Mad Men: Season 2

Reviewed by:
Eric Alt

The Skinny: Sterling Cooper's drinkingest, womanizingest, barely workingest bad boys return in this 1960s-set drama about an advertising firm and its mysterious alpha dog, a man known as Don Draper.

The Good: After the greatest of season 1, you would expect a dip in quality. That's not to say there isn't one, but it's relatively minor. This is still one of the best dramas on TV—sharp, funny, and engaging. It's nice to see some characters get some added depth (Hello, Joan) and the Blu-Ray presentation is crisper than Pete Campbell's collar. The bonus material does a superb job of placing some of the show's plot elements in a broader cultural perspective.

The Bad: The show does get a tad soap opera in season 2, and it gets away from the office inner workings that made the first season so great. But it eventually finds its footing, and pulls it together. And do you really need two separate commentary tracks for every episode?

Best Extra: "Time Capsule: Historical Events of the 1960s" is as engaging as the show itself. We would have loved to have seen the Jon Hamm episode of Between Two Ferns included, though.

Buy, Rent, or Ignore: Buy it, and get caught up for the start of season 3.

Share