john slattery-related stories
Behind the scenes of the Mad Men season finale
You've read Allison's review and Joel's take on the Mad Men season finale, and I'd just like to add that I think it was the best episode of any TV series I've seen in years. Brilliant, dramatic, funny, even exhilarating. Here's a behind the scenes look at the episode, including interviews with Matthew Weiner and the cast.
I'm glad to see Betty Draper get a backbone
The assassination of JFK on Sunday's episode of Mad Men may have been the catalyst for Betty Draper's "awakening," but it's been a long time coming. Here comes my rant: I, for one, am sick and tired of seeing the women in this show get walked all over! I know it's the way things were back then, but the times they are a changin', so I'm hoping we'll get to see more women stand up and take charge of their lives.
I was cheering when Betty stood up to her lying, cheating, skank of a husband Don and told him she didn't love him anymore. Bonus points for driving off to meet your lover, Betty. Hopefully, he won't cheat on you.
Now if Joan would leave her loser fiance who raped her at the office and then went about his business like nothing happened -- that'd be the icing on this women's movement cake. I'd say that she and Roger Sterling belong together, but she's too good for him.
Review: Mad Men - The Grown-Ups
(S03E12) "The whole country's drinking." - Pete, to Trudy
When Joel talked to Mad Men creator and writer Matthew Weiner last month, he wouldn't say when or how the show would deal with the assassination of John F. Kennedy. We all knew it was coming, since last week's episode was set on Halloween, but I actually thought it would happen in the season finale. But they addressed it tonight.
They say November 22, 1963 is the day America changed, and I would say that the lives of the people in and around Sterling Cooper changed too, in various ways and for various reasons.
Continue reading Review: Mad Men - The Grown-Ups
This Sunday on Mad Men: a gypsy, a hobo, and an old client returns
Reading the plot description for this week's Mad Men, "The Gypsy and the Hobo," and it says that a former client returns to Sterling Cooper and Betty takes the kids on a trip. I'm assuming the trip is without Don/Dick. I wonder if she'll return.
Here's a sneak peek of the episode, and I think it shows the client in question. Not sure who the gypsy refers to or the hobo (perhaps the one Dick met as a kid?).
Here's a sneak peek of the episode, and I think it shows the client in question. Not sure who the gypsy refers to or the hobo (perhaps the one Dick met as a kid?).
Gone Too Soon: Jack & Bobby
Every once in a while, a show creeps up on the American public and really captures its imagination. Unfortunately, a lot of times that show is in a terrible timeslot on a tiny little network struggling to survive. Such was the case with Jack & Bobby.I'd like to think people didn't just automatically assume that this was a biopic about the Kennedys, though it certainly was playing with that notion intentionally by choosing that name. At its core, the show was simply another teen drama; the kind The WB had built a network around by the fall of 2004.
But it was also something more than that. It was an in-depth examination of the genesis of an American hero. How can someone go from being an ordinary person with ordinary problems into the most powerful man on the planet? While Jack and Bobby were typical all-American brothers, it was one of their destiny to rise to the seat of President of the United States by the mid-21st Century. That's the destination. Jack & Bobby was the journey.
Continue reading Gone Too Soon: Jack & Bobby
Mad Men: Seven Twenty Three
(S03E07) "Maybe I was late because I was with my family reading the Bible." - Don, to Conrad Hilton
I've never understood why some people say they can't get into Mad Men (or they watch the show and think the same thing) because "nothing ever happens." I think a lot of stuff happens in every episode, but a lot of it is done with silences and not something more intense. But even the people who think that the show is too "slow" will have to admit that like last week's episode, this episode had a ton of character development, mystery, and plot twists.
Continue reading Mad Men: Seven Twenty Three
Sneak Peek: this Sunday's Mad Men
I'm not someone who thinks that a TV episode title (or book title or film title or song title) automatically means that the episode will be great, but isn't "Guy Walks Into An Advertising Agency" a terrific title for a Mad Men episode? In this sneak peek below, Lane Pryce and his irritating assistant John Hooker have a big announcement for the staff of Sterling Cooper.
Mad Men: The Arrangements
(S01E04) "He has no idea how confused America is going to be about that J. - Don, about jai alai
In the late 80s, when I was doing sales and marketing for a national music magazine, the staff played a joke on one of the new salespeople. We had to get a certain number of sales per day and she wasn't having any luck, so I called her phone and pretended to be a customer. I think I told her I was going to buy thousands of dollars worth of magazines. Looking back now it was an immature, cruel thing to do, but I thought of that during tonight's scene with the Sterling Cooper gang calling "Margaret" and pretending to be a potential roommate. People are such jerks.
