Mad Men Season 4

[JoJo White]

Starts two weeks from tonight. Best show on TV.

[motherscratcher]

I love Mad Men. I watched season 1+2 on DVD last fall while DVRing season 3 so I'm all caught up. Can't wait for season 4.

But Breaking Bad is the best show on TV.

[e0y2e3]

Just finished seasons 1 and 2, as AMC has been running them On Demand. Season 3 goes up tonight, so I'll finish it before jumping into season 4.

Damn solid show.

Next year I'm going to do the same catch up on Breaking Bad, since AMC starts running all seasons of their shows to catch up a couple of months before the season premiers.

Although my best friend has laid out an argument that Breaking Bad is better than The Wire, so I already hate it because that is not possible.

[motherscratcher]

Just finished seasons 1 and 2, as AMC has been running them On Demand. Season 3 goes up tonight, so I'll finish it before jumping into season 4.

Damn solid show.

Next year I'm going to do the same catch up on Breaking Bad, since AMC starts running all seasons of their shows to catch up a couple of months before the season premiers.

Although my best friend has laid out an argument that Breaking Bad is better than The Wire, so I already hate it because that is not possible.

I just finished season 1 of the Wire. Obviously I will have to see more before drawing any conclusions but Season 1 was astounding. I think in the end The Wire will win out (and I only think that because it's living up to the hype). But it will be close. That's how good BB is.

[FUDU]

Cant wait, I think Don and Roger have a rough go of it, they'll be at each others throats. I also think Joan gets unleashed this season hopefully completely unleashed.

[motherscratcher]

Cant wait, I think Don and Roger have a rough go of it, they'll be at each others throats. I also think Joan gets unleashed this season hopefully completely unleashed.

I think you're right about Don and Roger. I can't say I'm wild about it though. I love it when those 2 are on the same page. Don't like it as much when they are "fighting" or whatever you want to call it.

Joan makes me wish this was an HBO show.

[FUDU]

I'd have been happy with Joan being on Nip/Tuck.

[JoJo White]

Joan makes me wish this was an HBO show.

Matthew Weiner pitched the show to HBO and Showtime, but neither wanted it.

[e0y2e3]

Joan makes me wish this was an HBO show.

Matthew Weiner pitched the show to HBO and Showtime, but neither wanted it.

I thought that was Breaking Bad, not Mad Men?

Or is it both?

[JoJo White]

If wiki can be believed, it was at least Mad Men. Not sure about Breaking Bad.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Men

In 2000, while working as a staff writer for Becker, Matthew Weiner wrote the first draft for the pilot of what would later be called Mad Men as a spec script.[7][8] Television producer David Chase recruited Weiner to work as a writer on his HBO series The Sopranos after reading the pilot script in 2002.[7][9] "It was lively, and it had something new to say," Chase said. "Here was someone [Weiner] who had written a story about advertising in the 1960s, and was looking at recent American history through that prism."[9] Weiner set the pilot script aside for the next seven years – during which time neither HBO nor Showtime expressed interest in the project[7][8]—until The Sopranos was completing its final season and cable network AMC happened to be in the market for new programming.[9] "The network was looking for distinction in launching its first original series," according to AMC Networks president Ed Carroll "and we took a bet that quality would win out over formulaic mass appeal."[7][10]

[waborat]

Although my best friend has laid out an argument that Breaking Bad is better than The Wire, so I already hate it because that is not possible.

I used to tell everyone The Wire was the best ever...

Now that it's finished, I tell everyone BB is the best ever...

My brain's turnin to oatmeal the older I get and I can't even tell if Snickers are better than Kit Kats anymore...

Bottom line, ya can't go wrong with either one

[FUDU]

Just an FYI for AT&T Uverse customers, I heard there is a contract dispute between AT&T and whomever and if not resolved by tonight or tomorrow midnight AMC (along with a few other channels) with be removed from the Uverse catalog...meaning no Mad Men for you.

Might want to look into it, make some disgruntled phone calls.

[JoJo White]

Season premeire tonight - hopefully, this season will be more like Seasons 1 & 2 than last year. Not saying Season 3 was bad, but it definitely took a step back, just like the Sopranos in Season 3.

