Looking forward to the show. 1960... Will be interesting to see.

Obviously the ads for Mad Men have me hooked. I am looking up info. the day before it airs to share with some friends who don't even know its premiering. Which brings me to the point. There is something about this show or at least the anticipation of this show that necessitates a shared viewing/as if we (my friends) all saw it together we'd have something to talk about. Maybe because it is a period piece and people love to look and wonder, what if, even if we were not born yet.

And I think there is a yearning for the frivolity or volatility of the time. People today want to come to work and smoke and drink and live even if its a fast track to death. Is this because of the desperation of our times?

And finally there are the men. Take a quick poll of all the shows that have come out in maybe the last five years: it's the cultural echo of the women's movement. I think it started crudely with the hyper misogyny of shows like the Man Show and now with shows like the Sopranos and (surprisingly enough) Making the Band 4 the focus of our culture is back on men. It's a nice dialectic.

Focus on men, particularly white men from the 60s, means watching bigotry, racsim, sexism, the unearned sense of entitlement and hubris. Unfortunately, even after the civil rights movement and the women's movement, these conditions still exist.

I can't bear to watch these conditions played out, even with my interest in the art direction and music of the time.

These conditions cannot possibly be entertaining for me.

I will look for a soundtrack and leave it at that.

Is Mad Men filmed in HD? Is it going to be broadcast in HD? I looked through the listings on Comcast and it doesn't look like it's going to be simulcast - too bad.

> Focus on men, particularly white men from the 60s, means watching bigotry, racsim, sexism, the unearned sense of entitlement and hubris.

So, should that time be rewritten so that it has a woman director, hispanic and black lead characters, and everyone gets along fine? So, just make all that history disappear?

This is the best series since The Sopranos. This is the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The previews looks great. I hope this show is as good as they say. Anyone know the name of the song on the previews. Great song to go along with the show!!!

I have a passion for period film and shows!I would love to know who the costumer or stylist is on the show. I Can't wait to see the premiere tonight!

The name of the song in the promos is "You Know I'm No Good" by Amy Winehouse.

Loved the 60's clothing, hair, voluptuous figures. One thing that's wrong is the length of the men's trousers. They should be much shorter, socks showing.

Fabulous, brilliant writing, camera work reminded me of the Godfather films, gorgeous capturing the period. And the smoking...my father was garment industry, smoked 5 packs a day.

I hope to hear Sinatra in the soundtracks in the coming weeks.

...while I'm thinking about it, how did A&E let this series get scooped up by AMC?

Great first episode! Any idea where I can get a list of the songs played during the show - love that 60's bachelor pad music.

Very enjoyable episode, but the period attention to detail was ruined when Draper "came up" with "It's Toasted" for the Lucky Strike ads. They had been using that since the 30s - it was even on the pack! How could they have missed that?!

Im a young man (19) who has never actually watched a series from begining to end, soley because the premier did not capture my attention throughout the show. I was GLUED to my screen the whole time i was watching this show lol. I will DEFINITELY be tuning in next week, and (hopefully) the whole season.

P.S.: I loved the little random commercial facts during the breaks. They kept me from changing the channel during the breaks lol.

*As a response to Paul*

Good observation. As a matter of fact, they have been using that slogan since 1917.

I really thought it was a great show, but I have to admit I was watching to try to catch a goof in the 1960 period setting. So I was quite impressed with the attention to detail (although I completely missed the fact that It's Toasted was already Lucky Strike's ancient slogan; that's really upsetting!) and had almost given up hope of spotting a goof in the supposed world of 1960. But there, at the very end, was something so BLATANT that I can't figure out how they let it get through! After riding on a train with brown leather seats, which shows they were TRYING to pay attention, Draper gets off at the Ossining station. How do I know? BECAUSE THE FREAKING MTA HUDSON LINE OSSINING SIGNS ARE HANGING OVER THE PLATFORM! THE BRIGHT WHITE SIGNS WITH BLACK HELVETICA ITALIC LETTERING AND THE MTA'S "M" LOGO, WHICH DIDN'T EVEN EXIST IN 1960! It would have been the New York Central Railroad, and the platform wouldn't have had signs that looked anything like this. I cannot believe they didn't catch it.

Oh, and Carl -- note that those little "random" factoids during the commercial break weren't all that random; most of them tied in to the ad that followed! Pretty sneaky. (But also necessary, because it seemed like they ran about 20 ads in a row.)

ehh. I think this is what New Yorkers and media types would think is great TV. I'll probably give it a few more episodes...but right now I disagree with Time's review...I find it quite missable.

