I hear that the AMC series Mad Men will be renewed for a second season, and I'm delighted. As I noted in an August 21 post, Mad Men is terrific television. The show is remarkable for its dead-on 60s-era design, its integration of cultural comment with dramatic narrative, and a profound ambivalence toward its characters. I think, though, my favorite aspect of this show is the patience by which stories unfold. Scenes play out in a leisurely way, never being rushed in search of obvious beats. A confident inner rhythm advances each episode along its own strange path that somehow manages to move the broader story along. And unlike any other show I watch, the end of a Mad Men always leaves me wanting more. A show that runs slowly and yet still manages to end too soon: that's an accomplishment. If you haven't seen Mad Men yet, I recommend that you give one or two episodes a try.
Heck, just watch the intro and you'll get a taste of what I mean...
No comments:
Post a Comment