Last season Mad Men was the must-watch drama on the box. Creeping into the schedules with virtually no advance publicity, and in a ludicrously late time slot, the show became cult viewing. Wonderful, nuanced characters were slowly introduced, rather than a plethora of the usual in-your-face stereotypes. The 60s period detail was astonishing, men barely lasted an hour without a drink or a cigarette, and no self-respecting woman so much as vacuumed a rug without full make-up and heels. But the question now is, as the Kennedy era dawns, is Sterling Cooper still the king of the Madison Avenue advertising jungle?
At 36, Don Draper (Jon Hamm) may still be Creative Director, and successful in both the boardroom and the bedroom, but it’s clear he’s definitely looking over his shoulder. Youth is America’s new obsession. Coffee is out, Pepsi is in. The new president is proudly displaying his even newer baby. At his company physical, the doctor is not pleased with Don’s blood pressure, and the usual 3 martini lunches and two packs a day are slowly taking their toll.
Mad Men - Is The Team Too Old To Change?
And clients want fresh young minds working on their ad campaigns, not the grey suits (and men) of the 50s. Duck Phillips (Mark Moses), new head of account services, wants to bring on board teams of writers and artists, who can produce a complete ad package rather than waiting for individual copywriters and the art department to come together. Don and his team are not impressed – why does experience suddenly count for nothing? But hiding behind the all-boys-together wisecracks (“Air travel is too expensive to waste on your wife!”) will not win any new accounts.
Being “The Little Woman” Is No Longer Enough
And how are the women faring in this glittering new Camelot? Man-eating office manager Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks) still rules the roost, but even she is temporarily flummoxed by the arrival of an enormous new photocopier. Don’s former secretary Peggy Olson (Elizabeth Moss) is now a junior copywriter and noticeably more svelte. Has she had Don’s baby? What other possible reason could there be for her promotion, snipes one executive. Don’s wife Betty (January Jones) appears to be an aspiring Jackie Kennedy, but her negotiations with a mechanic who comes to fix her car after a roadside breakdown conjure up images of Marilyn Monroe rather than the poised, elegant First Lady.
Mad Men has definitely kept its quality if the standard of this first episode continues throughout the series. Don Draper may be the central character, and superbly played by Jon Hamm, but the scriptwriters are wise enough to realize there is so much more to the show than simply his latest affair or how quickly he can conjure up a snappy campaign. Not a moment’s screen time is wasted on getting a cheap laugh or shoehorning in a convenient plot device – every second counts. The times are indeed a’changing, and long may it continue. But please, BBC2, put it on earlier!