I second the person looking for a music list for the episodes... I recognised "Caravan." but haven't come up with the artist performing it (so many have, but I kinda liked this version in particular, so I'm hoping someone has a clue...)

I'll definitely watch the series, if for no other reason than to just watch the girls walking on screen!

Love the 1st episode! i'm hooked already!

Slow, boring and pointless. After being tantalized by all the hype and ads that seem to have been running for months, the premier episode was not the masterpiece that AMC had promised.

Great show, can't wait to see more episodes. So this is really what Darren Stevens was doing with Larry Tate at the office...chasing skirt, drinking rye and smoking Luckys.

I've been looking forward to this show for a long time. I'm a HUGE Vincent Kartheiser fan. This show was even better then I could have imagined was even possable. I hope to see more than 13 episodes. I'll be sure to see every episode and I'm praying that it will be on dvd as soon as the season is over. I really loved it.

P.S. I left work early just so I was sure to be there on time.

The typewriters shown in the office scenes (IBM Selectric II) were not in production in 1960. The Selectric I was not even available until 1961.

Otherwise the smoke filled first episode was entertaining.

Re: "It's toasted."

I agree with the stated comments about "It's toasted" being a very old campaign.

They could have used a different brand: Tareyton Cigarettes.

Slogan: "Us Tareyton smokers would rather fight than switch!" (1963)

The slogan, more or less, also fits with the problem they were having with the feds.

And, what about the goddess Christina Hendricks. We need to see her in a bikini and soon!

Super, super program. Kudos to all.

First episode was nothing but a FCC anti-smoking crusade. Who wrote the script? The anti-smoking lobby ??

A great show. If you want to read about those days in excruciating detail. Go to my web site (spraythebear.com) and read about "Spray the Bear - Reminiscences From the Golden Days of Advertising" I was there, lived the times and wrote about them, Should be required reading for "Mad Men" fans. Available through Amazon.

Hi, to respond to those looking for the music. We are checking to see if we can get that list for you. Some of the other questions posted here in the comments we're looking into as well.

It looks as though you have a target market AND IT AIN'T Me.....I had been looking forward to your show but it makes me ill to watch it. First of all there is no character to like and second I am not going to sit and watch women being treated as second class even if that WAS the way it is......By the way Schlitz beer was the one who innovated the ad about telling the mass media how their beer was made and the extensive process it went throug and how clean and pure it was to drink.....AMC if this is your idea of an original show please stick to movies!

The IBM Selectric didn't come out until 1961. Don't ruin what looks like an elegantly done series with poor attention to detail. Doing it right is worth it.

I agree with Luigi Delgado (see a few posts above this one). This show seemed to be pushing the anti-smoking agenda down our throats. However, I'll give it a few more weeks. Hope it doesn't fall into the trap that NBC's "Studio 60 Live..." fell into this past year - that is, alot of hype and not much else.

Smart writing is good and much needed these days. However, smart writing with an obvious agenda is just Crap TV.

Oops...meant to refer to the post by Frank Sloan, regarding the anti-smoking agenda...

Great first episode...I agree that they probably should pay more attention to the details of the 1960's era, (the "It's Toasted" and train station faux pas, kill the illusion the show is trying to create), but the show itself is really, very entertaining.

As far as the smoking comments go, well, I wish we COULD still smoke in the office, we wouldn't be as stressed out, I'll bet! who cares what they're TRYING to say with the "smoking" episode? If you do not smoke, good for you, if you do, wish for days long gone.

Great job on the show, I will be watching every week, just PLEASE don't turn it into a soap opera.

Agree with all the above re the anachronisms--the one that got me first was the Selectric. (Looked like a 1980s III to me, but it was a quick shot.) There's a much larger one in that Don Draper is titled as a creative director yet he looks and acts like a "suit", a/k/a "an account guy" at a very senior level. No way, Jose, and I go back to the 1970s in the biz.

BTW "The Golden Age" of advertising applied to 1960 is a misnomer--we in the biz refer to the mid-to-late 1960s as that. The names were: Bill Bernbach, Helmut Krone, Carl Ally, Ed McCabe, George Lois, Jerry DellaFemina, others not immediately to mind.

The best touch was not the smoking, but the drinking in the office. In my day (1980s) at Scali McCabe Sloves, all the account people had a "reserve bottle" in the desk--but it was strictly after hours (which were long on an airline account!)

Here's a couple songs that were featured.

