Mad Men

This article is about the television series. For the DC Comics villains, see Madmen (DC Comics). For the Gen Hoshino song, see Madmen (song).

Mad Men
GenrePeriod drama
Serial drama
Created byMatthew Weiner
ShowrunnerMatthew Weiner
Starring
Opening theme"A Beautiful Mine" (instrumental)
by RJD2
ComposerDavid Carbonara
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons7
No. of episodes92 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Production locationsLos Angeles, California
Running time45–57 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkAMC
ReleaseJuly 19, 2007 (2007-07-19) –
May 17, 2015 (2015-05-17)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Mad Men is an American period drama television series created by Matthew Weiner and produced by Lionsgate Television. It ran on cable network AMC from July 19, 2007, to May 17, 2015, with seven seasons and 92 episodes.[1] It is set during the period of March 1960 to November 1970.

Mad Men begins at the fictional Sterling Cooper advertising agency on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, and continues at the new firm of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce (later named Sterling Cooper & Partners) in the Time-Life Building at 1271 Sixth Avenue. According to the pilot episode, the term "Mad men" was coined in the 1950s by advertisers working on Madison Avenue to refer to themselves, "Mad" being short for "Madison". (In reality, the only documented use of the phrase from that time may have been in the late-1950s writings of James Kelly, an advertising executive and writer.)[2]

The series's main character is charismatic advertising executive Don Draper (played by Jon Hamm), who is initially the talented creative director at Sterling Cooper. Though erratic and mysterious, he is widely regarded throughout the advertising world as a genius; some of the most famous ad campaigns in history are shown to be his creations. In later seasons, Don struggles as his highly calculated identity falls into a period of decline. The show follows the people in his personal and professional lives, most notably Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss), who is introduced as Don's secretary but soon discovers her passion for copywriting. It also focuses heavily on the characters of Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser), a young executive at the firm; Betty Draper (January Jones), Don's wife; Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks), the firm's office manager; Roger Sterling (John Slattery), one of Don's partners; and in later seasons, Sally Draper (Kiernan Shipka), Don's oldest child.[3][4][5][6] As the series progresses, it depicts the changing moods and social mores of the United States throughout the 1960s and early 1970s.

Mad Men received widespread critical acclaim for its writing, acting, directing, visual style and historical authenticity. It won many awards, including 16 Emmys and five Golden Globes. It was also the first basic cable series to receive the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, winning it each year of its first four seasons (2008–2011).[7] It is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time and as part of the early 21st century Golden Age of Television.[8][9][10]

  1. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (May 14, 2015). "Matthew Weiner, the Creator of Mad Men Prepares for Another Fade to Black". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 17, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
  2. ^ Frank, Thomas (December 22, 2013). "Ad absurdum and the conquest of cool: Canned flattery for corporate America". Salon.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  3. ^ Adams, Erik (April 3, 2015). "Five episodes that showcase some of Mad Men's major minor players". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  4. ^ James, Emily St. (May 22, 2015). "The most iconic moments for Mad Men's 7 most important characters". Vox. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  5. ^ Nelson, Libby (May 15, 2015). "See how Mad Men's characters have transformed since the first season". Vox. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  6. ^ Sherlock, Ben (March 14, 2023). "Mad Men Cast & Character Guide". Screen Rant. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  7. ^ Joyce Eng (September 20, 2009). "Kristin Chenoweth, Jon Cryer Win First Emmys". TV Guide. Archived from the original on September 24, 2009. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  8. ^ Lawson, Mark (May 23, 2013). "Are we really in a 'second golden age for television'?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on August 26, 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
  9. ^ Saraiya, Sonia (July 18, 2017). "'Mad Men' at 10: The Last Great Drama of TV's Golden Age". Variety. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  10. ^ Thompson, Derek (April 3, 2015). "The Mad Men Effect: The Economics of TV's Golden Age". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.