Madmen
A single episode of Madmen contains enough intellectual punch that a professor could spend an entire semester simply examining the ideology and social critique that are ever so present in each precious minute of the show. It is astonishing how many psychological issues that the show touches upon. The role of women in the workplace, the feminist movement, societies treatment of women, the effect of the past on the present, infantile disorders, the Oedipus complex, the primal scene, sexuality being confused with violence, the perverseness of capitalism and the American family.
I could go on and on but it is rare to see a show be so absolutely critical about the ills of American society and yet at the same time be one of the most popular shows on cable. Madmen certainly has it's intellectual fan base but it has also moved beyond that due to the lavish costumes, excellent use of dialogue, and it's use of Dark Humor amongst other things. The show also serves as a great cliff note version of American history in the 1960s and it examines the changing of the American culture leading up to and during the Vietnam years. I wonder how many fans of the show actually realize just how deeply critical this show is of American society and if they truly understand how Don Draper has to lie to live the American dream and it leaves him unfulfilled, neurotic, and depressed. His alcoholism is only helping him to cope with his utter decay as an individual and as a part of society. Don Draper's life is a lie and the most powerful moment of the show for me came when he realized that and could not do it anymore.
But this post is not to get deeper into the ideology and psychology of the show this post is to praise this absolutely brilliant show and encourage everyone to jump on the bandwagon it is an exceptionally rare and special show and in many ways it has picked up on the groundwork that The Soprano's has laid down before it and taken it into a new and utterly brilliant direction. Madmen may be the best written show ever. That is saying something when one realizes that the show does not have a real narrative structure that connects any one episode or season together. In fact it is larger themes that connect each episode to the next one as well as the seasons to each other. I cannot express how brilliant of a show I think that Madmen truly is and if you watch the show and do not think about larger issues while you are watching it you are lost. Brilliant show!
