Everyone's Mad for Mad Men

       4 seasons in.  4 Emmy's for Best Drama.  I, for one, am still trying to get over the fact that Season 3 of Mad Men beat Season 4 of Dexter for Best Drama.  I'm sure that I'm not alone.  The fact that Michael C. Hall has yet to win an Emmy for his outstanding work on both Dexter and Six Feet Under is dumb-founding, but that's a discussion for another time.  Let's get on to the task at hand.    

                                                                  "What?!"



     
      Now, don't get me wrong, I think Mad Men is a very good show; a superb character drama.  But can you remember the last time a story arc actually excited you?  Don't worry, neither can I.  Have you ever come away feeling: "Good God!  I NEED to see the next episode immediately!!"  Didn't think so.  I don't see the need to shower the show with incessant praise when there is such a ripe harvest of dramas these days.   

      See, I'm a guy who can appreciate the quieter, character-driven scenes.  That's why I appreciate the likes of The Sopranos, The Wire, and more recently, Boardwalk Empire.  However, is it so wrong to ask for some ground-breaking plot progression?  Sure, Mad Men had that early on, but I found the latest such story twist to be supremely underwhelming.  Don Draper's re-marrying; re-marrying his secretary for that matter; a character so bland she makes Soap Opera characters seem deep.    
      
      Another gripe that nags at me every moment of every episode is that other than Don and Peggy, I couldn't possibly care any less about the rest of the ensemble cast.  That's a serious problem.  It makes any screen time without them practically unbearable.      
     
      The silver lining is that, due to conflicts at AMC, there won't be another Mad Men episode until 2012.  This gives the other deserving shows a fair chance at the 2012 Emmy's.  My (extremely) early prediction: Breaking Bad.  The very fact that we can all go that long without seeing the escapades of Don Draper speaks volumes.  I can't imagine having to wait longer for the likes of Dexter or Breaking Bad.  I would be forced to unleash my Dark Passenger, or go into (underground) business with my high school chemistry teacher, or BOTH!  Scary, I know.  Let's not even entertain such thoughts. 
   
      I would like to hear what you have to say.  Am I missing something?  Please enlighten me!  I beg you!!  Sound off below.  Let me know that I'm not alone or let me know that I am uncultured and just cannot see the brilliance of Mad Men.       

  

         

They are SO hammered.