Mad Men on Netflix - what's it all about?!

[Italiangreyhound]

Mad Men leaves Netflix in a couple of days, I'm on season 6 and hoping to finish it before it leaves Netflix.

I find it visually stunning, all those lovely dresses, and very well written.

But, what's it all about?

It's hard to know what kind of drama it is, not a comedy, or a tragedy, but with elements of both.

Anyone watched it all and want to share their thoughts?

Yes, v sad. I think they wanted to show that all that smoking had consequences..

I always saw it as being about motherhood in all its forms (and lack of for Don). Also women as currency and objects. I loved it, as pp said I had such hope for Betty, what a beautiful woman, I was mesmerised in the first episodes. I haven’t seen it in years, but Don sabotaging some kind of modelling Betty was in the running for, and getting info from her therapist still upsets me to think about.

When Betty buys a bikini and Don says she looks desperate in it, is so sad. Her face 😢.
I love it when she upgrades to Henry.

I really like Henry, he was a grown up. He really loved her, no matter what and she wasn't always easy to love I imagine.

Also he looked gorgeous when he was mowing the lawn!

Henry is such a good stepdad too, even Sally thinks the kids should stay with him, rather than Don.

I’m not sure about this… remember Dr Rape? Also the awkward scene with the accordion. She was given a partnership for ‘selling herself’. Peggy deserved it more for her talent.

Yes… a child being ‘smacked’ was not only acceptable, but being ‘smacked’ by an adult not your parent also acceptable & actual parent apologising coz they hadn’t smacked them first… Sally being admonished for spoiling the laundry, the fact she was running round with a plastic bag on her face ignored…

Loved it 🥰

MADison avenue advertising people in the 50's ? 60's

@sweetkitty I started watching about a week before Christmas and realised it was leaving Netflix on 31 Dec. So I crammed it all into those days! I must admit I skipped a bit of season 7 as I felt it went on too long. I think it could have finished after 7 episodes of season 7. Just my opinion.

eleanorwish

"It was so sad, how Betty’s story ended. She seemed to be finally happy, going back to college and then she got ill."

*Foggytree *"Yes, v sad. I think they wanted to show that all that smoking had consequences."

I agree but I feel it is too common for the female characters to get killed off.

[Spoiler alert]

It happened in Cold Feet.

[Spoiler alert]

I think that is why I was put off Mayor of Kingstown, because there is a female (sexually motivated) death early on.

The cold feet death 😢 😭, I watched the original run as it went out and had forgotten about it . It affected me just as much second time around.

Apparently, (spoiler) "They killed off Helen Baxendale's character, Rachel Bradley, in Cold Feet because the actress chose not to return for the final series, citing a desire to spend more time with her family and a general discomfort with the intense media attention the show garnered."

But I still feel tired of he female deaths in things!

“Christ on a cracker” will definitely be using this !!

The episode where Pete's wife has the baby, Pete is in the office and one of the secretary's tells him it's a girl. THEN he goes to a funeral instead of to the hospital to see his wife and new born child.

Hell's bells Trudy!

I read that originally it was the James Nesbitt character that was going to have an accident and die, and it was rewritten after filming started.

Thank god they didn't kill Adam off , he was my favourite

I thought you were talking about Mad Men and that I was going to have to break it to you 🙃

finished it at last, bawled my eyes out! ! Brought out all sorts of emotions reminded me of my lovely mum.

This thread has reminded me that after years of faithful watching, I never did finish the last series. I must do a binge of it at some stage

@SallyDraperGetInHerei love your username.

I've finished it all too now, brilliant programme. Absolutely loved it.

It’s absolutely brilliant.

i fear they wouldn’t be able to make it now because 1) it’s too slow for people’s dopamine addled brains 2) the humourless outrage police wouldn’t grasp its wit.

Kiernan Shipka (sally) is in the new series of industry

Yes, there are a fair few scenes consisting of just one character sitting having a think. Or two having a long, slow conversation.
I love that about it. It's so confident.

I think it is partly about how we overcome our destiny (or don’t) as defined by society. And how that era enabled this when other eras did not.

I am also rewatching it slowly. I have an episode guide written by a journalist at Vulture which I highly recommend. One of my favourite programmes ever.