The Sopranos never got the magic of Seasons 1 & 2 back - hopefully, that won't be the case with Mad Men.

[jack_tors]

I am completely psyched about the premiere of this show tonight. From all accounts I have read of this season, they are good and thankfully provide little spoilers. I think the departure of the Sterling Cooper office opens a world of possibilities for storylines and character growth. Cannot wait for this evening!

[metalhead9x9]

Man, oh man. I was expecting a lot of change, but this is almost like a whole different show with all the change of scenery. Weiner somehow managed to take a show already established in its greatness and reinvent it.

It's still great, but I'm surprised (and impressed) that Weiner has the balls to leave so many memorable characters stranded at the old S&C. I'll definitely miss Kenny Cosgrove's icy coolness, Paul Kinsey's insufferable pretentiousness, and Sal Romano's charming gayness.

[mitch]

Ken Cosgrove is definitely going to be featured. Sal definitely is not. Not sure about Paul.

Awesome first episode...although I have to admit I was almost hoping that when Henry and Betts were making out in the garage that maybe they forgot that the car was running and they both died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Don having to resort to hookers? Wow.

Love the concepts of the first episode...especially taking them from a fat and happy successful agency to one having to fight and scratch to survive.

[JoJo White]

Very good first episode. "Everyone knows this is temporary"...Boom.

[jack_tors]

Roger Sterling stole that episode again with his one liners.. "Go out tonight and if you are lucky for Thanksgiving, you can stuff her." LMAO

In all seriousness though, great first episode. Each character evolved or changed a lot but held on to why we like, or in some cases dislike (paging Betty..), in the first place. Its as if a whole new Don Draper is going to form this season. When he kicked those clients out of the office, it was excellent. Its like anger is the underlying theme of the season.

I like the supporting cast more as well but please, for the love of god, more Joan.

[metalhead9x9]

When he kicked those clients out of the office, it was excellent. Its like anger is the underlying theme of the season.

I didn't sense outright anger. That was as calculated a PR move as Peggy puppeteering that supermarket bitchfight for the last ham. Don wanted the public to know that he's at the forefront of the new guard and those old farts who didn't want to show skin is the old guard. He couldn't get that WSJ reporter on the phone fast enough after that stunt.

Roger Sterling stole that episode again with his one liners.. "Go out tonight and if you are lucky for Thanksgiving, you can stuff her" LMAO

"Wooden leg. They're so cheap they couldn't afford a whole reporter." Guy's a quote machine.

[jb]

Where is Betty's character going?

[e0y2e3]

Hopefully to driving a car w/ herself and her fuckstick of a husband off a cliff.

[FUDU]

The first half of this season, if not all, will be about the tearing down of Don Draper for the purpose of building him back up better, stronger, faster.

...and that last 3 minutes tonight, not sure if that was more uncomfortable for her, Draper, or me. Fucking ouch!

[jack_tors]

The first half of this season, if not all, will be about the tearing down of Don Draper for the purpose of building him back up better, stronger, faster.

...and that last 3 minutes tonight, not sure if that was more uncomfortable for her, Draper, or me. Fucking ouch!

I think you nailed it on the head.

Nice to see Rumson back and instead of being his hard drinking, annoying self, he has evolved into a somewhat likable character.

Also the way that Lee from Lucky Strike shit all over Roger and company seems to foreshadow the tough times that lay ahead for Lucky Strike and Cooper Sterling Draper and Price.

And good lord did Joan look phenomenal in that red dress. There's a reason its stuck in Roger's memory.

[jack_tors]

A nice recap of episode 2. Note, you wont want to read it if you havent seen the episode. I found it a nice read and figured I would pass it along.

http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/2010/08/02/mad-men-watch-christmas-stalkings/

[mitch]

Evidently Don still has a few falls yet before he hits rock bottom.

It is not going to end well for his secretary, Allison. Bad enough that he totally dissed her the night after drunkenly taking advantage of her...next week it looks like he's asking her to accompany him somewhere. Bad move on her part to accept.

