For those who say that television only serves to numb children’s brains and present a farfetched depiction of reality, think again.
A 15-time Emmy Award winner, AMC’s “Mad Men” is proof that a television show can entertain its audience while providing invaluable insight into the past.
For those unfamiliar with the show, “Mad Men” is a drama based on a fictional advertising firm in 1960s New York City. The agency, led by Don Draper, is the perfect melting pot for many of the hot issues that have characterized the 1960s.
Segregation, feminism and personal identity are only a few of the issues “Mad Men” has tackled in its six seasons.
Led by its creator, former writer and producer of “The Sopranos,” Matthew Weiner, “Mad Men” is unique in its ability to connect with its audience.
With a variety of main characters and a team of excellent writers, “Mad Men” has positioned itself as the go-to program for those interested in learning more about the cultural and social mores of the 60s.
Most of the educational opportunities that extend from “Mad Men” come from its unique, nuanced historical references and exquisite character development.
While watching “Mad Men,” it is nearly impossible to ignore its authenticity. Everything from the right deodorant brand to the year and make of the car the main character drives has been carefully researched.
The program’s authenticity puts into perspective when certain products, like birth control pills, were introduced and what reaction was like at the time.
Throughout the show’s 78 episodes, events like Robert F. Kennedy’s death and the official end to racial segregation made painfully clear to young audience members what much of the older generation felt at the time.
The program’s brilliance lies in its ability to educate audiences while at the same time enlightening or entertaining them. Utilizing television’s unique ability to feature both audio and visual elements, “Mad Men” is in definition an art form.
In a similar way, “Mad Men” is also able to describe events and phenomena like the Great Depression, the American Dream and interracial marriages in a way that few shows have only dared to try.
Throughout its six seasons, “Mad Men” has debated the American Dream and subtly discussed its importance and attainability.
Elements of the American Dream, such as white picket fences, multiple children and big, fancy cars, are what characters seek at the beginning of the series.
As time progresses, however, Weiner subtly asks audiences whether the stereotypical elements of the American dream are necessary to find personal happiness.
For many, “Mad Men” is more than a TV program: it’s a call for help.
Like a foreboding warning, “Mad Men” feels like a plea from the past, urging our generation to not make the same social, cultural or political mistakes that previous generations have made.
Disagree or not, “Mad Men” is one of the most important programs to ever hit the airwaves. Without it, a wealth of information could have disappeared.
Shane Newell is a junior journalism major and the opinions editor at the Daily 49er.