Posted by Jeffrey Wells on September 15, 2008 at 10:15 AM

comment #1

BurmaShave Author Profile Page says ...

January Jones is becoming a slow-burn force of nature on this show. At the outset I would have assumed she'd be the weak link but she's phenomenal. This season isn't as good as the first, but it's still rich and provides much opportunity for great acting.

Posted by BurmaShave Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 10:23 AM

comment #2

NotImpressedYet Author Profile Page says ...

The look on her face, even the look OF her face, as she's rifling through Don's things seemed so altered and sick.

She's doing such a great job on this show.

Posted by NotImpressedYet Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 10:39 AM

comment #3

Deathtongue_Groupie Author Profile Page says ...

Some folks might have lives (family, friends, etc) with events on Sunday nights, while some folks might actually give a damn about picture quality (AMC looks like shit) and hence wait until new episodes go up on On Demand to watch them in sharper detail.

So, please, do you mind, don't be a dick with spoilers. Especially after you just called yourself a "...person with a semblance of standards and decorum in society..."

Enjoying the adventures of Don Draper with a scotch in my hand, my wife's feet in my lap is a ritual I only get to enjoy for few more weeks (the after show monkey love will hopefully continue).

Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 10:39 AM

comment #4

NotImpressedYet Author Profile Page says ...

Deathtongue,

I'm not sure one could call it a spoiler if the show's already aired, but I do feel your pain.

Is the video quality that much better on VOD? On AMC HD last night (on Comcast in Chicago) the picture was horrendous. I've never checked to see if AMC has VOD here in Chicago, but if its picture quality is indeed better, I'll check it out.

Posted by NotImpressedYet Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 10:45 AM

comment #5

JapAdapters Author Profile Page says ...

What i don't understand is why the first season is on Blu Ray DVD, and you can watch all the episodes On Demand in HD, but the show itself doesn't air in HD. WTF?

Posted by JapAdapters Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 10:53 AM

comment #6

Deathtongue_Groupie Author Profile Page says ...

Yep, better quality and only like 2 commercials. I'm sure there's a techie out there who could explain why, but AMC has always had poor image quality. There's always some snow.

As to the fact that it already aired - shouldn't matter, we live in a new age. Especially stuff that's on cable, which gets repeated several times a week so who knows when people will watch it. Last two weeks we've made Wednesday our "Mad Men" night.

Seems surprising that a guy like Jeff who seems to be all up on the latest gadgets would be so behind the times when it comes to how people watch shows now. My personal rule of thumb is "how long has it been on DVD?" Some of us have lives and can't be in front of the flat screen 7 days a week.

Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 11:11 AM

comment #7

gansibele Author Profile Page says ...

It's infuriating that Comcast here in Miami has the episodes on HD on demand but doesn't air AMC on HD.

Last night's episode reminded me strongly of some of the best "Sopranos"... the pacing, the apparently disconnected details, the equestrian sequence at the beginning and the music at the end. Even Draper's show of some conscience was evocative of Tony Soprano better moments.

Posted by gansibele Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 11:18 AM

comment #8

gansibele Author Profile Page says ...

Oh, and don't complain about spoilers. You can see clearly it's a clip from Mad men and nobody is forcing you to click play. Jeez.

Posted by gansibele Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 11:19 AM

comment #9

Richardson Author Profile Page says ...

Deathtongue - Jeff LOVES to spoil things people haven't seen yet. As much as he seems to enjoy posting things like this, he gets a real perverse pleasure out of revealing things about movies that haven't been released yet. Last year, a lot of people were upset that he revealed a lot about the way in which Brolin dies in 'No Country'.

Seriously, if spoilers like that bother you, don't stick around here, because there will be more, and they will be worse.

Posted by Richardson Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 11:23 AM

comment #10

Mark Author Profile Page says ...

There's an AMC HD available? Has Directv been informed? Mad Men is available via VOD in Chicago, but not at better quality than typical AMC crap.

That said, Don Draper is taking it on the chin the last couple weeks to the delight of girlfriends and wives everywhere. Great scene of January breaking the chair on the floor.


Posted by Mark Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 11:23 AM

comment #11

Deathtongue_Groupie Author Profile Page says ...

Didn't click, it's in the title of the post.

