the TV addict » Mad Men

The Backlot: Mad About AMC Budget Cuts

theTVaddict — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:51:40 +0000

Faux Your Emmy® Consideration: MAD MEN

theTVaddict — Tue, 31 May 2011 16:58:21 +0000

With the 2011 Emmy® nominations just around the corner, theTVaddict.com continues our “Faux Your Emmy® Consideration” series of ads (Also known as our take on how Networks and Studios might wish to consider campaigning for 2011 Emmy® nominations on behalf of their shows and actors) by shining the spotlight on MAD MEN.

THE OFFICE! ONE TREE HILL! THE VOICE! Our TV Addict Week in Rewind

theTVaddict — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:28:14 +0000

Best Calling Out: MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell put his corporate bosses in the hot seat by insisting they end attention whore Donald Trump’s “relentless campaign of hatred” by revealing that the tycoon can’t run for president because he’s committed to doing another season of THE APPRENTICE. (We here at thetvaddict.com continue urging viewers to boycott Trump’s offerings… and here’s why.)

Most Likely To Mangle A Phrase: Whether declaring “You can’t stand the truth!” (instead of the famous line from A Few Good Men “You can’t handle the truth!”) or talking about how “you can’t pull the wool over the undercover specialist,” SURVIVOR’s Phillip is proving one of the most misquote-worthy contestants in the show’s history.

Best Twist: Once again harkening back to its first season, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES revealed that Wisteria Lane’s curmudgeonly Karen McCluskey knew all along that Paul Young didn’t kill Felicia Tilman.

Most Conveniently-Timed Break: A lotta people complain about how long it is between MAD MEN seasons, but star January Jones is making good use of her down time by having a baby!

The Saving The Best For Last Award Goes To… : THE OFFICE, for making sure that Pam got the final farewell to departing boss Michael in what turned out to be one of the uneven sitcom’s most outstanding episodes.

The When It Rains, It Pours Award Goes To… : GENERAL HOSPITAL which, even as it was being dogged by increasingly-loud cancellation rumors, was hit by a lawsuit filed by the estate of of the show’s legendary creators claiming it is owed syndication money.

Worst Export: Oh, England, we’re sorry. You give us classics like THE OFFICE and ALL IN THE FAMILY (TILL DEATH US DO PART was the original) and what do we give you? JERSEY SHORE, being remade as GEORDIE SHOREM by MTV UK. On behalf of all of us, we’re sorry.

Something To Sing About: Holy crap, THE VOICE is entertaining TV. From the format to the likeable trainers, this show deserves to be bigger than the lackluster IDOL. Our only complaint? Carson Daly.

Least Open Minded: The reaction of Dustin Zito’s REAL WORLD housemates to his naked frolicking on a site aimed at gay men (which included one abbreviated close encounter of the oral kind with another guy) proved that, sadly, today’s 20something’s are just as capable of homophobia and prejudice as their older brethren.

The “Yeah, Right” Award Goes To… : Former ONE TREE HILLer Chad Michael Murray, who tweeted that if the show returns next season, he might be on board. Why? “Maybe… for you guys.” Or maybe for a bunch of money. Or because he hasn’t exactly had a lot to do since leaving.

SHAMELESS! LAW & ORDER: SVU! JERSEY SHORE! Our TV Addict Week in Rewind

theTVaddict — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 16:37:06 +0000

Biggest Surprise: Despite the fact that the first half of SHAMELESS’ season had us wishing those poor Gallagher kids were more of a “Party of 6,” not-quite-father-of-the-year-candidate Frank deserves some serious credit for owning up to sleeping with son Lip’s not-quite-girlfriend Karen by taking his “golden shower” like a man.

Best Blowoff: After Ina Garten — aka the Barefoot Contessa — got herself in hot water by denying a 6-year-old’s Make-A-Wish request, the kid’s dad turned the tables on her by saying “thanks, but no thanks” when she realized the error of her ways. Personally, we think cancer patient Enzo made a great choice in trading the Contessa for a swim with dolphins!

Creepiest Practical Joke Ever: While his housemate was away, a Reddit user — Deluxe810 — transformed his roomie’s sleep space into a kill room like those used by DEXTER Morgan.

Creepiest Guest Appearance of the Week: Elizabeth Mitchell’s terrifying turn as a piano teacher accused of raping and killing a young girl on Wednesday’s LAW & ORDER: SVU may have solidified the talented actress’s chances at an outshining guest actor Emmy, but it gave us the willies.

