Brutal New York, 1965-1995
This amazing series of images and observations got me thinking about Mad Men, a show that I’ve enjoyed watching but might have stopped watching because of a certain brittle quality to the themes. I pushed through, and do appreciate the show’s impeccable writing and production.
Mad Men is beautiful but brutal in its own way, highlighting the gender inequalities that pervaded the country in general, and New York ad agencies in particular in the 1960s. There have been episodes that have touched on the racism of the day as well. But what about poverty and the grime behind the glitter? I think the show is too focused on creating a glamorous aesthetic to want to stray too far from Madison Avenue.
I’m not saying that Mad Men has to go there, of course, but I think the show has decided to show a very very thin slice of the beautiful people, much in the vein of F. Scott Fitzgerald, who I will readily admit is one of my favorite authors — his prose is just flawlessly elegant. And Don Draper is a perfect cipher and worthy of being a Fitzgerald hero. I want more, though. I want more types of people to be represented on screen, and the detailed treatment of a show like this to be lavished on other groups, ones less privileged but no less worthy.
Posted on June 6th, 2009 by DeepthiW
Filed under: Media, Uncategorized
Wow, that Mad Men/Fitzgerald insight is spot on. Very good call! I totally agree with the “brittle themes” idea, too. The show really doesn’t hold my interest in repeat viewings, and when I think about it afterward…so much is just that lovely veneer of the production values, though they are really compelling in the moment. More thematic complexity or a faster pace would add a lot. Great post, Deepthi!
Thanks Paula — I was wondering if I had not picked up on something deeper in the show, so it’s really nice to hear that you agree! By the way, I just read a book that if you haven’t already read, you definitely should, the Belle and Sebastian book from 33 1/3: http://www.amazon.com/Belle-Sebastians-Youre-Feeling-Sinister/dp/0826428185. I learned a lot from it, and was thinking of you all the way through–realizing that it was that band that came along at just that moment in high school–the way Pulp was for me