OLTL's Erika Slezak Gives Advice to Mad Men's Megan

[Winchester91]

I wonder what Victoria Rowell's Q ratings were...based on her Twitter shade towards some old castmates

[DramatistDreamer]

When I was reading this article, I just know someone would post it here , pretty clever twist, having Erika Slezak giving insight on a Mad Men character.

[EricMontreal22]

Is Megan that hated? I love her too.

While I don't think Mad Men is as pretentious as Carl does, as I've said in the Mad Me thread it does annoy me that, unlike nearly everything else (including the way actual episodes of As The World Turns were used in earlier episodes) the soap stuff doesn't ring true. They already are acting like in 1968 it was a huge soap cliche to have an actress playing twins when I thought that didn't really start up until the 70s (although of course Vicki did have alternate personalities in 1968). And the sex scene was something that would be seen as a bit shocking on primetime shows in 1968, and would never have made it on a soap, IMHO.

[DRW50]

The first twin story was on the Secret Storm a few years before this.

Nothing about the story feels like it's relevant to soaps of that era. I guess they just wanted her to be a soap actress and didn't care about the rest, since they could have a farting contest and get an Emmy for it.

[~bl~]

I think they made her a soap opera actress as they wanted her on television and to keep her in NYC. In the 60s, most of the prime time shows were moved to LA already.

[EricMontreal22]

Ha we're gonnahave to agree to disagree about the quality of the sow--I find it brilliant and always moving. But, I do suspect that the soap things was chosen for several reasons--one it keeps Megan in New York and in a high profile job that has long hours so she'll be too busy for Don, and yet wouldn't have the cache credit that if she had landed a high profile primetime TV, moie, or Broadway role she might have so still keeps her questioning her success and talent.

[EricMontreal22]

Ha I gotta say I lovew Erika stickingup for Agnes Nixon--I can so picture her using her "Let's be clear here" Vicki tone of voice when saying this:

"How were the soaps perceived in ’68? Like, when One Life to Live started that year, how quickly did people catch on that the plotlines were bananas?
Okay. To be fair to [creator] Agnes Nixon, her plot lines were never bananas. She went as far as she could go, but she was always concerned with the social aspect and making things real and accessible to the audience."

[DRW50]

I liked that too, and the interviewer had to backtrack.

Mad Men is OK, for what it is, I just sort of roll my eyes at these shows that continue negative soap stereotypes because they don't care about making an effort.

[EricMontreal22]

I do admit that the show is over hyped by some press (though there seems to be a backlash this year, which is kinda strange ecause IMHO the quality is the same,) and they use the soap element this year in an easy way, but to their credit they do show that being on a sap is very hard work, that many of the actors and people involved have a lot of talent.

[JackPeyton]

She's almost as hated as Betty, it seems, and that's damn hated.

Yup.

Exactly. Like you said she can stay in NYC, but be working long hours. She can be recognized, but still doubt herself. Mad Men has also referenced soaps quite a bit in its past.

But what negative stereotypes are untrue, really, aside from all the acting being bad (and that hasn't been shown one way or the other on mad men, but I'd say it leans towards saying at least Megan is good - the duel role, the fans approaching her, etc)

[DRW50]

Soaps being all about sex and twin stories. Soaps had a lot of problems in 1968, as they do now, but that wasn't what soaps were about at the time. Perhaps negative isn't the right word, but it's just lazy.

[JackPeyton]

I haven't got the impression from mad men that soaps are all about either of those. The couple in power have a thing for Megan and have been trying to get her to sleep with them in real life, so it's not a surprise they give her sexier stuff than what may be normal at the time and a duel role and its a main reason she doubts herself, if she deserves this, or if they are just trying to get her into bed. I don't think they are even trying to imply this is how all soaps are at the time, this is one specific case.

[DRW50]

I see what you're saying, but none of that was happening on soaps in 1968. I think they had one woman on Secret Storm whose character died and she returned as an evil twin later, but that was it. It's not a big deal, but considering that this show is endlessly hyped as so historically accurate, I hope people who are watching this don't think that is a representation of daytime in that era.

[DramatistDreamer]

Who thinks that Mad Men is historically accurate?! I never got that impression. I never got the impression that it was hyped that way either.

For example, everyone knows that there were in fact, Black (M)ad Men by the late 60s yet, you don't see one on this show. It is certainly not regarded as an accurate representation of history or society and it was never my impression that people regarded it as such.

It is fiction and just one perspective. Mostly by Matt Weiner and/or a collective of writers writing under his direction.

It would be sad if anyone regarded this show as a history lesson.

[DRW50]

I heard that for quite a while, that it's about history and the times and so on. That and people who want to have sex with Jon Hamm (or Christina Hendricks, or January Jones) are basically the only two things I hear about the show outside of the press hacks and fans.