Peggy's pregnancy has sparked a lot of controversy amongst members of the discussion board. While there have been incidents of women never knowing they were pregnant until they went into labor it seemed to strain credulity in Peggy's case. A major thrust of the season's plot was that she was so much smarter and more ambitious than the other secretaries on the show yet when it came to her pregnancy she was clueless.

Was it a case where she was just in deep denial? Or was the knowledge that she was pregnant too shameful for her to admit even to the doctor? Or was there something else going on?

Not so much a question but a big THANK YOU for bringing such an intelligent show to life. I am working hard to expand your audience by sending my friends links to this site and telling them they have to either watch the re-runs or rent it when it comes out on DVD. You have proven that TV can be smart, witty, and accurate. I also use it to show young women why there was a feminist movement. I worked in that environment.

Has a date been set for the release of the first season DVDs?

We know amctv.com occasionally looks in on the episode blogs but does anyone from your staff?

Great series, by the way and the blogs truly enhance the experience by drawing out nuances that I never would have noticed. I've enjoyed this series far more than any series I can think of.

Matt, congratulations on a beautifully written, directed and acted series. I have watched each episode on-demand at least 10 times. As a writer myself, I am enthralled with the dialogue. Tell me, how long does it take to write an episode?

Episode 1 took place in what month? I read in a early preview that it was in May.

Did you have any idea that this show was going to create such intense passion among it's dedicated fans?

As Ritt said above, this blog has enhanced the experience.

I have never in been a true dedicated fan of any T.V. series, and at age 76 I AM HOOKED, as are my daughters who are 44 and 51.

Thanks for giving us the opportunity to meet these wonderful, complex characters. We are all hoping for a long run for MADMEN!!!

Please tell me that Roger Sterling will be around for a long time, I love Roger and his dry sense of humor. Another favorite of mine is the excentric Cooper. All the actors are great, I even like Pete, the man you love to hate. I know you can't give out too many secrets, just make it easy on yourself and bring everybody back, love 'em all!

Dear Mr. Weiner:

Thank you for the greatest show ever! Better, in my opinion, than The Sopranos.

What was your inspiration? Are you old enough to remember the early 60's?

Every episode is open to several different interpretations -- this blog has helped me enormously in understanding things I might have missed.

Do you like Don Draper?

Again, thank you for bringing such quality entertainment to television.

May you and your cast sweep the Emmys.

I'm fascinated by how the ad campaigns are conceived. Will we see more of the thought process in the next season? Also, as you've done research, have you found any powerful women in the ad business? My daughter is finishing up a master's degree in advertising, and she's very discouraged about her chances of success in the field.

I knew Peggy was preggers! Becuase her waist bands kept getting higher and higher and she got so "bitchy" and "prickly".

AND she did eat all her roomates liverwerst and crackers!

Really great to see Robert Morse. I know he is a rascal to work with,but Oh he just wwwrrrreeeekkksss of the 60's.

Such an imp! Still!

My questions...

1) How do you hire writers for the show?

2)Who does casting?

Mathew, you have a winner.

I think I would like to see a little more "age" in the writing and casting...I mean "true" age.

There is a gulf.

The 35-45 range is pale.

I know it is probably taylored to sort of educate an audience that may not be aware of this decade.

But those of us born in it are a big audience for the show.

I have to say the details are marvelously rich.

"Fiorello" to Rhinegold.

My grandfather on my moms side married into Rhinegold.

They use to call it,"green beer".

Oh my! Those relatives that were members of Chevy Chase could drink! A bar on every floor of the house!

I love all the smoking and the drinking.

oi gottin himmel!

So who is going to AA first?....... is my question.

I think a "days of wine a roses" episode, would be wonderful.

Now that I could write!!!!!

Thank you again...for the memories and the FUN!

Savannah

oh yeah.

Elizabeth is simply amazing.

You all went to such lengths to frump her up.

Many young actresses would not have her gutts.

Bravo! She is not "acty" at all. It is like you plucked some nice sweet mid-western girl right off the farm. She is rough and unpolished and completely compelling to watch.Completely!!!!

If Bobby Altman were alive he would snap her up too!!!!

Cannot wait to see what the Pegster chooses.

Fact: this happened to a girl i knew in high school.

She went into the nurses office complaining of "stomach pains" and ended up having a baby. She had no idea she was pregnant.She had been raped by her Dad and was quite simply ignorant of her body and what was happening.

