Mad Men has been renewed for a second season, according to our very own Linda Moss.
It’s morning here on the West Coast but I’m pouring the bubbly - maybe an organic Mimosa. Can I just say- woo! hoo! And kudos to AMC for their commitment to this series. The ratings have not been spectacular but AMC says (per Linda’s report) the numbers are on the rise - with 31% growth in household ratings.
We all have our faves and Mad Men - the homage to the early 60s set in a Manhattan ad agency - is mine. Mad Men fully exploits the potential of television. It’s perfection - from the meticulous attention to period detail to the stratospheric production values to the deeply talented ensemble cast (led by first-among-equals Jon Hamm). Creator Matthew Weiner is the back story genius and all of his characters have BAGGAGE.
But there is danger in great television - it raises the bar yet again. You get spoiled. You have expectations. You get picky. You get annoyed by obvious plot holes in a really good series like FX’s Damages because you know these talented people can do better. HBO makes you crazy because they raised the bar in the first place and now they’re wandering in the desert like a cable Moses.
Since Mad Men is one of the few television series that replenishes my critical soul, I wait impatiently for the launch of the second season - whenever that is.
But we still have four or five more delicious season one episodes to go of Mad Men. The season finale airs October 18. In the week leading up to the finale, look here on this blog for a profile of Matt Weiner - based on a 1.5 hour interview conducted at TCA last July.
