Mad Men: The Most Overrated Show on TV
Everyone seems to agree on three things for this weekend’s Emmy Awards:
1) 30 Rock will win Best Comedy.
2) Mad Men will win Best Drama.
3) Kanye West will not be invited.
Makes sense, and the predictions are dead on. The only problem is Mad Men doesn’t deserve the award.
Yeah, I said it! Blasphemous, I know. When I test ran that little opinion with friends, they looked at me like I just asked if I could pee on their floor. I think the only thing Joe Wilson could’ve yelled at the President that would’ve been more controversial than “You Lie!” is “Mad Men Sucks!” The show has somehow become a member of TV royalty. It’s not just obsessed over by fans, it’s a matter of national interest. I’ve heard it discussed on sports radio, political podcasts, heck – even Sesame Street is putting together a Mad Man homage. And 30+ Emmy nominations. All for a show that only about 2.5 million people watch and can be best be described as “The Wonder Years” with grown ups. What gives?
Cue the Daniel Stern voice over...
OK, maybe that was a little rough. But haven’t we seen so much of “Mad Men” before? The stifling social climate as America moved into the 1960’s. Oh really, you mean life wasn’t kind to women, blacks, and Jews? Who knew?! How about the pressure that the American Dream puts on a man to be the head of a suburban household and a hero at the office? Nice, but I liked it better when it was called “Death of a Salesman.” Or the absolute cads and scallywags that men can be when left to their own devices? That’s the theme of about 20 Hollywood movies a year, so nothing terribly new there. I think the most generous description I could give “Mad Men” is to say it shows us a man trying to grow and mature and discover who he is just as his country is doing the very same. And that’s good, but it reminds me an awful lot of, well, “The Wonder Years.” Darn. I said it again, didn’t I?
But “Mad Men” isn’t so much about the stories it tells, but rather the way it tells them. That’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it? And you’ve got a point there. It definitely has a style that is rare on TV: not focused so much on plot, but rather on mood. On small little moments that reveal what a person is thinking, the quiet instances in life that define who we truly are. It’s a gutsy way to go, and certainly deserves credit for respecting the intelligence of its audience. “Two and a Half Men” this ain’t. But that kind of writing is very, very hard. After watching so many of Mad Men’s episodes I’m left thinking, “OK, so…what was that?” It’s good, and I was entertained for the most part, but I don’t have any idea what I just saw. It’s symptomatic of the later years of “The Sopranos” (the show that put Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner on the map). You know the show is good, and therefore you must have enjoyed it, but for the life of you don’t know what you’re supposed to take from all the dream sequences and the lingering shots of Tony staring at the ducks in his swimming pool. Mad Med has so many moments like this – Don’s drug trip in Los Angeles, the neighborhood boy’s fascination/crush on Betty, Peggy Olson’s friggin baby, for god sakes – things that feel incomplete. Like loose ends. Entirely acceptable, but the sign of great TV? I don’t think so.
Doesn't get a lot better than this.
But this is how I know “Mad Men” isn’t a TV deity quite yet. What’s your favorite scene in the show’s history? What’s the moment you were just dying to talk about the next day at the office?…… You don’t have one, do you? Or if you do, it took you a bit to think of one. That’s not good. Where’s its Streets of Heaven speech from “West Wing”? Where’s the duel between Omar and Brother Mouzone on “The Wire”? Or the final montage to the same show’s ballsy 2nd season? Or its “Seinfeld” Second Spitter? Or its Tony shooting Big Pussy? “Mad Men” doesn’t have any of these. It’s done nothing that stays with you. Although it has come close. Once. “Mad Men” has one piece of borderline majesty in its coffers, and it’s heads and tails above anything else they’ve done. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Carousel…
Amazing. Beautifully written, subtly acted, artfully revelatory on many of the show’s themes – The Carousel is a winner. If there were more of that, then yes, “Mad Men” would truly be a great show. For now, give me “Breaking Bad”, “30 Rock”, “House”, or “Friday Night Lights” any day. Because “Mad Men”, sadly, is just overrated.
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Brian, I’d like to make an intelligent comment about your analysis of Mad Men, but every time I’ve tried to watch the show I’ve fallen asleep.
Mad who? I’m all about the Glee.
