Before the world of social media, Amazon, and QR codes attached to commercials, there was Madison Avenue: Which is a street in New York where many of the largest ad agencies in America are located.
“Mad Men” drops us into the smoke filled office of Sterling Cooper, where I’m pretty sure 75 percent of people just don’t do their job.
I don’t know if I can recall a single scene throughout the show where someone isn’t smoking a cigarette, or drinking, which feels absolutely wild to me.
With that being said, I still think that it is one of the best television series I’ve ever seen.
The main protagonist Donald “Don” Draper portrayed by Jon Hamm. He’s exactly what you would expect. He is tall, suave, and very dapper. He is deeply nuanced, appearing charming and enigmatic. But beneath the gelled hair, tailored suits, and quiet confidence, Don is an extremely troubled man with a checkered past.
The other main character, Peggy Olson, is almost the polar opposite. She is new to the agency, and is hired as Don’s secretary.
She is shy, and the environment of the agency is very foreign to her. Peggy is also a very multifaceted character. What I think makes her especially compelling is that she doesn’t loudly demand change like others in the show; she earns it.
We see Peggy, and most of the women in the show, especially early on in secretary roles. They were alongside the men who did the “advertising work.”
Nevertheless, Peggy shows she is a supertalented copywriter, and has a lot to offer in the field of advertising.
Peggy and Don are the primary people we see the story follow. Both characters are trailblazers in their own way, with both of them having to earn respect in a system that favors insiders.
The series also touches on themes like identity, the culture and evolution of the 1960s, misogyny, infidelity, and emotional hollowness. The show doesn’t gloss over these issues at all either, which makes for a very authentic portrayal of the time.
While the men in advertising spiral through identity crises in tailored suits, the series also does an excellent job of portraying the emptiness, and boredom of being a suburban housewife through the character Betty Draper.
Betty appears to have stepped straight out of a 1960s magazine advertisement. She has everything women of the time were told they wanted but she’s absolutely miserable. The husband, children, and big house can’t fill the hole in her heart.
One thing I especially enjoyed about the series was how the storytelling felt nonlinear. The narrative felt like the people of the agency just simply going about their day. For some this style could feel slow but I personally really enjoyed it.
The side characters are also excellent, and they showcase an exceptional level of depth, and authenticity. Every side character has their own story, and character arc. Which is something I really admired about the show’s writing.
My personal favorite Roger Sterling is one of the two main partners of Sterling Cooper. He has a profound amount of depth, and is perhaps the worst alcoholic in the entire series, besides Don.
Although the series has a very serious and dramatic tone, there are still some humorous moments that are my favorite artistic touch throughout the series.
I really enjoyed each character’s development because it made the show so much more believable.
Although the show is almost perfect the show’s pacing can seem a little slow at times. I like the pacing but certain episodes can drag, which may be an issue for some.
Overall if I were to rate “Mad Men” out of five stars, I would give it four and a half. The show is fantastic, and is definitely worth checking out. It’s nonlinear storytelling, as well as how detailed and believable the characters are, make the show incredibly entertaining.