What the eff is Peggy doing with that loser? Laughed my ass off when he was talking to her as if she were a virgin.

Not sure how I feel about Freddy being back. The guy may have been the one who recognized Peggy's talent, but he's just too clueless.

I do know how I feel about Glen being back...Creepiest. Kid. Ever.

Lee Garner, Jr.: The man most deserving to end up on Dexter Morgan's table (yes, I am allowed to mix my quality TV show metaphors). I was really hoping that Roger would just kick him in the balls, and then we could see how SterlingCooperDraperPrice could do without the Big Tobacco safety net.

So who does Don bang next: the southern nurse neighbor or the blonde research doctor?

[motherscratcher]

No kidding on Glen. That kid is fantastic. I just found out the other day that he's actually the son of the creator Matt Weiner. So his old man is writing that material for him. Yikes. Whatever, the kid is perfectly cast.

I do feel a little bad for the secretary, but on the other hand, what the hell was she expecting? It's Don Effing Draper. She knows how it works. At least she should. Did she think she was his girlfriend now?

As far as Peggy, I just think she's lonely and has nothing better to do. She doesn't really like him, but is taking pity on him. As Freddy said, Blue Balls are "very uncomfortable physically."

You think that would work? If I told a girl "You're so hot that it's giving me blue balls, which is very uncomfortable physically. Can you help me out?"

[FUDU]

Draper better do that blond research doctor, just b/c I want to....

The other thing about this show is the evolution of a woman in the real world. It is unreal how well they nail it as the weeks slowly go by.

Odds on Don doing Peggy before seasons end, or at least almost doing her?

[FUDU]

You think that would work? If I told a girl "You're so hot that it's giving me blue balls, which is very uncomfortable physically. Can you help me out?"

The problem there is Peggy is not hot, in the least, not even 1960's she was born 23 years before I was hot.

[e0y2e3]

So all of you guys are going to ignore the fact that Don not closing the deal w/ the nurse, PR lady and young chick he went out on a date w/ is a symptom of his continued drunken downward spiral?

Old Don would have closed all three of them w/out even trying. Fuck, they probably would have just jumped on him w/ out him even asking.

This Don smells bad and it's putting the ladies off. Beyond Allison, who obviously has had a long term thing fantasy involving Don, as you can clearly tell from her reactions, he's failing at every turn, and is just living out that fantasy for a few minutes before even she eventually smells new Don.

Not sure when he'll pull out of it, but his failure w/ the women is not simply a "well, when is he going to bang em" thing and is really "wow, Don Draper just didn't bang them" thing.

[motherscratcher]

So all of you guys are going to ignore the fact that Don not closing the deal w/ the nurse, PR lady and young chick he went out on a date w/ is a symptom of his continued drunken downward spiral?

Old Don would have closed all three of them w/out even trying. Fuck, they probably would have just jumped on him w/ out him even asking.

This Don smells bad and it's putting the ladies off. Beyond Allison, who obviously has had a long term thing fantasy involving Don, as you can clearly tell from her reactions, he's failing at every turn, and is just living out that fantasy for a few minutes before even she eventually smells new Don.

Not sure when he'll pull out of it, but his failure w/ the women is not simply a "well, when is he going to bang em" thing and is really "wow, Don Draper just didn't bang them" thing.

Nailed it. It isn't a coincidence that he's striking out right now, and I don't think it's just a matter of when he nails those women. I think Don is still half a season away from rock bottom. And, the ride down is going to be bumpy as hell.

I do think he'll eventually pull out of it and resume being "Don Draper, Wool Puller Extraordinaire." The show is simply better off with a cool Don. I don't think it works long term with "Loser Don Who Can't Get Laid." But right now it's a cool arc.

[jb]

Evidently Don still has a few falls yet before he hits rock bottom.

It is not going to end well for his secretary, Allison. Bad enough that he totally dissed her the night after drunkenly taking advantage of her...

Really?

She was on top and he was the one hammered.

Who took advantage of whom?

[jb]

So all of you guys are going to ignore the fact that Don not closing the deal w/ the nurse, PR lady and young chick he went out on a date w/ is a symptom of his continued drunken downward spiral?

