Review: Mad Men Season 1

Mad Men is the AMC original series about a group of people working in an ad agency in 1960 Manhattan. It is nearly universally acclaimed and has just been nominated for 16 Emmys.

Is it as good as people say? Absolutely. It's one of the smartest and most intriguing dramas on television today.

From the pilot to the final episode, Mad Men delivers in every way possible. It's funny, dramatic, heartbreaking, and even a bit suspenseful at times. The best part of Mad Men is that the characters are in the forefront of the story. It's not about situations featuring characters. It's about characters involved in situations and that is the key to the success of the show. The characters drive the show. They are flawed, they are a bit self centered and of course chauvinistic, at least the men. That's the way it was in the sixties. Men were in charge. Women stood behind them.

That's just one of the layers of the show. The interactions between husbands and wives, between friends, between forbidden lovers.

The show is brilliantly written and directed. Each episode is perfection and if possible made even better by the amazing cast.

The men: John Hamm, Vincent Kartheiser, Bryan Batt, Michael Gladis, Aaron Staton, John Slattery, and Robert Morse. Each and every one of them are perfectly casted and deliver top notch performances with every episode.

John Hamm has already won a Golden Globe for his performance as Don Draper. He will probably win an Emmy as well. I'd like to draw attention to John Slattery, however. He is probably my favorite character. He is absolutely perfect as the man in charge, Roger Sterling. Smarmy, charming, and funny. I certainly hope he wins the Emmy he deserves this year.

What about the ladies? The three main gals of Mad Men are Elizabeth Moss, January Jones, and Christina Hendricks. Beauties all three of them and equally as good as their male counterparts. Unfortunately, they were overlooked for the Emmys. A travesty for sure.

Mad Men is a can't miss show. It's beautifully plotted and acted. Perfectly written and directed. It's a show that is certainly deserving of the accolades it has received so far. I will recommend it up and down the street. I'd pass out DVD sets if I had them.

The new season starts on July 27. Just under a week from now. You'd better get watching. Season One is available on DVD now.