Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Review: 'Mad Men' returns in fine form for season 5

A lot has happened since last we saw Don and Peggy, but it's still one of TV's best dramas

By Alan Sepinwall Thursday, Mar 22, 2012 8:42 AM

<p>Christina Hendricks, John Slattery, Jared Harris, Vincent Kartheiser, Jon Hamm, Robert Morse and Elisabeth Moss are all back in some form, at some time, for the new season of "Mad Men."</p>

Christina Hendricks, John Slattery, Jared Harris, Vincent Kartheiser, Jon Hamm, Robert Morse and Elisabeth Moss are all back in some form, at some time, for the new season of "Mad Men."

Credit: AMC

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When AMC sent TV critics a review copy of the two-hour "Mad Men" fifth season premiere (Sunday at 9 p.m.), they attached a note from series creator Matthew Weiner, who is both more paranoid about spoilers, and has a broader definition of what constitutes a spoiler, than any showrunner I've ever encountered. So it wasn't a surprise that the letter included a list of details from the premiere that Weiner asked us to not reveal, like "What year is it?" and "What happened with Don and Megan?" and "Did Joan have the baby?" The list is thorough enough that I think the only premiere details I imagine Weiner would be entirely comfortable with me revealing are that Roger Sterling says several funny things, Pete Campbell pouts over a perceived slight, and Harry Crane acts obnoxious — and only because those things happen in every episode of "Mad Men."

I think there's a point at which Weiner's spoiler phobia actually undersells the show he's making. While there are certainly "Mad Men" twists I'm glad I didn't know about in advance, the genius of the show resides much less in the "what" than the "how."

Last season, for instance, a paparazzo took pictures of Jon Hamm and Jessica Paré acting flirty in a hotel pool during filming of the season finale, and the photos were published even before Hamm's Don Draper and Paré's Megan Calvet were any kind of item on the show, let alone before he impulsively proposed marriage to her in the finale. I was irked to learn of the photos way ahead of time, which seemed to suggest a number of things that were coming later in the season. But seeing exactly how it played out — not just in terms of plot mechanics, but in the unnerving Stepford Don smile that Jon Hamm wore for a good chunk of that finale — was plenty satisfying even if some of the surprise factor was taken away.

"Mad Men" handles its secrets well, but the artistry of the series is so strong that it plays almost as well even if certain things come pre-spoiled. And by expending so much energy to guard those secrets, Weiner can create the false impression that they're the show's greatest strength, when instead it's the smaller moments between the characters as they struggle to connect with one another and to adapt to a terrifying, rapidly-changing world.

Still, I'll honor Weiner's request. And since I can't write about what's happening at the moment for the staff of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce — or even when that moment is, or what's happened in between moments — let's instead take a look at what's happened in the real world since we last saw Don and Roger and Pete and Peggy and Joan and all the rest.

When Sunday rolls around, it will have been a little over 17 months — 525 days, if we're being exact — since AMC last aired an original episode of "Mad Men." Over that span, we've had two World Series champions, two Super Bowls, an earthquake in Japan, war in Syria and other uprisings in the Middle East, and approximately 150 different Republican presidential debates.

"Mad Men" last appeared on our televisions as the reigning Emmy winner for best drama, and won another of those trophies during the long hiatus. But even before it went away for a while, it was running neck-and-neck with AMC neighbor "Breaking Bad" for that title among many critics. During the hiatus, "Bad" had another incredible season, while FX's "Justified" took a major leap forward in quality, and Showtime's "Homeland" and HBO's "Game of Thrones" both had exceptional debut seasons.

At the same time, HBO has introduced a pair of other dramas — the Scorsese-directed "Boardwalk Empire" (whose first season overlapped with part of the "Mad Men" fourth) and the Hoffman/Nolte/Milch/Mann super team-up "Luck" — which were so talent-laden that one or both were supposed to break AMC's Emmy stranglehold and reassert the pay cabler's position as the place for quality TV. But while "Boardwalk" has been a moderate success (which I like a lot), all but one of its Emmy wins came in the technical categories, where "Luck" was low-rated but renewed, then canceled after several horses died during filming, and (though I also like it a lot) it doesn't seem any kind of Emmy favorite.