When will season 1 be available to purchase on DVD? This is an absolutely wonderful and easy to relate series. Wouldn't miss Season 2

In an interview, you explained Betty's problems with her hands as purely psychological, having nothing to do with MS or any other neurological problem. Seeing Helen Bishop move her own belongings prompted her symptoms while Betty was out driving with the kids. But while she and Don were having dinner with Roger and Mona, the symptoms reappeared when the ladies were in the restroom. What prompted Betty's symptoms in that scene?

In an interview, you explained Betty's problems with her hands as purely psychological, having nothing to do with MS or any other neurological problem. Seeing Helen Bishop move her own belongings prompted her symptoms while Betty was out driving with the kids. But while she and Don were having dinner with Roger and Mona, the symptoms reappeared when the ladies were in the restroom. What prompted Betty's symptoms in that scene?

Hello There Mr. Weiner, Many Congrats on your FANTASTIClY ENTERTAINING new show. I think it is better than the Sopranos (my husband's addiction) I hope you have read over the blogs because they are populated by unbelievably intelligent discriminating folk! We all love this show because it challenges the viewer to pay attention. Every scene has some message beyond the obvious. Or are we "reading things into the show" that weren't intended? I think you indeed intended to write a show that would demand second (even third!) viewings just to be sure we "caught" everything! Thanks so much for REAL entertainment! As the above poster said...MAY YOU SWEEP THE EMMYS!

Great show - Is there any chance it will come back prior to next summer? I miss it already.

When will I see ...

1. a Viewmaster

2. a Banlon shirt

4. s bottle of Canoe

5. a bowl of those enormous peppermint patties at a restaurant cashier station

6. a rack of Golden Books at the grocery store

7. a backyard fallout shelter

8. magazine rack where they have to stack Life, Look, The Saturday Evening Post, McCalls and Esquire horizontally at the bottom, the formats are so big

9. a copy of True

10. cocktail glasses with swizzle sticks (with whistles on the end) attached

11. one of those full-skirted mammy dolls covering somebody's telephone

?????

Dear Mr. Weiner -

I was a Sopranos fan - you had to pay attention & think about what you just saw - comparable to reading a great book. But it wasn't my life.

For me, MM is a trip down nostalgia lane. Along with the absolutely brilliant writing, perfect casting, & the obvious detail work shown by everyone involved, this show has captivated me like no other.

If it doesn't affect future episodes, what was Dick thinking at the moment he switched dog tags? I'm not convinced it was a calculated move.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this show.

The topic says we can ask the cast and crew questions and this one is for the crew. The show is so visually stunning, I want to hear more about all the people responsible for its unique look. Congratulations to you all, what a beautiful show!

i love your horror films my question is with all the horror movies made why is your channel showing the same movies over and over again.come on people show something different.

thank you.

Mad Men is like a good book, it grabs you, reels you in and you're hooked. Any idea when the dvd is coming out? It certainly would help with my withdrawal symptoms!

I'm a huge fan of mad men, got hooked the first time I watched it. I'd just like to know when Season 2 is coming on!

Deja B.

I am fascinated by "Mad Men" because it gives me a glimpse of adult life in the wider world in 1960. (I turned four that year.)

There are some interesting (to me) coincidences. "Don" and "Betty" resemble my own parents. The interior of their house reminds me of our New Jersey home. (Our house was used in a frozen fried-chicken commercial in the early 70's.)

Now a question: Using "real-world" (RW) ad campaigns is a great touch. Do the original (RW) agencies and clients provide background info and materials as a type of "product placement"?

(I think I remember a KODAK Carousel ad campaign very similar to "Don's" proposal.)

Mr. Weiner;

Cool show, the depth is of course what makes me want to keep watching. Were you inspired to write this show because of a facination in the evolution of American society? We should talk I grew up working in the waste industry in Southern Cal. boy do I have story ideas...lol

Dear Mr. Weiner,

Thank you for Mad Men, the best, most entertaining show on television.

I'm a big fan of the Sopranos. However, I love the fact that on Mad Men the only violent act of retribution is an executive throwing up in front of some clients. :)

My question: What was the average life expectancy (job wise) of an account executive at a Madison agency back in 1960 in comparison with today? Working in sales, it seems that if today someone is at a company for two years they should get a gold watch.

Best Regards!

This series is amazing and I cant wait for season 2!! Great work!

Kudos to the writers, producers and actors involved in this fabulous series. The series has ended and I miss the show!

The show must continue! It is an art form of the 1060's. Please get more airtime for reruns and more series!

I've watched every episode and LOVE it! However, I had a family emergency and missed the season finale. You usually repeat your shows, but it seems AMC chose to show horror movies instead of repeating your season finale. I also was unable to locate it on the internet. Is there any chance to see it soon without waiting for the DVD?

Thank you so much for great television!!!

