What's new

Mad Men: Season Five (1 Viewer)

TravisR

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2004
Messages
42,388
Location
The basement of the FBI building
She's only a guest star so I'd guess she's in 4 or 5 episodes a year. Those 1960's clothes and hair styles really change people's looks because it wasn't until about quarter of the way through the first season of Community that I even realized that Trudy and Annie were the same actor.
 

Greg_S_H

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 9, 2001
Messages
15,846
Location
North Texas
Real Name
Greg
Thanks for the info. I'll probably catch up with this show on either Blu or streaming one of these days, as I'm starting to do with Breaking Bad. I guess I didn't know she was only recurring, but it makes sense with a full commitment to another show.
 

TravisR

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2004
Messages
42,388
Location
The basement of the FBI building
It's been a while but I think it's the show where the guy cooks meth because he's got cancer.
The good thing is that the show's timeline has months long gaps between each season so the major stories are relatively contained in each year.
 

Stan

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 18, 1999
Messages
5,177
AMC started running it from the beginning a few months back. Usually show 2,3 or 4 episodes early on Sunday mornings.
I'm up to episode 24 and really not all that impressed. Why all the hype when this came out. Pan Am sadly got cancelled, but it was a lot more enjoyable to watch than this. My DVR still has up to episode 37 in it, but unless it improves in the next few shows, I'll be erasing it. Whole thing seems very stiff and forced. The only character I like, believe it or not, is Peggy, who is treated terribly most of the time.
Not afraid of spoilers, so is it worth finishing to see how things end up before this next season starts?
 

Patrick Sun

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 30, 1999
Messages
39,659
The strength of this show is how it showcases subtext from the world of the 1960s, reflects it into the face of the world today, making it relevant television if you like such fare. If you simply watch it for plot plot plot, it might not be your cup of tea.
 

Jeremiah

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 22, 2001
Messages
1,578
If you are 24 episodes in and are not into it, I would just stop watching, it's not going to improve for you. By episode 24 you should be in the middle of great TV.
 

Joe_H

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 17, 2001
Messages
1,787
Honestly, I can understand his sentiment. I watch the show and like it, but I wouldn't say that I love it as much as many others seem to.
 

Nelson Au

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 16, 1999
Messages
19,027
I'm really looking forward to when season 5 is out on blu ray. It's how I've been watching it. I guess it will be a long while till it comes out.
Pat, great way to describe Mad Men. I was hooked after the first episode. I couldn't put my finger on why I kept coming back. I also like Pan Am, but it's more surface compared to Mad Men. Though I think the last few episodes have veered towards the way Mad Men went. I hope it's not cancelled.
The characters are not likable in Mad Men. But they are great characters that are drawn realistically. I also identify with Peggy.
 

Aaron Silverman

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 22, 1999
Messages
11,411
Location
Florida
Real Name
Aaron Silverman
Stan, I thought the 4th season had a different tone than the first three -- IMO it was very soapy, but a lot of other people liked it more than I did. I've never seen Pan Am, but who knows, maybe it's more up that alley. You might consider checking out a few season 4 episodes before giving up on the show.
 

Stan

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 18, 1999
Messages
5,177
My sister really enjoyed it and says stick with it so I'll try a little longer.
Maybe my mistake was expecting more of a lighter show with somewhat nicer characters like Pan Am.
Although many of you may be correct, this far into it, if I'm not enjoying it, might be time to just give up on it.
Just seems like there is so little happiness in the show. Everybody seems so backstabbing and superficial. I know it's a drama, but a little levity here and there wouldn't have hurt.
 

Josh Dial

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2000
Messages
4,496
Real Name
Josh Dial
Originally Posted by Stan /t/317541/mad-men-season-five#post_3898091
Just seems like there is so little happiness in the show. Everybody seems so backstabbing and superficial. I know it's a drama, but a little levity here and there wouldn't have hurt.
Three things:

1) The lack of happiness is clearly a main theme of the show, and ties in with what is perhaps the central question of the show: can you re-invent yourself and find happiness? Can anyone truly start over?

2) I'm not sure what show you have been watching for 24 episodes, but virtually every episode from the pilot onward has tons of moments that have me laughing, sometimes to the point of tears (the episode "Guy Walks in to an Advertising Agency," which you haven't seen, forced me to pause I was laughing so much).

3) If you aren't hooked after 24 episodes of arguably one of the greatest shows ever on television, then likely nothing in season three is going to change your mind. I'm not saying this in any mean sense--quite the opposite. Just because a show gets rave reviews and wins all kinds of awards doesn't mean everyone has to like it.

I say cut your losses and find something else. There are a number of solid shows on right now that you might be interested in.
 

ScottH

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2001
Messages
3,410
Real Name
Scott Hanson
I like Mad Men for the most part, but can honestly say I don't ever remember laughing out loud. Every once in a while Roger would get a chuckle out of me, but nothing uproarious.
 

joshEH

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2006
Messages
6,634
Location
Room 303, The Heart O' The City Hotel
Real Name
Josh
Same here. There's the occasional thing like the "Iwo Jima" line (which somebody around here -- I can't remember whom -- has .sigged), but by and large the humor is drier than a popcorn fart, and not terribly obvious.
(...Which I enjoy greatly, mind you.)
 

TravisR

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2004
Messages
42,388
Location
The basement of the FBI building
ScottH said:
I like Mad Men for the most part, but can honestly say I don't ever remember laughing out loud.  Every once in a while Roger would get a chuckle out of me, but nothing uproarious.
I'm sure Roger has gotten the most laughs from me but the funniest thing that stands out in my memory is when the secretary runs the guy's foot over while riding the lawn mower. Maybe I'm sick but the shock and the reactions (from the look on the characters' faces when it happens and Roger's line about "Christ, it looks like Iwo Jima out there") in that scene make me chuckle just thinking about it.
Overall, I think the show occasionally some funny stuff but it's like real life- every now and then, someone says something funny.
 

joshEH

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2006
Messages
6,634
Location
Room 303, The Heart O' The City Hotel
Real Name
Josh
TravisR said:
I'm sure Roger has gotten the most laughs from me but the funniest thing that stands out in my memory is when the secretary runs the guy's foot over while riding the lawn mower. Maybe I'm sick but the shock and the reactions (from the look on the characters' faces when it happens and Roger's line about "Christ, it looks like Iwo Jima out there") in that scene make me chuckle just thinking about it.
Overall, I think the show occasionally some funny stuff but it's like real life- every now and then, someone says something funny.
This. Whenever the really, really overtly-funny stuff happens, it tends to occur in bursts of massive, absurd outrageousness, like the (as you mention) almost-Tarantino-esque lawnmower sequence.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,710
Messages
5,121,136
Members
144,146
Latest member
SaladinNagasawa
Recent bookmarks
0
Top