Meanwhile, the broadcast networks introduced a pair of dramas last fall — NBC's "The Playboy Club" and ABC's "Pan Am" — set in the "Mad Men" era. Neither was exactly a clone (though the writing for and styling of Eddie Cibrian's "Playboy" character was pretty Draper-esque), but the commercial and creative failures of each illustrated that doing a '60s drama requires a lot more than getting the clothes, hairstyles and topical references right.

When I interviewed Weiner in January, we talked about the potentially increased competition. He laughed and asked, " You think that I'm upset when there's good things on TV? I think it's good. I compete with everybody, but I think the more good stuff there is, the more TV people watch."

He did, however, lament that "Mad Men" is now an entrenched veteran — "I still want my special excuses: We're new! You don't understand us!" — before insisting, "We're always going to be an underdog. The show is very specific and it's very peculiar."

And as it returns on Sunday, it is still specific, and peculiar, and the same "Mad Men" it ever was. It is smart and funny in some moments, sad and ugly in others. It is meticulously, beautifully observed. It understands its characters intimately, and recognizes that its viewers understand them as well and don't need to be spoon-fed. (Many of the best moments in the premiere, as they've been for the life of the series, come from silence, or from what isn't being said.) It has a deep, versatile cast that it uses tremendously(*). It is great to look at, and listen to.

(*) The most baffling thing about "Mad Men" and the Emmys is that while it dominates many categories, no one has ever won an Emmy for acting on the show. And after Jon Hamm failed to win last time out — when perennial winner Bryan Cranston was ineligible, and when he had what seemed to be the award-baiting episode to end all award-baiting episodes in "The Suitcase" — I wonder if any actor from the show ever will win one. And this is why awards are silly, whether "Mad Men" is winning or losing them.

It is, after all this time, "Mad Men." And despite all the comings and goings on TV in the last 17 months, despite the great work being done on FX and HBO and Showtime, the premiere suggests that the only other show that belongs with it in the discussion for the best drama on television is the same one we were talking about last season. At the top level, there is "Breaking Bad," and there is also — finally, thankfully, exceptionally — "Mad Men," and then there is everything else.

Alan Sepinwall may be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

---

NOTE: AMC did send out the premiere (which largely plays as one long episode, though there's one subplot in the second hour that has nothing to do with what's in the first) in advance, so I'll have my episode review up on Sunday at 11 p.m. (I also interviewed Weiner about the premiere, though he asked me to hold that for Monday morning.) After that, AMC isn't expected to send out additional episodes, so reviews for the remaining 11 episodes (the premiere counts as 2) will be going up sometime on Monday. Looking back at last year's reviews, most of them tended to post in the early-mid morning, but a couple of times I was able to get them up before the West Coast went to bed. We'll see how things go this time. You all told me last time you'd rather it be done right than done fast, so that's my goal.

I'll also have a Vincent Kartheiser interview tomorrow, and in addition to the Weiner post-premiere interview, I'll have one with John Slattery, also likely for Monday morning.

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Related Searches: Mad Men, Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, John Slattery, Vincent Kartheiser, Jared Harris, Matthew Weiner, January Jones, Christina Hendricks, Kiernan Shipka, Alan Sepinwall

jamie a s

I can't wait! Your Mad Men reviews are what originally drew me to this site Alan, so I look forward to being able to read them once again.
March 22, 2012 at 8:52AM EST Reply to Comment
- Alindsey DItto!!! I wasn't getting a good enough Mad Men fix here in St. Louis and my local TV critic (and colleague) recommended This site. He hasn't disappointed me yet! You'd better bring it on Sunday nite Alan!
  March 23, 2012 at 9:43PM EST
carey_adams

"Write a comment...There is "Breaking Bad," there is "Justified," and there is — finally, thankfully, exceptionally — "Mad Men," and then there is everything else."

FIFY :)
March 22, 2012 at 9:21AM EST Reply to Comment
- Woops. Sorry about that formatting error, but seriously, Justified has finally proven this year to be in the upper echelon of T.V. dramas.
  March 22, 2012 at 9:23AM EST
- There is also Game of Thrones, silly goose.
  March 22, 2012 at 10:17AM EST
- Jonnybon And Homeland. That would round out my current Top 5.
  March 22, 2012 at 2:16PM EST
- DC Justified, Game of Thrones, Boadwalk Empire, et al, are all great shows. But Mad Men and Breaking Bad are simply in another league. They're on a short list with the likes of The Sopranos and The Wire as the best dramas of our time.
  March 22, 2012 at 5:35PM EST
- Jonnybon For me, Justified is just as good.
  March 22, 2012 at 5:57PM EST
JanieJones