Worst Export: Will anyone really be able to blame Canada when they declare war upon the United States after THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF TORONTO hits the airwaves?

Oddest Guest Gig: Wayne Brady looked both uncomfortable and confused while judging the final five contestants on RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE.

When Stunt Casting Goes Awry: Kourtney Kardashian’s appearance on ONE LIFE TO LIVE proved why acting should be left to professionals.

Quote Of The Week: “Snooki is an old Italian word for talentless slut,” said Steven Schirripa on CONAN.

Proof We’re All Doomed: MTV got its highest ratings in five years thanks to the season finale of JERSEY SHORE.

Reason #4234 We Love Twitter: Comes LOST executive producer @damonlindelof’s honest reaction to this week’s MAD MEN negations between AMC, Lionsgate and creator Matthew Weiner, “Not that I’m sour grapes, but TEN MILLION DOLLARS a year for 13 episodes of a single show seems pretty fair, no? #SOURGRAPES”

Reason #4235: Comes @sutterink’s follow up, “You can’t ask a network for 10 million, then bitch when they want to expand their ad revenue source. Whore or saint, pick one.”

Most Best Reason To Throw Your Cowboy Hat In The Air And Shout Yeehaw: FX renewed modern western JUSTIFIED for a third season.

The Lame Attempt To Get Publicity For A Failed Show Award Goes To…: Bravo, who this week announced that THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF MIAMI’s reunion show would be a live broadcast.

Most Disturbing Political Development: Does anybody really think that Donald Trump is going to run for president? No. So why is the coif-challenged blowhard being treated as a serious contender by news outlets and allowed to continue beating the birther drum, much to the not-so- secret delight of the GOP?

Bravo Series We’re Most Looking Forward To: PROJECT RUNWAY alum Chris March — known for his outrageous designs and over-the-top style — will headline MAD FASHION, in which his team develops flamboyant outfits for big-name clients.

Conspiracy of the Week: Is it just us, or did anyone else scream “product placement” following AMERICAN DAD’s completely bizarre and out of place riff on Major League Baseball that was perfectly timed to coincided with the start of the MLB season?

The TV Addict Trend Watch: Delayed Gratification!

theTVaddict — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:43:53 +0000

In response to today’s news that has AMC officially announcing a fifth season of MAD MEN, albeit a delayed one that will more than likely not see the show return until early 2012 as a result of what is being characterized as “ongoing key non-cast [read: Creator Matthew Weiner] negotiations” we here at theTVaddict.com couldn’t help but think of a handful of other shows in which absence made the heart grow fonder.

Good News: NBC, MAD MEN & Syfy

theTVaddict — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:38:58 +0000

Good News: On the eve of its upfront presentation in New York City, Syfy is getting set to unveil its largest original programming slate in history. Bad News: Of the 14 new series and events announced, including BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD & CHROME and ALPHAS are 10, yes, 10 reality TV shows. [Source]

Good News: NBC is giving the oft-delayed PAUL REISER SHOW a Thursday at 8:30PM timeslot staring April 14. Bad News: At the expense of PERFECT COUPLES, which will be benched for the remainder of the season. [Source]

Good News: AMC and Lionsgate are inching closer to a deal with creator Matt Weiner for a fifth season of MAD MEN. Bad News: The glacial pace of negotiations will more than likely delay MEN’s usual summer premiere until Fall 2011 or worse, early 2012. [Source]

Brilliant Television Writing Does Not Guarantee Television Viewers

Tiffany Vogt — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 13:49:33 +0000

In response to my recent article “Superheroes Are Dropping Like Flies! An Investigation Why Television Seems to be the Genre’s Kryptonite,” one commenter offered his opinion that superhero shows are failing because the shows are not well-written. But unlike in the movie Field of Dreams, the theory of “If you build it, they will come,” does not hold true on television. In fact, if anything, time and time again, great writing is an anathema to the average television viewer. It does not lure in more viewers and it does not guarantee a higher retention rate. Great writing is but one ingredient needed to draw and retain viewers.

