Mad Men, Revisited

I wrote a blog post several years ago about how I'd twice rented the first season of MAD MEN and twice returned it unwatched. About a year later I tried a third time to watch the show. I made it through the first four episodes before moving on to something else.

I guess, in my case anyway, the fourth time is the charm, because--once it became available last month on Netflix streaming--I started watching it again, this time with my wife. And I love it. The writing is great, and I've been intrigued lately by the fact that there's so little music on the show. There's just not much of a score.

Except for that fascinating opening sequence. In fact, the third time I took a shot at watching the show, I absolutely fell in love with the opening. The music is awesome (especially the drumming, which is crazy good!), and I loved how the opening sequence pretty much summed up the entire show. A man at the beginning of the opening seems to be in charge of his world, but then it melts into a sea of sex and alcohol and work and family, and the figure--who seemed like such a strong, powerful man moments ago--free falls into chaos. At the end of the sequence he seems to be back in control once more, sitting in a position of power, so calm, so confident. But we understand now that it's all a facade.

Watch it for yourself here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcRr-Fb5xQo

P.S. Speaking of Netflix streaming, you can now watch my wife in TWO documentaries on Netflix: I'M NO DUMMY (skip to the 1 hour, 8 minute mark for her longest face time) and the just released DUMBSTRUCK (She's in the first five minutes and again towards the end). I'm pretty sure that--in this life--I'll never be on Netflix streaming!