There is "Breaking Bad," and there is — finally, thankfully, exceptionally — "Mad Men," and then there is everything else.
March 22, 2012 at 9:51AM EST Reply to Comment
- JanieJones whoops, sorry Carey. Well said Alan. Last night my husband was watching The Town on cable and I was doing a little happy dance in anticipation of the return MM. I also watched Brian Williams interview Weiner last night.
  I'm just happy that the show is back. I've felt a bit of lousy tv deprivation/fatigue (with some exceptions) since BB ended.
  March 22, 2012 at 9:53AM EST
Dudleys Mom

Yes, please take your time on the reviews. I find your writing to be thoughtful, and often you help me to appreciate an episode in a new way (I say that even though I don't always agree with you, which is okay).

I have to say--now that you get so many comments, it's getting impossible to read them all, which is a shame in a way. And since I adhere to your rules, it means that I probably won't contribute most of the time, unless I happen to be awake when you post. I hope that your blog continues to be a place of civil discourse...sometimes I can enjoy the insanity that is the AV Club but it gets out of hand over there fast, and spoilers fly fast and easy. I appreciate that you keep spoilers locked down.
March 22, 2012 at 9:59AM EST Reply to Comment
Greg

Agree. And after both BB and MM end next year, AMC once again will be a worthless channel.
March 22, 2012 at 10:00AM EST Reply to Comment
- Mad Men sounds close to a lock for a seventh season
  March 22, 2012 at 10:11AM EST
- Greg I thought season 6 was already announced to be the last one.
  March 22, 2012 at 11:01AM EST
- sepinwall No. The tentative plan is to do a seventh season as the final one. It's not 100% locked down yet, but that's how everyone is operating.
  March 22, 2012 at 11:08AM EST
- Greg That's fantastic! I really thought the show would end on 2013, great to know it'll take an extra year for that to happen.
  March 22, 2012 at 11:16AM EST
- Dax On 7 being a presumed sure thing, it's worth noting that Hamm and Weiner are on-board with no need of another negotiating period.
  March 22, 2012 at 2:14PM EST
amg

I agree that the beauty of the show lies in the "how" rather than the "what" (great way of putting it) but as someone who was sent, and unfortunately read, the NYTimes spoiler piece from last year, in which any potential doubt if the divorce went through was erased, and specific surprising moments were spoiled, I am happy to be blissfully ignorant of what (and when) is coming, and excited to know that there are some "mad men twists" on the way. I can't wait. I've still got the commentaries from the last disc of S4 to watch, so between that, all of the great interviews on the way, and the premeire, this will be a Mad Men immersion experience for me. I can't imagine a much better way to spend a weekend.
March 22, 2012 at 10:55AM EST Reply to Comment
Alex T.

I watched the entire first four seasons in a couple weeks about 3 months ago and I got really hooked...can't wait for it to continue!!!!
March 22, 2012 at 10:57AM EST Reply to Comment
alynch

Hamm's apparently got a producer credit now, so his chances of winning an Emmy have gone up.

Honest question for Alan, when you know that the premiere is the only episode that you'll see in advance for the season, what's the motivation for honoring Weiner's request to say nothing about it? What more punishment can he inflict? I ask because I've read quite a few reviews already that have casually ignored it. Is the worry that you might not see the premiere next year, or that you might not be able to get him for an interview sometime down the line?
March 22, 2012 at 11:08AM EST Reply to Comment
- amg I would imagine it's also simply a matter of respect: and of honoring someone's clearly expressed personal wishes. Alan's got more integrity than most of the other folks out there. I'm sorry to hear so many others are not respecting his requests, even if they didn't like them (and even if it makes advanced review writing a challenge). I personally am very glad to go in not knowing a thing.
  March 22, 2012 at 11:44AM EST
- LJA I've been spoiled by a few things. And while the fact remains that it's just a TV show, I still wish those other publications had abided by Weiner's wishes. I'd love to see him hold screeners back next season to all who disregarded his request. I don't know why it's so difficult to act like an adult.
  March 22, 2012 at 1:15PM EST
- Holly Yeah, Hank Stuever of The Washington Post spoiled 2 of the 3 biggest questions and then described about 15 minutes of the episode. I gathered from reading it that he did it because he had to write something for the paper, but had nothing to write about and also, he thinks the hype and secrecy is too over the top. I can't get too annoyed, though, because it's a review and I chose to read it and I should've expected a spoiler or two...
  March 22, 2012 at 4:29PM EST
- Amanda I appreciate this spoiler free review. A couple details were revealed in many online pieces as well as in the write up in my local paper. I was surprised how many critics felt they could divulge what they were asked specifically not to.
  I didn't start watching the show until season 4, after seeing 2 episodes I quickly went and watched the whole series. This is the first season I get to see without knowing where major plotlines will go, and I'm looking forward to that.
  March 22, 2012 at 8:09PM EST
- Amrit I do not know why Hank Stuever still gets advanced screeners since the two premier reviews I have seen him give have both Lambasted the show and spoiled loads of the episodes.
  