And the grainy freeze frame it could be anything. First I thought it was some classic movie clip. It was only because of the title that I realized what it was.

Not that this would still matter to some who take the attitude of "couldn't put your life on hold just to watch this movie/tv show? Too fucking bad, I did it and it's my right to fucking spoil it for the rest of you bitches if I want."

Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 11:30 AM

comment #12

NotImpressedYet Author Profile Page says ...

Deathtongue, the logical extreme of your argument is not to discuss this week's spisode of Mad Men until some reasonable time after the blu ray gets released next year.

Wells could try to be a little more discreet with the headlines, but this is not a very egregious failing on his part.

Posted by NotImpressedYet Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 11:34 AM

comment #13

Deathtongue_Groupie Author Profile Page says ...

NotImpressedYet - that's all I'm requesting here. Seems pretty standard on most boards that "No spoilers in headlines and subject lines" is the rule. Common courtesy.

I'm a big boy, I know to stay out of threads that might contain them, so you can discuss the episode 2 minutes after it airs as long as you give me a heads-up.

Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 11:44 AM

comment #14

Howlingman Author Profile Page says ...

Still ... great TV show, huh?

Posted by Howlingman Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 11:53 AM

comment #15

JapAdapters Author Profile Page says ...

Fanfuckingtastic.

Posted by JapAdapters Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 12:31 PM

comment #16

Howlingman Author Profile Page says ...

Mad Men makes facing Moinday a little easier.

Posted by Howlingman Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 12:37 PM

comment #17

Howlingman Author Profile Page says ...

Although it evidently doesn't make spelling "Monday" any easier...

Posted by Howlingman Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 12:38 PM

comment #18

corey3rd Author Profile Page says ...

We all can't wait for the slow kids to catch up.

I'm shipping copies of Mad Men to relatives serving in Iraq. Kinda stinks that they can't enjoy their Scotch while watching the DVD-Rs.

If you have enough Johnny Walker Black, you won't remember that the episode has been spoiled.

Posted by corey3rd Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 12:41 PM

comment #19

Mark Author Profile Page says ...

give me a fuckin break. She confronts Don. Da da Dum! They could have shown that on the next episode teasers. Quite a long way down the spoiler list from Tony kills Puss, Ralph, Uncle Tony, Christopha, etc.

Posted by Mark Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 1:05 PM

comment #20

scooterzz Author Profile Page says ...

funny, corey...i'm sending copies to a pal serving in iraq also...all they've got is near beer...

Posted by scooterzz Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 1:41 PM

comment #21

York "Budd" Durden Author Profile Page says ...

Tony killed Puss? You jerk. I was planning to watch The Sopranos one day.

Posted by York "Budd" Durden Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 2:00 PM

comment #22

buster Author Profile Page says ...

This season isn't as good as the first, but it's still rich and provides much opportunity for great acting.

One big reason for this is the dearth of scenes featuring John Slattery and Jon Hamm. And when they are together, their interaction is now often short and terse. Big mistake by the writers, IMHO.

Posted by buster Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 3:28 PM

comment #23

BurmaShave Author Profile Page says ...

Buster, agreed. Also the lack of Pete Campbell. He's a total scumbag, but Kartheiser really was sensational in Season 1.

Posted by BurmaShave Author Profile Page at September 15, 2008 4:58 PM

comment #24

Code_Red Author Profile Page says ...

Last year seemed to capture more of the raucous energy of that postwar, high-flying generation. Now, two years later in the story, it seems to be settling into some morose, John Cheever-hangover headache. It's harder to gather up the ol' enthusiasm now. But maybe, just maybe, what they're doing is setting us up for the dawn of the feminist movement. We now see three women enduring some heartfelt pain -- the wife, the junior copywriter, the head of the secretarial pool. Now the wife is breaking her silence. The one button that this show has been pushing real hard since the beginning is the one that sounds off about how badly women were treated in those days. I'm thinking they're setting us up for some noisy payoffs.

Another reason we might be getting glum is the idea of Don getting involved with that comedian's wife. Last season you could partly rationalize his flings in that he seemed to be needing something more exotic. Now he's just mixed up in a seedy ersatz S&M fling.

Posted by Code_Red Author Profile Page at September 16, 2008 9:35 AM

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