Mad Men Season Two DVD

by: Paolo Sardinas

The Feature 

Getting back on your feet after having a wonderful first season is a major difficulty for just about every major TV program. Luckily Mad Men, still hot on the heels after a phenomenal first season, bounced right back up after a short summer break. The sophomore season had plenty to prove, A) that it could maintain an audience no matter how small, B) the stories aren’t absurdly stupid, boring, or mundane, and C) that they would continue to be just as, if not, better than the previous season. Well the second season of this Emmy award winning series definitely came back stronger than ever.

Matt Weiner defietly knew what he was in for after his freshman series first one the best TV show award back in ’08. His creators would have to work harder than before if we they wanted to avoid the sophomore slump which has plagued so many ( does Heroes ring any bells?). The Sterling Cooper gang returns and it’s the year 1962. Once you get past the confusion in the first episode you find out that it’s been about a year since the first season ended. Don Draper(Jon Hamm) is still the main attraction but some new there are some new additions to the company.

Duck Phillips (brought in at the end of Season One) is played by Mark Moses. He doesn’t exactly see eye to eye with some of the other co-workers but hey who cares. He’s a Brit. And he’s also a fixed part of the company. Roger Sterling(John Slattery) is back after his heart attack. He and Duck don’t exactly get along. Peggy is now part of “the boys club” and is still rocking the world of secretaries. Plus she has a baby, who was born at the end of Season numero uno. At first we don’t exactly know what happened to her or her baby but we do find out later. Don’t worry she gave it to an orphanage. Oops.

Though this season may not be structurally well made like the first, it’s definitely a great one. Viewers might find each episode more like a film rather than a full fledge episode with some kind of resolution at the end. But that adds some beauty to it. Not knowing what the next episode will feature adds even more to the excitement of tuning every Sunday. Though most of these structure problems die towards the end of the season, the acting remains top-notch and definitely the best on television. Jon Hamm returns to the top of his game as the conflicted Don Draper who we find out this season isn’t exactly who we think he is.

Betty (January Jones) realizes just how many times she’s been cheated on and attempts to cope with those facts. Though they show some inner stronger sides it also reveals some not so nice sides. Both of which are a little scary at times. Don has his whole self exploration thing going on with himself and each episode featuring his visit to South California is an absolute joy to watch. Not necessarily because we see more and more of just who Don is but because they feature some great scenes which allows Hamm the perfect opportunity to show off his acting chops. Pete(Vincent Kartheiser) and Peggy remain two of the shows most refreshing characters. Always adding a different side to things. This season also focuses one their little relationship and the fact the Peggy gave up their kid.

Visually, the show continues to captivate you-the audience-with their lavish scenery and beautifully recreated set pieces. The 60’s are back in full swing here at Sterling and Cooper. Though this season was a little bit more laid back and, dare I say, more fun to watch, it was still the same old great Mad Men we know and love. In fact, is I have to truly say, this Second season I though was better than the first. It truly kept you guessing for what was in store.

Video & Audio

The picture quality is once again presented in the same ravishing aspect ratio as the first season DVD. Definitely one of the better looking shows on TV in the first place, the colors are crisp, fresh, and new and everything is just so damn wonderful. The audio track is once again a 5.1 Dolby Digital Soundtrack which features all of the shows amazing songs and scores in a crisp, clear quality we all can enjoy.

The four disc set comes in a clear cover box set which features a definitely eye catching cover picture. A clean white suit with a tie can definitely be seen as a metaphor for the seasons “stripping the characters down” aspect. The cover happens to be a little booklet that comes along and features plenty of insightful details about the show and its production. Though there’s plenty of room between the cover and the inside content for it to get squished, It still manages to looke crisp, clean, and cool.

Special Features

The special features themselves once again feature commentaries. Two per episodes which collectively amount to 26 commentaries in all. The music sampler is definitely a cool addition as it allows you to take little snipets of each song used throughout the show and listen to them all. The music ranges from different artists to different genres. Definitely another standing ground for just how cool the show is. The “Birth of a Woman” documentary is definitely an interesting one. No matter what gender you are. The film features the feminist movement during the 60’s. It’s in two parts and runs about 20 minutes each one. Various historians and researchers discuss the topics of the feminist movement throughout the 50’s and 60’s. Definitely a captivating one.

Overall
All in all the second season of the Sterling & Cooper gang was a real treat and joy to watch. Featuring plenty of memorable episodes, scenes, and performances Mad Men was definitely able to avoid that sophomore slump. A definite must have in any TV collector’s cabinet shelf.

The Feature: 5/5

Video & Audio: 5/5

Special Features: 4/5

Replay Value: 4.5/5

Overall: 5/5