  I understand that Matt Wiener comes across as a little odd with all this parnoid stuff about spoilers and his emmy speeches and his attitude to fans or people who challenge him...but if you do not like something for so long then why review it?
  
  I am not saying that critics who do not like something should not review it but it comes across that 5 seasons of this show has left that particular critic wholely unsatisfied and upset.
  
  This show does not tackle racism and war and gender issue and a whole bunch of stuff that rich and white people in New York City in 1960's probably did not face but it is still facinating for me. Just like Breaking Bad's depection of the human condition is mesmerising.
  
  I suppose you either have that dark side or you do not...I kinda do so ce la vie.
  March 22, 2012 at 8:32PM EST
LJA

FINALLY! I am *so* looking forward to Sunday!

For those interested in architecture or just in taking a better look, the mid-century modern "Jet Set" house from season 2 is for sale for $12 million in Chatworth, CA (that's right, not Palm Springs). Here are a couple links to the listing:

http://www.farraloneestate.com/index.htm

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Chatsworth/9361-Farralone-Ave-91311/home/39933750

March 22, 2012 at 11:14AM EST Reply to Comment
- DDD That is also 'Stu's' house in Californication
  March 22, 2012 at 1:55PM EST
- LJA It was also Brenda's parents' house during the first season of Six Feet Under.
  
  And HGTV's Design Star used it to house contestants one season (the season Antonio Ballatore won).
  March 22, 2012 at 3:06PM EST
Teklanika

I hope they do a long recap b/c I have completely forgot where we left off 3 years ago when the last episode aired!

Matthew Weiner sounds like he takes himself WAY too seriously. It's a TV show, not a secret formula.

March 22, 2012 at 11:46AM EST Reply to Comment
- Jim The final three episodes from S4 will be shown late night Sat/Sun on AMC. Set your DVR now and watch Sunday morning.
  March 22, 2012 at 2:02PM EST
- elizabeth I got the fourth disk from Netflix just to re-watch the season finale, which I did last night. I can't believe how much I'd forgotten!
  March 22, 2012 at 2:15PM EST
- TMB Given the 17-month absence between seasons, I'm more than a little disappointed that AMC didn't offer a full-day marathon of S4, or even better four straight weeks of season-long marathons starting from the beginning. I've seen every episode since S2 but would still like to see the first season without having to pay extra for it.
  March 22, 2012 at 4:25PM EST
- Jim TMB - They showed it in three epsisode chunks starting around Thanksgiving. Early Sunday morning. Last three episodes are this Sunday morning. If you have a DVR just change your season pass to "All episodes" and then it will catch them.
  March 22, 2012 at 4:36PM EST
Andy

And this is why awards are silly, whether "Mad Men" is winning or losing them.

I'm not sure what's so silly about this. The Emmy's are silly, yes, but Cranston deservedly won those Best Actor awards. It's not hard to understand why he has yet to win. Now, Elisabeth Moss is a different situation.
March 22, 2012 at 12:02PM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall Hamm lost last year when Cranston was ineligible. Admittedly, it was to Kyle Chandler, who's pretty damn spectacular as Coach Taylor. I'm just saying there is now a very good chance that Jon Hamm will never win an Emmy for playing Don Draper, just like Martin Sheen never got one as President Bartlet, Jason Alexander never won one as George Costanza, Jackie Gleason as Ralph Kramden, etc.
  March 22, 2012 at 12:10PM EST
- Andy But at least he's losing to someone that's deserving of the award, unlike Jason Alexander (as great as David Hyde Pierce was, he wasn't as good as Alexander.) His chances on winning will go up once Breaking Bad ends.
  
