Mad Men Season 5 running thread

There was also a general shift in attitudes about freedom (civil rights, sexual and gender) and a shift in questioning the status quo. In 1960, it was a relatively conservative time. Women stayed in the home and didn't work. Blacks, especially in the South, stayed in "their place". The youth were told to sit down, shut up and keep their hair short.

During the 60s, people got tired of obeying the rules, and questioned them. Which caused a generational conflict.

I'll give a sports example: In 1960s, sportswriters were friends with the athletes, hung out together, and didn't report on off-the-field stuff. By 1970, sportswriters weren't seeing themselves as part of the team anymore, but more independent. They challenged the status quo.

I don't know if I'm explaining this right, but maybe it'll make a little sense.

 

Vanity Fair had an interesting article a few months back with the basic premise that nothing has changed in terms of style, architecture, or music in 20 years. Prior to that, things changed dramatically every decade or so. Just look at the change in fashion from the 50s to the 70s. Maybe that is why we feel closer to younger people today than would've been the case in the 60s.

 

they still think we're dorks, though

 

Probably not as drastically. Starting with the '90s, at least in style, things seemed to settle back to traditional. But there are still some very noticeable differences. Watch some early "Friends" episodes some time.

 

What is this Newsweek of which you speak? Are they still in the league?

That mag is a shell of its former self. Pathetic.

 

Easter Egg that confirms that Don dreamt the whole visitor sequence at his apartment (which everyone here pretty much knew):

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/04/13/mad_men_dream_sequence_clue_watch_the_rewound_footage_of_don_in_bed_video_.html

 

That's insane. That's to say the Internet hasn't changed culture.

 

Peggy will probably go down as one of the most underrated characters on TV of all-time. She's very interesting and in some ways a more interesting character than Don -friendlier too - not too pretty or too ugly, just kind of pretty on the inside and a fun soul. Her weakness is where Don excels - in-person pitches and real-time adjustments, especially when the Client doesn't buy what she's selling. But she's certainly the brains behind the operation to some degree and is best suited to one day run her own operation come say, 1972 or even sooner.

She'd definitely work as a man or a woman... probably has more 'balls' than everyone on the show put together - besides Don - witness her semi-aggressive rise from Secretary to Copywriter, etc. She's Generation Next, Don's Generation Recent Past, Barely Current or whatever. Pepsi vs. Coke..you get the picture.
In the end, Matthew Weiner will base the show around the Don-Peggy dynamic more so than anthing else. Roger Slattery's character, whil good for "classic" laughs, is vastly overrated. All show and flash. This season he's Grandpa, if not already.

 

Peggy Olson is the second most popular character on the show. I don't think people are missing out on how awesome she is.

 

There was an alternate theory about "Entourage" that Eric was really the main character.

You could say the same about "Mad Men" and Peggy.

 

If they look at you at all.

I'm reminded of a line from "thirtysomething" spoken by Elliot to Michael:

"The other day I was walking through Penn, and I discovered a whole new affliction for old age, worse than balding: invisible to teen-age girls."

 

Yeah, at some point we just become background scenery in the show starring them.