Mad Men

So there's this channel that usually only shows movies--classic movies--and suddenly it's showing a TV show. A good one at that, too. Mad Men was rejected by HBO and then Showtime and it finally landed on AMC. I didn't even know this channel exists.

It won all these awards last season and I was just so upset that it beat my then favorite House! Not saying that I don't love House anymore (I mean, how could I ever not love Dr. Gregory House?!) but with that, and then Dexter and now this, I just have so many obsessions right now! These three are like the current top drama series. They're all nominated for the 2010 Golden Globes and I believe I would be fine if any of the three wins it.

Back to Mad Men. It's a series set in the 1960s about--well, the Mad Men--men who works in advertising on Madison Avenue, New York. It shows the lives of the powerful men in the Sterling Cooper ad agency. They themselves coined the term "Mad Men". It shows just how much people smoke and drink, anywhere, anytime! And it also shows that no one, and I mean NO ONE, is faithful to their partners. Everybody cheats on everybody!

The series shows how people used to live back in the 1960s. The men work and the women are housewives or secretaries. Men hold doors, take their hats off, and raise from their seats for women. I love the old-fashioned manners, and I'm always so happy to see any from guys these days.

The main character, Don Draper, played by Jon Hamm, is just so undeniably attractive. He is very, very handsome, well dressed, has such a swag when he walks, has such a beautiful, deep voice, has manners, and he's very successful at his job. He also has his way with words, he can sell ads to clients, and he can also charm practically anyone. But he is flawed, cheats on his wife with multiple women (geez, even this reminds me of Tiger Woods!), and has been lying to everyone for a long time. But damn! All that just makes me want him more! There are certain times when he smiles and I just...melted. I think I'm in love with this guy!

From the outside, Don seems like the perfect man. But as the show goes we get to see the layers of this man and reveal the lies that he's been telling everyone. His real name is Dick Whitman, volunteered to be sent to the war (can't remember which one) to get away from his childhood, got mistaken for a killed Don Draper and decided to steal his identity to get out of the war. He's just such a mysterious guy, it's so interesting to watch the show and see who's really inside of him!

I do think something's wrong with me. I'm fine with Don cheating on his wife over and over again but when she was just about to cheat on him I got so mad at her!

The other character that I love: John Slattery's Roger Sterling. He's the son of the founding Sterling of Sterling Cooper. So what if he's a little bit old(er). He might not be as good looking as or a smooth talker like Don Draper is but he is charming in his own way. He's funny, very easy going and cute in his own adorable way.

I also like Sterling and Draper's friendship, for some reason. In season 3 when they "broke up" I was actually sad for them.

I can't pin-point exactly why this show attracts me this much (other than Don Draper's smile) but it's such an amazing show and I now understand why it has been winning all these award shows this past year or two.