  I'm not even sure which episode Cranston should submit this year. Salud, perhaps.
  March 22, 2012 at 12:37PM EST
- Mark Whatever episode the "I am the one who knocks" line came from. There's your winner. That was an intense speech, and great acting.
  March 22, 2012 at 6:36PM EST
- nic919 I wonder if that anticipated seventh Mad Men season is so that Jon Hamm can have another shot at a Bryan Cranston free Emmy season. I am sure Weiner has enough story to tell so I am not worried about quality, but I think AMC would also want to extend its chances of Mad Men winning even more Emmys when Breaking Bad is done.
  March 23, 2012 at 11:44PM EST
Jim

"Over that span, we've had two World Series champions"

I'd like to re-phrase this:

Over that span, we've had two World Series champions that weren't over-spending, blowhard teams from the NE corridor.

Over that span, the Texas Rangers were in two World Series. (Disclosure, Ranger fan here)

Just a little levity for a Friday afternoon. ;)
March 22, 2012 at 2:09PM EST Reply to Comment
- Jim Even though it is Thursday. D'oh!!
  March 22, 2012 at 2:18PM EST
Birt

Bertram Cooper, my second favorite B*rt on television (after Burt Chance, of course)!
March 22, 2012 at 2:35PM EST Reply to Comment
- Jessamyn You are a man in need of a schwa!
  March 22, 2012 at 3:29PM EST
BR

Thanks Alan. Can't wait for the new season, and yes, please take your time with the posts, they're well worth the wait.

I just finished rewatching Seasons 4, and I actually wasn't bothered by the Megan storyline so much the second time around. Maybe because it wasn't so jarring knowing it was coming. Assuming the show doesn't pick up after that relationship is over, I wouldn't mind seeing how Don works in a relationship with someone in the Betty-mold, without all of Betty's negatives. Although it likely reaches the same endpoint, it'd be interesting to see how it plays out on screen when its not so easy to dislike one half of the relationship.
March 22, 2012 at 4:45PM EST Reply to Comment
STOLTMAN

What was the final decision on the episode length disagreement? Are the episodes on AMC going to be a few minutes shorter, with the full version appearing elsewhere? Or was that changed?
March 22, 2012 at 6:47PM EST Reply to Comment
GarySF

The River, Touch, Alcatraz...who could ask for better quality television drama? Seriously, thank the gods for the return of Mad Men and Game of Thrones to get us out of this awful rut.
March 22, 2012 at 9:06PM EST Reply to Comment
Michael

Apparently not everyone follows the rules:

http://tv.nytimes.com/2012/03/23/arts/television/mad-men-opens-its-fifth-season-on-amc.html?scp=2&sq=mad+men&st=nyt
March 23, 2012 at 10:20AM EST Reply to Comment
Nugget

I can't wait! http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/aefc0a521e/sunday-is-coming?ref=nf
March 23, 2012 at 12:39PM EST Reply to Comment
elizabeth

Alan -- I always love your "Mad Men" commentary, and look forward to it again this season. So more, more, more please! It's the best drama that's ever been on tv, IMHO.
March 23, 2012 at 2:55PM EST Reply to Comment
Gary4362

I can't care about a show created in the 21st Century that ignores the ethnic realities of the 1960s. Its as if this show has whitewashed history. I understand it's fiction, but the show's creators care more about getting the stye of clothing and hair correct than they do the social context of their period.
March 23, 2012 at 7:05PM EST Reply to Comment
- laura Wrong. Pan Am, maybe. Not Mad Men. Have you actually watched the show? No, the show isn't about Bobby Seale, or even Martin Luther King, but it's not supposed to be. Just because it's a show set in the 60s doesn't mean it "should" or "has to" address anything it doesn't want to. I'm just not sure what point you are trying to make. The show isn't about Civil Rights, nor did it ever claim to be. There were a lot of things going on in the 60s (drug culture, mods/rockers, the British Invasion) that the show has not addressed in depth because it doesn't make sense for the show and the characters.
  March 23, 2012 at 10:21PM EST
- LJA @gary4362 For your consideration:
  
  http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/features/2012/mad_men_and_race_the_series_handling_of_race_has_been_painfully_accurate_/mad_men_and_race_the_series_handling_of_race_has_been_painfully_accurate_.html
  
  http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/features/2012/mad_men_and_race_the_series_handling_of_race_has_been_painfully_accurate_/mad_men_and_race_why_season_5_may_finally_put_the_civil_rights_movement_front_and_center_.html
  March 24, 2012 at 2:23AM EST
Gregory (UK)