Are props from other tv shows used on Mad Men? I'm especially curious about the statue in Dr. Wayne's office in "The Wheel". It looked like it came straight out of Dr. Melfi's office in The Sopranos.

After the bachelor party, how did Pete find out where Peggy lived? Did he take 2 trains to get there? And was it on the evening of Friday, April Fools Day, 1960? Inquiring fans want to know! :)

Fans love blooper reels. Any plans to show some?

I love Mad Men......it is exactly like it really was and I have not missed a single show. When will the season start again? I feel so let down that it will not be on every Thursday night. I feel like I was half way through a book and lost it....why can it not run all year? I re-watch every show & always notice something new each time. I have all my friends watching too.....NEED MORE! Is there a book that this show is based on.....

Bravo to you Matt & all the other writers. Stick to what you are doing, you have a winner here. Love how you move the storyline at a pretty fast pace, not making us wait for weeks end for a finish.

Two questions...

Will Roger be back..love him!

Will the show move up to 2 yrs. when it returns for season 2?

Thanks again...can't wait for June, & yeah, go ahead, feel free to give us a sneek peak in say, January, February!

Please, Mr. Weiner! Linger for a long while in 1960-62. We are oh so familiar with what happens afterwards. I'm not ready to move on yet.

Maintaining a high level of authenticity of the show is a tall order, and is especially difficult given your production schedule. We fans, who have all the time in the world to savor and/or criticize minute details, applaud the quality of what you've done so far. How are you dealing with that kind of pressure? How are your production logistics different from the run-of-the-mill TV show?

I lived in NYC in the late 50's early 60's,working for a textile firm on 5th Avenue. We had crazy parties at New Year's however,our company was really laid back compared to MM's Ad Agency!!!!!I can relate to the treatment of "women" in the work place. MM really does bring back the memories. I chringe now at all the smoking and drinking taken then as normal! My how things have changed for the better in the workplace I am still a part of today. Love the show,keep on going. When will the 1st season be scheduled to rerun? I'd like everyone I have told to see the show I feel to be one of most innovative,entertaining,new series in awhile. Congratulations. May we see many more seasons.

Mr. Weiner, I've been blown away all season by the show and in particular by the wardrobe and set design. Can you give us a bit of info as to who is in charge, why she/he was chosen, and what sort of thought process went into (for my money) the best designed show on tv?

Hey if you need an intern or slave I would move mountains for this show plus I'm decent looking and 6'3

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa108/flowagent/stuff/IMGP6446.jpg

Matt - What is the purpose of moving Mad Men's time frame along so quickly. This season went from early spring to late fall in 13 episodes. If Mad Men's season were the normal length of time I could understand. It moves along so quickly that you hardly have time to really invest in the characters and their relationships. Now, I understand the plan is to jump ahead next season by two years. Please keep in mind that as well as Peggy's weight gain makeup worked this season (sort of) weight gain and aging makeup can be distracting and tough to authentically pull off. Besides there is alot of work to enjoy out there about the mid and late 60's. It has been a ton of fun to see people in 1960 - I would hate to see that change to much. I think your instincts about that time were right on target. Please explore it more and slow it down. Great work!!!

Are you aware that many fans like the idea of more development of the black characters in the series?

It must be so difficult to think of how to develop the black characters into the corporate world of that time period. My Dad, who was like Barney Collier in Mission Impossible, couldn't even get a entry-level job interview with IBM in 1960 due to racism. Senator Jacob Javits of New York helped him get a job with General Electric, due to the defense contracts with that company. Unfortunately, S-C doesn't appear to have such contracts.

Mr. Weiner - What are the plans so far in light of the possible writer's strike? Do you continue writing so you can go into production immediately? I'm sure there must have been other strikes, but somehow I wasn't aware of them. I'm really rooting for a settlement now.

Have you considered doing at least some of next season's episodes in black and white instead of color?

Great show! What/who were some of your inspirations for crafting the persona of Bert Cooper? Did you have Robert Morse in mind prior to casting, or was that just a divine stroke of luck? Looking forward to S2!

I love this show - I'm hooked. I can't wait for next season, when will that be? I really want to know why Don feels so secretive about his past. Why has he never told his wife anything about himself?

I am a birthmother and know that otherwise very smart women can end up like Peggy. Further, I know women who did not realized they were pregnant until they delivered. These were not dumb woman. They were women so afraid of their condition they were in the deepest kind of denial. In the 1960s women were dieing after botched abortions or eating lye to commit suicide--anything to avoid the social condemnation that came with an unwanted pregnancy, much less the stigma of “illegitimacy”. Please handle Peggy’s condition with care. Birthmothers are victims of social constructs, not deviants who unfeeling give up their children. It is society that has determined that Peggy cannot keep her child. How does she handle it? Does she hide it? Does Joan find out? Does Joan help? What about office gossip? I was such a victim of nasty gossip. How do those office cads respond? What about the father—his wife—his in-laws. It’s all pretty good stuff!

