Some works will last–without the help of critics–as long as the civilization which bred them lasts, as Shakespeare’s plays have done. At times, Matthew Weiner has channeled Shakespeare in Mad Men, portraying the multifaceted nature of what it means to be human.
“The Milk and Honey Route” is one of those episodes that plays off the [soap opera] formula, but delivers meaningful scenes that gain importance from the years of work Mad Men has put into these characters.
Last night on late night, Late Show’s streak of awesome continued with Tina Fey, Matthew Weiner showed a “sneak peak” of the Mad Men finale to Conan, and Jane Fonda and Diddy kept it real with Jimmy Fallon.
Following last week’s “Time & Life,” which featured what will certainly be the final classic Mad Men shakeup of business, Matthew Weiner’s characters find themselves adapting (or failing to adapt) to their new lives at McCann Erickson.
“Severance” is haunted by the ghosts of Mad Men’s past and wonders about the lives of its central characters…
Speaking in general, arbitrary terms, this probably isn’t the strongest Mad Men (mid-)season finale, but Mad Men isn’t a series that deals in that kind of product—trying to craft individual episodes. It is, simply and powerfully, the end to another chapter in Matthew Weiner’s magnum opus.
The Ginsberg storyline isn’t the only one in “The Runaways” that feels odd. The whole episode functions almost like a collection of vignettes, capped by a sequence that is both the episode’s most powerful and most important.
Don’s journey in “Field Trip” builds up to his sit-down with the partners, when he is given the chance to say “Okay.” He’ll take whatever they give him. There’s some genuinely upsetting scenes along the way, though.
What I think the episode does is simply encourage us to be aware of those things–to notice when we are immersing ourselves in self-pity and to remember that we are not suffering alone
As the United States swears in its new president, Richard Nixon, the country finds itself in a transition period, caught between the two worlds of its past and uncertain future. “Time Zones” splits is central characters up in a similar way that exposes just how noticeable the precipices are that they stand on.
Mad Men, Season 6, Episode 11: “Favors” Written by Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner Directed by Jennifer Getzinger Airs Sundays at 10pm ET on AMC The final ten-minute stretch of “Favors” consumes everything that came before it. A tender scene between Pete and Peggy, undercurrents of war and disfigured mice, they all scatter as Sally drops …
Mad Men, Season 6, Episode 9: “The Better Half” Written by Erin Levy and Matthew Weiner Directed by Phil Abraham Airs Sundays at 10pm ET on AMC Peggy Olson is undoubtedly a feminist—arguably the most feminist character on the show, but she isn’t emblematic of the politicized second-wave feminism we associate with the term. She’s …
When Don was asked “Are you alone?” at the end of Mad Men’s fifth season, there was a moment when I expected him to respond “Isn’t everyone?” Season six opens as Don reads Dante’s Inferno on a Hawaiian beach, surrounded by people but desperately alone, even his own wife (now a star on a soap opera) appears alien to him. Seemingly in response to the question left hanging at the end of season five, the voiceover, quoting Dante, intones “Midway through our life’s journey I went astray from the straight road and awoke to find myself alone in a dark wood.”
Mad Men, Season 5, Episode 11: “The Other Woman” Written by Semi Chellas & Matthew Weiner Directed by Phil Abraham Airs Sundays at 9pm (ET) on AMC In an episode crammed with a sickening amount of sexism, ‘The Other Woman’ offers one of the most surprising, and moving, climaxes of this acclaimed fifth season. Former …
Mad Men, Season 5, Episode 7: “At the Codfish Ball” Written by Jonathan Igla Directed by Michael Uppendahl Airs Sundays at 9pm (ET) on AMC It’s somewhat surprising that Mad Men hasn’t dealt with the following subject matter more overtly, but this week’s episode focuses on the confrontation between tradition and progress. Through the …
Mad Men, Season 5, Episode 5: “Signal 30” Written by Frank Pierson & Matthew Weiner Directed by John Slattery Airs Sundays at 9pm (ET) on AMC It was always going to be tough following up the brilliance of “Mystery Date”, however the teleplay produced for this episode is probably of even higher quality. Although more …
Mad Men, Season 5, Episode 4: “Mystery Date” Written by Victor Levin & Matthew Weiner Directed by Matt Shakman Airs Sundays at 9pm (ET) on AMC Set against the tense landscape of Richard Speck’s, July 1966 rapes and killings, and the ever-present specter of the Vietnam War, ‘Mystery Date’ is without doubt the strongest …
Mad Men, Season 5, Episode 3: “Tea Leaves” Written by Erin Levy & Matthew Weiner Directed by Jon Hamm Airs Sundays at 9pm (ET) on AMC Insecurity is an affliction suffered by even the most intelligent and successful people. It’s hard-wired into the human condition. Often stemming from self-doubt, it offers both a believable and …
Mad Men, Season 5, Episodes 1 & 2: “A Little Kiss” Written by Matthew Weiner Directed by Jennifer Getzinger Airs Sundays at 9pm (ET) on AMC The feature-length season premiere of Mad Men rejoins us with Don and his team at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce (SCDP), as writer/creator Matthew Weiner resumes the show’s exploration of …