Is any else as addicted to this show as I am? I had never really heard of it until it began winning a lot of awards and then I decided to check it out.

My BFF told me she was amazed that I had not ever watched it. I went to my local video store and rented the whole first season and I was hooked.

I love the period it was filmed in (1960s) and the show is so true to the costuming, sets, and everything involved in that era. I can now hardly wait for tonight's show!!

I'm getting hooked.

I missed the first season. Glad to know it's available for rental so I can catch up.

I'll be renting season one too. I've heard great things about this show!

Rent the first season, it is on 4 discs and I watched it in 2 days! The thing I like about it is that the characters are so multi-dimensional that one cannot wait for each layer to be peeled and a new factoid found out about that character!

There are so many twists and turns to the show that I felt like I couldn't miss even one show without missing a big piece of the plot. You will see what I mean when you watch it. And the main character, Don Draper, well all I can say is MAMAMMAMAMA what a hottie he is.

Let me know your opinions of it!

Dh and I just finished watching the whole first season on On Demand on our cable TV and are definitely hooked. But, my god, did EVERYONE cheat back then?

I don't think everyone cheated, but can you believe the smoking and the alcohol consumption?

Chardkay, as an ex-smoker, Mad Men is absolute smoking porn. At my office, we have some 1950-1960s issues of Collier's and the Saturday Evening Post and half the ads are for cigarettes and liquor. Giving a carton of cigarettes for a Christmas present seemed to be a pretty respectable thing to do back in the day.

I've watched Mad Men on AMC from the beginning. Season 2 was off to a slow start, IMO, and I was worried that it was going to steer more towards this girly, Sex and the City vein, but yesterday's episode was pretty good. I miss Don's previous beatnik girlfriend, though.

I love love love Mad Men. The clothes, hair, makeup, the sets, everything is dead-on.

Great show. I love it here.

I KNOW!!! I quit 10 years ago, but this show makes me want to light up a ciggie with a Zippo lighter! I love the clothing, so vintage, and what I wore back in the day. I love that redhead office manager and her sexy outfits.

Count me in as another fan...I keep telling myself it's too late (10pm) on a Sunday night to be up watching...but there I am, keeping the cats up every Sunday night! I was lucky to have caught the marathon they ran before this season started up again...I might still rent the last 2 I missed! Great visually, storyline, and character development...love watching every minute!

Doesn't it seem to you like almost every character has more 'little secrets' that are yet to be revealed. I am concerned about what Peggy said to her sister about
'being capable of making my own decisions' and her sister replied 'wonder if the state of New York and your doctors would agree with that?' There are little teasers all the time in the character development, that's what makes it so interesting. And that wife, Betty, what a little china doll she is portrayed as! I think there are many facets of her that we will also soon see.

Yes !!! They're Ad Men !!! Remember all the cigarette and booze commercials ??!!! growing up??? LoL

I watched it sporadically the first season, as my hub was glued to the set (his Da was a small town, small business
ad man, during same era), and I couldn't believe how well-written and plotted it was. I missed the first episode this
new season, but watched the 2nd episode. For those who have seen it ..... Draper's idea of foreplay is quite interesting,
and the woman's lounge at Lutece, too (!) The wife/agent (whoever she is) reminds me of a young Joanne Woodward.


Season 2's shaping up to be a good'un...... ';-)

I started wearing red lipstick again (went neutral for a while) after watching Mad Men. I want a Manhattan every time I watch. And a cigarette. And a new pair of high heels.

...and a girdle...uh, no. I'm a huge fan and have been riveted to the TV since the first episode. Even bought the first season DVD release (if you got it early enough it came in a facsimile of a Zippo lighter -- really cool) and have written about Joan for my blog (okay, shameless plug, I know.) But I love & adore Mad Men for the writing and the production design...and the characters...and the clothes...enough already.

In 1960/62, I was the age of Don and Betty's daughter. My mother had to get dressed up a lot, as my parents had functions they had to go to. I remember her cursing the girdle, the "Merry Widow" (a sort of bustier that resembled a medieval torture device), the stockings, the armored bras and slips and dress shields and hair spray and all the rest of it. To get that Joanie look, you had to be trussed up like a turkey at Thanksgiving. It took her hours to dress for an evening out.