Gregory from the UK: So glad to have finally landed back in Sepinwall land from here across the pond...but this time being virtually in-synch with the US. Instead of having to wait five months for the show to swim the Atlantic, we're due to get just 48hrs later. Tuesday night can't come quick enough. That means just two days of avoiding the web. But more importantly, it means the rare pleasure of catching the Grade A Sepinwall Mad Men reviews whilst the ink is still a bit damp - and perhaps being able to watch the threads unfold in real-time. Although, it has to be conceded that the previous S1-4 luxury of being able to read Alan's reviews and an already cooked thread, within minutes of the closing credits of each episode, was quite fun.

This is by far and away the best Mad Men review site on the web - both Alan's comments and the insight of his regular commenters - and it is utterly indispensable from a UK point of view, nuance-wise. Great to be back!
March 25, 2012 at 1:15PM EST Reply to Comment
- JerseyRudy cheers Gregory! If you see Lane Pryce's father, tell him to ease up on the cane....a simple backhand slap across the face would be sufficient.
  March 25, 2012 at 1:22PM EST
- Gregory(UK) Hahaha! Rudy, I tell you, I wouldn't go within one hundred British imperial inches of that guy's famous thousand-yard stare, never mind his vicious weaponry! Had to laugh when Jared Harris told how the cane actually snapped around the poor stuntman's head. Vicious.
  March 25, 2012 at 2:24PM EST
Gotham Goddess

I haven't read this review or one comment to stay PURE. But I wanted to say HI! And it's been a long time...
March 25, 2012 at 8:56PM EST Reply to Comment
forex brokers

With the advent and widespread accessibility of the internet, online forex brokers have become very popular;
December 9, 2012 at 11:58PM EST Reply to Comment

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Review: 'Mad Men' returns in fine form for season 5

Comments

Option 1

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Option 3

jamie a s I can't wait! Your Mad Men reviews are what originally drew me to this site Alan, so I look forward to being able to read them once again.

Alindsey DItto!!! I wasn't getting a good enough Mad Men fix here in St. Louis and my local TV critic (and colleague) recommended This site. He hasn't disappointed me yet! You'd better bring it on Sunday nite Alan!

carey_adams "Write a comment...There is "Breaking Bad," there is "Justified," and there is — finally, thankfully, exceptionally — "Mad Men," and then there is everything else."FIFY :)

Woops. Sorry about that formatting error, but seriously, Justified has finally proven this year to be in the upper echelon of T.V. dramas.

There is also Game of Thrones, silly goose.

Jonnybon And Homeland. That would round out my current Top 5.

DC Justified, Game of Thrones, Boadwalk Empire, et al, are all great shows. But Mad Men and Breaking Bad are simply in another league. They're on a short list with the likes of The Sopranos and The Wire as the best dramas of our time.

Jonnybon For me, Justified is just as good.

JanieJones There is "Breaking Bad," and there is — finally, thankfully, exceptionally — "Mad Men," and then there is everything else.

Greg Agree. And after both BB and MM end next year, AMC once again will be a worthless channel.

Mad Men sounds close to a lock for a seventh season

Greg I thought season 6 was already announced to be the last one.

sepinwall No. The tentative plan is to do a seventh season as the final one. It's not 100% locked down yet, but that's how everyone is operating.

Greg That's fantastic! I really thought the show would end on 2013, great to know it'll take an extra year for that to happen.

Dax On 7 being a presumed sure thing, it's worth noting that Hamm and Weiner are on-board with no need of another negotiating period.

Alex T. I watched the entire first four seasons in a couple weeks about 3 months ago and I got really hooked...can't wait for it to continue!!!!

DDD That is also 'Stu's' house in Californication

LJA It was also Brenda's parents' house during the first season of Six Feet Under.And HGTV's Design Star used it to house contestants one season (the season Antonio Ballatore won).

Teklanika I hope they do a long recap b/c I have completely forgot where we left off 3 years ago when the last episode aired! Matthew Weiner sounds like he takes himself WAY too seriously. It's a TV show, not a secret formula.

