New TV Show Alert!

There's been a lot of hype lately over this show on AMC called Mad Men.

It won a Golden Globe for best drama and actor.

I guess I can't really say the hype has been "lately" because season 2 of this show begins this Sunday.

As a self-proclaimed TV aficionado, I decided to tune in. Last night. Six days before the start of season two. Thankfully, onDemand on my DVR (provided by our unnamed cable company) has every episode available for instant viewing.

So Lynette and I watched the first episode. And we liked it. A lot. It's very stylish and fresh, considering the show takes place in the late 1950s in New York's Madison Avenue advertising world.

The show is not for the liberal squeamish. True to its setting, there's plenty of sexism and racism. And smoking! Holy crap, was there a lot of people smoking. I couldn't help but chuckle when a particular scene depicts a doctor lighting up in an examination room.

But these portrayals are merely observations of the time. I didn't live during that period of our history, but I'd be safe assuming what I was watching was a pretty accurate recreation of how things were back then. Women were relegated to secretarial jobs fetching coffee and aspirin for their bosses, black people were only seen operating elevators and serving drinks, and cigarette smoking was "healthy."

The characters seem complex. Only one episode in and I already despise a few of the men on the show. The main character is difficult to like as well. I couldn't help but think of Tony Soprano and the complexities of that character.

So it looks like I have five more days to watch the rest of the first season before the start of season two this Sunday on AMC. I have had more daunting challenges in my life.