Yeah, I want a cigarette and a Manhattan too.

Ugh, I NEED a girdle, but I could never wear one. My mother owns several real fur coats but never wears them anymore. The only time she did was when she had a Russian coworker who didn't give a damn about politically correct sentiments and small rodent death. She told my mother to stop being silly and just wear the coats! Add in a good dousing of No. 5 and my mom was a bombshell. She looked great in a fur coat. Who doesn't? From pimps to pin-ups, EVERYONE looks fantastic in fur.

Yippee, I get my Mad Men fix tonite. I love this show, now finding myself looking for various 'clues' to the different, multi-layered characters!!!

I love this era. I love a manhattan, I miss my cigs and I'm a sucker for a pair of stilettos.
I've gotta stay away from this show.

This era is when I worked as a legal secretary, wore stilettos, a size 7 dress (back when size 7 meant size 7) smoked and wore Je Revien fragrance!!

Chardkay, I have recently gotten hooked on it, too. I've watched three or four episodes. That Don Draper! I wish his wife would stop complaining already!

I'm sorry I didn't get in on this at the beginning. When I get the time I'm going to go to ON DEMAND and catch up.

Sunday night at 10:00 I weaned DH away from the Olympics, and he was instantly sucked in.

Oh -- and as late as 1979, I gave my boss a carton of Dunhill cigarettes (which I favored myself at the time) as a reward for doing my taxes. We loved to kick back and smoke. Those were the days.

I wonder what is up with Betty (Don's wife) and her anger towards her son ("he's such a little liar") That is becoming one bigtime dysfunctional family. The daughter getting wasted at the office with her Daddy, mixing his drinks at home. Then Betty & Don getting wasted on a Sunday afternoon and her forgetting to feed the kids dinner.

I said the same thing to Mr. Durango ---""Don't they have great parenting skills.... lol" Betty should know better.... She graduated
Bryn Mawr (must have been at the bottom of her class).... ;-)

Sounding more and more like a Mommie Dearest scenario with children making drinks for adults, parents being resentful and upset at their children (wishing to have them beaten), getting wasted and forgetting about their kids, etc... "I can feel a Joan coming on" LOL!!!

All in all, I love this show!!

I think there are many layers to Miz Betty that haven't been unwrapped yet, that little protected china doll!!

Last night's show was excellent!


And oooooh how I hate that Pete Campbell!

For new fans of this show, this coming Sunday will be a marathon of the first 5 shows on the second season and then the sixth following that. You can catch up to date on the whole second season that way!!! I believe the first one starts at 5PM eastern time and continues on.......

When Peggy addressed Don by his first name last night, it was such a ninja move!

Loved it.

What's everyone's favorite episode so far? Mine's the one from Season 1 with Peggy pitching the Rejuvenator and Betty thinking about the air conditioner salesman.

You mean where Betty stood up against the washer when it went into spin cycle? I loved that one as well. This whole series is great!!!

I'm not sure what my favorite episode is. I'm still not through Season 1 yet, I've just watched the first 3 episodes of Season 1. I'm caught up on Season 2 because it was on On Demand.


The second episode of Season 2 is pretty good, though.


Have you all seen this site--

Would Would Don Draper Do?

OMG, I love this site, where did you find it?

Just Googling around. There's another site too, not as funny but also entertaining:

What Would Joan Holloway Do?



Isn't Christina Hendricks gorgeous?

I'm making my way through Season 1 and I saw this episode (where Joan and Bert are in the elevator, above).



I was so happy when there was a perfume reference! Her roommate is zipping up her dress, and says, "MMM, Shalimar."


Joan rocks the Shalimar!


I need to start looking on these people's dressers for perfume bottles. There is one episode where it shows people getting ready for work, and Joan and Peggy are putting on perfume, but I didn't catch what it was.

I was *quite* young back in that pre-Beatles era and I clearly recall everyone - everyone, everywhere - with cigarettes stuck in their faces! Talking about the 'costuming' - I remember those poufy or sheath dresses with zippers up the sides, nylons, spike heels - and pointy bras and girdles!