But this episode was mostly about what happened to Gene...
Continue reading Mad Men: The Arrangements
Mad Men: Love Among The Ruins
(S03E02) "If you don't like what's being said, change the conversation." - Don
What love isn't in ruins on Mad Men? We have Betty knowing all about Don's affairs, Betty's dad dealing with his girlfriend leaving him (and more), Joan with someone who raped her, Roger with new young love Jane but still dealing with his ex-wife and perhaps longing for Joan, and Peggy looking for love at a bar (with a guy who looks like Pete!). Even the Don/Roger bromance seems to be on shaky ground.
The only people who seem to be at the start of love are Roger's daughter and her fiancee' Brooks. But their wedding is scheduled for November 23, 1963. Something tells me that's going to be a problem, too.
Continue reading Mad Men: Love Among The Ruins
One more big post about Mad Men before tonight's season premiere
Hey, did you hear Mad Men's third season debuts tonight at 10 on AMC? Actually, when the show is this good, I don't mind the hype.To prepare for the third season, here are some more web goodies for you (in addition to avatars, sneak peeks and recaps). The New York Times has an article on the cocktails of the Mad Men era, and if you want to make some of your own AMC has the drink recipes. AMC also has a Which Mad Man Are You? quiz. Or how about buying some of the era's items for your house?
There are also several interviews to read before the premiere, including Jon Hamm (here too), Christina Hendricks, Elisabeth Moss, and Vincent Kartheiser.
Oh, something from the other night, after the jump...
Continue reading One more big post about Mad Men before tonight's season premiere
Everything you need to know about season two of Mad Men in four minutes
Earlier today, Joel gave you an early look at season three of Mad Men. We're not sure what exactly to expect from the new season, but we know what happened in season two. If you haven't seen season two for some reason, or just need a quick refresher before Sunday's season premiere, here's a recap of the entire season in four minutes.
More Mad Men video goodness
AMC is starting to post more and more videos at their Mad Men site in anticipation of this Sunday's third season premiere. Below are two videos from the Mad Men premiere party that was held recently.
I like the life lesson that Alison Brie (Trudy Campbell) thinks the Sesame Street Mad Men parody will try to instill in kids.
I like the life lesson that Alison Brie (Trudy Campbell) thinks the Sesame Street Mad Men parody will try to instill in kids.
Continue reading More Mad Men video goodness
Is it weird that I want to sleep with the entire cast of Mad Men?
I'm not going to lie to you: Pretty much my whole life right now is leading up to the Mad Men season 3 premiere on August 16. I'm so excited, I'm practically vibrating. You can judge me if you want, but I'm perfectly fine with my priorities.
Anyway, like the rest of the internet, I have been salivating for any Mad Men morsel that AMC deigns to share with the unwashed masses. So, yes. I was super-psyched about the water-logged Don Draper promo poster that came out a few weeks ago, and yes, I totally Mad Men'd myself.
So obviously, I was ridiculously excited to see that Zap2It had a whole crop of new Mad Men promo photos. Jon Hamm! January Jones! Christina Hendricks! John Slattery! There may be a chance that there's a more conventionally good-looking cast out there, but I defy you to find a sexier cast on television. Seriously. If you have any suggestions, I welcome them, because I cannot imagine anything you would actually come up with that would beat the power, glory, and pure sexiness of Mad Men.
Gallery: Mad Men Season 3
Matthew Weiner gives a few vague clues about season three of Mad Men
Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner hates spoilers and is really careful about not giving too much away, so I don't know if we really find out anything from this interview at GQ. He does say that Don and Roger have issues to work out because Don feels betrayed, and he says that time has passed on the show but won't say how much time (I have to disagree with GQ when they guess two years, at least according to this). He also talks about fighting AMC over cutting two minutes of the show.
After the jump, a bonus video: Jon Hamm and John Slattery answer questions from fans.
Continue reading Matthew Weiner gives a few vague clues about season three of Mad Men
AMC releases promo for new season of Mad Men
This preview doesn't show any new scenes from the upcoming third season of Mad Men, but it does give a nice quick summary of various things that happened in the second season and what the show is going to address when it comes back in August, and will get you excited for the new episodes. There's no official start date for the show other than just "August," though some have speculated it will be Sunday, August 16.
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Let's talk about spoilers ...
