The New Season of Mad Men is Finally Starting!!!

Okay, so to be truthful, I wasn't always a Mad Men fan. In fact I did not even know the show existed until it started winning all these awards including four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series for each of its four seasons. However, even then I wondered what all the fuss was about. That all changed with my viewing of the first episode. My son had started watching Mad Men on Netflix. He thoroughly enjoyed it and proceeded to watch the first four seasons over the course of a couple of months. He was on summer vacation; I decided that my husband and I should start watching it too even though we did not have as much free time. I didn't allow my daughter to watch it because I didn't think she was old enough...and I was right! Well, it took my husband and I about six months to watch the first four seasons, but it was definitely worth it. We were hooked from the first episode of the first season and now are anxiously awaiting Season 5 to begin on Sunday, March 25th.

In case you didn't know, Mad Men is on AMC on Sunday nights. After watching it whenever I had free time, it is going to be pretty difficult waiting a week for each new episode, but oh well I will just have to suffer throught it!

Some of you who aren't already fans are probably wondering why I chose to write about the show. Well, first of all it is (in my opinion) probably one of the most well written and thought out shows that I have seen in a very long time. It is entertaining and historically correct. Even though I was born in the late 60's and the first four seasons take place in the early 60's I feel like I am being taken back in time when I watch the show. There is alot of drinking and smoking in the show because it takes place in the 1960's and people have not learned about the dangers of these vices. People drink and drive without seat belts. It is all very realistic. The clothing, the furniture, the events that take place are very timely and accurate. There is mention of the death of JFK, the Beatles, civil rights, etc. It has it all. I even love the music at the beginning of each episode. Then there are the characters; all of them are intriguing and most are endearing, even Don Draper.

The story revolves around the advertising firm of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. Every character from the partners to the secretaries has a key role in the goings on and the dynamics of the firm. Their interactions are the heart of the show. I can't even tell you that I have a favorite character because they are all so engaging. We do get a glimpse into the personal lives of the characters, especially Don Draper, but the best episodes are when the people from the firm interact with each other.

Bert Cooper is the oldest partner and he is the most eclectic. He does not allow anyone to walk into his office with shoes on and he has a very dry sense of humor.

Roger Sterling is also a partner, but he inherited the partnership from his father, so he has not had to work as hard as everyone else. He left his wife for a much younger secretary, but his true love is Joan, the office manager. Sterling is often the source of the funniest lines.

Don Draper was the most mysterious character, but through the first four seasons we learn a lot about him. He took the name of a dead soldier and much of what he does is directly related to living with this secret. He cheated on his wife Betty more times than I like to count, but there is a vulnerability about him (which he does not show often) which makes him, shall I say...endearing.

Joan Harris is the gorgeous and voluptuous office manager. She keeps her cool, most of the time, but has a very soft spot for Roger Sterling....even though she is "happily" married to a doctor, Greg....

Peggy Olson started out as Don Draper's secretary but is now a copywriter with her own office. When you first meet the character in Season One, you think she is the ultimate goody goody, but let's just say she has many layers....

Pete Campbell is young and ambitious and often at odds with Don Draper, but is smart enough to know that it is better to be on the same team with him. He comes from a prestigious family and has married well to Trudy although he is not always perfect...

Some other interesting characters are: Betty Francis (formerly Draper), Trudy Campbell, Ken Cosgrove, Henry Francis, Sally Draper, Duck Phillips and many more...

The acting in this drama is exquisite and I look forward to many more excellent seasons.

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