Now I feel ooooold. Maybe I should make myself available on the lecture circle. A sort of living history presentation. I could hobble out into the spotlight in an over the top early 60's costume and take questions from the audience....("yes, dear, cigarettes were 35 cents a pack and I used to run down to the drugstore as a tyke and buy them for my mother"....yes, my own mother wore stilettos, and you should have seen the bunions on her feet!....")

LoL !! Sali, I'm laughing quite hard. I'd be up there w/you 'demonstrating' ;-)

Okay, Char. I'm all caught up thru Season One, thanks to Netflix, and I'm about to start watching everything I've missed so far in Season Two.

I'm officially obsessed with this fantastic show!

Jon Hamm is just so perfect.

Glad to hear you enjoy it Mary! I so look forward to each show. I even then read the update and review on EW.com which kind of updates the show the night before.

Last night's show was great! It's one of those shows that it seems like nothing is going on, but the tension is definitely building.

Last night's show Was great ! It was all about the Women --- Bets confronts Don about his philandering and shuts him out of the house,
Peggy takes down the parish priest (Tom Hanks' son Colin Hanks) for not supporting her 'pro bono' efforts (being a pantywaist) and
clearly is rethinking her 'past' (the bathtub scene), the Office Mngr (played by Christina Hendricks) is 'used' and tossed by Harry Crane,
and then we finally get to meet her fiance -- the young doctor --- who's clearly got his own agenda for her. Wonderful plotting and
acting.

1. I had to watch the episode 2x because I didn't understand what exactly provoked Betty from that TV clip she was watching. Wow. Let's see if Don can keep his "deny everything" strategy.

2. When Harry Crane wouldn't even think of officially hiring Joan for the position, my stomach turned a bit.

Question for watchers:

What was your take on the scene of Father Gill relieving himself of his garb and sitting down to play the guitar? Do you think that Father Gill is second-guessing his calling, wishing he was sharing soap with Peggy in the tub, or simply reaching out to a complicated soul? Is Joan heading for a breakdown? Does Warren, the banana eater, remind you of The Office's Kevin? Do you agree with me that however fine season 1 was, season 2 is leaving it in its glorious wake?

On the Father Gill guitar scene, I only thought "the Bob Dylan/folk singer" era is just around the corner. Folk guitar music is rather prevalent in Catholic churches these days.

I don't think Joan is heading for a breakdown. She's a very worldly, cool customer.

Betty, though! Even I'm nervous when she's angry.

I'm really concerned for Betty and the children - I'm afraid something tragic is going to happen. The beauty of this show is that it moves so carefully that you almost think nothing is going on, but everything is broiling under the surface.

My thoughts, in a spoilerbox (highlight to read):

1. I thought that seeing Jimmy Barrett "play the fool" on TV made her angry that she was "playing the fool" IRL w/Don. Jimmy is a painful reminder that the façade is crumbling.

2. My heart broke for Joan as well. I don't know what is going to happen with her character. Apparently her fiancé wants her to be a housewife after marriage. And the thing with the bra strap digging into her shoulder at the end: could she be pregnant?

3. Father Gill: I just thought that he was interested in saving her soul. (And no that's not a euphemism! ) He knows about Peggy's past thanks to her sister's confession, so perhaps he wants to bring her back into the fold. And yes, at around this era, a lot of folk guitar music began entering into Catholic Masses. I think it was probably introduced as a way of bringing young people (back) into the fold. I think Father Gill is a Jesuit (don't know where I got that idea, though), so he would be rather progressive.

4. Betty and the children is a VERY interesting point. I'm a little scared too. Although she doesn't seem like a "bad" mother (okay, there was that one Sunday where she was too drunk to make them dinner, LOL), she doesn't seem like a particularly attached or affectionate mother, either. I can't recall an instance where she has given either child a quick kiss on the top of the head, or a little hug, or even a little affectionate hair tousle. I think the most affection I've seen her show the children is a perfunctory peck on the cheek goodnight. And don't forget how she kept badgering Don to spank Bobby. Hmmm.

whew long post, I'll stop now!

Thanks so much for putting spoiler code in your post, GalsDaughter.

I'm not quite caught up yet and I guess it's best for me to stay away from this topic for now.

The sad part is she would be sooooooooo capable. She plays the sexy office siren, but she is very smart and knows how to market and sell.