Brian, the first season, I would have agreed, but this is a show that, however slow-moving, really gets a grip on you. I am constantly amazed at how many plot lines the writers can keep going at once, and how many characters they can make you care about.
The Carousel is brilliant. It also points to the series’ strong point–moody, mysterious Don. Where did he come from anyway? And how could someone emerge from such devastating circumstances to become, of all things, an adman?
Feeding off and creating middle class dreams?
As for specific scenes: Drunken Don sitting in his car, the cake for his daughter’s birthday party undelivered? Dinner with the creepy comic?
The fire alarm interrupting two hotel seductions? Peggy dolled up and refusing to be shut out of another boys’ night out with clients? These characters have layers, and though the dialogue can be glib, they are not.
You can have all the other stuff, I love the weekly slow journeys of Mad Men.
I checked your picture and, Brian darling, you’re so young – you can’t (sorry) appreciate what we lived through. I worked as a secretary in New York in the early 60s and at this point in the Mad Men storyline “the times they are a-changin’”. What you are seeing is the calm before the storm. What you are seeing is how ordinary, dull and boring life was back then, with everybody living life as almost robots: first school, then marriage, then children, then old age. They were total clueless as to what was about to happen. Stay tuned!
…totally clueless.
Elsuno – you make a very strong point which I wanted to bring up but cut for length. It seems that Mad Men plays especially strong for those who lived through that era. And I think that’s a totally fair point – 30 year-olds may not be the ideal audience for the program.
I think that hurts Mad Men’s case even more as a candidate for Great TV, but it’s an interesting point nonetheless…
In response to another comment. See in context »Thanks for your comment to my opinion, Brian. There is one other thing. It’s about women. I (AT 71) ADORE THE IMAGE OF DON DRAPER. We also love to see the clothes and the furnishings. But, mostly, Don Draper.
In response to another comment. See in context »Hmm. I think it’s the best drama on TV right now, but I also agree that it’s overrated. Am I having it both ways?
Initially I was turned off by the surface-y stylization; the digital photography and the sets that say, “hey, we’re on a sound stage, showing you glitzy visual clichés of the early 1960’s, but check it out: everyone’s mean! Didn’t see that coming, did you?” As with many things, though, I was wrong. Think of it as Dario Argento on downers; the unreal look is really right, and there’s a lot more there than era-shock value.
What you advocate are more showboating actor-y moments, and I just don’t agree that those make a show great. Whenever David Simon goes on PBS or NPR, we are inevitably treated to the same clip: the chessboard monologue from The Wire, Season 1. The Wire is my favorite show ever. I think it’s the best television show ever. Know what I don’t like? That monologue. It seems like it was made specifically for people who want to know, in three minutes, what the show’s about. It’s the kind of unrealistic pontificating that gets cut out of modern Hamlet adaptations (and rightly so). If you’re not following closely enough to understand that the hoppers know they are just pawns in the game – or that Draper knows he’s neglecting his family – you’re just not paying attention.
No Kramer, I’m not arguing for more showboating. Or, at least, I don’t think I am. I’m arguing for more cohesion, more unity of purpose, more clarity in the writing. But overall I think I want more creativity. 1950’s-60’s America is such severely mined territory at this point, I think it’s really hard to say anything new there. I know Don Draper knows he’s screwing over his family, and I know he feels terribly guilty about it, but I know that at the same time he doesn’t feel like he can stop because it fuels something deeper in him. I know this because Willy Loman felt the exact same things 60 years ago. Mad Men certainly does an artistic job of exploring these issues, but I feel like I know where they’re going already.
And I agree, The Wire is the best TV show ever made. With the possible exception of America’s Funniest Videos, because people getting hit in the balls is deeply hilarious.
In response to another comment. See in context »Well, I didn’t mean to put all the emphasis on the actors. It’s really the sort-of “big scene” (acting/directing/writing-wise) that you seem to imply needs to happen more (among other points you made – mine was certainly not a thorough rebuttal). I see your point, but mine is that I find those scenes often give away a little too much about what the shows’ creators were thinking. They snap me out of my viewing enjoyment and remind me of the hands at work behind the scenes, as it were.
In response to another comment. See in context »The sex scene from ‘The Jet Set’ was a seminal moment in television history. Also that time they smoked cigarettes was awesome. You’re an idiot!