Examples of ratings-challenged television shows offering superior writing include a large number of “brilliant but cancelled” shows from the past decade. Among those are: TERRIERS, BATTLESTAR GALATICA, DEADWOOD, FIREFLY, VERONICA MARS, EVERWOOD, WONDERFALLS, ELI STONE, KINGS and even fan-favorites TERMINATOR: SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES and DOLLHOUSE. (If looking at the current television landscape, it also includes such current shows as the Emmy-winning MAD MEN and BREAKING BAD and newcomer FX’s JUSTIFIED. It appears that no matter how many awards or how much critical-acclaim, even those will not draw in viewers.)

What is fascinating about all these shows is that whether they were immediately heralded as “brilliantly written,” now that they are gone those are the tags we put on them. Why? Because they were. For whatever reason, the average viewer just did not see or perhaps appreciate the superior writing of these shows when they were on. It is certainly true that a small devoted and vocal bunch of viewers immediately saw and appreciated what they had — but in television, small is never better. Television shows only survive if they can pull in a large number of viewers. More viewers equals more ad revenue and thus a longer chance at longevity.

There is a reason all of these shows are now called “brilliant but cancelled” — they simply are.

But great writing just is not enough. Whatever viewers are looking for, it does not rest on the quality of writing alone. If that were true, a large portion of what is succeeding would have died a long time ago.

Instead, shows that offer comfort and familiarity succeed, like NCIS, NCIS:LA and THE MENTALIST. Those shows offer a steady stream of formulaic stories each week, but viewers flock to them. The consistency works in their favor. In addition, they offer surrogate families for viewers to visit each week. It is a winning combination of comfort and charisma.

Simply put, viewers crave “comfort food” television more than they seek out riskier fare such as MAD MEN and BREAKING BAD.

In addition, the prevalence of reality television shows perfectly illustrates how attractive and deep-rooted the mass television audience is with “voyeuristic” and competition shows. Viewers enjoy the titillation of peeking into someone else’s life and seeing what they are doing, such as TEEN MOM and JERSEY SHORE — alas, transparency into whether or not such reality TV shows are scripted, storyboarded or staged is not so clear to viewers. The average viewer also wants to see people engaged in dramatic, sensationalized competition shows such as DANCING WITH THE STARS and SURVIVOR. These types of shows offer another kind of viewing “food group” that satisfies the viewers’ cravings.

The last category is alternative scripted television. This is where shows like FRINGE, CHUCK and STARGATE: UNIVERSE consistently hover. They are not offering the “comfort food,” nor sensationalist/titillation of competitive and/or voyeuristic television shows. Instead, they are competing for the remnants of the available television audience — ones who are looking for something different, something entertaining, and, sometimes, something that will ultimately be labeled “brilliant but cancelled.”

While it is true that not every low-rated television show offers brilliant writing, it is true that most brilliantly written television shows tend to consistently pull in a lower number of viewers.

Over the years there have been anomalies as shows like THE WEST WING and LOST somehow eluded the curse of low-ratings while offering some of the best television writing ever to grace the television screen. But THE WEST WING and LOST also possessed more than one secret ingredient: they also offered large doses of “comfort food” and charisma. These were surrogate families that the mass viewing audience were more than happy to tune in to see every week.

Many have noted over the years that making a successful television show is like capturing “lightning in a bottle.” It is rare. It is extremely elusive. To gather each piece needed to launch and sustain a high-rated television show requires a remarkable number of “stars to align.” A show needs a great showrunner, fantastic directors, a phenomenal cast, brilliant writing, and a zillion other phenomenally talented crew to make it all work flawlessly.

It is not to say that the networks and studios do not try. They spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year trying to replicate “lightning in a bottle.” But even copycatting what has worked before is never a guarantee. Why? Because viewers are fickle. They do not always appreciate a recycling of a successful formula — sometimes they do, like with the CSI, LAW & ORDER and NCIS franchises. But other times, like with LOST and THE WEST WING, viewers tend to shy away from something they feel is a rehash of another successful show. One reason is that LOST and THE WEST WING were heavily serialized shows and once the story is done, it is done. The CSIs and LAW & ORDERs offer procedural stories — the crime of the week — and thus, it feels less like a repeat of a story already seen — and if it is, it is okay, because it is only for one episode, not 6 or 7 years.

The trick is to come up with something that will take all the key ingredients and whip up a new confection of television delights. Televisions shows require a special recipe for success — they cannot subsist on just one ingredient alone.

So in response to the edict that a television show failed because it was not written well, I remind you: there are lots of fantastically, if not brilliantly, written television shows that fail each year. If only writing alone would guarantee television viewers, then so many amazing televisions shows would still be on the air today. Alas, the average television viewer is not lured by writing. The average viewer’s taste seeks something much more elusive — a magic ingredient that is never really known.

