Mad Men: Season 2

Oftentimes, a one-hour drama series that enjoys critical acclaim during and after its first season will endure what is most commonly referred to as a sophomore slump. Expectations are set too high for a second season and the show runners try way too hard to keep things fresh that the show itself becomes too modified and different from what it once was. The second year is a pivotal one for a drama series, as it is often largely responsible for determining whether a show was a one-year wonder or will be around for years to come. In the case of Mad Men, I am happy to say that it looks like we've got a long-term winner on our hands. The first and second seasons fit together so seamlessly that the only difference one notices is the year, and it's a slight one at that - 1962 as opposed to 1960. At the time of this writing, the third season is barely underway, and its second episode aired last night. I could easily catch this episode and the prior one at some point this week and be completely caught up, ready to jump in next Sunday for the rest of the way. And yet, I'm not sure if I'll do that. As good as Mad Men is, I feel like it's best enjoyed on DVD where one can watch episode after episode with no breaks. Then again, it'll be 11 months, at least, before I get a chance to own or watch such a DVD set. At any rate, this is a blog devoted to the completion of my backlog, not a place for me to debate with myself, in written form, the merits of watching a TV season now or later. It seems that, once again, I've completely lost track of anything worth actually mentioning about the DVDs I have just completed. Suffice it to say that Mad Men: Season 2 was great, just like the previous season. For more of an actual review of the show, feel free to check out my "Mad Men: Season 1" entry. I promise that like the show itself, my opinion of it has not really changed since then.