First song in the bar where we meet Don is "Band of Gold" by Don Cherry

Last song that runs through the credits is "On the Street Where You Live" by Vic Damone.

I think the version of "Caravan" is by Arthur Fiedler, but I could be wrong. And I'm not sure about the burlesque song either. Just listened to a couple great burlesque collections ('Tease! The Beat of Burlesque,' and 'Striptease: A Walk On The Burlesque Side') and didn't recognize it in either compilation.

How is it that someone in 1960 can have Selectric IIs in the office and not know of the existence of the photocopier?

There were only two scenes that stood up to the quality that was hyped. The scene where Draper is puffing on his cigar after the Lucky strike victory. Beautiful cinematography. Advertised as promised AMC, thanks. And now for your failures:

The second scene where Draper is talking to Sam (who has a last name. Draper while talking to Sam becomes dismissive of Sam's boss and prefers talking to Sam about why he was an Old Gold Man.

The dialogue was imaginative in concept and delivery. Draper is not a civil rights activist, but he is a salesman and if gathering information from a social outcast means being dismissive to his rude boss, then that's the price you pay to get paid.

This is the line of reasoning many shared in not protesting the American government making good on a promise to minorities that had been ratified with the Civil Rights Act of 1864. It only took 100 years for President Johnson to re-enforce it and another 50 to eradicate the Klan, but civil rights owes a tremendous amount to the 'silent majority' who just wanted to buy and sell regardless of skin, creed or color. Unless you happened to be a Jew....

Which brings me to what is so disturbing about the show. Now literature and therefore scripts are not history or sociology; literature is art. So technically, AMC can write whatever it wants as long as it does not distort or disfigure history. That said, Mad Men is not a documentary. And I have to tell you, if I have to sit through another rant or off hand remark about 'The Jews' I am not going to like any of the people I am looking at, and then I am going to turn the TV off. The same goes with the misogyny.

Men hated women in the 1960's. I already know this story and I don't want to see a documentary on it. What I want to see is what is going on in these white men's minds when they are doing it. Think of it like CSI for racists, homophobes and sexists. Cut the body open, show me why it hurts. Or, if you will, it's like that scene in Ali where Will Smith is about to strike a blow or dodge a punch and you can hear him thinking. Draper and his crew are no Muhammad to be sure, and they would probably not sit down and have a drink with one. But if you are going to hold viewers without making them throw up, you are going to have to be what Ellison calls revelatory. Take a look at his essay, The World and the Jug. Literature is not sociology, and in literature any man, exposed and understood to have connection with everyman is art. It is as Emerson would say, transcendent. Include the racists, but crack open their skulls, expose the guts. I have a feeling we are about to see that with Draper who "hold a secret." So for that I'm watching next week. But seriously AMC has got five episodes to include and transcend or I'm out.

If Mad Men refuses to include and transcend, it will be on two seasons (look at Seinfeld and Friends. Ok I take that back if they continue with the racism they will be on for 8 seasons) Include: meaning, show us the racism; transcend: show us the inner mind, fear, connection to all theories of "the other" in society. Now that's television, or at least the kind I love to watch.

Great start. I really enjoyed it. Others concerned about period pieces not quite right...get over it. The show is for entertainment, it's not a test.

Thank christ for this show,- I looove it. The show is genius, plainly. Its what you call "good television", and its timing couldnt have been better being everything else on tv is just so damn tired. Mad Men is the breath of fresh air to a television so plagued with reruns, old ideas, and shamefull writing that almost seems drunk. With reality shows seeming closing in on me as the only thing to watch - my tv was on the morphine drip and I had made plans to bury it. To all those responsible for Mad Men - thank you for saving television.

I enjoyed it, in spite of a few anachronisms and a lot of smoke.

More than anything, though, it makes me want to go back and re-watch PUTNEY SWOPE -- THE great film about advertising in the 1960's.

FYI, my father, Simon A. Halpern (1900-1972) devised "It's Toasted" for Lucky Strike in the 1930s while he was creative director for Albert Lasker's Lord & Thomas agency. My father had little in common with your lead protagonist. He was a Russian Jewish immigrant (native language Yiddish, seven siblings, all orphaned with him in childhood) with a couple of years at CCNY and NYU. He admired Trotsky, Montaigne and Edmund Wilson and regarded the typical ad man of his day as a dumb Princeton frat boy. He was active in leftist politics. He rarely drank . His first marriage, however, did resemble something out of Bloomsbury. I am the product of his second, which, btw, was not an office affair.

That said, I enjoyed the show.