Mr. Weiner, congratulations on an excellent show. You have assembled an amazing cast of actors and have crafted one of the finest TV programs I think I've ever seen. I am completely addicted to it. Are you bringing everybody back next season? What's in store for all your Mad Men and Women? Will we at least get to see how Pete and Peggy work the Clearasil account?

DId BETTY HELP DON CHOOSE THE FAMILY SLIDES FOR THE KODAK PRESENTATION?

I got the impression that was the reason he took her by the hand and led her into another room after their discussion about Carltons infidelity.

Thank you for an original, brilliant, adult tv show.

How did you come up with the Clearasil info? I worked at Vicks in the early 60's in that very department. Everything in your show is exactly the way it was then! a walk down memory lane!

keep up the amazing epidodes.

I am very impressed with the full figured women...hopefully the younger generation of women today will find the true beauty in these women. This show helps me to look back at the days when my mother (who is now deceased)was young and happy. Please start the new season soon. I love this show so much. This is the best show ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mr. Weiner:

I was only 5 in 1955 BUT I did work in Adveritising in NYC in the early 70s and can really appreciate your show. So incredibly polished. Where in NYC you film it? If you need a Nurse Practitioner on the set - give me a call - I'll bring my white gloves and high heels!

Janet/ NJ Just across the GW Bridge

Great show!! When is the DVD coming out??? When is the next season?? Thanks to all the actors and the behind the scenes crew - so incredibly good, polished and brings you back to a time " back in the day...". I worked in Advertising as both a Secrtary and a Media Trainee and can still recall whisps of that era. I was only 5 in 1960 but remember all the clothing, hair, CIGARETTES, ETC. Great job.

If you need a Nurse Practitioner on the set let me know!! Janet Lynn - I have the tight skirts and high heels and can still do steno and stitch a wound!!

Janet / NJ just across the Hudson

I am a NYC make-up artist and I feel very passionate about the authenticity of the make up of this period as well as it's authenticity on your show. Your show does not look authentic when it comes to make-up.

What aren't there lipstick marks on everything? Collars, cups, glasses, cigarettes, men's faces and lips? That red lipstick is super saturated and it is not stay-put. Why does it look so pristine all the time? You pay attention to every detail but this one! You are not the only show that misses opportunities to use women's make up to create an accurate portrayal of the time period. But Mad Men strives to get every single detail correct so I beg you, please let the women's make up run, bleed, smear, stain and fade.

Mascara was in a cake that you had to apply water to and put on your lashes with a hard bristled brush. The face make up was pancake- no liquid yet!

I think it would be incredibly interesting to dive into the gross limitations of make-up of that time.

Watching in NY,

your fan.

Did you intend for Peggy to have her baby just 2 days before future first lady Jackie Kennedy gives birth to JFK Jr.? Just wondering, and maybe analyzing too much.

Thanks for a wonderfully entertaining 13 hours.

Hi there,

Thank you for making a season of can't-miss TV!

My question is: What can you tell us about the time that Season 2 will be picking up? I've heard rumors of jumping in two years later....

Not a question but a comment. I love this show. I get really nervous when I allow myself to enjoy a show this much. It usually means that it will be canceled after the first season or the director will grow tired of the project and move on. In any case I'm left annoyed by the fact that a good show came along and baited me only to leave me hanging at the end of a canceled series. I hope this doesn't happen to Mad Men. It is a smart, innovative, nostalgic, stand-alone-giant of adult television. I really love this show so don't leave me hanging.

I work in advertising today...don't you feel that women have been the strength in advertising and not just in copywriting, but in visual interpretation ........we see concepting in an image driven world and can be directed to buy just about anything given the right time and the right place. The characters can be capable of being both beautiful and mariginally insane.....which is the "real" world" it is so exciting.....crazy can be be great...it is not all about smoking and drinking...which we all do....but so explosive...it is about the sexual tension you dispaly and the moment of satisfaction...I would love to be in one of your weekly shows.........

AUTHOR: Sylenda Schade Graf
EMAIL: sylendagraf@hotmail.com
IP: 68.81.111.144
URL:
DATE: 10/31/2007 10:43:38 PM

I totally love your show and yes I want more of Mad Men. When will you be airing the second series. I love the way it keeps you engrossed without it being action packed etc. I've got my preferred characters and of course the ones I like the least.

