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Nerdist was started by Chris Hardwick and has grown to be a many headed beast.

Mad Men Seasons 1-3 in Less Than 5 Minutes

by on July 25, 2010

It’s Mad Men day! The new season premieres tonight on AMC at 10p/9c and I can’t fricking wait. Use this handy guide to give every important detail you need to make you look like a know-it-all asshole and the Mad Men viewing party you’re probably going to this evening.

It’s also my dad’s birthday, but no one made funny reel of his first three seasons.

via @Movieline

 
17 comments read them below or add one

  5. ok, seriously though, AMC has GOT to be paying you, right?!
    or you are for sure getting more than just a hat in the mail :)

  6. Having never seen (or heard of – and for this I do feel a significant amount of shame) Mad Men, this recap was more than helpful in catching me up – though from an outside perspective I cringe to suggest that it strikes me as a somewhat testosterone heavy/60′s era Desperate Housewives?

    Regardless – my curiosity is piqued enough that I will be tuning in…

  8. Holy hell, I never made the Captain Awesome connection until just now.

    Keely: I think the beauty of the show lies more in what is unsaid than what is said, and that won’t necessarily show up in a recap. I mean, it may not look like much, but Don signing the contract was a big moment for the character, because he was strong-armed into it. Similarly, Joan being raped by her fiancé was a moment of unexpected helplessness and vulnerability for someone who possibly had the biggest balls of anyone at Sterling-Cooper. And then there’s Peggy, whose advancement over the three seasons mirrors the increasing importance women are playing in the larger society of the time, as she went from disposable secretary to coveted copywriter in a company where all her misogynistic superiors became peers. It’s character moments like this that make the show what it is, and put it such miles and miles ahead of Desperate Housewives, which really should be titled “Watch what contrived excuse we use to get Eva Longoria half-naked this week!” (not that I’m complaining). It’s rich, nuanced, layered, and will leave you thinking about it long after its hour is up.
    It’s great to hear that you’ll be tuning in, and I hope it hooks you the way it has hooked us. You might also want to check out Nerdist podcast 5 (with Jon Hamm), Nerdist podcast 20 (with Alison Brie) and Nerdist podcast 28 (with Rich Sommer), all of whom are stars on the show, if you want some more perspective from the people working on it.
    The show also does a great job of paralleling the events happening in America as a whole with events happening at Sterling Cooper, but you’ll have to see that in action to truly appreciate it.

  9. Happy Birthday to Mr. Hardwick!

    Keely, I’d also like to add to Sawyer’s excellent post above: The tone of Mad Men is probably not what you’re expecting from a recap like that. It’s probably the quietest show on television. There is almost no score to the show, so introspective moments (which happen a lot) are often totally silent, except for any natural sounds that would occur in the environment. It tends to have a leisurely pace, but is never boring. It is also a really funny show at times. The characters are very rich and complex, especially after three seasons of developing them, and it’s fascinating to read their faces for inner motivations. I can’t think of many shows that really project so much with minute expressions from the actors. A whole world of emotion is said with a flickering eye movement.

  10. @Chris Hardwick: Happy Birthday to your pappy! In his honor I will play that bowling game I’ve been neglecting on my phone. This might involve my toilet, no disrespect, I’m just very busy today.

    @Keely: Do yourself a big, big, favor and start with season 1, it’s quite a ride.

    @Sawyer/Sara: Very well said.

    @everyone: The recap was great! If you’re new to the show start with season 1. It’s never too late to catch up and it’s well worth it. I can’t wait!

  11. “Her brother is a weirdo.”

    What? If I remember correctly, her brother has epilepsy. Are we just referring to people with illnesses as weirdos now?

  12. And I totally missed greeting Hardwick senior, so happy birthday, Mr. Hardwick Senior! May all the pins fall in your favour today (Yes, this is what you get when someone who has bowled a grand total of once in their life tries to make a bowling-themed greeting)

    Thanks, Sara and benodiktine.

  13. Well with a promo like that I can’t NOT watch it… and I do think I’ll be starting with Season 1 – seems like the kind of thing that needs to be watched from the beginning…
    Thank you for the advice, it’s definately hard to find decent entertainment on TV these days…

    I’ve been trying to find something with a bit of depth ever since they nixed Studio 60 and Dirty Sexy Money and have mostly come up empty…

    You folks have built up my expectations now!

  15. There’s a nerdist podcast with Jon Hamm?!? How’d I miss that?!?!!? *DASHES OFF TO FIND IT*

  16. I’m worried about Sally…. I just know that girl’s going to end up in a dirty hippie commune. Or the Manson family. *eep*

  17. Chris,

    You ought to blog about S04 Mad Men eps, especially after having Jon Hamm, Alison Brie and Rich Sommer on the podcast. The season premiere was amazing. However, that may be 8 months of anticipation talking. Methinks not though…

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