Balconeers discussion

Season 1 of MAD MEN on DVD should arrive tomorrow and less than a month to the premiere of season 2, so I'm celebrating by opening a thread. Discuss amongst yourselves - I'm too verklempt!

Review of season one dvd set:

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/in...

Okay - I thought I'd be able to survive with the set - but that box is WAY TOO COOL!! must have....

Mine arrived yesterday and I haven't had time to open the box. A first-world problem indeed.

For those of you wondering what the fuss is, the pilot is now online for free:

http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/2008/0...

I'd like to propose reading Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates to assuage our grief once season 2 of Mad Men is over.

Winslet and DiCaprio in Revolutionary Road - who knew?! Although I hated Titanic, but they're both so talented they can probably rise way above with this one.

I already have the novel on my nightstand, awaiting my first post-season Mad Men pang.

OK, who's up for reading Revolutionary Road?

I can start it next week. I watched HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS...this past weekend and got very lonesome for MAD MEN!!! How can I stand it till next season? Well...at least DAMAGES is due soon.

I watched a A Guide for the Married Man with Morse and Walter Matthau. Highly recommended for anyone who things MM exaggerates.

The first season of Mad Men finally made it over here to the UK and I've been devouring it - despite BBC4's insistence on placing it so weirdly in the schedule that I have to drink tons of caffeine to stay up for it. Finally, good television to watch. Two and a Half Men and the glut of "reality" tv was making me despair of finding anything truly intelligent.

Graceann wrote: "The first season of Mad Men finally made it over here to the UK and I've been devouring it - despite BBC4's insistence on placing it so weirdly in the schedule that I have to drink tons of caffeine..."

Oh how exciting! I love hearing about new converts to my passions. I've got my sister watching Mad Men and my daughter is about to start. Caffeine is a good thing. And the whiskey you'll consume as you watch Mad Men will counteract the effects.

Graceann, I had to laugh when I read your post. We tried to interest friends in MM on NYE and instead they preferred season 1 of Two and a Half Men, which they'd bought just because it's so wonderful. Sitcoms (with the exception of 30 Rock) make my teeth hurt.

There is no instrument yet invented which can measure my loathing of Two and a Half Men. I have no stake in any programming - I'm just an average person. I'm not a writer, a programmer, a producer or an advertiser. I still find it personally offensive, however, that 30 Rock, a brilliantly scripted and performed program, can't break the top 100, while 30 minutes of scat jokes and rude kids becomes a hit.

And I realize I'm FAR in the minority. That's why I get so much reading done, because there's so little telly out there for people like me.

The relentless laugh track is a dead giveaway, imo. And you're right - more reading time for us!