Singing The Praises Of "Mad Men" & "Friday Night Lights"

In what has become a rather mediocre season for new dramatic series, it's nice to sing the praises of two hour-long series--one that won't return for its second season until next summer and the other that's on shaky rating ground.
American Movie Classics' "Mad Men"--the saga of an advertising agency in New York City circa 1960--has become a critical hit and draws about a million viewers a week (good numbers for AMC). Why do I love these "Men?" Let me count the ways.
Start with the time period--an era when men were men, women were housewives or sex objects, and bigotry was acceptable. TV was the selling powerhouse, and the fictional ad agency Sterling Cooper did its best to please its clients. All these factors make "Mad Men" come alive; its characters crackle with a confident, even cocky, self-assurance of their self-centered importance.
Creator Matthew Weiner (who was a writer on "The Sopranos" and tried to sell the show to HBO without success) gets the details right: The look and feel of 1960 are there--from the constant smoking of Lucky Strike cigarettes (the cigarette account of Sterling-Cooper) to the fashions and the decor. But what sets "Mad Men" apart from other dramas is the undercurrent of tension beneath the facade. Not a self-knowing, lighthearted "Desperate Housewives" type of subplot, but a serious sea change in the relationship between men and women (no office today would allow an after-hours party complete with sexual games played by married men and willing female office workers) and the problems just bubbling underneath the jet propelled decade. (The only black people the "Mad Men" see are the ones who clean the offices or run the elevators; few Latinos are depicted, and there's an undercurrent of anti-Semitism. And homosexuality is strictly taboo; no "sissy men" allowed in this boy's club.)
But it's the actors who make this series shine: Star John Hamm (who plays creative director Don Draper) is more sensitive than his co-workers, yet succumbs to the temptations of other women in secret affairs--all while confused wife and mom Betty (January Jones) sees a psychiatrist and fantasizes about romance with another man while doing the laundry. Don's secretary Peggy Olsen (Elisabeth Moss) is the young "new girl" in the office who succumbs to some of the temptations but strives to become a copywriter. Rich, spoiled brat Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser)is arrogant and is not above stepping on others to get what he wants, but he's tolerated only because of his family's connections. And there's partner Roger Sterling (John Slattery), whose love of food, women and booze takes a personal toll.
All in all, "Mad Men" is one of the best American dramas around--not bad for a freshman season. It will air next year on BBC4. Catch it--you'll be glad you did.
And let me put in another plug for one of my favorite network dramas, "Friday Night Lights." Yes, you may not understand football and you despise sports. But even in its second season, "FNL" shines with rich characters, a wonderful feel of life in small town Texas, USA, and true humanity. No other series feels as real as "Friday Night Lights." I've made it my obsession to sing the praises of this drama until NBC pulls the plug or more people tune in. I'm hoping for the latter and not the former. (Are you watching, ITV4 viewers?)
Finally, let me put in a good word for former sitcom star Drew Carey and his new gig as host of the long-running "The Price Is Right." Despite a few first-episode jitters, Carey is the perfect fit for this American institution (read more about it in my article at Teletronic) and he's a worthy replacement for the now-retired Bob Barker. Drew Carey rocks!
Coming later this week--reviews of the new series "Women's Murder Club;" "Samantha Who?" and "Viva Laughlin" (the US version of "Viva Blackpool").
Until next time, happy viewing!