Im still confused as to why everyone is so focused on the period the show portrays - mundane details and daft, simple facts about small pieces of detail. Some people actually seem to be offended by the mere fact that its set in the 60's?

Dont you guys have to get back to your 2005 "Mer-Lot" and and watch "Top Chef Miami" or something?

Get over it.

Why is it so damn hard to just enjoy a piece of QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT. Its a great show. Its interesting. Its got a good story - great writing, and what seems to be an even better cast. So unless you know of a better show on television - let these people do thier job.

And for the record - I think the people behind the show should be sainted just for giving me something smarter then "so you think you can dance" to watch.

(I might relapse if i ever have to submit to watching another reality talent show agian.)

My point - Enjoy it while it last. It could be a very, - very long wait for the next show with this much ambition to come out.

The comments about the anachronisms are a direct result of AMCs hype about how much attention they paid to historical detail. They can't run a promo talking about how it's set in April 1960 and every detail is accurate for that time and not expect to get called out when you miss something. I'd even overlook some of them, but "It's Toasted" was a major plot point.

Having said that, I did enjoy watching it. We'll see if it has any staying power.

I caught the last 5 minutes of the premiere episode last night and was so intrigued that I stayed up to watch the entire show on the encore presentation at 11:00. I am a 40 year old stay at home mom of 2 (who used to be in the business world) and I am very intrigued by nostalgia for times past.

As we have all heard many times before,we can learn so much from history.....That said, watching a television show like Mad Men in this day in age is even more entertaining just from the perspective of considering how different (and similar) things are now ! Also, I get the feeling that these characters, who may not be that likeable on the surface, certainly seem as though they will be interesting to watch as they develop. You don't have to "like" every character you see on T.V. you just have to be interested in what they are doing, thinking, saying.....etc. and that is the makings of very watchable and enjoyable television that will lead to interesting discussions !

I will keep coming back for this one. Thank you AMC !

For those of us who are crazy for the kind of detail the scoring indicates, the song played in the strip club was "Shangra La" performed as an instrumental only.

While I am disappointed to learn about the Lucky Strike slogan and the typewriter, I have to give the music creator credit as each song was indeed a metaphor for what was happening on the screen. They weren't just stuck in because they were '50's music.

"Band of Gold" was played while showing Draper with his mistress.

"Caravan" was played while watching men being brought to their suburban homes, which so many did during this time period.

"Shangra La" played during a night at a strip club, the height of pleasure for men.

"On the Street Where You Live" was the wholesome exclamation of Draper's home, wife and family. Sung by Vic Damone it hit a cresendo of love and perfection that was so indicative of Draper's own innocence and happiness at 'having it all'.

This production deserves congratulations and so too, especially the music.

As I was with Studio 60, I looked forward to Mad Men with great anticipation, but in this case I wasn't disappointed, being captivated by the authenticity and the social realism. (Oh yeah, the lush voluptuousness of Christina Hendricks as Joan simply BEGS for a greater presence.) And yes, while I suppose a show that boasts of it's accuracy deserves to be called out on even minor errors -- if that's how you get your jollies -- perhaps we should focus our greatest attention on the writing, the plot and the actors dead-on portrayals. My hope is that unlike Studio 60 which simply failed to involve or ignite, Mad Men will grasp that most turbulent time of the early 60's and bring it to life again. Episode one was an excellent first step.

Really, really enjoyed the show! It is very clear a lot of TLC was put into this production. Time slot is nice too (watched at 7pm on Friday, right around dinner). So glad to see the return of fully written scripts! Keep it coming!

There are some really good eyes out there! I was enjoying the show until the appearance of the IBM Selectric and the train station's obviously modern logo intruded. Jeff (earlier post) was on point about it being the NY Central at that time. And just a moment of internet research would have revealed that the 'new technology' in use at the time would have been a plain old IBM Eletric, Model C. This bit of information courtesy of http://www.etypewriters.com/history.htm. Hey producers! Check it out!

The link (without the period at the end)...

http://www.etypewriters.com/history.htm

Put me with the viewers who LOVED the series. It's almost perfectly accurate--please drop the word "amazing" though!!! and helps us understand how things used to be--and still are--in so many workplaces. It's a great way to learn about misogyny and racism, and why critizing it got tagged "political correctness" !

A couple of thoughts about the show.

The lead character looks so much like Mitt Romney that I think it will give his campaign a boost - not based on morals, but the fact that he looks so much like him and comes across as being very cool and likable.

