Mad Men

Reviewed by:
Robbie Throckmorton

The Skinny: Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and the boys of Sterling Cooper return for another season of sex, sexism, and advertising. Picking up a couple of years from last season's finale, this year's opener tackles the country's (and clients') youth fascination with the show's trademark witty cynicism and deftness in analogizing the present with the past.

The Good: The acting is phenomenal. Hamm's intensity, John Slattery's humor, and the entire ensemble—from Pete Campbell's (Vincent Kartheiser) douche bag to Peggy's (Elisabeth Moss) upstart girl Friday—is aces. Plus, Don already has a new mystery brewing, and some answers to last year's unanswered questions will surprise you.

The Bad: Mad Men can be slow-paced and (sometimes brutally) self-serious. That's just how the show works, but it can give those seeking casual entertainment a migraine. Also, the return episode is Sopranos-esque in its mildness, resetting tone and characters instead of advancing plot. But, unlike the Sopranos, it gets back on track by Ep. 2.

Mad About Mad Men: We gave up awards shows after Howard the Duck got jobbed, but the stuffed shirts at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences did manage to nominate this show's first season for 16 Emmys. Not saying we forgive them, but it's nice to see that they have cable now.

Watch, Ignore, or Read a Book Instead? Watch it. If you're behind, buy the first-season DVD and catch up. Trust us.