. They were all fascinating to watch, though.

Indeed. My mother liked Peggy less and less as the show progressed. I didn't feel the same but understand why.

 

[Jayson1]

That's probably because Peggy becomes more like Don with each passing season. Only she is more frustrated Don because she can't get away with some stuff he can since he is a man and sexism of the time period.

 

[StarMan]

That's probably because Peggy becomes more like Don with each passing season. Only she is more frustrated Don because she can't get away with some stuff he can since he is a man and sexism of the time period.

Yeah, Peggy sure had to grind.

Their relationship was a highlight of the show.

Roger and Peggy had some memorable moments though.

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Jesus!

 

[DonIago]

Peggy's a great role as a woman who felt (sadly, rightfully so) that she had to compete with basically everyone who she knew she could ultimately outperform simply by virtue of their genitalia, and who lets her personal life slide in the meantime. And I think it could also be argued that her social skills just aren't the greatest.

...I think my last manager was kind of a Peggy, and while I could get along pretty well with her personally, she was kind of a bear to work under.

The Valentine's Day episode in particular is rough because you know why Peggy's acting the way she is, but that doesn't make it okay. She's also kind of rough with some of her boyfriends (not the incident with the spear though; that was legitimately an accident!).

 

[DonIago]

I think Ginsberg was a nice guy for the most part though he had serious issues of course. Same with Stan who starts off kind of jerk but he kind of evolves. Same with Joan.

Ginsberg was a fun nutjob who became a scary nutjob. :| I really enjoyed seeing a Jewish character on the show who got some depth, and I wish they'd done more with him, and I kind of hate that we never hear much about him after he's literally carted off. :|

For me, Stan kind of vacillated between being a jerk and being a nice guy, and he reminds me of those guys who feel they have to be jerks around other guys because that's how other guys expect them to be. Yay, toxic masculinity!

The Joan-Peggy relationship is definitely a highlight of the show. I can't ever imagine myself not being scared to be around her in a professional capacity. I don't know, I feel as though I both do and don't get exactly why she is the way she is, perhaps because I just don't have the kinds of life experiences that would make me more able to relate to her.

 

[StarMan]

^I suppose Joan spent years doing what she could to maintain her standing within the boundaries of that chauvinistic society, then along comes someone like Peggy who breaks into the Boy's Club. They both ended up respecting one another though.

 

[Jayson1]

I think Joan respects Peggy but still doesn't much like her. I think she even likes Don more than Peggy. I think Roger Sterling who she likes best. The person she hates the most is Harry Crane but of course Harry Crane is probably the most hated character across the board with all the characters.

 

[the G-man]

Same with Joan.

Joan was probably the most tragic character on the show. She was at least as smart as most of the male partners but, because she happened to be a few years older than Peggy, had to literally $ce3w her way into a partnership.

 

[the G-man]

Indeed. My mother liked Peggy less and less as the show progressed. I didn't feel the same but understand why.

We did a rewatch last month and the G-woman and I noticed that Peggy became quite the narcissist as the show went on. Effectively stealing her secretary's Valentines Day flowers may have been high(low)light.

 

[the G-man]

I think Joan respects Peggy but still doesn't much like her. I think she even likes Don more than Peggy

Don was the one partner who tried to tell her she didn't have to sleep with that client and there was always an undercurrent of that they "got" each other (and that's probably why they steered clear of each other sexually).