I’ve always been a conscientious objector to the hit AMC television show Mad Men. Sadly the programs long lasting and deeply rooted cultural phenomena has shown no signs of tapering since its 2007 premier, making it require more effort to avoid succumbing to the new TV icon than to continue to ‘hate for hatings sake’. I truly attempted to put aside my hypocritical feminism to try and get why Mad Men is different than the endless other representations of an idyllic patriarchic world, as well as what it offers people that they are so willing to take.
The thing about Mad Men is that the ‘people’ I’m referring too aren’t so far away from myself. A lot of my friends love Mad Men; a lot of friends whose taste I respect love Mad Men. Sometimes upsettingly a lot of my friends are males and males are above and beyond the dominant constituency voting the show into presidency. I objected to Mad Man because I didn’t want to see misogyny done in a cool way, so thanks to the magic of Netflix, I spent the past week watching the first season. Alas, there is no doubt about it. It’s a cool show. Although characters such as Peggy place the blame on women who did not seamlessly move up in the corporate world as she does, which is utter bullshit, Mad Men is a good television show. Striking the perfect sprinkling of seasoned television vets and fresh faces, the cast (outside of John Hamms lackluster Don Draper impression, though I hear he learns how to move his face in the following seasons) blends with a charming chemistry to set this 1960 ad agency drama. The soundtrack frames the show in edge, borrowing some artistic street cred from Bob Dylan and contemporary indie alike. The cinematographers are surely paid well because aesthetically the show is beautiful. Aside from all the technical film jargon I could say without really knowing if it made sense, the retro dresses and constant cigarette smoking is just nice to look at (said the hypocritical feminist). No matter how much I realized my worst fears in enjoying a uniqueness of quality in the production, I have little doubt I will not continue to have an unnecessarily long debate with someone when I find out they are a member of the Mad Men cult.
Yes, I get that life in the 1960’s was sexist. Yes, I do understand this is a depiction of such social relations. But what I find most problematic as mentioned before is what this show offers. I find it almost embarrassing to admit that I feel as if there is some hidden desire in men to be Don Draper, to live in the 1960’s world of endless pretty dresses and endless Lucky Strikes. I can watch American History X, appreciate it for what it expresses, without wanting to be Edward Norton. I watch Mad Men, appreciate it for what it expresses, but I want to be Don Draper. That to me is irresponsible and dangerous. So I will remain a conscientious objector to the show, as I finish watching the next three seasons with lingering thoughts of why so many male advertising majors reference the program when prompted as to how they came to their field of study.
Judge for yourself, the first four seasons of Emmy award winning Mad Men are available for instant play on Netflix. Re-runs play daily on AMC, with season five returning in 2012.
Judge for yourself, the first four seasons of Emmy award winning Mad Men are available for instant play on Netflix. Re-runs play daily on AMC, with season five returning in 2012.
Stacy, you do a great job here with one of the trickiest parts of this assignment: to try to understand what people who like this show like about it, even if it confirms your negative impression of the show. Here's a question to think about, along the lines of "if not this, then what?" If you don't think we should depict patriarchy, can we make art set in the past? Can you make a show about the costs of patriarchal culture for the patriarchs themselves (as, arguably, Matt Weiner is trying to do?) and make your main characters sympathetic without making patriarchy cool? It's a tough question, I think.
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