AMC: Mad Men

[Sylph]

It's not so much that they're distancing, although it's a factor, it's that they totally don't feel like that what they're talking about happened. The sets are accurate, the costumes usually are, the food, the props - but no verisimilitude. It's as if today's stories were just transposed in some other historical time.

I mean people in the 16th century talking like they were from the 21st... Give me a break. (This doesn't apply to Mad Men, but it has a whole lot of flaws on its own.)

[Cat]

Re: period pieces. I know they aren't a spot-on accurate representation, but every autumn is British TV's Sweeps quarter, if you will. The BBC trot out these literary adaptions, usually from the 19th century. Two years ago, they had a Jane Eyre which I loved -- and honestly, the historical trappings were secondary to the connection I felt with the book and that adaption. Last year, it was Cranford with a luminous Judi Dench. Cranford was hard to top but they have Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbevilles this year. Haven't seen it yet but these mini series are usually pretty good.

Co-sign. I wouldn't watch Mad Men if I didn't "feel" something strongly for a lot of the characters... Draper, his leering boss, Joan, Betty, Salvatore.

[EricMontreal22]

Sylph, I can respect that. I guess I feel that most shows are a take on real life and lacking in verisimilitude--although I suppose that might be more apparant when they focus on a real historical era instead of just setting it "now".

Cat I love some of those BBC/UK adaptations and hate some (I'm sure you're surprised). Tess of the D;'Ubervilles is one of my fave depressing novels--and I thought both the arty, deliberate but beautiful Polanski film version and the 90s BBC/A&E (back when A&E still cared about their name) adaptation were really good, and had different strengths. I dunno if it needs a new adaptation (and how many adaptations have we had of, say, Jane Eyre?) I did love Cranston and am glad it'll be back--what I appreciated about it was how they took Mary Gaskell's original stories and mixed it with some of her non fiction work to create a new thing entirely--and it worked.

While I lost some respect for the man after his refusal to write male gay love scene or whatever the "scandal" was, the ubiquitous Andrew Davies often does the best Brit Lit adaptations and I usually will watch any one he does if only to see his take on the original--even if I haven't always liked them. Ironically the gay thing was for his adaptation 2 years back for the BBC of Alan Hollinghurst's Line of Beauty, which seems strange since theoriginal novel got so much flack when it won the booker because of all its graphic gay sex and drug use (I remember being kinda embarassed when I saw my mom was reading it). Of course the sex was still in, whether he wrote it or not, and I think the adaptation is quite underated--maybe because the novel is just so well written nothing on screen could top it--it sorta makes me think of Mad Men in its way because I do know people who found the novel and miniseries too cold, with its Thatcher-era 80s setting and perceived lack of likeable characters--which kinda makes me feel strange as, like Mad Men, I really identify with a lot of the characters. (Anyway if you haven't seen it Cat, track it down).

This has turned into a ramble--but that's one thing I often feel differently from people about--I don't need a "likeable" character in something to keep me interested--though I do need to relate to them on some level.

(And you're right--Bibel actually only says Mad Men reminds her at times of the best work of Labine--not Bell)

[Sylph]

It's also that the show is so sterile and barren, lost in mannerisms and intentional artificial stylings. It's as if the slow pace is intentional in the sense not really inherent in the stories themselves.

I mean... Look at that episode with the pigeons... What was that one about?

[EricMontreal22]

HAHAH i forgot the pigeons! Well maybe theres' been less of that this year? I dunno--I honestly don't find it sterile at all, the houses feel lived in (loved all the scenes with Peggy and Bobbie bonding while she was frecovering in Peg's tiny flat) and real to me. Like I said--just diff things appeal to us in this case--I guess it happens (puts on some Donna Summer)

[Cat]

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit. I had this whole long post typed out and I lost it. Damn!

To paraphrase a part of it: Polanski = awesome (yes, even though his output has been variable in the extreme over the years). Chinatown = one of my favorite films ever. And his Tess = stunning. Nestor Almendros's twilight photography was so evocative. And Nastaja Kinski, though not British and slightly awkward, was strangely, perfectly awkward as Tess. Her eyes conveyed so much, too. Filled with wounded innocence!

Eric, I cannot believe you didn't like the most recent Jane Eyre adaption. Thanks to the two main actors, I found out the most definitive adaption of the novel.

Also loved North & South and Bleak House. Cranford was perhaps the most sweetly moving series, though. I don't think a US network would ever showcase women over 50 and 60 like they did with that show (indeed they haven't since The Golden Girls).

[Sylph]

Not in the sense of sets etc. It just that these stories, these people... This whole show... As if it just came out of Madame Tussauds.

[EricMontreal22]

Meh they feel really alive to me. I think anyway

Cat--I wanna read your long reply Hate when that happens. The most recent Jane Eyre was good (though i think I missed some of it) it's just how many times can they bloody adapt it lol. Zeferelli did it in 96, BBC did it in 97, BBC does it in 2007, and there' a new movie next year, etc etc

[EricMontreal22]

Wow a pretty heavy episode but I lvoed every minute of it--well except I STILL think the rich guy who rides with Betty is not appealing enough in any way I can see.

But wow--Betty's passive agressive way of turning him on her friend to help with some of her own personal unhappiness--wow. And I love that Don recognized it was Peg who should benefit most from Walter (?)'s problem. And then the final twist with Roger and Don's secretary!

[Sylph]

From Ausiello:

Negotiations between AMC and Mad Man creator Matthew Weiner on a third season of the Emmy-winning drama are continuing.

[EricMontreal22]

Does he want more money? I have no doubt AMC wants it back for a third year...

[EricMontreal22]

Just saw this week's ep which I found wonderful, and kinda disturbing. Wow Don's not in a good place. Someone on here said that he found the actor who plays Campbell's acting off compared to the other office men--too self conscious but this episode showed, to me anyway, that this is exactly the point--that's the only way he really knows how to act around people (and the lack of interest in him in California was pretty amusing). My friend I was watching with commented that she didn't know if Don would survive--not health wise but just everything going on in his head (it was amusing to have nearly everyone there wanting him there cuz of his beauty and not his brain or conversation though...). When he spoke on the phone at the end and used a different name--was it his old name? We couldn;'t remember, though I assume it was...

I was pretty sure the European guy (sorry I don't remember his name at all) who was hired as a "young voice" at the agency was gay--actually I thought originally both of them were, so that was no big surprise but I loved the scene where he calmly mentioned it and each character's reaction--especially both Peggy and Sal's quiet upset (for different reasons--Sal's more because of how uncomfortable the others reactions was). It seemed almost cliche to then have him give Peggy a makeover--but someone like that is probably the kinda friend she needs in her work--he obviously doesn't look down on her like her other co workers do, nor is he jealous like the secretaries or also sidmissive are.

[Sylph]

[EricMontreal22]

It seems odd if he wouldn't. Woudl a new show Weiner creates have much more of a chance? While still low rated (but doing better than last year) it IS beating out a lot of HBO's shows currently...

[Sylph]

Perhaps Marti Noxon's on her way of becoming the show's new SR.