The song playing in the strip club was "Shangri-la" performed by Robert Maxwell and was a big hit in 1964. It is very hard to get online and neither Rhapsody, Yahoo Music, or AOL Music has it available.

Several things that I liked about the show were the camera work, the acting, the dialogue, the 60's ambience, and most of all the political incorrectness. I think this show is going to be hugely popular.

"It's Toasted"? ... were the writers toasted??? That Lucky Strike slogan goes back to 1917. Instead of sun drying their tobacco leaves, Luckies toasted theirs. Is this show set in some sort of Marvel Comics Alternate Universe?

*loser buzzer sounds* Errrrrnnnnngghhh!!

I response to Luigi Delgado's post above. You made me chuckle because my Mom of 57 years, smokes..... Tareyton Cigarettes! Still, to his day that is the only cigarette I've ever seen her smoke. She's convinced that since it says Low Tar on the package that It's safer then other cigarettes. Her parents smoked Chesterfields so I guess that to her, she feels Tareytons are a step up from that.

It must be part of the Human Nature Death Wish.

Cheers!

I response to Luigi Delgado's post above. You made me chuckle because my Mom of 57 years, smokes..... Tareyton Cigarettes! Still, to his day that is the only cigarette I've ever seen her smoke. She's convinced that since it says Low Tar on the package that It's safer then other cigarettes. Her parents smoked Chesterfields so I guess that to her, she feels Tareytons are a step up from that.

It must be part of the Human Nature Death Wish.

Cheers!

"Madmen" is a sophisticated show, and its creators no doubt assume its most loyal viewers will be at least somewhat sophisticated, themselves. With this in mind, I don't buy the notion that Dan Draper's meeting with the tobacco guys was an ant-smoking screed. Smart viewers already know the hazards of smoking.

Instead, "Madmen" gives us an opportunity in this first episode to check out the mind and heart -- the essential character -- of an ad-man who is every bit as complicit in the badness as the Lucky Strike family. Would it be fair to label this "madman" a killer-by-proxy? Why or why not?

So far it's a pretty awesome show and I'm looking forward to this being appointment tv. Now with the looming ad campaign for the Kennedy Nixon presidential race, I'm guessing the show is set in 1958 or 1959. That being said, a few things seemed to have slipped past the continuity director. The closing credits song from My Fair Lady wasn't released until 1964 and the Eames management chairs in the meeting room weren't designed until 1968 with the ones used being newer 5 star base versions. I hate to be nit-picky like this, but this is one of my favorite periods in history and the show is otherwise extremely faithful to the look. Call me if you need a style history watchdog!

FYI - "Band of Gold" (performed by Don Cherry" was played in the opening scene in the bar as Draper talks to Sam. It focuses in on the chorus as Draper looks at all the men and women drinking together in the bar and then ends before the next scene (where Draper visits/sleeps with Midge, the freelance illustrator.)

does anyone know what the song is for the opening credits? is it an original song composed for the show?

Show is good. Are the actors getting extra compensation for combat pay? All that smoking can't be good for their lungs. It's hard enough for actors to work in Bee smoke. I hope you guys are using some kind of SFX so your actors don't get sick and have to sue for the abuse in the workplace. Yeah, I remember the cigarettes everywhere - but I'm concerned about what you're making your actors do. Like asking them to suck on some lead paint from China. Ouch!

Possible Blooper:

The typewriter Peggy uses in Episode 1 is an IBM Selectric II Correcting - don't believe this model was available in 1960 -anybody know????

Tivo'd it. Just getting 'round to it. Shut it down at the Ossining Station. If it's not worth it to them to get the signage right, it's not worth my time.

BTW, in 1960, no "successful" ad man lived in Ossining...it was the woods (and home of Sing Sing -- Still is) Big time Ad men lived in Scarsdale or Connecticut.

I love this show already, but I usually love any period piece. This is well-written and acted. The remarks about white men and their unearned sense of entitlement--where are you getting this? Men of that time period (and I'm old enough to have been there) didn't feel a sense of entitlement...they were just working stiffs. And we women didn't run around thinking we were victims of sexism either.

By the way, in regard to skin color, my mother who was born in 1923 went to an integrated high school in the South. Everything that you think you know about history is not necessarily true.

I like the show so far. One thing which was, to me, a glaring blunder was that Don Draper, "the biggest man in the business" was shown getting out of his '59 Chevy. For gods sakes, you guys, of all things Don wouldn't be caught dead in is a Chevy; a '59 Continental, yes, a Chrysler, yes, a Buick, yes, maybe even an Olds, Pontiac or Dodge but not a Chevy. Get my point?

