Mad Men – Season 2

Archived review

After a critically acclaimed first season, Mad Men had a lot to live up to in its second year; With awards being thrown at it left, right and centre, and an increased awareness of the show's existence by the general public, creator Matthew Weiner had to deliver on the promise of what he had started, whilst still keeping things fresh. He achieved success on both counts, particularly the latter. By jumping the story ahead two years without so much as an onscreen explanation, and then setting the narrative at a rate of several weeks between episodes, it's clear this is a show that wants to move forwards as quickly as possible, which is ironic as the actual pace of each episode is slow and luxurious. This is the most positive/negative aspect of the show, depending on who you talk too. In its attempts to appear as genuine and lifelike as possible, nothing is ever spelt out for the audience; We only get occasional glimpses into these characters' lives, and it's often frustratingly hard to figure out what could possibly be running through their heads. Just like real life. Despite its glamorous (yet sometimes hideous) 60's backdrop, this show doesn't try in the least to sell its audience with equally spectacular stories, instead it's all about the atmosphere. Mad Men is to be experienced as much as simply watched, and many viewers won't connect with the show for this very reason (and for a while in the first season, I was one of them). However, for those who can accept it, Mad Men's second season excelled itself, shedding more light on these fascinating characters whilst cleverly reflecting on the changing society of the time without making it the centrepiece. There's still a lot more life left in this one.