“Mad Men’ – “Lost Horizon”

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May 082015
 

Tweet “Lost Horizon” is one hell of an episode. It seemed a bit disjointed at times, but it was rich with action, angst, anger and anticipation. “Lost Horizon” is a deep dive into what it’s like to have personal and professional lives upended by a Madison Avenue agency takeover. The nitty-gritty, not-so genteel, policies, politics, and prejudices of McCann-Erickson took center stage. Both Joan and Peggy were caught in the net of McCann’s boy’s club culture. Joan is a victim of “systemic” sexual harassment and [read more]

‘Mad Men’ – “Time & Life”

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May 022015
 

Tweet “Time & Life” is powerful episode that breaks through the thin veneer of complacency at SC&P and brings everyone face to face with the reality they naively hoped would never materialize. SC&P, the agency, will disappear and the partners will no longer be masters of their universe. Finally, after 10 years Jim Hobart of McCann got what he wanted: the acquisition of SC&P. With this transaction McCann eliminates an industry competitor, neutralizes a threat to their General Motors account, brings top creative talent to [read more]

Mad Men: “New Business”

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Apr 172015
 

Tweet The new business featured in this week’s episode of AMC’s Mad Men is focused more on personal lives and relationships than revenue-generating clients for Don Draper’s (Jon Hamm) SC&P. The opening and closing scenes of “New Business” perfectly capture the extremes of Don’s complicated and hollow personal life. Don is at the Francis house making milkshakes for the kids as Betty and Henry arrive home and Betty announces she’s planning to earn a master’s degree in Psychology at Fairfield University. As he exits, Don [read more]

Mad Men: “The Crash”

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May 222013
 

Tweet Article first published as TV Review: Mad Men – “The Crash” on Blogcritics. “The Crash” takes SCDPCGC on an “energy serum” induced “trip” that is bizarre and largely disconnected from reality. The catalysts for all the bizarre behaviors are the increasingly difficult demands that Chevy is placing on the agency and the death of Frank Gleason. While these are real issues, just about everything else that happens at the agency is surreal and weird. The only people who escaped the insanity are Peggy, Ted and Pete, but it would [read more]

Mad Men Episode 5: The Flood

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May 022013
 

Tweet Article first published as Mad Men Episode 6: “The Flood” on Blogcritics. “The Flood” takes Mad Men down a river of shock, sadness, and disillusionment. Dr. King’s assassination in April 1968 is a tragic event that hits the nation hard, and it permeates the entire episode. The assassination touches everyone in different ways and exposes a wide array of feelings and reactions. Everyone’s personal and business worlds are disrupted. A usually upbeat and celebratory advertising awards show gets derailed, but the ceremony goes on despite the tragedy. The next day, business [read more]

Mad Men Episode 4: To Have and To Hold

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Apr 242013
 

Tweet Article first published as Mad Men Episode 4: “To Have and to Hold” on Blogcritics. This Mad Men episode is ripe with conflict, hypocrisy, and risk taking. Racial issues are brought to the fore, agency loyalties are up for grabs, client accounts put at risk, and internal agency strife is amplified by secrets, resentments, and betrayal. All in all, “To Have and To Hold” is a fast moving, enjoyable episode, particularly from an “inside the agency” perspective. A series of events start out with the potential for positive business results [read more]

Mad Men: Collaborators,Conspirators And Consternation

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Apr 182013
 

Tweet Article first published as Mad Men: Collaborators, Conspirators, and Consternation on Blogcritics. Even by Mad Men standards, “Collaborators” is a dark and depressing episode. In addition to the usual menu of infidelities, betrayals, and marriage implosions there is a miscarriage, wife battering and a sobering reminder of Joan’s prostituting herself for a partnership. The radio and TV background noise is equally as grim with coverage of the current political and social tensions and stories about the Pueblo incident in North Korea and the Viet Nam War’s Tet Offensive. All [read more]

Mad Men Season 6: The Doorway To High Times And Unhappiness

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Apr 122013
 

Tweet Article first published as The Doorway To High Times And Unhappiness on Blogcritics. Season five ended in the Spring of 1967 with the principals of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce considering new office space and contemplating what promised to be a bright future. As Don said to the SCDP staff, “Prepare to take a great leap forward”. Sadly that leap forward would not include Lane Pryce but it is good to see that his name is still on the door. The title of my article covering the [read more]

The Women Of Mad Men Finish Strong

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Jun 142012
 

Tweet Article first published as The Women Of Mad Men Finish Strong on Blogcritics. The women of Mad Men take center stage in the season five finale. Joan takes charge as head of operations despite Lane’s ever present empty chair and Pete’s distractions and disruptions. Lane’s wife takes Don head on turning his apologies and $50,000 check into yet another painful, guilt ridden reminder of Lane’s suicide. Megan breaks through Don’s defensive and controlling attitudes about her career and convinces Don to secure a role for her in SCDP’s Butler shoe [read more]

Mad Men: Tragedy,Irony And The Pursuit Of Happiness

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Jun 082012
 

Tweet Article first published as Mad Men. Tragedy, Irony And The Pursuit Of Happiness on Blogcritics This week’s Mad Men episode put SCDP on a tragically sad track that will trigger even more conflict and deeper soul searching at the agency. In an earlier post, I commented that Lane could not survive his forgery and embezzlement actions since they are egregious breaches of the confidence and trust that are essential in an agency partnership. Trust is the critical issue, not the money Lane “borrowed.”  In Don’s emphatic and unilateral [read more]

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