I noticed Robert Morse, the excentric Cooper, is not available for questions, does this mean he's not coming back? Cooper is one of my favorite characters.

Dear Mr. Weiner,

Can you make someone "passing" for white on the show who is really bi-racial or black? That was so popular during this time and might create another twist to a character.

I watch Mad Men every TH! It is a wonderful show. I rush home from work and get in just in time to watch. Thanks for a terrific piece of work. Hope you get an Emmy!

Have you ever considered shooting some scenes at outdoor locations in New York City?

For example, Don could meet Betty and the children in front of the lions on the steps of the NY Public Library. Or Rachel (if she is still around) and Don could meet for a discreet stroll in Central Park to talk things over.

This might add a little local color to the show. Not that it needs it! This show is great just the way it is!

This may be absurd, but I was wondering if you're looking for a writer's assistant. I want to be writing for TV, and I can't imagine working on a better show.

Am looking forward to watching Season 1 all over again starting tonight (Nov. 1st) but WHY ON EARTH do we go from Episode 1 to Episode 4 (Nov. 8th)???? I am TRYING (as Joan would say) to turn on my friends and family to this show and I told them "Now's your chance to see it from the beginning" and now you're just going to confuse them! Can you PLEEEEASE consider showing Series 1 in order?? Heck we've got until next June to get all 13 episodes in again.

Am looking forward to watching Season 1 all over again starting tonight (Nov. 1st) but WHY ON EARTH do we go from Episode 1 to Episode 4 (Nov. 8th)???? I am TRYING (as Joan would say) to turn on my friends and family to this show and I told them "Now's your chance to see it from the beginning" and now you're just going to confuse them! Can you PLEEEEASE consider showing Series 1 in order?? Heck we've got until next June to get all 13 episodes in again.

I loved seeing Robert Morse portraying Bertram Cooper, the head of the ad agency. I had an immediate and pleasant flashback to his wonderful role in "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying", that farce from the sixties. I saw that play with my then boyfriend who is now my husband of 35 years. He really did climb to the top and landed in the executive office and now he spends his time pruning his bonzai plants and walking barefoot over his supine ad "minions". Were you familiar with his former role spoofing business or did someone bring him to your attention? It was such a great fit!

I have several friends geared up to watch the Series starting tonight Nov 1st, but now I see that it will not be run in order. We were going to discuss the show via e-mail since we all live in different parts of the country. What gives?

Mad Men is really a great series. My wife started watching it with me from episode 1. We liked it so much that we we even watched the encore shows after the originals. Although, I have never worked in advertising, I do remember the power that ad agencies wielded in the "golden age" of television, especially when you identified certain shows with their sponsors, usually to the extent of a show only having one sponsor.

One show I remember was Milton Berle. His show was "The Texaco Star Theater" and there were live Texaco commercials with men dressed like service station attendants. Many more shows, live and film, incorporated their sponsor's names into their title.

Now for my "Mad Men" questions.

1) What was Don's hometown that he left to join the Army? ( also was he drafted or a volunteer?) With a show devoted to such detail, is there any info about which Army division that Don was assigned to?

2) Why didn't Don read about his brother's suicide in the newspaper?

3) Is there is any conflict between John Slattery being a main character in MM and also holding down a supporting role in Desparate Housewives?

3) Where did Don originally meet Midge the artist?

4) Does MM have to pay any fees to real companies that are mentioned such as McCann Erickson or Young & Rubicam? Also in the episode involving the top men of Lucky Strike", was the real company managed by a father-son team?

5) Will Miss Sadler, the switchboard girl, be coming back in season #2?

6)Has the 2nd season of shows already been shot? When will the 2nd season debut in 2008?

7) Re Peggy getting pregnant, I thought Joan had her go to a doctor to be put on birth control pills. What went wrong?

8) Did you use Elia Kazan's film, "A Face in the Crowd" ( and its depiction of a NYC ad agency) as a source of background research for MM?

Mad Men is the best series that happened in the movie industry. Please let me know how or where I can buy DVD of the 1st season, also the CD of the music. when I found out about Mad Men I already missed many episode.this is the greatest thing that I have watched in the last decades.

Why will you not have a "MAD MEN" weekend watching on AMC? I know I would stay home to watch. I missed the 13th episode. Will it play again?

I am not a big "stay at home and watch tv"person. I have become one now that MAd Men is on.

LOVE THE SHOW - I always wondered what my mom was talking about.

Can you tell us what Don was doing between the end of WWII and the outbreak of the Korean War? His character seems to be in his mid-thirties, which would have made him old enough to have served in the military at the tail-end of World War II. What was going on with him then?

