TV Week: Mad Men, Peep Show and Bionic Woman
By Dan OwenMAD MEN (BBC FOUR, SUN 10PM) A shining example of how understated acting and meticulous writing can hypnotize viewers -- if you haven't been tuning into this US hit about (m)ad men in 1960s New York, you've been missing a treat. What do you mean you haven't seen it advertised?
From a writer of The Sopranos, the show revolves around handsome advertising hotshot Don Draper (Jon Hamm), whose career success and perfect home life hides a string of extra-marital affairs and a murky, secretive past.
There's also Peggy (Elisabeth Moss), a receptionist whose meek
temperament masks a talent that challenges perceptions of women; Pete
(Vincent Karthesier), an up-and-coming junior exec with unethical
morals and dangerous ambition; Don's boss Roger Sterling (John
Slattery), who's having an affair with office girl Joan (Christina
Hendricks); and Don's beautiful wife Betty (January Jones), a
model-turned-housewife aching to escape the monotony of her daily
grind...
It's a fascinating look at a glamorous period from the not-too-distant past; where people smoked like chimneys, drank like fish, women gave up their dreams to raise families, working girls were treated like playthings, gay men were ostracized, and black people had subservient jobs. All while America basked in an economic boom, fuelled by healthy consumerism. In a variety of sly ways, Mad Men reveals the dirty underbelly to the American Dream.
Some people grumble about its "snail's pace", but that's a sad indictment of attention spans these days. This is mature, intriguing, contemplative, often quite mysterious television. The characters are beautifully drawn, the atmosphere sparkles, and the storylines sink their teeth and draw you in. It finishes its 13-episode run next month, so try to catch the likely repeats, or buy the DVD box-set this summer. You'd be mad not to.
PEEP SHOW (CHANNEL 4, FRI 10.30PM) One of the best observational sitcoms ever, the comic misadventures of flatmates Mark (David Mitchell) and Jez (Robert Webb) remains a low-rated cult. Fortunately, critical acclaim, BAFTAs, and strong DVD sales ensure its annual return. Having dumped Sophie moments after marrying her, despondent Mark goes on a double-date with Jez to the theatre ("they use proper actors: Americans and people off the telly. And they're all based on films, so it's fine."), but a teenage burglar ruins Mark's romantic aspirations back home. Meanwhile, Jez discovered he could have a sexually transmitted disease ("of course it's not AIDS; this isn't the 1980s.") Superlative neurotic comedy uniquely filmed from everyone's point of view – where their deepest, darkest thoughts are given voice.
BIONIC WOMAN (ITV2, TUE 9PM) Michelle Ryan's US fame came to an abrupt end, as this revamp of the kitsch 70s classic (about a young woman given bionic body parts) limped to a premature "climax" after just 8 episodes. Ryan gave it her best shot, but the production lacked cohesion, direction... and fun! Updating a cool premise with modern FX and a smattering of post-9/11 hot-topics just isn't good enough. The unwieldy cast were bland (Miguel Ferrer apart), the "bad" bionic woman (Katee Sackhoff) was more entertaining than the heroine, and its sensibility was a limp throwback to mid-90s sci-fi. We wanted Alias, with super-powers. We got Jake 2.0, with a female lead.
It's a fascinating look at a glamorous period from the not-too-distant past; where people smoked like chimneys, drank like fish, women gave up their dreams to raise families, working girls were treated like playthings, gay men were ostracized, and black people had subservient jobs. All while America basked in an economic boom, fuelled by healthy consumerism. In a variety of sly ways, Mad Men reveals the dirty underbelly to the American Dream.
Some people grumble about its "snail's pace", but that's a sad indictment of attention spans these days. This is mature, intriguing, contemplative, often quite mysterious television. The characters are beautifully drawn, the atmosphere sparkles, and the storylines sink their teeth and draw you in. It finishes its 13-episode run next month, so try to catch the likely repeats, or buy the DVD box-set this summer. You'd be mad not to.
PEEP SHOW (CHANNEL 4, FRI 10.30PM) One of the best observational sitcoms ever, the comic misadventures of flatmates Mark (David Mitchell) and Jez (Robert Webb) remains a low-rated cult. Fortunately, critical acclaim, BAFTAs, and strong DVD sales ensure its annual return. Having dumped Sophie moments after marrying her, despondent Mark goes on a double-date with Jez to the theatre ("they use proper actors: Americans and people off the telly. And they're all based on films, so it's fine."), but a teenage burglar ruins Mark's romantic aspirations back home. Meanwhile, Jez discovered he could have a sexually transmitted disease ("of course it's not AIDS; this isn't the 1980s.") Superlative neurotic comedy uniquely filmed from everyone's point of view – where their deepest, darkest thoughts are given voice.
BIONIC WOMAN (ITV2, TUE 9PM) Michelle Ryan's US fame came to an abrupt end, as this revamp of the kitsch 70s classic (about a young woman given bionic body parts) limped to a premature "climax" after just 8 episodes. Ryan gave it her best shot, but the production lacked cohesion, direction... and fun! Updating a cool premise with modern FX and a smattering of post-9/11 hot-topics just isn't good enough. The unwieldy cast were bland (Miguel Ferrer apart), the "bad" bionic woman (Katee Sackhoff) was more entertaining than the heroine, and its sensibility was a limp throwback to mid-90s sci-fi. We wanted Alias, with super-powers. We got Jake 2.0, with a female lead.
_____
Dan Owen is a self confessed TV "obsessive" and passionate film buff. Check out his blog at danowen.blogspot.com
Dan Owen is a self confessed TV "obsessive" and passionate film buff. Check out his blog at danowen.blogspot.com
4 Comments
Leave a comment
Odd News From Our Partners >>
I thought I was the only person watching Mad Men, it has got to be the best thing on TV at the moment. Great Show.
It's a great show. It's just a shame the repeats on BBC2 are hidden away, and not many people really wander BBC Four's way. While not the Best Thing Ever as some critics have claimed, I'm really enjoying it. Perfect Sunday night TV.
I feel sorry for Ryan if not for writers strike it would have got a second series. The show never got a chance to find its feet.
Bionic Woman's main problem was the influx of new exec-producers to "revamp" the show every 3-4 episodes, as nobody had a good handle on what the show should be. They just had the "let's update that 70s show with new FX and some 9/11-influenced ideas". The only sucessful element they knew they had after the Pilot was the bad Bionic Woman character, so they focused on that early on -- at the expense of the good Bionic Woman! A surplus of weak, cliched characters and boring plots were other nails in the coffin.