New to the show

I don't watch much TV but I binged this last year and was enraptured for the entire run of the show. The period atmosphere, the music choices, the rich dialogue and beautiful performances... I can see how one might find some of the plot lines derivative or 'soapy' but for me the execution was pitch-perfect. Definitely one of my favourite drama series' ever.

I would imagine that if it hasn't grabbed you by season 2, it probably isn't for you.

It is a high budget soap opera, but it gets better. To tell the truth I didn't really start to enjoy it until season 4.

Not sure if you'll see this reply, but 8 months later, did you finish it? Did it get better for you?

I loved it.

Yes it was soap-operaish, but the comedy was subtle and well-placed, the John Deer tractor seen unexpected and shocking, Betty was just plain BEAUTIFUL, Sally got cuter by the day, and Joan sure had assets!

It held my interest and kept me watching right up until 11:59pm on Nov. 9, 2020 when it got pulled from Netflix. I had to FF through some scenes in order to finish it. Pretty much any scene towards the end with the neighbor doctor of Don's I skipped; that was such a useless subplot.

Mad Men featured a lot of the same scandal-type storylines you might find in a soap or a drama, but I believe it was separated for two reasons.

First, and the lesser reason, is that the writing is just sharper than what you'd find on a soap. The plot might be basic (divorce, infidelity, corporate takeovers, etc.), but the execution is better. The plots feel more organic, less shock value, the characters are more fully-realized, and the dialogue is razor's edge sharp. There are layers all over the place. Also noteworthy: soaps don't "own" plotlines like socio-political backstabbing or affairs. Those are just bare-bones plots, used in high and low art equally. Mad Men has better performers and writers, so I'd say it's more "high" art.

But the BIG reason I think there's a difference is the *why*. Mad Men asks big questions: "What is happiness? Can it be achieved? Who are we? Are people shallow and frivolous, or is there are higher element there?" The big drive of happiness, identity, and the pursuit of both things (very ethereal, intangible things) is what makes Mad Men special and deep. It investigates Truths about the human condition (that ol' chestnut) and uses ad agencies to really highlight how easy it is to get lost in vapid materialism.

Don struggles throughout the show to find himself and to try to achieve happiness. He keeps looking in the wrong places. He can't find himself at the bottom of a bottle. He can't make himself happy by becoming partner in a big-swinging Mad Ave agency or by bedding another "conquest". Can he find himself? Can he ever find happiness? Can he evolve past his materialistic mindset? Will Peggy sink in that same swamp that has ensnared Don?

When looking at soap operas, they aren't "about" stuff like that. They're throwing in divorce and evil twins to make somebody gasp and tune in the next week. They don't engage with big questions. Mad Men does.

Now, if you don't like the show, that's cool. But I don't think it's just a soap.