Television success is like magic — it never feels real, but when it happens we are enchanted.

Tiffany Vogt is a contributing writer to The TV Addict. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower). Tiffany also writes as a columnist for NiceGirlsTV.

Good News, Bad News: COUGAR TOWN, SPARTACUS & MAD MEN

theTVaddict — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 22:21:48 +0000

Good News: A SCRUBS scene-stealer is heading to COUGAR TOWN. Bad News: No, Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, and/or Donald Faison, are not infiltrating the cul-de-sac crew, rather said “scene-stealer” is none other than TV super-scooper Michael Ausiello. Oh, and in case it wasn’t clear enough, we’re ~~a wee bit~~ insanely jealous! [Source]

Good News: After much speculation, Starz CEO Chris Albrecht announced today that there will in fact be a second season of SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND. Bad News: With Liam McIntyre reportedly in the front-running to replace Andy Whitfield, who was forced to exit the series as a result of his continued battle with Cancer. [Source]

Good News: AMC President Joel Stillerman confirmed today that MAD MEN is definitely coming back for a fifth season. Bad News: Just don’t ask him when, or how negotiations are going with Producer Lionsgate TV or creator Matthew Weiner. [Source]

Our Top 10 TV Shows of 2010

theTVaddict — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 09:48:08 +0000

While they may not have been the year’s most critically acclaimed or the country’s most popular, each the following shows made this TV Addict’s Top 10 of ’10 for the simple reason that each week, they left us jonesing another fix. You know those people who say “less is more?” Yeah, they’re totally wrong. As the following programs prove, too much is never enough.

THE GOOD WIFE
You don’t have to have the investigative prowess of Kalinda to figure out THE GOOD WIFE’s recipe for success: Take an astounding array of classically-trained theater vets (Christine Baranski, Josh Charles and Alan Cumming, among others); toss them into a tried-and-true case-of-the-week format; season with more political intrigue than can be found during a combative session of Congress; and have the resulting potboiler simmer under the watchful eyes of husband and wife writing team (Michelle and Robert King) with a knack for tapping into the culture-zeitgeist. Voila!

MAD MEN
To be honest, past seasons of this show haven’t exactly blown us away. In fact, we’ll admit that our reaction bordered on boredom. (And it was an incredibly friendly border, much like the one between the U.S. and Canada.) But this season, we finally “got” what the rest of you have been seeing. As Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce struggled to remain a relevant player in the game — and its employees tried to prevent their personal lives from either imploding or exploding — we were caught up in the misadventures of the most fascinating ad agency since MELROSE PLACE’s D&D.

MODERN FAMILY
Even in the embarrassment of riches that is ABC’s Wednesday night comedy line-up, this show stands out, mainly because the Dunphy/Pritchett clan has something many other sitcoms forget to include: heart. It’s not just funny, but relatable. Suffice it to say that when every episode requires a minimum of two viewings to catch the multitude of jokes, heartwarming family moments and hilarious “Quote of the Week” candidates that you ~~may have~~ surely missed, you’ve got yourself a winner.

PARKS AND RECREATION
Oh, NBC, is there nothing you can’t screw up? Just as this diamond-in-the-rough was shaping up to be a gem of a show, you went and pulled it from the line-up. But the little-show-that-could shook off its reputation as a clone of THE OFFICE thanks not only to Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope becoming less of a Michael Scott knock-off and more of a loveable woman with her own set of ideals and idiosyncrasies, but also to an expansion of the canvas. As a result, we got the charming Andy/April romance, Tom became something more than just “that annoying guy” and we began to see the softer — if only slighter — side of Ron Swanson.

FRINGE
Hey, now that that other J.J Abrams show — you know, that thing about people stuck on some magic island or whatever — is off the airwaves, why not give this intriguing sci-fi drama a try? In its third season, FRINGE has pretty much shaken off the freak-of-the-week gimmick that it used to lure unsuspecting viewers into its parallel-universes-at-war mythology, resulting in a slick, thought-provoking, action-paced series with more twists than can be found in a bag of pretzels.

THE WALKING DEAD
We’re not exactly fans of horror, and yet this show quickly became the thinking-man’s zombie series. Our only complaint? What’s with this six-episode crap! Come on, AMC, who do you think you are… Showtime? Now, we either have to suffer through the eternal wait until fall’s new batch of episodes or read the graphic novels. Read? Never fear, AMC, we’ll sit here waiting patiently. Um, semi-patiently.