Jim The final three episodes from S4 will be shown late night Sat/Sun on AMC. Set your DVR now and watch Sunday morning.

elizabeth I got the fourth disk from Netflix just to re-watch the season finale, which I did last night. I can't believe how much I'd forgotten!

Jim TMB - They showed it in three epsisode chunks starting around Thanksgiving. Early Sunday morning. Last three episodes are this Sunday morning. If you have a DVR just change your season pass to "All episodes" and then it will catch them.

Mark Whatever episode the "I am the one who knocks" line came from. There's your winner. That was an intense speech, and great acting.

Jim Even though it is Thursday. D'oh!!

Birt Bertram Cooper, my second favorite B*rt on television (after Burt Chance, of course)!

Jessamyn You are a man in need of a schwa!

STOLTMAN What was the final decision on the episode length disagreement? Are the episodes on AMC going to be a few minutes shorter, with the full version appearing elsewhere? Or was that changed?

GarySF The River, Touch, Alcatraz...who could ask for better quality television drama? Seriously, thank the gods for the return of Mad Men and Game of Thrones to get us out of this awful rut.

Michael Apparently not everyone follows the rules: http://tv.nytimes.com/2012/03/23/arts/television/mad-men-opens-its-fifth-season-on-amc.html?scp=2&sq=mad+men&st=nyt

Nugget I can't wait! http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/aefc0a521e/sunday-is-coming?ref=nf

elizabeth Alan -- I always love your "Mad Men" commentary, and look forward to it again this season. So more, more, more please! It's the best drama that's ever been on tv, IMHO.

JerseyRudy cheers Gregory! If you see Lane Pryce's father, tell him to ease up on the cane....a simple backhand slap across the face would be sufficient.

Gregory(UK) Hahaha! Rudy, I tell you, I wouldn't go within one hundred British imperial inches of that guy's famous thousand-yard stare, never mind his vicious weaponry! Had to laugh when Jared Harris told how the cane actually snapped around the poor stuntman's head. Vicious.

Gotham Goddess I haven't read this review or one comment to stay PURE. But I wanted to say HI! And it's been a long time...

forex brokers With the advent and widespread accessibility of the internet, online forex brokers have become very popular;

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Mad Men is updated

jamie a s

I can't wait! Your Mad Men reviews are what originally drew me to this site Alan, so I look forward to being able to read them once again.

carey_adams

"Write a comment...There is "Breaking Bad," there is "Justified," and there is — finally, thankfully, exceptionally — "Mad Men," and then there is everything else."

FIFY :)

JanieJones

There is "Breaking Bad," and there is — finally, thankfully, exceptionally — "Mad Men," and then there is everything else.

Greg

Agree. And after both BB and MM end next year, AMC once again will be a worthless channel.

Alex T.

I watched the entire first four seasons in a couple weeks about 3 months ago and I got really hooked...can't wait for it to continue!!!!

LJA It was also Brenda's parents' house during the first season of Six Feet Under.

And HGTV's Design Star used it to house contestants one season (the season Antonio Ballatore won).

Teklanika

I hope they do a long recap b/c I have completely forgot where we left off 3 years ago when the last episode aired!

Matthew Weiner sounds like he takes himself WAY too seriously. It's a TV show, not a secret formula.

Birt

Bertram Cooper, my second favorite B*rt on television (after Burt Chance, of course)!

STOLTMAN

What was the final decision on the episode length disagreement? Are the episodes on AMC going to be a few minutes shorter, with the full version appearing elsewhere? Or was that changed?

GarySF

The River, Touch, Alcatraz...who could ask for better quality television drama? Seriously, thank the gods for the return of Mad Men and Game of Thrones to get us out of this awful rut.

Michael

Apparently not everyone follows the rules:

http://tv.nytimes.com/2012/03/23/arts/television/mad-men-opens-its-fifth-season-on-amc.html?scp=2&sq=mad+men&st=nyt

Nugget

I can't wait! http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/aefc0a521e/sunday-is-coming?ref=nf

elizabeth

Alan -- I always love your "Mad Men" commentary, and look forward to it again this season. So more, more, more please! It's the best drama that's ever been on tv, IMHO.

Gotham Goddess

I haven't read this review or one comment to stay PURE. But I wanted to say HI! And it's been a long time...

forex brokers

With the advent and widespread accessibility of the internet, online forex brokers have become very popular;

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What's Alan Watching is updated