Looking forward to tonight's new episode.

I liked the pilot show. The promo made a big deal about researching the era, and

only because you see one in practically every scene...those typewriters! They look anachronistic, ruins the feel for the era. I think the Selectric typewriters (smaller rounder design)came out after 1960 BUT the WIDE carriage (box design) seen on the series seem more like late late 60's, definitely early 70's.

Thanks for a swell progam. If you can address the typewriters thing, it'll be even better.

What do women want...

fidelity, would be a good place to start.

Great show - one of the best on television now ... here's my review of Episode One ... http://paullevinson.blogspot.com/2007/07/mad-men-debuts-on-amc.html

This is the first series premier since Six Feet Under that grabbed my attention from the opening shot and kept me glued to the set until it was over. What an interesting premise for a tv program and does it ever ring true.

I was 5 years old when Reader's Digest published their report that cigarette smoking causes cancer. I vaguely remember a time when smoking was so common that most adults were at least 1 pack a day. Suddenly, the attitude started to change and the nagging started. Women married to men who smoked would pester them to stop. Men would do the same to their wives. Then the kids started getting into the act. Pretty soon there was an antagonism in the air towards smoking as a 'filthy' habit that needed to be eliminated from the culture altogether. The line was drawn in the sand and people began assuming their roles...the smokers and the non-smokers. Health Insurance questionaires started including smoking on their checklists. Even automotive insurers started issuing non-smoking discounts. My generation has watched this process unfold for the last 50 years resulting in complete banning of smoking in bars, restaurants, public buildings and beaches. The City of El Cajon, California has banned smoking within the city limits...Period.

I will be watching with interest to see how this subject plays out in the show. Plus the lead guy is very hot.

Draper was not driving a 59 Chevy--it was another GM line, probably an Olds. The '59 Chevy had tear-drop shaped taillights. But anyway--to your point, I had the same reaction--you'd think a guy who was a real hotshot might opt for something nicer than a plain-jane looking piece of GM rolling stock.

I really enjoyed the first show -- how far we've come! I'd forgotten what it was like to work in a smoke-filled office.

With regard to the authenticity of the set design -- I immediately noticed the IBM Selectric typewriters (the ones without a moveable carriage). The Selectric was not introduced until 1961.

Slick show, but they did a poor job with the props. The IBM Selectics (Typewriters) did not come out until late 1961 and they have them on the first episode (which was suppose to be 1960). The clothes are wrong (two tight in some and not even Peggy's character would wear her long skirts and throw back to the 50's). Bad costumes and sets! Consult with some older folks and maybe the young production people on this show will learn something about that era!!

Oops, the show historians made an err. The IBM selectric didn't go on sale to the public until 1961. If this show is set in 1960, the selectric would not be in the office.

Well now I know what it feels like to be in the bullseye of the target demographic. Even though I was born in 62, I have dreamt about these people and I mean these exact characters my whole life. The thing is that I hate cliches so especially with the laundry bag over the head and the no seatbelt scenes, I am amazed what you have done with all these crazy things I remember about my childhood. I can smell the smoke in the suit jackets, the hair spray mixed with lancolm and the whiskey breath after the second round right through the plasma screen. I am in love... Bewitched meets Dallas meets JFK documentaries meets Boston legal meets Sopranos...Please let me see the other 8 episodes now...

MAD MEN !!!!!!! It's what i've been waitin for for years. I love the whole 60's era .. and im glad the producers decided to have it set then. To make this short, i love the show, i hope it stays on the air for years to come. The cast is great. Cant forget how sexy the guys are.

to the writer and director:

this is a wise and knowing and wonderful show, reminding me of Six Feet Under and the best of Cold Case in its meticulous re-creation of the past, so that I as a historian feel that I got to tiptoe back and watch...thank you thank you thank you

I was really amazed at the posts claiming the terrific attention to detail. Did they watch the same shows I did? Guess what, folks, there were NO IBM Selectric typewriters in 1960. In fact, there weren't electric typewriters in 1960! They're at least a decade off. And, single secretaries -- even in ad agencies -- didn't live in apartments with roommates in 1960. And the facades of the buildings are also wrong. There weren't any totally glass buildings in 1960 in NYC. My very first job was working as a secretary in the world's largest ad agency in 1970 -- and the set design on this show looks more modern than the very classy office I worked in! I was way too distracted by these inconsistencies to enjoy the show. I won't be watching any more.