Don walked on them, not vice verse. So I don't get your take there, Lee. More? Is there a foreshadowing reason for an AA chatacter on the set this year? That what you're thinking?

I hope they do the Meskin vacation. That could get freaky.

This is where the season is heading, BTW. Too many signals:

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/lib ... nc2b_8.htm

[e0y2e3]

Uhm, the date wouldn't invite him upstairs after several overtures (it used to not even take asking).

The nurse walked away and said "I had a dad that was an alchy, behave or I won't take your shoes off"

The PR Lady flat out turned down his dinner invite.

Not sure where you are getting mixed signals.

[metalhead9x9]

So along with the many other things he's learned on his freefall to rock bottom, Don has found out that pimpin ain't easy.

[mitch]

So along with the many other things he's learned on his freefall to rock bottom, Don has found out that pimpin ain't easy.

And then you're going to also add the impending death of Anna, who seems to be his only rock to cling to during this time...

[jack_tors]

So along with the many other things he's learned on his freefall to rock bottom, Don has found out that pimpin ain't easy.

And then you're going to also add the impending death of Anna, who seems to be his only rock to cling to during this time...

Don Draper cant catch a break this season.. well at least through the end of 1965. Gonna wonder what direction he goes. After episode 1 of this season, I thought he was going hard core prick, Wall St type. Now this episode shows he had heart in his dealings with Anna and was decent to Lane by showing him a good time. A lot of conflicting behavior this season..

Finally, more Joan. Keep it up Weiner.

And if this season has shown anything, its that the show is BETTER without Peter Campbell. Just show his hot wife and let him stand in the background.

[FUDU]

Not sure if anyone's game threaded a TV show before but GD is this a good episode, so many puns I could use.

Been waiting a long time to see Roger get really pissed, and if this tearing down and reconstruction of Don isn't akin to the WTC....(not to make light of that day).

EAT: he's gonna do the blonde Dr, and JB was right way back when, gramps was touchin little Sally. Book it.

...and the new secretary is hilarious.

[mitch]

Not sure if anyone's game threaded a TV show before but GD is this a good episode, so many puns I could use.

Been waiting a long time to see Roger get really pissed, and if this tearing down and reconstruction of Don isn't akin to the WTC....(not to make light of that day).

EAT: he's gonna do the blonde Dr, and JB was right way back when, gramps was touchin little Sally. Book it.

...and the new secretary is hilarious.

Totally with you on all points.

As soon as the Doc stated that she was just faking the marriage thing, I knew it's only time before Don nails her.

And the instant Betty started talking about dear departed dad, I was thinking, "oh, shit, that old pervert HanKKKed her".

So which worthless husband dies first? Joan's Dr. Dick in Nam or Henry?

[DarNoor]

This show just keeps getting better and better. I love how Don schooled Ted. And as Mitch said, Don's new secreatary is hilarious. Oh, and i think Joan's husband bites it first. And it was just a matter of time before Roger went nuts on someone.

[jb]

So along with the many other things he's learned on his freefall to rock bottom, Don has found out that pimpin ain't easy.

He's gonna struggle his way until he finally hooks up with research psychologist and have a grown up meaningful relationship and get his shit together.

Meanwhile, the REAL shit hitiing the fan is Sally getting psychiatric care at last. I predict it will come out that Granpappy Gene was touchin on her. Betty will deny and freak out only for it to come out that he did it to her and her Mother stoned her when she tried to bring it up and get help as a kid, and that's why she's such a cold, repressed, screwed up c***. Don will hit the roof and Betty will fall apart. Don may end up with the kids. BTW - Henry Francis is a joke. Betty hates him.

Calling it all.

[jb]

And it was just a matter of time before Roger went nuts on someone.

Thought that was amazing, and put in the context of The Pacific, completely understandable.

[jack_tors]

So along with the many other things he's learned on his freefall to rock bottom, Don has found out that pimpin ain't easy.

He's gonna struggle his way until he finally hooks up with research psychologist and have a grown up meaningful relationship and get his shit together.