COMMUNITY
If all this show brought to the table was the funniest and most likeable adult ensemble since that coffee addicted gang from Central Perk, that’d probably be enough. But throw in the fact that the show fearlessly goes where no sitcom has gone before — from an apocalyptic paintball war to stop-motion animation — and this becomes a game-changer. And just when one thinks it’s all gimmick, they go and break out a stunningly heartfelt episode like the one in which Troy’s 21st birthday saw the classmates downing drinks and losing inhibitions at a local watering hole. Belly up to the bar, kids, ’cause this is a weekly shot of good time.

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES
We’re not sure what executive producers Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson did before they were writers, but professional circus performers would not surprise us in the least. How else to explain the way in which they manage to juggle countless characters, umpteen plots and ever-evolving relationships? And you don’t know cliffhangers until you’ve sat through of the jaw-dropping ones offered up by this series on a weekly basis. Just like with our beloved BUFFY, this show no doubt is ignored by those who believe that it’s nothing but teen-friendly fluff. Trust us, this is no TWILIGHT-light. This is a supernatural show with — forgive us — bite.

LOST
Since award shows no longer seem to feel the need to recognize Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse’s remarkable achievement, we thought why not take it upon ourselves. Don’t scoff! We’re well aware that being included on our Top 10 List isn’t quite akin to an Emmy, but frankly, we’ll stack ourselves up against those nimrods who think “The Tourist” is worthy of a Golden Globe nod. No matter how you felt about the show in general or its much-debated ending, there’s no denying that LOST was the kind of show people will be talking about — and studying — for years to come.

CONAN
We’re betting that Conan O’Brien didn’t intend to go from the host of a late-night chatfest to the subject of much late-night chatter. But when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade… and hand it out to your rivals so they can wash down the crow your return forces them to eat.

MAD MEN: The Sun Won’t Come Out Tomorrowland

theTVaddict — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:12:25 +0000

Good News: MAD MEN creator Matthew Weiner is a genius. Bad News: Make that, an evil one. At least that’s the distinct impression we were left with following last night’s phenomenal fourth season finale as we wondered if it was possible that the Don Draper we’ve come to know and ~~sometimes love~~ appreciate over the course of four seasons had been replaced by a FRINGE style alternate from the other side. But before we get into that, let’s start off with the positive shall we.

Full disclosure: There were times when we weren’t exactly mad about MAD MEN. While we’re the first to admit that the show has always been top notch when it comes to telling stories, delving into character and create an accurate portrayal of one of the most fascinating time periods in American history, it didn’t always do so in the most engaging of manners. Episodes would go by where very little happened, which more often than not resulted in the show taking up valuable space on our DVR until we found the time to catch up. This season, all of that changed.

Over the course of the past thirteen weeks, we have relished every minute as we watched newly-single Don deal with his demons, Peggy come into her own and little Sally demonstrate more poise and maturity than her debatably devilish mother Betty as Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce slowly unraveled. What’s more, thanks to the show’s penchant for populating the office with familiar favorites (including JACK & BOBBY’s Matt Long, Jessica Paré and GILMORE GIRLS’ Danny Strong) there was absolutely nothing we didn’t love about both his season, and last night’s finale.

Well, except for one teensy little detail, which is where the EVIL part of Matthew Weiner’s genius comes in.

In a nutshell: Poor Megan!

Suffice to say, if four seasons of alcohol fuelled philandering behaviour by Don Draper has taught us anything, it’s that men are, well… mad. And as much as he might want to do the right thing, the ad man has demonstrated a consistently poor track record when it comes to doing just that (Just ask his latest dumpee Doctor Faye, who took the words right out of our mouth when she told Don, “I hope she [Megan] knows you only like the beginnings of things.”) Which is precisely why we spent the better part of last night’s finale on the edge of our seat, head buried in our hands as we wondered what the heck was up with Don? Gleefully clowning around with his kids! Swimming! Smiling!? Clearly, something really bizarre had come over him. And as Megan said “Yes!” to Don’s impromptu proposal all we could do is watch in horror and worry for this beautiful, delicate and naive young woman who has no idea what she’s in for.

And speaking of which, neither do we! Which begs the question, AMC: Just how long until MAD MEN returns?