I think the technical advisor did not do his/her homework when it came to picking typewriters for the 1960 steno pool. What first caught my eye were the IBM Selectric II typewriters--in beige/tan--that were not introduced until 1971. In fact, the Selectric was not even introduced until July, 1961. In 1960, I believe most offices were using the IBM Model C or IBM Model C Executive typewriters that had carriages.

Your calling your show Mad Men men, unless your 50-60 years old no one knows its Madison Ave.

They may be a marketing firm, but you left out the key points, for audience attention, number one, there is no music that accents your visual experiences, it was the best period music in the past 50 year.

A serial in a period that you are trying to appeal to does not come up to suspense, suspense, suspense, drama , drama, she said, he said, ( JR in Dallas, you do not have a Tony , but you advertises, you were behind the scene with Tony, suspense me)

Women walking around with Big tits, in small sweaters is great, that was sexual in 1960, but a child in 2007 could go you Tube and be a master of their destiny.

For a period piece you hit the mark, but there is no juice to make we want to come back and salivate on the next episode, ( like the period pieces of the 40’s 50 of cars over a cliff, zorro, zorro, keep me hagging,)

A reality check, needs to Happen now, great product, but your research comes up short, like opening a bar, you forgot to ask the bartender where the sink should be.

In the navy its called damage control your not even aware that you have been submarined.

Where are Beetles, Stone, Hendricks, the time of the greatest age of music, have you guessed we are the survivors of the music revolution, yes we have some grey hair, but we still want to party in real time.

Party, Party, Party.

You missed, the revolution of music, crank up the music, kill someone, or you will not save your series.

Okay, I did a little "internet" research to help put the typewriter issue to rest. If you google images to find IBM electric typewriters, you will see the history of IBM typwriters. It clearly shows that the IBM Model C typewriter was introduced in 1960 - ironically it even shows several actual ads from IBM's 1960 campaign promoting the Model C. As previous posters keep emphasizing, the Selectrics were not introduced until 1961, so please change out the set and replace the IBM Selectrics with the Model C.

The version of Caravan is by Gordon Jenkins and was not recorded until 1966 and judging from the calendar on the wall in the doctor's office, the first episode takes place in March 1960.

OK, OK, OK .... Point made ... the typewriter was the wrong one. If you can't watch the show anymore because of this horrible, unforgivable error - then don't.

OK, OK, OK .... Point made ... the typewriter was the wrong one. If you can't watch the show anymore because of this horrible, unforgivable error - then don't.

It's fun picking out the mistakes. Nevertheless, this is a terrific show. Very well done. Some made reference to the smoking and that it was an anti-smoking program. This is probably the most accurate part of the program. EVERYBODY smoked in the 60's. When you would visit relatives (usually on a Sunday- and all the men wore white shirts)the living room would be a cloud of smoke. Uncle John or someone like that would entertain kids by blowing smoke rings. I can even remember the doctor having an ashtray and smoking in the doctor's office as well! Once again, it's fun picking out mistakes, but this is a very good program that is very entertaining apart from the mindless games shows and moronic "talent" programs that permeate network tv. How did HBO not pick this program up?

It's fun picking out the mistakes. Nevertheless, this is a terrific show. Very well done. Some made reference to the smoking and that it was an anti-smoking program. This is probably the most accurate part of the program. EVERYBODY smoked in the 60's. When you would visit relatives (usually on a Sunday- and all the men wore white shirts)the living room would be a cloud of smoke. Uncle John or someone like that would entertain kids by blowing smoke rings. I can even remember the doctor having an ashtray and smoking in the doctor's office as well! Once again, it's fun picking out mistakes, but this is a very good program that is very entertaining apart from the mindless games shows and moronic "talent" programs that permeate network tv. How did HBO not pick this program up?

It's fun picking out the mistakes. Nevertheless, this is a terrific show. Very well done. Some made reference to the smoking and that it was an anti-smoking program. This is probably the most accurate part of the program. EVERYBODY smoked in the 60's. When you would visit relatives (usually on a Sunday- and all the men wore white shirts)the living room would be a cloud of smoke. Uncle John or someone like that would entertain kids by blowing smoke rings. I can even remember the doctor having an ashtray and smoking in the doctor's office as well! Once again, it's fun picking out mistakes, but this is a very good program that is very entertaining apart from the mindless games shows and moronic "talent" programs that permeate network tv. How did HBO not pick this program up?

The latest episode (4?) was awesome. Love the secret life that Don is trying to evade. Love the Pete Campbell stuff. Everyone is great !!!

