Mad Men is a show on AMC that began airing in 2007. In early 2013, it will begin its 6th season. It poignantly portrays American life in the 1960's and provides viewers a peek into an era that seems so outdated that it almost feels unreal by today's standards. Fans love the show and are attracted to its social commentary and portrayal of life in a "simpler" time. They're also able to see what life looked like for their younger parents or grandparents. The show has been a favorite among critics and has been the recipient of numerous awards including 4 consecutive Emmy awards for Outstanding Drama Series beginning in 2008.
The show centers around the mysterious character Don Draper (played by Jon Hamm), a New York advertising executive, and his career as well as his seemingly perfect early 60's family life. He is as handsome as he is talented. Don is a likable character, yet, like most interesting protagonists, wrestles with a host of inner demons as well as a troubling past. He is a master of manipulation--which perhaps is the very reason he finds so much success in advertising. Don's character is supplemented by an extremely talent cast: Peggy Olsen (Elizabeth Moss), Betty Draper (January Jones), Joan Harris (Christina Hendricks), and Roger Sterling (John Slattery).
In terms of Manovich, my mind immediately thinks of the 1960's technology portrayed on the show. In particular, I recall a scene where Peggy, a newly-hired secretary at the agency, is being briefed by Joan, her superior, on her new job duties. Peggy is introduced to a rotary phone, intercom, and a circa 1960's typewriter. She is told not to be overwhelmed by the technology...
We find this kind of funny because these devices are soooo old media. They don't represent the modularity, transcoding, or numeric representation of the new media devices we see today.
Thanks for the into. I honestly did not know what Mad Men was about or when it took place. I thought it was an old black and whit movie form the 30s... That episode about not being overwhelmed by technology is funny today, but I am sure that back in the 60s electronics were intimidating. An electronic typewriter to them would be like a computer that had no mouse or keyboard and only read eye movements for inputs.
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