Anybody know anything about this, which starts on BBC4 on Sunday before being repeated on BBC2 next week? It's written by a bloke that used to write on The Sopranos so it clearly comes from a very good pedigree.
Mad Men
Saw the first episode. Showed a lot of promise, a little slow for my liking but I will definitely stick with it. It's well researched and like the Sopranos it has a great visual style.
Matthew Weiner was actually hired by David Chase on the strength of the pilot for this show.
Agree about liking it but thinking it was a tad slow. I think it's definitely a grower.
Amazing show, just got the lot on Blu-Ray. For anyone yet to give this a go, it's a slow burner to be sure but keep watching and you'll soon meet the pace. The Guardian has an excellent episode by episode analysis starting from season 2, which provides a good accompaniment and shines a light on any nagging questions you might have...
Notes from the Break Room: http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/series/notes-from-the-break-room?page=2
Surely it's a foreign drama, not a comedy? Small point.
Yeah I just had it on in the background at first but I began to watch it seriously when I realisd how well it was done. It really lays on the nonPCness of the period - early 60s, that's its main purpose really I suppose. But it does it with subtle little scenes and subplots, and the writing is really good, it makes points without looking incredible or false.
It is meticulously designed and shot with those magazine colours, and I find the pace is perfect - life then was a bit slower and a bit duller, there was much less to do, they've got the mood of the age spot on. It takes some adjusting to for most modern viewers I suppose, but it doesn't compromise the the way of life it is depicting just so we can be less fidgety waiting for things to happen a bit quicker. That is excellent!
It's extremely well made and I love it now, very rare for me to love US shows. If it has a fault it's that it is SO meticulously designed in every detail, I've yet to come across any 'strays' I've seen in the episodes, but every era and culture has them, the odd misfit or free spirit, for example, someone swearing, being unpatriotic or just rebelious, heralding the freer hippy era which was only around the corner. But I haven't seen every episode.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 11 2010, 10:46 AM BSTIf it has a fault it's that it is SO meticulously designed in every detail, I've yet to come across any 'strays' I've seen in the episodes, but every era and culture has them, the odd misfit or free spirit, for example, someone swearing, being unpatriotic or just rebelious, heralding the freer hippy era which was only around the corner. But I haven't seen every episode.
I seem to remember an episode in season 2 where Don accompanies his boho mistress to a beatnik party that showed a reflection of society outside the confines of Madison Avenue. Also in the same season we meet a European copywriter who's openly gay. And surely Peggy as a character is an embodiment of the changing times?
How you say you enjoy Mad Men but don't usually like American TV is beyond me. Have you seen Sopranos? The Wire? Band of Brothers? Deadwood? Breaking Bad? And that's just drama!
Quote: David Bussell @ April 11 2010, 11:29 AM BSTI seem to remember an episode in season 2 where Don accompanies his boho mistress to a beatnik party that showed a reflection of society outside the confines of Madison Avenue. Also in the same season we meet a European copywriter who's openly gay. And surely Peggy as a character is an embodiment of the changing times?
*Clears throat* Geeeeeeeeekkkk!!!
Ah, that felt good. 
Yes I've dipped into all these except BB. Sopranos is not really my thing, I was never a Godfather type of stuff fan; The Wire I find just a bit beyond my world, it's such a saturated subculture that doesn't affect me; The Band of Brothers reminded me too much of SPV, not my favourite film; Deadwood quite intrigued me, what little I saw of it I quite liked, I liked its style and I'm a MacShane fan, but alas I've never been a fan of Westerns. No, overall I feel US drama shows are a teeny bit on the intense and overdone side for my liking, and I just prefer the way we make them. Rule Britania.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ April 11 2010, 11:32 AM BST*Clears throat* Geeeeeeeeekkkk!!!
Ah, that felt good.
*rolls off of satisfied conquest*
"Did you hear something, Beyonce?"
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 11 2010, 11:50 AM BSTYes I've dipped into all these except BB. Sopranos is not really my thing, I was never a Godfather type of stuff fan; The Wire I find just a bit beyond my world, it's such a saturated subculture that doesn't affect me; The Band of Brothers reminded me too much of SPV, not my favourite film; Deadwood quite intrigued me, what little I saw of it I quite liked, I liked its style and I'm a MacShane fan, but alas I've never been a fan of Westerns. No, overall I feel US drama shows are a teeny bit on the intense and overdone side for my liking, and I just prefer the way we make them. Rule Britania.
Me, I like my drama dramatic. I also like to learn a little something about places and periods I'm unfamiliar with, so shows like Deadwood and The Wire really do it for me.
I've not really watched much in the way of British drama in the last few years. Other than Red Riding, which I thought was very good, do you have any recommendations?
Few that are really current but my off the top of my head favourites/recommendations would be Skins; State Of Play; Our Friends In The North; Queer As Folk; Life On Mars; more retro but great - House Of Cards; GBH; Blackstuff; A Gentleman Abroad; The two LeCarre adaptions; The Organisation - all these are very high quality Brit dramas - I've missed many good ones out I know, and I haven't included period dramas or comedy dramas, but hope it helps.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 11 2010, 1:51 PM BSTSkins;
For a show about teenagers, I muuuuch prefer the wonderful Freaks And Geeks. (An American show) The whole partying, drugging, shagging, over wroughtness of Skins just puts me off.
That's its beauty.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 11 2010, 1:57 PM BSTThat's its beauty.
The party, druggy, shagging-ness of it?
Absolutely! It's why I watch it.
And many others!
Yes it's a gaudy version of rowdy teens at their headline grabbing worst, (most of the time, but has very many storlines that show how good and noble some of them can be too) but it is drama about this, it captures the essence of them really well. imo.
Skins rocks...er, daddio.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 11 2010, 2:09 PM BSTAbsolutely! It's why I watch it.
Maybe I'm just jealous! My teenage years seemed much lighter on drugs, all night house parties and, well, shagging, then the characters on Skins! 
It's not a take on teenage life I recognise; but then it probably isn't supposed to be, it's supposed to be entertaining.