The Show
In one of the latest bits of brilliant writing on a show that has enjoyed more than its fair share, the first line of the Season Four premiere of Mad Men begins with an Ad Age reporter asking our main character, "Who is Don Draper?" He (Jon Hamm) doesn't know how to answer and neither do we really, and so over the course of the next 13 episodes we witness his protracted journey of self-improvement, self-dissection and ultimately self-discovery.
In one sense, he is his company, as he has become the star player of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, newly reformed at the end of last season. They are now the bold upstarts of Madison Avenue, and they play big (courting some major clients, real and fictitious), win big (a Clio!) and lose big (if you're familiar with their accounts, you can guess the one I mean).
Personally, the man's man/ladies' man is now single again, in the Swinging Sixties (not that his wedding ring ever slowed him down), with more hookups than even he knows what to do with, until he is blindsided in the final chapter. Ex-wife Betty (January Jones) is revealed as a Joan Crawford-caliber maternal monster, with their young daughter Sally (a heartbreaking Kiernan Shipka) catching the worst of it.
Through it all are the uninhibited, politically incorrect comments and behavior that make modern viewers cringe, yet with a smirk. Mad Men has won three consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series, but the humor--which ranges from to the subtle to the shocking--remains the show's secret weapon.
The Picture
The show is shot on 35mm film, a costly choice for sure but one which helps to achieve its subtly nostalgic look. There is some video noise and a sometimes-noticeable film grain in the 16:9 image, but the clarity is stunning, particularly on the spot-on costumes, right down to the finest weave of cloth. Don's checked jacket can get a little hinky when he moves, but other than that I think it's all good. Blacks, which tend not to fare well on TV Blu-rays, are better than expected, with more nuance in the darkness than on some other titles I've watched.
Specific little bits jump out at us too, like his neighbor's plainly legible name badge ("PHOEBE BENNETT, RN") or the Aphrodite pencil cartoon that an artist draws for Don's secretary.
The Sound
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5,1 track once again puts realism ahead of razzle-dazzle, with credible touches like an IBM Selectric clacking away in another office, doors slamming offscreen, and a hint of resonance to help convey the emptiness of a once-bustling hallway. The rears also create the necessary illusion of lively crowds, as at a swimming pool or in a busy restaurant. Both the original musical score and the pop songs are spacious while displaying a pleasing dynamic range.
The Extras
Every episode has at least one audio commentary, and all but one actually pack two, with some extremely interesting pairings. Participants include creator Matthew Weiner and star Jon Hamm, composer David Carbonara and costume designer Janie Bryant, actors Joel Murray and Alexa Alemanni, director Michael Uppendahl, actors Melinda Page Hamilton and Jared Harris, director Jennifer Getzinger, actors Vincent Kartheiser, John Slattery and Cara Buono, cinematographer Chris Manley, director Erin Levy, actors Aaron Staton, Jay Ferguson and Danny Strong, writer Brett Johnson and writer/director Scott Hornbacher, actress Elisabeth Moss, editor Tom Wilson, actors Christopher Stanley, Matt Long and Rich Sommer, editor Leo Trombetta, actresses Christina Hendricks and Kiernan Shipka, producer/writer Dahvi Waller, actress Jessica Paré, co-executive producers Andre and Maria Jacquemetton, actor Robert Morse, advertising consultants Bob Levinson and Josh Weltman, actor Marten Weiner and writer Jonathan Igla.
We have to really admire both the dedication of Weiner, who comments passionately on every installment, and the undeniable camaraderie of this extraordinary ensemble cast as we hear them bantering in these tracks.
The rather serious video accoutrements form a curious lot here. Except for the relevant era, and the fact that it is so damned cool, "Marketing the Mustang: An American Icon" (27 minutes) seems out of place. Perhaps it is an extension of the product placement that has helped keep the series afloat? "1964 Presidential Campaign" is built of actual Johnson and Goldwater news footage and TV commercials, held together with minimal captions (31 minutes).
The three-part "Divorce: Circa 1960" (79-and-a-half minutes total) explores the quasi-taboo topic which is especially poignant during Season Four. And the two-part "How to Succeed in Business Draper Style" (56-and-a-half minutes) taps noted business experts who discuss the character and his underlying strengths. All of these video extras are in HD.
Final Thoughts
As much of a cliché as this sounds like, this really was the best season yet for Mad Men, as the writers and cast truly came to know these indelible characters more fully than ever. The Blu-ray quality is solid as well, and I'd recommend making time for at least a few of those commentaries too.
Product Details
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