At Least the 'Mad Men' Fan Videos Have Some Life in Them

While I was disappointed by the same-old, same-old season five Mad Men promos AMC has released, I decided to satiate my desire for new Mad Men material by hunting around on YouTube for some Mad Men-themed videos that contain some real emotion, that have real life in them, which means, of course, that they've been made by fans.

One video that I especially enjoyed was by 7Kell Productions (above) which focused on the Don and Betty Draper relationship. (While there are many Betty haters out there, I am not one of them, at least as far as seasons 1-3 are concerned.) The video chronicles the circuitous path the duo took during the show's four seasons, from moments of domestic bliss, longing and betrayal, to the complicated business of being divorced parents. (If you ask me, I think that Don would drop any woman he was with in order to reconnect with Betty, who represented an idealistic dream to him -- one he didn't quite think he deserved -- but whether he'd remain monogamous with her is an entirely different story.)

Then there's "Don Draper Undone" by EditorLosAngeles (above), which heightens the dramatic rivalry and power struggle between Don and Pete Campbell, the only one, aside from Betty, who knows the truth about Dick Whitman.

This video by MovieExtra deftly captures the rampant sexism and harassment, as well as the lame attempts at seduction by the various, moronic men of Mad Men.

On the more serious side, there's this black and white, deeply moody Don and Peggy video that depicts how desperately lonely the pair are for an authentic, emotional connection with someone and how, despite their rocky relationship, they've remained loyal to one another. Heavily reliant on scenes from the outstanding "The Suitcase" episode from season four, the video openly hopes that Don and Peggy will take it to the next level, suggesting that Peggy pines for Don. I don't think she really pines for him and believe that a romantic pairing between those two would be disastrous.

Are there any fan-made Mad Men videos out there that you really like that you really like?

AMC Keeps Teasing Us with Nothing’s-New-Here ‘Mad Men’s’ Promos

It's been well over a year. Don't the AMC suits think the ever-patient Mad Men fans deserve a little something new to tide us over until the two-hour season five Mad Men premiere on March 25? Although AMC did release a series of season five promos, all of them contain footage from previous seasons.

Despite the lack of new scenes, is there anything we can glean from the videos which might provide us with some clues as to what to expect in the fifth season? The choice of scenes and adjectives, may -- I repeat, MAY -- be informative, but likely only in hindsight once the season has concluded:

• Style, featuring Don Draper driving a red convertible along a shoreline
• Debauchery, featuring Roger Sterling, and then Don alongside Peggy Olson, drinking
• Deception, with Pete asking Don why he should keep something secret
• Adultery, punctuated by Joan Harris and Roger's impromptu baby-making session in a Manhattan alley after they were mugged
• Jealousy, showing Roger lunging at Pete as Don leaps between the duo

Sadly, the new videos didn't thrill me, nor have the teasers told us anything which, after the yawning gap between season four and this new one, was a disappointment. Show us a little ankle, a short new scene or a wry glimpse, something new, won't ya? It's not too much to ask.

The only image featuring a cast member that is fresh and new is one that I happened to see yesterday when I was outside of Zabar's in New York City. (I was in the city for a few days with the family.) It appeared on the side of a bus. A New York-based Mad Men fan posted a photo of the bus billboard I'd seen:

In this photo, Don's image is reflected in a store's front window where two, faceless mannequins -- a naked female one is standing next to a seated male who's wearing a red robe, striped pajamas and red slippers in what looks like a hotel room. Possible interpretations:

Don is looking at a glimpse of his past, the times when he would sit in a chair while some nameless, faceless female would parade around in front of him. (In the season three promo poster, an unsmiling

Don was pictured, seated in a chair in an office, casually smoking a cigarette while he's in some pretty treacherously deep water.)

Don is looking at a reflection of his current, philandering situation and hoping he won't be found out . . . again.

Don is looking at the faceless couple and imagining that he and Betty were back sharing a boudoir.

Don is looking at scene he'll soon have played out in his new life and in his new digs with his new, spry wife.

Either way, the photo is similar to the season three teaser photo featuring Betty, although Betty wasn't looking at her reflection and the window display contained a long, glamorous glove, perfume, pearls and a hat atop the head of a mannequin, which had a face:

Are the Mad Men/AMC folks just trying to string us along by telling us next to nothing? Speaking for myself, I find the lack of any real scraps irritating.