Very interesting, Finally, a tv show to look forward to each week.

Good job guys!!!!

Every scene has men and/or women smoking.

This is a constant distraction from the dialogue. I was born in the 30's. I worked for many years as an executive. Never in my life had I ever seen so many people smoking. Most smoking was done by men in bars. Never saw a woman smoke until I worked one summer in a factory in the late 40's. Sorry but the whole program seems like a cigarette commercial and I can no longer watch it.

How can I see the First Episode? I first seen the show on Sunday (9/2/07) morning but I missed the first 17 minutes, I went to my on Demand (Time Warner 1008) but it started on Episode #2.. How can I see one? thanks

We sat on the whole Madmen Marathon on Labor Day weekend. IT WAS GREAT!!! I worked for a small ad agency in late 60's. When I saw Don Draper alone in a bar writing down ideas in a paper napkin, I knew this was a show for me to watch. Then I saw the office with the 1960's feel, the furniture, the clothes, and I was having a great time. The women wore pointed bras and sweaters. That was funny. Didn't really care about the typewriters being the wrong kind. People, you're missing the entertainment value. Of course we'd love for details to be perfect, but the essence of the era was there. I haven't heard the song "I Can Dream, Can't I" and "I'll Take Manhattan" in almost 50 years, and there they were, bringing me back to my memories. Having seen 7 episodes, my favorite scenes are not the love or sex or personal relationships but the ad pitches with the clients, the jealousies and egos that go on connected to their jobs and what goes on before and after the pitch. I like it that they have very few scenes with the whole family and kids, and that this show is not racially balanced. Seinfeld had all white cast but was enjoyed by many. This show is about successful ad men. That's what people want to see, not a politically correct show. FYI, I'm a minority myself but I just want to enjoy a good show.

I think JON HAMM would make a GREAT JAMES BOND !!!! HUBBA HUBBA

I never watch television, but this show is so interesting I can't wait until the next episode. I worked in the advertsing world in New York from 1990-1999, and I love the way these charachters remind me of the competition, arrogance, and decadence of the New York ad agencies. Granted, the kind of money that was made during the 60's on Madison Ave has been watered down over time by many factors, including the agencies that began to pop up in the other larger cities, but it takes a certain type of person to excel in the ad world, and this show seems to really understand that person's psyche. The ethics of so many of the people I met in that world were just appalling, so I had to get out. I am also fascinated with the show's take on racism, sexism, and alcohol abuse that I experienced growing up in Louisiana but always assumed was primarily a southern problem. The show has made me think about the entire country's attitudes at that time and reminded me that those problems existed everywhere, and it was just an sccepted way of life.

I also think John Hamm would be a great James Bond.....

I don't know about the rest of the viewers, but Pete Campbell's character is turning into a real creep and drama queen. His attitude is nothing, but hipicritical. Also, I hope they go more in depth with Don Draper's past. It is very intersting to know why he resents his family so much and to know what they did to him.

I to am an avid fan of this show. I have never looked forward to a show the way I am with this one. I actually feel like I missed out on something if I can't watch the episode at the right time. Anyway, a great show, close enough for me on the details, and wow the ladies!!! I feel this will be a hit for years to come....I hope. Oh yeah, and STOP worrying about the stupid typewriters!

Love the show and the behind the scenes on MM website. I'm a huge fan of shows and films that represent the 1940's-1960's. I especially like the bio's on the commercials that run during the show.

I would like to see more of why this was such a great time for the ad business. The story lines seem to focus more and more on just the characters and less on the business side.

Speaking of the characters, I hope the show has a long run, very interesting to see what all that smoking and drinking has done to them physically.

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DATE: 10/05/2007 10:44:24 AM

I am so in love with this show that I actually can't wait until Thurs night. I had no idea that we are at the end of the season. I am upset. Can't we petition the network somehow to move up production so that season two can air in the Spring?

Please! Let's band together - petition AMC!

Last night's epi was awesome. The scene with the brother running after the train was very emotional. As a mature lady who began her office career in 1968, it is a feast for the eyes to see the Selectric typewriters (with the covers on at the end of the day), the secretaries fetching food and drink for the boss, and being called "Honey". I worked at the Corporate Headquarters of a major Corp throughout the seventies. The character played by the head of the Art Dept in Mad Men could be modeled after a person that I worked for in an Art Dept. It is eerie; I could barely believe it. I was sheltered and did not participate in the after hours "romps" but heard many stories about my co-workers who slept their way to the Executive Secretarial positions.