Mad Men: Believe the Hype

I missed the first season of “Mad Men,” but this week after it became difficult to avoid the hype, I succumbed. Now I’m hooked.

The series reveals more plot and character development with each episode. It has the kind of story arc you just can’t get in a movie. I also love that it really educates me on how the Golden Age of Advertising got its beginning. The shift was away from account execs running the show to an emphasis on creative. The Volkswagen “Think Small” campaign led the way. It broke all the rules and made new ones.

The show also focuses on how the roles of men and women were just about to change. Non-conformity was going mainstream. “Mad Men” is well written and well acted.

One tip: don’t download it from the web. The Japanese subtitles are distracting and the picture quality doesn’t do justice to its critically acclaimed attention to fashion and style detail. Do the right thing. Rent or buy the DVD.

Watch it on Sundays at 10pm on AMC.

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