Mad Men: "a moment before you need more happiness"

Even though it has been more than a year, I am still mourning the end of probably the smartest show television will ever see, Mad Men. Anyone who has indulged in this show can understand and empathize with my grief.  Those who have not, well, you are missing out.  What was originally just a series I thought I could get into in order to better understand the anatomy of a television show as opposed to film turned into a passion for good story-telling, along with the paradoxical disappointment that there will never be another show I love as much as this.

Actual pic of me trying to cope with no more Mad Men.

Like many addicts (I shamelessly binge-watched the series twice already) I constantly search for a new media high to keep myself entertained.  The 1960s aesthetic is a new-found favorite of mine, thanks to Mad Men. For those of you who are searching (or may want to dip your toe into the cultural ocean of the revolutionary 60s), here are some TV shows and films that can fill the void of Matthew Wiener's brain child.  

I am Don Draper at the movies.

11/22/63.  The Hulu original series (along with the well-detailed novel by Stephen King) is no Mad Men, but its aesthetic, soundtrack, and costume choice are right on the money. High school teacher Jake Epping (James Franco) is transported back in time through a rabbit hole in his local diner to September 9, 1958. His mission is preventing the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (hence, the title of the book as the date he gets shot). However, he must establish a life for the five years, all while remaining undercover. During this time, he falls in love, tries to change the past for others, and learns how certain things are meant to be. The historical events that occur in the TV series do coincide with the history mentioned on Mad Men. This series is a must-see for anyone interested in time travel, the John Kennedy assassination and James Franco.

Revolutionary Road.  The beautifully tragic film (and book by Richard Yates) follow Frank and Alice Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, respectively), as they experience the pressures of Connecticut suburban life in the 1950s. Their roles are similar to Don and Betty Draper, as the men take the train to work in Manhattan all day and have shameless affairs, while their blonde housewives tend to the homes during the day, longing for more. The impulsive decision of moving to Paris rocks their relationship for the worse, as they try to maintain their suburban family image, while starting anew elsewhere. The book and film are not for the light of heart, but the maintenance of the perfect family facade is a common theme throughout Revolutionary Road and Mad Men.

John Cheever’s short stories.  The American novelist and short story writer was known for his tales of suburban Westchester and the bustling world of Manhattan. His stories are a great pairing to Yate's Revolutionary Road. Cheever himself led a tortured double life similar to Don Draper filled with drinking and marital issues. The Ovid of Ossining was a master of the shorter narrative, and some of his best stories were "The Enormous Radio", "The Swimmer" and "The Five Forty-Eight". Matthew Weiner in fact made it a point to read one alloud to his writer’s room at the start of every season in order to create the tone he wanted the season to have.  

The Apartment. This 1959 film was a major office aesthetic influence for Wiener. Director Billy Wilder (the man who also gave us The Seven Year Itch) wove a tale that could definitely have been a major subplot in Mad Men. C. C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) allows executives at the insurance company he works for use his apartment for their own extramarital affairs. However, his own social agenda gets thrown into the mix when he falls for Fran (Shirley MacLaine), one of the building's elevator operators. Now, it's a matter of fighting for a promotion (or just keeping his job) and winning the girl. Of course, chaos ensues with comedy throughout. Some may even consider the film as tender. It won the Best Picture Academy Award, and the cavalier vibe executives have in this film are reflective to those at Sterling, Cooper, Draper & Pryce.

I make this face whenever I grab my laptop and cardigan to find someplace in a crowded Strarbucks to job-hunt.

North by Northwest. Once again, the era's aesthetics are on point here. Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint could easily be mistaken for Don and Betty (I guess blondes and businessmen were a major thing back then?). Grant stars as an ad executive Roger Thornhill, who gets mistaken for a government agent. Along the way, he falls for counterspy Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint), gets chased down by airplanes, and climbs Mount Rushmore in the suspsenseful penultimate scene. The costumes and makeup are on point with the late 1950s/early 60s look, and the suits Grant wears could also belong to Draper. Overall, North by Northwest is definitely worth checking out, Mad Men aficionado or not. This film is regarded as one of the best Alfred Hitchcock films, along with films of all time.

Betty and Don? Look again...

Inside Llewyn Davis. No, I agree. I wouldn't make the immediate connection of Mad Men to this film, either. But the connection comes from the emergence of the counterculture, which is what the underlying tones of Mad Men showed from day one. Remember Don's hippie/struggling artist girlfriend Midge? How about later in the series where Roger's daughter leaves her life behind to join a hippie commune? The 2014 film follows Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) was inspired by musician Dave Van Ronk who was a major figure in the American Folk revival movement in 1960s Greenwich Village. The film was nominated by the Academy for Best Sound Mixing, as all the music in the film was recorded live. This is less of a head-on look at the world of Mad Men, but the subculture becomes more important as the series goes forward, especially to the last two seasons the come out of the 1960s and into the 70s.

I make this face whenever I think about paying my college tuition and providing for my cat.