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# Mad about ‘Mad Men’
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/mad-about-mad-men/
- Published: 2007-08-04T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T00:30:00.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By BYJACKNEWORTH CHANNELSURFING*

There’s no denying I miss the “Sopranos.” Even with the finale where the screen went black (I thought I forgot to pay the cable bill) I wish it was still in production. And I’m not alone. It seems like the cable channels are green-lighting shows to anyone connected to the “Sopranos,” no pun intended. I wouldn’t be surprised if the “Sopranos” caterer gets his own show.

One clearly deserving its place is AMC’s “Mad Men,” an original series about high-powered Madison Avenue in 1960\. It’s creator, Emmy-winning Matthew Weiner, was the “Sopranos” executive producer. AMC describes itself as “TV for movie people,” and “Mad Men” is near movie quality. For those who missed the first two episodes, here’s my “Cliff Notes” so you can catch up.

The first episode, aptly titled, “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” had so much cigarette smoke wafting in the air I felt the need of a room purifier while I watched. It opens on alpha male Dan Draper (Jon Hamm) the complex creative director of Sterling-Cooper, one of Mad Ave’s powerful agencies. Ruggedly handsome, Draper complains to Rachel (Maggie Siff), his sexually liberated mistress, that his job and fancy lifestyle are in jeopardy. Younger agents, primarily Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) are eager to topple him from the top of the heap. Rachel is a wonderfully drawn character, a pre-feminism, free-spirit. When Draper considers staying the night, she cautions, “I don’t make plans or breakfast.”

The immediate dilemma for Sterling- Cooper is the FTC which has just banned cigarette ads from making health claims. For those too young to remember, cigarette companies funded The Tobacco Institute which “scientifically” emphasized the relaxation qualities of cigarette smoking. (Reminiscent of oil companies recently employing scientists to downplay global warming?) A giant tobacco company is Sterling-Cooper’s biggest client. Without health claims, Draper says all he has to pitch is, “A crushproof box and 4 out of 5 dead people smoked our brand.” He has a day to create an ad campaign to salvage the account.

The acting, writing, and meticulous set design, are only part of the story. “Mad Men” is almost a history lesson of the time period. It deals with the role of women in the workplace, the pill, race, money, power and how pushing the right buttons Madison Avenue can sell anything. (Hell, pushing the right buttons sold a war, so why not deodorant?) One of my favorite characters is bright-eyed Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) whose steno job is her first. She’s instructed by the luscious Christina Hendricks (Joan Holloway) on what’s expected of women, and it isn’t just accurate typing. The company partners, the cool, stable Roger Sterling (John Slattery) and older, eccentric Bertram Cooper (Robert Morse) are perfect. (Morse, hugely accomplished on Broadway, may be remembered for one of my favorite movies, “The Loved One.") The star of “Mad Men” is clearly Hamm. Draper is manipulative and corrupt but somehow maintains a deep sense of right and wrong. His character reminds me of some Humphrey Bogart roles. Draper shares and believes in little which makes him intriguing. And a late night scene looking in on his sleeping children only adds to his appeal. If the show’s a hit, look for Hamm in prominent film roles.

Episode two, “Ladies Room,” features Betty Draper, (January Jones) Draper’s Grace Kelly-trophy wife. Despite her seemingly-perfect life with children, husband and home, she suffers anxiety from a lack of closeness. Betty hears about a divorcee down the block who has two children and no money. Her fears contribute to an accident with the children in the car. No one is hurt, but she winds up seeing a less-than-comforting psychiatrist who reports the sessions to her husband. So much for patient confidentiality.

In an NPR interview, Weiner commented on a married man’s eternal conflict between being the perfect husband, provider and little league coach, and the desire to drink, smoke and have as much sex as possible.

Weiner shopped the script for seven years but persistence paid off. The reviews have been phenomenal. I wonder, however, who is the target audience. They’ll have to be over 50, unless there’s a fascination by younger women with how much things have changed.

In one scene Peggy goes to a doctor to get a prescription for the pill. Smoking during the exam, he suggests if she’s indiscriminate with sex, he won’t authorize a refill. The scene worked. So does the show. For me it’ll never replace “The Sopranos,” but it’s undeniably brilliant. Will it find its audience? For TV’s sake, I hope so. Episode three airs this Sunday.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/080407-08_01.jpg)

AMC AD MAN DIARIES: Jon Hamm stars as Don Draper in AMC’s ‘Mad Men.” (Photo: Photo courtesy)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 4, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/080407.pdf?ref=smdp.com)