Also, why did Adam wait so long after Don rejected him to kill himself? It seems like months passed between Don offering Adam the 5Gs, and Adam hanging himself. What happened in the interim?

What else happened in Don's childhood to make him hate his step-mother so vehemently? Clearly he had an unhappy childhood, but from what we've seen so far, it doesn't seem to be worse than anyone else growing up in the midst of the Great Depression. Seriously, did anyone have a good childhood then? I'm convinced that there's a whole lot more to Don/Dick's backstory than what we know so far. Is any of that going to emerge in season 2?

I love the show, but I wonder why you have chosen to have the one female at the ad agency (Peggy) who shows any sort of aptitude for moving up in the company grow chunkier and more unattractive by the day?

Alison Hruby

Logan, Utah

Woops. I guess I should have watched the final episode of the season before I made a comment about Peggy's girth (I have the episode recorded on my DVR, but still haven't watched it!).

Sorry.

Alison Hruby

What an interesting wrap to a great season. Peggy giving birth, that was a bit out of character for this caliber of show? Wow, how's that going to play in the next season? I'll be there to see it for sure. Please don't kill off John Slattery as Roger Sterling please? He's a great actor, and the role he plays is an anchor to the story. Send him to a health camp and bring him back without all the smokin/drinkin, but figure out a new angle for him.

Great show, the networks should take notice. How much more crime drama can one watch anyway? CSI is getting to gross and IMHO shows criminals how to commit and get away with crime. Just put the few missing pieces together and behold, the perfect crime.

This series is fresh, engaging, with it's own dark side, but we don't have to think "who dun it" for 44 minutes...

Thanks,

Lee

where can I find information on which the series gets some of it's story lines ? i.e. Is the Jewish Dept store Bloomingdales ? I remember LSMFT. Who is Midge based on ? Love the series & how the mysteries of Don are unraveling.

I don't have a question, I just don't know how to write to Matthew Weiner directly. This is one of the best series ever, together with The West Wing, The Sopranos and The Wire. It is smart, compelling, incredibly well written, directed and produced, the choice of actors is... I have to start a new paragraph about that.

When shooting "the Shining", Kubrick had a problem. He wanted to show, for the final image, Jack Nicholson in a ballroom circa 1900. So he began to look for extras who looked like people from that era. He hired hairstylists, costume designers and whatnot, and could never achieve the perfect look, because in a century the human species has physically evolved probably more than in the preceeding millenium (due to a combination of factors : wearing glasses prevents squinting, better skin hygiene prevents wrinkles, and so on). Eventually, he had to settle for a cheap photographic trick : he just pasted the face of Nicholson on an authentic 1900s ballroom picture.

Well, that's what's amazing with Mad Men : the actors all seem to have that early 60s look and figure (particularly Jon Hamm/Don Draper and his unshaven look). It is visually baffling.

The idea itself is incredibly original, and I loved the first caption of the first episode ("*they* coined it"), which sets the mood for the rest of the series.

And I also love the fact that Midge and her pot-smoking friends are some kind of a omen that Don's era is about to crash down... even though it just started (oh yeah, greatest titles ever, and I just bought rjd2's "Beautiful Mine", because I can't get it out of my mind, and the reference to Saul Bass is great, and the final image of the shadow sitting down with only his collar and his cigarette being white on the black cut-out is the smartest shortcut ever).

I just can't wait for season 2, and I hope you'll sign several more after that.

Thank you, Matthew Weiner, for creating this show, thank you, thank you!!!

I have thoroughly enjoyed every episode and am looking forward to next season. In addition to the story lines, one of the best parts of the show is how well everything about 1960 is so painstakingly accurate from the outfits to the furniture etc.

I realize this next comment falls into the category of "having no life" but I do have one anachronism to report. It's regarding the IBM typewriter that is shown from time to time. Firstly, IBM introduced the Selectric "golf ball" typewriter in 1961 and secondly the model that is used on the show, is the Correcting Selectric (you can tell by the correcting button which is located to the right of the space bar). This model of Selectric was not available until 1973.

Hi Matt,

This is a tremenduous show. Great characters and I love the pop culture references too.

Okay, questions:

1. Why didn't you include at least one slide in the "carousel" from Draper's pitch. Clearly, he was influced by the photos and other stuff in that formerly clandestine mystery box. I think he had come to terms with it and while it was a good attempt at having him realize what he did have now (showing his reverse progression of his current life with his family)vs. his painful childhood, I really think even one random photo from his secret life (not so secret anymore and maybe he feel somewhat empowered by it) should've popped in there. Could've been powerful. Great scene though! The descending progression was clever.

