Season 4 of Mad Men

From the beginning, I have been a Mad Men fan.  I love the perspective of looking back on a period of not so distant history and recognizing how much has changed.  There is Don Draper, holy yummy, Betty Draper giving her kids dry cleaning bags to play with, Sal Romano, living in the closet, and the big surprise was that there were gay guys that DIDN'T live in the closet. What we call sexual harassment today is a joke compared to this stuff.



And of course the fashion.  I LOVE 50s fashion.  I love the pleated structured dresses that the women wear.  Even the "skin tight" outfits of Joan Halloway seem like overcoats compared with the Lycra dresses offered up today.

As much as I love the show, there has been a basic element that, for me, has been lacking.  The characters have been developed but their positions at Sterling Cooper...well there has not seem to be allot of explanation about why they are "respected" in their field of expertise.  Don craps all over his female Jewish client, Pete spends all day gossiping and playing pranks with the Boys, and Peggy seems totally incapacitated by her inferiority issues, Joan is secure in her role as the pretty girl and will not tolerate any interlopers, Roger inherited his position and uses it to get laid, Bert has moved on from advertising and is evolving into a higher life form.  These are the people that Don chooses take with him when he sets out on his own.

When season three ended I was soo impressed with the way that loose strings had been tied up I actually wondered it the show was wrapping up. 

Then season 4 came along.  The pretty dresses and the historical perspective have worn thin and there is a sinking feeling in the pit of my psyche telling me that the downward spiral is about to begin.  I was not expecting find out that Peggy has a backbone, Pete schemes to get and keep clients, Don really has no integrity when it comes to who he sleeps with, Bert really does care about what happens, Joan actually does more that show up and look hot....Roger (thankfully) remains the 12 year old boy trying to avoid getting into trouble.


This past season has made things all come together.  I am feeling like all three pervious seasons were just laying the groundword for a tale that is going to be long, winding and very entertaining.