Meanwhile, the REAL shit hitiing the fan is Sally getting psychiatric care at last. I predict it will come out that Granpappy Gene was touchin on her. Betty will deny and freak out only for it to come out that he did it to her and her Mother stoned her when she tried to bring it up and get help as a kid, and that's why she's such a cold, repressed, screwed up c***. Don will hit the roof and Betty will fall apart. Don may end up with the kids. BTW - Henry Francis is a joke. Betty hates him.

Calling it all.

I could see that all working out, JB. There was definitely some tension in the room while Don and the Doc were sipping Saki.

And the grandpa is most definitely a pederast. 8 yr olds dude. Signs of his abuse are everywhere in this show.

Also, as someone else said, this was definitely Pete's best episode of the series. I normally hate him but he was quite good in this episode. Nice moral dilemma they put Roger in, damned if he does, damned if he doesnt.

[jb]

Also, as someone else said, this was definitely Pete's best episode of the series. I normally hate him but he was quite good in this episode. Nice moral dilemma they put Roger in, damned if he does, damned if he doesnt.

It is a nice example of the times changing in microcasm, isn't it?

The bottom falling out of tobacco advertizing on TV and the rise of imports.

I hope this show has many more seasons so we can see Peggy move to Haight-Ashbury and Don invent Joe camel.

[FUDU]

I think tonight's episode can pretty much be summed up by this:

[mitch]

This episode absolutely killed.

Best line was from Joan; "You've crossed the border from lubricated to morose".

Don thinking he was bedding a hot groupie when in fact he was banging the homely Waffle House waitress?

Peggy getting naked to show up the blowhard?

Kenny Cosgrove coming onboard?

And the whole flashback sequence of Don pestering Roger into a job...works on several levels; Roger feeling totally inadequate, passed over by Don...and now the midget cousin of Roger's trophy wife coming in to SCDP the same way Don did earlier.

Best show right now on TV.

[metalhead9x9]

That was really weird, watching Mad Men win an Emmy and SCDP win a Clio at the same time.

Oh, and Don pathetically flinging pitches and hooking up with an uggo diner waitress? If that wasn't a thud I heard then he's in for a world of hurt.

[FUDU]

That was really weird, watching Mad Men win an Emmy and SCDP win a Clio at the same time.

Oh, and Don pathetically flinging pitches and hooking up with an uggo diner waitress? If that wasn't a thud I heard then he's in for a world of hurt.

That was tower one collapsing, the second goes down within the next two episodes, then the rebuild begins.

Love the parallels to Roger's life now coming through for Don.

[jb]

Don thinking he was bedding a hot groupie when in fact he was banging the homely Waffle House waitress?

Interetsing Mitch, I read it differently piring it with missing his parenting time (putz).

I think he did do that groupie and then kept drinking and had a two - thre day bender old school Days of Wine and Roses crazy hallucinating alcoholic portrayal. (Which I never understood, much llke refer madness) If the awards thing was Friday, he hooks up with groupie, and then what wasn't shown was grouping leaving, Don continuing to drink like a wild man, he goes out for maintenence eating and picks up Waffle House girl. FF to the call waking him un on Sunday late morning.

You add that to his drunken pitch to Life cereal that was a farce, Peggy carrying his ass more and more, and you see a man headed for a horrific fall. His quality oif work blows, his quality of life blows, and yet he's never been more celebrated.

[mitch]

I think you're right, JB...just remembered that Betty was bitching at him that it was Sunday, so it would have been the groupie on Friday night and the Waffle House horseface on Saturday night.

And did you catch how Doris called him "Dick"? Guess he's trying to re-do his pickup lines, especially after he was totally shot out of the saddle by the hot doc once again.

In real life, Don probably died of liver failure on his 49th birthday.

[FUDU]

Yeah that was a two day bender for him, IMO two completely different women.

Interesting to note that the lives of Don and Betty have both declined since they split up, making me wonder that despite it not working out with them together maybe they need each other to survive (in some strange way). Is one of the deeper routed goals of all this going to be to put them two back together at some point? I really don't see Henry being a part of any of this down the line, they're gonna kill him off with a heart attack or something.