Racial tensions are high as the changing times just begin to threaten an archaic social hierarchy. The government is in flux after major shakeup and political turmoil. Individuals across the country struggle with the materialism they covet and the search for individual happiness and identity. Times are changing. All of this could easily apply to the present day, but instead it refers to the 1950s-60s in which AMC's "Mad Men" told its story. Though "Mad Men" officially ended its seven-season run back in May, we felt now, on the precipice of a new year, was the perfect time to say goodbye.
Did you know that AMC stands for American Movie Classics? Launched in 1984, the network began as a channel where theatrically released films would slowly matriculate to the TV airwaves. Yet the changing entertainment landscape of the early 2000s prompted AMC to start dabbling in original programming. Enter: "Mad Men."
The critically acclaimed period piece, which debuted in 2007, was the first major success of AMC. Not to overdramatize, but without it, the network would have never grown into a big player in the cable market and TV viewers would have never become familiar with Don Draper, Walter White or Rick Grimes.
"Mad Men" was never a ratings behemoth, especially in its early years. But it was a critical darling that gave the network some much needed credibility in a time of extreme uncertainty. Fast forward to today, and AMC is now responsible for two of the greatest television dramas in history, as well as TV's most popular current show. "Mad Men," a series that prided itself on subtlety, birthed quite the obvious legacy.
Building off the anti-hero success of "The Sopranos," "The Shield" and others, "Mad Men" gave us a new kind of protagonist to fall into a love/hate relationship with. Yet where Tony Soprano and Vic Mackey reveled in their awfulness, Draper seemed to be tortured by it. He was lost, scared and alone for much of the series; his existential crisis of identity drove the story instead of holding it back. There were no murders or action-packed crime; just a man, his family and his job. As you peeled away the layers of this complex character, you found vulnerability at every level. But you also found someone who represented both the best and the worst of the everyman.
And that everyman traveled through American history like Forrest Gump, bearing witness to iconic moments such as the JFK assassination, the moon landing and so much more. Though "Mad Men" was a period piece, it always seemed as if both the background noise and the story at the forefront mirrored struggles of today. Showrunner Matthew Weiner seemed to include a direct parallel in every episode, subtly drawing a connection that viewers could identify for themselves.
"Mad Men" has been off the air for several months now, and though TV is flooding with quality dramas, there still exists a void. Zombie apocalypses, Westeros, cyber terrorism, actual terrorism - many of today's popular shows rely on extreme hooks to grab your attention. Though there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, sometimes people just want to watch an ordinary person drift through life and deal with the same struggles we encounter every day. At its core, "Mad Men" was about the inherent flaws that accompany the ordinary and the lengths we go to to overcome them.
So thank you, "Mad Men," for giving us an incredible series about real life. You will be missed.
