Monday, September 29, 2008

More MAD MEN



I sang the praises of AMC's MAD MEN back in September of last year after watching the first few episodes of Season One. I've just now caught up on watching the current episodes and, as much as I enjoyed (with some reservations) that first season, I think Season Two is a quantum leap forward. With the departure of THE WIRE, MAD MEN is now, in my opinion, the best-written show on television. Though it's taken a somewhat soap-operay turn this season (which I don't really mind), the show is full of narrative surprises that make perfect sense in retrospect. It also has some wonderful character moments, as well as spot-on depictions of 1960s parenting. And is there another show on the air with as many interesting - and unpredictable - female characters?

I was going to write more about it, especially in light of this week's episode, which focused in part on war-hero-turned-lush Freddy Rumsen, one of my favorite characters. But my Star-Ledger colleague (for the moment) Alan Sepinwall is doing a much better job over at his blog than I could hope to. See you over there.

5 comments:

Barrie said...

I have got to start watching more tv.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Just wanted to say I came to your Bouchercon discussion of The Wire and Homicide and enjoyed your comments immensely. I will always regret missing Season Three of The Wire. Thanks.

Wallace Stroby said...

Thanks. I was over-prepared as usual. I could have blabbered on about the shows for another hour by myself. It felt like a quick hour, as opposed to the slow-motion trainwrecks some of those panels turn into.

pattinase (abbott) said...

The ones I saw this year were better than the last two. I'm not sure why. Only walked out on one and made it through my own although I would have liked that one to go faster.

Wallace Stroby said...

I think the panels were better planned and thought out this year than previous. There seemed to be more rhyme and reason for panel assignments this year, as opposed to sometimes-random groupings in the past, at least in my experience.