Terrible Service
December 3, 2008
This provider needs to not be associated with Amazon. I was supposed to receive my DVD by November 25. Today is December 2 and still no DVD. I have written twice but no response. I am very disappointed. I have paid for an item I do not have and am not sure I will ever get.
Drama with ALL the Trauma
December 1, 2008
I missed the whole first season. Must have been in a cave. Then I watched a couple episodes of the second season and was HOOKED!!. My neighbor filled me in on a few things from last season, but that was not enough, so I bought this. I watched all four discs in just two days. How is that for obsessive??!!! Now I've preordered season two, but I digress. Talk about people with issues, everyone in this show has something to hide, just like the sixties, they never tell what's really on their minds until it is too late. Can't wait for season three.
Mad Men Season One
November 30, 2008
We began watching Mad Men during the second season, and found a lot of "holes" - things we could not understand. Watching the first season's shows cleared up nearly all of our confusion. Having lived as a young "business man" in the 50s and early 60s I could see a lot of my "friends" in Mad Men (perhaps exagerated a bit - but maybe ONLY a bit). On the whole, Mad Men, season one, was well worth the price.
Well Done
November 30, 2008
Excellent character development, but a bit of a downer with the protagonist being an unhappy man.
DVDs have wonderful commentaries and extras
November 28, 2008
Mad Men is an absolute masterpiece. I agree 200% with all the rave reviews here.
I'm not going to add to the ample reviews of this show. Instead, I would like to comment on the generous extras included in the DVD set.
I debated a long time before buying the DVDs since I own the season on iTunes. I'm glad I bought the DVDs -- the commentaries and extras make it worth every penny.
Each episode has at least one commentary track, usually two separate commentary tracks. And there are other extras - a 20-minute piece, "Advertising the American Dream", a 10-minute video on scoring Mad Men, and the hour-long 'Establishing Mad Men'--all excellent.
A word about the commentaries -- the ones by creator and writer Matt Weiner are superb, very insightful and interesting. I haven't listened to all the other commentaries yet. Of the ones I have listened to, Weiner's are definitely the best, Vincent Kartheiser, January Jones, and Jon Hamm also provide interesting depth. The brilliant costume designer Janie Bryant also provides wonderful commentary.
I wish some of the other commentaries had been edited, though. For instance, in Jon Hamm's, January Jones', and Elizabeth Moss' commentary on the last episode, 'The Wheel', Elizabeth Moss' comments on the padding used to show her weight gain. This is an interesting aside, but Moss' commentary goes on far too long and it's all trivial, with no insights into Peggy's character. She repeats the same stories again and again--for well over 10 minutes. Her commentary drones through an important part of the Draper story (Don looking at old photos of his brother). It's a shame that we miss Hamm's commentary during that emotionally moving portion of the episode.
But that's my only criticism, one small quibble. The DVD set is marvelous and if you're a Mad Men fan it will add substantially to your enjoyment and insight into the show.
