*Mad Men* -- what's the BFD?

[scyguy46]

But for sheer profane poetry, nothing beats The Wire. It is the other "best show on TV.

JA,

I agree that the Wire is great TV. Since that show is over has anyone seen the new series by the makers of The Wire called Tremé which has some of the same actors from the Wire and is based in post-Katerina New Orleans. It has political and social commentary (esp. by actor John Goodman) and some comic moments and characters (Steve Zahn) and the music is great. The cast is excellent and the story line not as dark as the Wire. It did take me watching 2 episodes to get into it but then I was hooked. Link to series: HBO: Treme: Homepage

 

[JustAsking]

Yes, now that you mention this, I find I have the same opinion. Somehow Peggy is not convincing in that role. You hit on the disconnect, though. It takes a while to realize that she is "supposed to be interesting", if you ever realize it at all.

The writing staff for the show seem to periodically forget and remember why she is there. But that might be true for most of the cast besides Don Draper. It might just have to do with limited story bandwidth.

 

[Calboner]

The writing staff for the show seem to periodically forget and remember why she is there. But that might be true for most of the cast besides Don Draper. It might just have to do with limited story bandwidth.

(Warning: this will be a spoiler for anyone who has not seen season 3.) For me, the moment at which it seemed as if the writing staff had been playing "pass the typewriter" was the one in which Duck Philips seduces Peggy. It was like one of those deleted "alternative endings," except that it wasn't an ending, and it was used rather than deleted.

 

[JustAsking]

(Warning: this will be a spoiler for anyone who has not seen season 3.) For me, the moment at which it seemed as if the writing staff had been playing "pass the typewriter" was the one in which Duck Philips seduces Peggy. It was like one of those deleted "alternative endings," except that it wasn't an ending, and it was used rather than deleted.

I wonder if part of this is that she is convenient for their zeal for 60's "depiction". They might be putting her through stuff just so they can squeeze in things they want to depict about the era.

 

[Calboner]

I wonder if part of this is that she is convenient for their zeal for 60's "depiction". They might be putting her through stuff just so they can squeeze in things they want to depict about the era.

Astute surmise. That would explain some things.

 

[cdog204]

I think part of the Betty Draper character is that she is supposed to stand as something of an anachronistic contrast to the dashing and modern Don. In the first few seasons she is simply obsessed with her thinness and looks and obedience to her husband, going as far as to depend on him to be told who to vote for. The other women in Don's life are vastly more empowered, interesting, opinionated, etc. Ultimately Betty rejects Don and turns to that dimwitted impotent politico who is much more her intellectual equal.

Or perhaps January Jones just has absolutely no talent. Hard to tell.

 

[Calboner]

I think part of the Betty Draper character is that she is supposed to stand as something of an anachronistic contrast to the dashing and modern Don. In the first few seasons she is simply obsessed with her thinness and looks and obedience to her husband, going as far as to depend on him to be told who to vote for. The other women in Don's life are vastly more empowered, interesting, opinionated, etc. Ultimately Betty rejects Don and turns to that dimwitted impotent politico who is much more her intellectual equal.

Or perhaps January Jones just has absolutely no talent. Hard to tell.

I don't think that the two possibilities that you describe are mutually exclusive. I have one minor objection, though: Is Betty really in contrast with Don on the point of timeliness? She is initially just what he and other people in their circles expect the wife of a man like him to be -- apart from the aberrations that betray her discomfort in that role and that get her sent to the head shrinker. Apart from that, I think that you correctly characterize the significance of her character.

As for talent and the lack thereof, contrast January Jones's performance in the role of Betty Draper with Vincent Kartheiser's as Pete Campbell. Pete is an even more unsympathetic character than Betty: he is not just shallow, grasping, and self-absorbed but reckless, inconsiderate, and even cruel at times. Yet, revolting as the character is, Kartheiser makes him anything but tedious. We always want to see what he is going to do next (as much as we may dread it), while with Betty Draper, we are just eager to see the end of whatever is bringing her on screen. At least, that is how it is with me.

Pete Campbell is a shallow human being, but Vincent Kartheiser's performance has depth. Betty Draper is a shallow human being, and January Jones's performance is itself shallow.