Image credits: AMC's Mad Men season five open thread and Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC.

‘Secrets are Back’ on March 25 for a Two-Hour ‘Mad Men’ Extravaganza

Nine o’clock.

March 25.

For two hours.

Don Draper will return . . . and, apparently, fall into an empty abyss in the new season.

What does AMC’s stark, black and white promo image mean for the fifth season of Mad Men?

That Don Draper is starting with a clean slate, starting fresh with his child-bride? Will he learn from his mistake with Betty and reveal his "Dick Whitman" secret to his fiance?

Or is this image more sinister in its intent,that Don's falling away into nothingness?

Given that AMC/Lionsgate has tormented Mad Men fans with this extended delay – an entire 2011 with no fresh episodes – couldn’t they have offered us a promo poster with at least something more tangible that we could ponder . . . something other than vast white space?

The only other hint they've offered is via the web address for the countdown clock until the new season begins, entitled "Secrets are Back." They are such teases. 

For those who need a Mad Men refresher and who haven’t yet gone to Netflix to watch streaming episodes of season four – including Don’s shocking marriage proposal to Megan and Joan’s stunning change of heart – AMC will be putting the fourth season episodes available On Demand starting next week and re-airing the fourth season on AMC at the ridiculous time of 6 a.m. (Seriously AMC? Six o’clock in the morning for the drama that put you on the map?)

What do you make of this season five image? What do you think we read anything into it?

Image credit: AMC.

Not-New New Trailers: What’s Up with TV Show Promos with No New Content?

Last week I got all aflutter when I read on Twitter that there was a new trailer out promoting the fifth season of Mad Men, a show I crave deep in my bones and about which I’m still peeved is not airing new episodes yet due to the prolonged contract negotiations. Greedy for fresh Don Draper action, I clicked on over to watch the Mad Men promo only to be vastly disappointed that it contained no new footage, nary a hint of what’s to come, just rehashes of previous scenes. No Megan. No Peggy. No Joan with a baby bump. Just scenes we've already seen.




Feeling burned by the Mad Men non-new trailer, I cautiously followed a tantalizing Tweet about a season three promo for The Good Wife which is slated to commence in the afterglow of Alicia and Will finally getting together after Alicia learned that Peter and Kalinda slept together some time back.

At least in this trailer, interspersed with scenes from previous seasons, we also got a glimpse of some new footage – like Alicia Florrick rockin’ bangs -- and a sense that this season will have less of a “poor betrayed wife” vibe and more of a “reclaiming her sexuality & power” one where the chief question is: Team Will or Team Peter?



The Desperate Housewives’ promo for its final season, on the other hand, is nothing more than a highlights reel from the past seven years, reminding me of the early days when this suburban satire was actually scathingly good and insightful. While watching the past seven seasons in this trailer, viewers get nothing more than confirmation of the fact that Wisteria Lane is the most dangerous street in America, that and the fact that the Housewives have become scary-skinny over the years.



At least the Modern Family trailer -- which was entitled, “Looking Back” -- didn’t pretend as though it was going to be giving us anything new. It was clear that this was just going to be a recap of some of the funnier, previously aired moments from the best comedy on television.



As for The Middle trailer, we actually do learn something . . . that Ray Romano is joining his former Everybody Loves Raymond co-star, Patrician Heaton, on the sitcom’s season premiere. At least there's that.

A Lot of Trouble for Poster: Don Draper Under Water

It sometimes amazes me how much time, energy and money folks in Hollywood spend on things like a poster to promote a movie or TV show . . . how much effort is put forth for something that can prove fleeting, like this image.

And as I watched AMC's video of what went into creating the new, promotional image for the third season of Mad Men -- including making Jon Hamm sit in a water tank for two hours -- I was still amazed.



The New Yorker also has a behind-the-scenes piece about the marketing effort that has gone into advertising a show about advertisers.

It's Coming . . . 'Mad Men's' Third Season

And here's the AMC art to prove it.

Image credit: AMC via the New York Post.

Three New 'Mad Men' Promos

AMC has put together three new Mad Men promos for season three (starts in August). The promos don't contain any new scenes, but instead are culled from the first two seasons.

The dramatic promo:



The romantic:



The comedic:



The third season begins Sunday, August 16 at 10 p.m. I need a new Don Draper fix.