2. I'd like you to do more with some of the "group" that always canters into the office and works around Draper and Peter. I think they could have some interesting loyalties and betrayals - expand the circle a little with the story arcs, if you know what I mean.

3. Peter's character could be a little more pathetic and he might actually appeal more to Draper, who, even though they are totally different, might actually find Peter to be salvageable. I am not saying to tie it up in a bow, but I think that Draper can see Peter is intelligent, yet a complete loser as far as loyalty. Draper could decide that, as the old man said, loyalty could be in the offing if he gives the guy a hand. I'd like to see if you could handle that in a believable way. Can complete douche' bags ever be saved? Hey, there's a title for an epidose!

Regards, M

When will season one of Mad Men come out on DVD? It is on my dad's Christmas wish list and I have to get it for him! When will it be out?

Belated praise and a question that may turn out to be rhetorical.

This show is a treat but you're not seeing my viewer number in the ratings - I time shift so that I can see it uninterrupted. The story pacing and thematic commentary on our present are rewarded by unflagging attention. I love what has turned into a viewing experience that's like reading a Richard Yates novel - Revolution Road springs to mind. Carry on with all that.

The show is not sentimental or nostalgic, but its dedication to period details leaves those of us in mid/late forties with a sense of comfort in the innocent objects of childhood. And yet, the story is often an emotional drubbing (success!) set among powerfully nostalgic settings, which distances me from the story. It's always in the distant, lost, remembered past.

How are you going to beat back the nostalgia (and I'm not talking about the use of the idea in Season 1 finale, which was brilliant) so that the story feels like its closer - our story, our present, our problem?

Why can't we get the episode about election night on the "on demand" function? All the others were available.

Matt

thanks for making mm --it is a joy to watch every week--much good luck on emmy night!

can season 2 be shown with little or no commercial interruption? maybe just a commercial befor and after -- makes viewing for "seamless"

also noticed 1 or 2 scenes missing on the 2nd viewing of the last episode --- can we see the uncut versions in season 2?

thanks---- best of luck with season 2

First of all (as many people have already posted) I am in love with this show. It has been a long time since I have been able to enjoy something with so much depth yet so shallow at the same time. It is great!

I have been dying to find out where to get one of those cigarette holders the ad men have in their offices. It may be only Don's office that has one... it is the little canister on his desk that pop's up with a cigarette when you lift up on the handle. I would also like to know if they have a special name so I may track one down.

I am so excited you are coming back with season 2. I cannot wait to find out what happens with Peggy.

Thanks!

Do you see the rest of Mad Men to be an arc-driven show, or to consist mostly of stand-alone episodes?

Thanks a lot for all the work you've put into the show. It's quickly become one of my favorites. Can't wait for the DVDs.

Actually, I worked in a restaurant with a woman who did not know she was pregnant until one night she had a terrible stomach ache and went to the clinic (this was a very small resort town in Colorado), and she gave birth soon after. She was (sadly) a chronic alcoholic and obese, so that may have had something to do with it. In any case, we love the show and try to get our friends to watch it. In our opinion, it is certainly up there w/the Sopranos, Six Feet Under, etc. (i.e. among the greats thus far) - THANKS!!!

I love the show and all the characters are intriguing. I can especially relate to Betty. Todays culture has evolved out of the 60's culture that you and the cast portray so well. I enjoy observing that time period in detail, as it helps me better understand who I am today. As a stay-at-home Mom, in a more subtle way, I can feel Betty's emotions.

I'm a huge fan of the series and would love to see it on HDTV. Are there any plans (during the "off season") to have it run on a channel such as HDNET?

Love, love, love Mad Men! How will the writer's strike affect Season 2? Are any episodes written yet? When is (was) it scheduled to start shooting? June 2008 already seems like such a LONG way off to wait for new episodes!

Hi, Matt. First I want to say that I quickly became addicted to your fabulous show...amazing how you came up with this idea. And it is SOO appealing to people in my age group (40+) My question is this: Will the writers' strike now affect whether we will see MadMen any longer? PLEASE tell me you're an "outlaw" and you won't have to conform to what the other writers are doing!! I can't bear the thought of getting so turned on to a show only to have it snatched away. Keep Mad Men going forever! So, what's your answer?

Hi, I really enjoy the show. Especially, the look and feel of it. To that end, I'd like to suggest more and better use of music of that era. A couple of songs I have in mind are Wives and Lovers by Jack Jones; and Relax Max by Dinah Washington.

I'm in my early 40s and have always collected clothes of the 50s and 60s. I have hundreds of ties, cufflinks and several dozen suits of that era.

Keep up the good work.

