If you’re anything like me, this week can’t go by fast enough for you. Sunday night is the night; Mad Men returns for its fourth season on the always satisfying cable network, AMC. The anticipation is palpable all over America as this show has gone from a cult favorite to a full-blown phenomenon. Countless people are hosting Mad Men viewing parties (including AMC itself in Times Square, complete with trivia and a costume contest), Banana Republic is launching a new clothing line inspired by the show (its second in as many years), and newspapers, magazines, and just about everything else with the printed or digital word has more coverage than you can shake a stick at. And I’ll take it all.
If you’re not on board with Mad Men yet, AMC is running a season three marathon tonight to get you up to speed before Sunday. And here is a teaser trailer for the upcoming season:
If you don’t have time to watch season three before Sunday, season four is a good place to jump in for newbies. Everything is changing and what we knew before doesn’t hold true now. The characters–much like the country itself during this period of the tumultuous 1960s–are all starting over. For Don Draper, that means no more Betty (thank goodness), and no more cushy corner office at Sterling Cooper. Instead, it’s awkward blind dates and a crowded suite at the Pierre, where the newly founded Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce has set up shop. From the promo poster to the left, it seems like that, at least, is only temporary.
I’ve said in previous posts that AMC is the best thing going on television today. And Mad Men, with its overtaking of American culture and whopping 17 Emmy nominations, is the primary reason for that. For me, as a graphic designer who sometimes dabbles in marketing and is kind of trying to start his own business, my favorite element of the show is in the office, the work. But there are so many fantastic dramatic elements to this show that it’s got something for everybody: Love, history, sexism, drinking during business hours. I’m going to mix up an old fashioned and watch every Sunday night with excitement and intent. On Mondays, I’ll be posting my thoughts and a bit of a recap from the night before. I hope you’ll check back in and leave some comments as, clearly, you’ll be watching too.
Tags: AMC, Banana Republic, Don Draper, Mad Men, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce
I hope you continue with writing about this every week!
I think the promo poster with Don standing in the empty office is meant to symbolize his OLD office at Sterling Cooper. It’s got nothing left but a telephone because they all left with only their rolodexes (and whatever else they stole, I guess).
That’s not Don’s original office though. Look up photos of him in there in previous seasons. It looks like the buildings outside are very similar, but the office is different (especially the floor-length windows in the new one).