Ladies and gentleman, Dave Litner.
In response to another comment. See in context »Now baby boomers can finally understand their parents (not to mention a few of us Gen X-ers).
I judge a show based on how much it makes me want to watch the next episode. After all the hype about Mad Men, I decided to give it a go. When it was over, I thought, “What the hell were all those people thinking?” I was seriously disappointed and, for a minute, questioned my tastes because I didn’t like what everyone else did. Then I quickly decided that everyone else just had bad taste.
30 Rock, Friday Night Lights and Californication are my favorite shows (whenever I do watch TV).
Actually Marc, same thing happened to me. Watching half of season 1, gave up, then tried again a few months later after my friends wore me down. And I’m happy they did…sort of.
In response to another comment. See in context »Can’t agree…..I wish it was a two hour program……never want it to end. It does appeal mostly to the 50 something because they can relate. This is so clever and I look forward to every Sunday.
I’m sixty something and it doesn’t help me understand my parents or my children — but it could help my kids get a clue. There’s a little something in every character that I can relate to in some way, either because I remember feeling that way or I remember the real people who really were the stereotypes the MM characters represent: Peggy in her quest for a more meaningful and productive life, pushing against everything to make room for herself; Joan Holloway for her simultaneous acceptance of the status quo and the self-loathing that is the result; Betty lost in her own self absorbment and who makes it easy to predict she’ll be one of the women who went to “find” themselves, leaving their husbands and children cold … and on and on. It’s a good show. More power to ‘em.
This backs up my gut feeling about the show- a certain generation will just “get it” and some just will not. Without the context of generational conflicts it’s harder to understand the “moods” of the show unless you get that the characters came of age in Depression-era and Post-War America. The late 50’s and early 60’s were an age of wonder for White American, and a time of rising conflict for Black America. It’s the eve of Civil Rights and Vietnam, and Jack Kennedy is in the White House.
In response to another comment. See in context »The show relies on moods because, frankly, the actors are “silent generation” and just didn’t speak their minds a whole lot. Draper is brilliant- stoically shuffling from week to week, trying to outstep (not outrun) his inner demons.
Wow. I feel so young. My grandparent figures are from this generation, but they have distanced themselves from all that was this time, and I really don’t need to understand their background that much. Once the show is over and done, and out on DVD, then, I will watch it. Regardless of whether it should be or not, it will become a cultural touchstone.
I tried watching this with my gf for the 1st season and I just cannot see what the big deal is.
I understand writing for a show like this is difficult and the actors are good and believable. It just feels like a waste of life and time to invest in watching this series. I’m sorry, but like every show on M crap TV, Mad Men is the most overatted show on TV.
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Mad Men is poorly written, it spews continually lackluster dialogue, and it struggles with one boring plotline after another. The show boasts quite the cast, but this only underscores how poorly the writers have done in utilizing the talent at their disposal. When it first came out I was intrigued, and subsequently watched several episodes, but it didn’t take long to come to the realization that there is simply no “there” there. Short of the somewhat unique premise of the series, there is absolutely nothing about this show that warrants the attention it is getting. Are people really so shallow that they fall for this sophomoric, gimmicky drivel? When I heard that it was actually winning awards I couldn’t even believe by ears. Mad Men is every bit as trite and pathetic as our modern movies and music. Style over substance, nothing more.
I love it.
What I found so intriguing and compelling about Mad Men, is its power to demystify the era my parents lived through and fill in that gap of how we got from there to here.
I haven’t found any TV that comes vaguely close for its skill in creating that document in such a subtle and entertaining way through a culture factory.
There’s a near flawless mesh of humane psychological truth that holds all the characters in their given plot trajectories. And there are so many dimensions to characters that are normally portrayed as bloodless spivs and left largely unexplained.
I thought Catcher in the Rye rather than Death of a Salesman – but where the phony is the most centered and honest protagonist carrying the narrative. I loved that Don’s relationship with the wife of the man whose identity he steals is a more real and truly intimate sanctuary than that which she could have with the man she lost because its chastened by its licentious origins.
You just want to know what happens to him compulsively.
A bit late, but my view (from Australia) is this show is slow and not much really happens but it is so stylish, so beautifully made with interestingly written (if not actually interesting) dialog. Definately style over substance but I’ll keep wathcing.