FahmiBilga

A glass of whisky and the curling tendril of cigarette smoke moving through the light, Mad Men by Matthew Weiner brings a period drama depicting a rough life in the 1960s. The show, which lasted from 2007 to 2015, is renowned for its enormous qualities like deep character development, exploring the social, political, and gender issues prevalent in the 1960s era. This series primarily highlights the life of an executive at an advertising industry. Don **** had a tough upbringing, growing up in Illinois. He came from a poor family, enduring severities and challenges especially coming from his stepmother. Disillusioned by his rural life, he served in the Korean war which is deemed as “the forgotten war”. Unwilling to go back to his old life, he chooses to leave his family and begins to have a new chapter in New York City. As time passes, Don ****, whose name he took from someone else, faced multifaceted issues such as past hardships, identity theft, and desires to find his true self. Along with other characters, Don **** showcases corporate and materialistic mentality. This reflects the societal nature of rigid dense urban life. This series also dwells on the issues of personal distress, rivalry, and ambition. Mad Men sort of speaks to us through the character Peggy Olson, Don’s secretary who, over the course of time, accelerates to become a copywriter, could achieve her success, despite being a woman. It is hard to separate social conundrums from Mad Men as it highlights social realities like sexism and other prejudices. The topic of sexuality was taboo, though Mad Men interjects the presence of characters having closeted sexual orientation. The theme of social mobility is the central idea of this show, as numerous characters, including Don, struggle to achieve the idealized “the American dream”, though barriers are often placed heavily on women and people of color. Creator of Mad Men Matthew Weiner professes that he draws inspiration from 1960s social class conditions in capitalist America. He inserts all kinds of elements like WASP dominant culture, race, sexuality, and gender roles into the show. Mad Men gives a wide scope of insights to social critics who recognize apparent social disparities. Besides the storyline, Mad Men demonstrates stillness in camera-style, capturing various angles to portray situations inside the story from different perspectives. Nevertheless, Mad Men, to some degree, recreates the historical atmosphere by providing rich historical contexts and events. Its chilling music contributes to cinematic sensation. Mad Men also features popular music songs that fit into the narrative. Background instrumental music gives emotional implications which add richness to this series. However, despite the high quality production and sophisticated narrative, Mad Men often lacks clear resolutions which leaves the audience confused. The frequent portrayal of infidelity, drunkenness, and promiscuity may be disturbing to some people. Moral bankruptcy and decay become the visible parts of the series. I personally find this series interesting as it tries to combine the historical elements and characters’ personal hardships. For those who are interested in the scenery of the 1960s period in history, this is an intriguing show to watch. Although this story may even be more relatable for people who struggle with PTSD as Don ****, a veteran, encountered the same issue. Nevertheless, Mad Men unveils cultural and social phenomena that occur in a historical era. The profundity of historical contexts and complexity of the characters mark Mad Men as a show like no other.