Mad Men

[Abraham Smashington]

We finally started season 1 of this show, and so far so good. Jon Hamm does a pretty great job, and the assets of Christina Hendricks do not go unnoticed.

My only gripe, way too much smoking in it. And the only reason that's a gripe is because smoking in movies/tv shows really makes me want to smoke. But other than that, looking forward to see what's in store for the rest of the series.

[Ed Hocken]

I can understand your issue seeing how you've been trying to quit smoking. But people smoked like chimnies at the time. If you listen to the commentary, Weiner clearly states how having them not smoke would've been nonsense.

But it really is a helluva show. And if you don't find Don Draper to be a pimp. I don't know what to tell you.

Oh and the kid from Masterminds is Pete Campbell.

[Abraham Smashington]

Obviously, Ed.

[Nathan]

Always wanted to check this out but never did.

[Ed Hocken]

It is worth it, Nathan. Very much. Especially how Hamm is able to turn on a dime. You'll need to see the show to understand what I mean.

[Abraham Smashington]

Hopefully getting season 2 tomorrow on netflix. Looking forward to it.

[BudLeonard]

Is this the most subtle show on television, or is it the show where subtlety matters the most? Either way, the way things are played out are what demand second and third viewings. For example, take the scene with Joan and her fiancee in the second season's next-to-last episode. (You know what I'm talking about.) The whole reason that goes down the way it does is because of one comment Roger makes (fuckin' Roger), but watching that episode again, I completely missed the way Joan's fiancee's face changes for a split second the first time. And what that reveals says so much about what he then does.

Or there's an earlier episode where Don is telling Jane (his stupid secretary) about his problems at home, and she crosses the line from professional to personal, and he just shuts her down. His face changes, again in seconds, and he lets her know that he doesn't have the relationship with her that he does with Peggy or Joan.

The Don in L.A. two-parter might be my favorite thing the show has done, which is saying a lot. I love how right it feels for Don, and yet, you know that he can't stay. You really want him to stay on the coast and build/sell hot rods, because you want him to be happy. But sometimes, you have to choose between happy and right, and that's one of the many themes that resonates with me about this show.

I want to do a thing where I try and find what paintings this show reminds me of, or photographers, because there's so much, from Edward Hopper to Paul Roberts and so forth and so on.

Fun FACT from the commentary: During the Korea stuff from the first season and the stuff with Mrs. Draper I in the second, they digitally altered Hamm's voice and CGI'd his face. The one time they didn't was the scene where he's talking about Betty -- that's all him. Give that man an Emmy.