Mad Men Forum

In the past two years, I've watched the first Mad Men episode twice. I was thoroughly bored both times and felt no motivation whatsoever to move onto the second episode. Now, with the Emmys around the corner and Mad Men up for a third consecutive Best Drama win, I feel compelled to try yet again. I guess I feel like I'm missing out, as nearly everyone is praising it left, right, and centre. I'm creating this topic to find out if it's worth me giving it a third shot. I'm thinking this time, go straight for the second episode instead.
 
If I found the first episode extremely dull, is there any chance I'll like the following episodes? Do things pick up? Thanks.

No, I guess you're not going to get it if you haven't already. I've seen quite a few people who have the same problem with it, that it's boring and that nothing happens. I'm afraid I couldn't disagree more with you, a great deal happens. But there's no point telling you, as you would have noticed it too by now if you ever would have, but don't worry there are lots of of other shows to watch out there.

If the pilot episodes don't grab you, nothing will.

Aw, gotta say, that's a bit of a bummer.
 
@HandsomeDead:

@diekleinezeitgeist said:

" I've seen quite a few people who have the same problem with it, that it's boring and that nothing happens. "

Even though I was bored with the pilot, I never said stuff didn't happen. I did find one or two interactions pretty interesting. My memory is a bit hazy, but I remember being a little bit intrigued by the character of Don Draper and his life. I thought Jon Hamm did a really good job in the role. I didn't care for the other characters, though, and I guess I didn't warm to the 60s setting.

My problem with the show is that people like you would love it if you stuck with it. It is pleasantly surprising.

@Wilkins_III: The comment about nothing happening was more a general summary of what I've heard people say. But as you say, Mad Men is mostly about Draper's life and even though I can heartily agree with you that his is the most interesting story, although I do believe that all the other stories connect with his. You could say that the episodes are themed (which isn't really anything unusual) and that everything everybody say or do connects to that theme. The latest episodes in season four have been about the old war-torn generation and the new beatnik generation and how their views on life and living are very different. Since Draper is of the older generation (he served in Korea, which by the way is perhaps the single most important backstory in the show) he's having problems accepting the new ways of the world but he has to to survive the wave of everything that is to change in the 60s. 
 
As you probably already know, it's all in the dialogue - even the silent ones. More often than you'd think silence is the main dialogue in Mad Men, the silence tells you very much about the state of a character. This is not my sly way of trying to say that this is a "better" show than other shows, not at all, but I do find it very different which is probably why I stuck to it. That and perhaps that Draper is one of my favorite characters ever.

  Update: A random episode was shown on my television today, so I watched it. It was the one where...
 
 
It definitely held my attention more than the first episode did. Maybe it was because there wasn't much setup, or maybe it was because I got to know some of the other characters better, but I sort of liked it. Not decided on where to go from here. I think I might watch some more. I'm considering continuing where that episode left off because I felt more positive about the show than I did after seeing the pilot, but that might seem unwise, as it's not at the beginning.

@diekleinezeitgeist: Yeah, I can appreciate that it requires a different taste to enjoy Mad Men from the two episodes I've seen. It also seems to require more "intelligence" from the viewer than the average show, both in the manner in which they speak and references to history, like World War I, Nixon, and Kennedy. I'm still not sure if it's one for me.
 

@Wilkins_III: I can certainly agree that it does take a certain knowledge and appreciation for American history to get into the show. 
 
Personally, one of my favorite things about the show is that takes place in the most important decades in the countries history and to watch these different characters deal with all changes and the differences between then and now is quite fascinating. 
 
The people I know who don't like it either have no appreciation for the time period and how different it is from today and how important it ultimately was, or it's people who can't deal with the setting being much more racist, sexist, and homophobic then they'd like to admit the world actually was back then. 
 
But I would encourage you to stick with it. Watch the first season, or at least the first several episodes. Don't dismiss it just because the pilot wasn't action packed. It's not an "action" show, not a lot is going to happen in the same way as something like Lost, 24, or even Dexter. It's about the evolution of characters as America changes around them.

Update!
 
Over the past week, I watched the entire first season. I'm going to be upfront about it and say the first couple of episodes aren't representative of the season as a whole. Once I got deep into the season and actually knew the characters much better, I found it strangely very compelling, and the final two episodes were pretty stellar. I wouldn't say it's an amazing or must-see show (just yet, anyway), but my opinion has certainly changed from my first impressions.
 
Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to stick with it. I'm not sure when, but I next plan to watch season 2 when my schedule clears up.

I've dipped into this a few times due to the hype on the podcast but it just doesn't grab me at all.

@StormtrooprDave said:

" I've dipped into this a few times due to the hype on the podcast but it just doesn't grab me at all. "

You can't just dip into a show like Mad Men. If you're not paying attention, you won't get anything from it.

I found it very unapproachable as well, I doubt I would have made it through the first season if I wasn't on a road trip with little else on my laptop. That being said, it was really interesting, and I am glad I watched it, definitely going to watch the subsistent seasons on Neflix.

@HandsomeDead said:

" @StormtrooprDave said:

" I've dipped into this a few times due to the hype on the podcast but it just doesn't grab me at all. "

You can't just dip into a show like Mad Men. If you're not paying attention, you won't get anything from it. "

Agreed. If you're expecting to watch a random episode or two and have it "grab" you, then Mad Men probably isn't for you.

I'd only watched an odd episode here and there.  So thankfully Father Christmas brought me series 1-3 on blu-ray.    
 
In chronological order its amazing.  Watching Characters, relationships and the world change is gripping.  Its one of the best TV series I've ever seen.