-X, a loyal fan

I love the show! Best show ever! For the past fifteen years I have owned and operated an ad agency in Dallas and prior to that I was a Sr. VP with agencies such as Ogilvy & Mather and Foote, Cone & Belding.

What I appreciate is how accurate your shows are compared to the real world of advertising, especially in the 1960s. Things are different now. Most of us don't smoke and some of us don't drink!

Anyway my question is how many scripts or story ideas have been floated to you by people like me who eat, sleep and be merry with advertising? Ad agency moguls always think they're screen writers!

Thank you!

Of course, I love the show.

I must say I am a little obsessed with the way the Peggy character is dressed. I started working in 1962 at ABC-TV in NYC at the age of 17, and no one working there dressed like Peggy. Her clothes and hair style are beyond pathetic and no young girl would have been caught dead wearing a hat like hers. You wore a hat in the winter (maybe) because it was cold out but no other time. I practically spent my whole salary every week on clothes at Bonwit Teller when they had a sale on. Ann Klein dresses were in style then. Pins were worn on the side or center of the dress to match a color in the dress or the jewelery worn. In the winter you sometimes wore thick wool A line dresses that were sleeveless with a pin matching. I was making very little money then but if you were still living at home you spent all your money on clothes. Peggy supposedly grew up in Bay Ridge so it is particularly jarring to see her dressed like some country bumpkin from the 50's.

Also some poster mentioned the lack of gold charm bracelets. Practically every young girl received one around that time as a birthday or graduation gift, and buying additional gold charms to attach to the bracelet was always a great gift to give someone. As you typed you could hear the clang, clang, clang.

First of all, I LOVE THIS SHOW! I understand you're a stickler for details.

My first job in the work force was in 1960. I don't recall seeing any typewriters with the IBM ball, I think they came out around 1965. My husband and I went on our honeymoon to the New York World's Fair and the IBM Pavillion was in the shape of a ball, they were just introducing this typewriter.

The creators of Mad Men are sticklers for accuracy, so this really bugs me. When Roger Sterling is getting a haircut in his office, I believe the barber is tapering/cutting with the teeth of the comb down. Where did he go to Barber College? Just a pet peeve of a barber of thirty years.

How is the writers strike affecting Mad Men? Will the season 2 start date be pushed back?

Great marketing, ON DEMAND took MAD MEN away from us, suppose the dvd will appear in the stores any day now, Christmas is coming! Of course, I'll be the first one in line to buy it, love this show.

I got to see the beginning of Mad Men and fell in love with the show. Been out of the country and got behind. When will there be a DVD for me to watch and get caught up?

It's a great show and hope you get to continue a long time

Thanks.

Patti

I got to see the beginning of Mad Men and fell in love with the show. Been out of the country and got behind. When will there be a DVD for me to watch and get caught up?

It's a great show and hope you get to continue a long time

Thanks.

Patti

When will season one be out on dvd? Why so long until season two? I love this show! Thanks cageorg@msn.com

I wasn't sure that I would like Mad Men but I love it! I enjoy how you shoot "love scenes" without showing alot of skin. It is very sexy!

Have you thought of booking the cast and yourself on late night talk shows or shows like "Ellen" or "The View" to get a boost in ratings?

Can't wait for Season Two!

Sincerely,

Noel Hill

OK...My boyfriend fell in love with this show right away and we can't believe the first season is over! We need more! When will Season 2 start - next summer? Gosh - with it STILL hot here in Texas, that seems like a long long way off...Thanks for a great show.

Could you please tell me how/where I can buy the "chip 'n dip" Pete returned to the store after his wedding. I would love to buy it. Thanks for the best new series EVER.

Dear Mr. Weiner:

I read in one of the comments that once the series returns next year, the series will not follow where it left of??? Why not? There's too many things that will be left out. We're going to be left hanging.

Please don't do this to the fans. I can't wait for the new season. This is the best show ever!!

Hello! Will you please ask your technical staff to develop a way for the system to number the blog entries? It would save a lot of time for the regular participants to review the new entries if they knew where they left off!

Thanks for the best show ever!

Sandy from Harrisburg

Hello! Will you please ask your technical staff to develop a way for the system to number the blog entries? It would save a lot of time for the regular participants to review the new entries if they knew where they left off!

Thanks for the best show ever!

Sandy from Harrisburg

Hello! Will you please ask your technical staff to develop a way for the system to number the blog entries? It would save a lot of time for the regular participants to review the new entries if they knew where they left off!

Thanks for the best show ever!

Sandy from Harrisburg

Dear Mr. Weiner:

I hope you read fans comments.

In episode 10 The Long Weekend, Carol comes clean to Joan in the