Mad Men is a brilliant show and part of its genius is undoubtedly in its subtle, nuanced, and clearly very deliberate pacing. However, having a "tone meeting" regarding each episode is pretty much standard operational procedure in drama series production. Directors are hired on a per episode basis, so they need to sit down with the writer-producers to deconstruct each script and determine exactly how the show-runner expects it to be executed. The process here isn't new; it's Matthew Wiener's attention to detail and vision that makes it so special.
Matt Weiner talked about those silent scenes in one of the dvd commentaries, I think the one where Betty sits around in her party dress all day after finding out about Don's affair.
I think my favorite uses of this are the scenes with Peggy, like especially her confession to Pete and that great scene with her and Colin Hanks in the office as they're waiting for the copies.
One of the many things I love about this show. It actually really uses the actors to elevate the subtext rather than deliver an obvious message through words. I sometimes get a visceral reaction from moments like these.
One problem with long reaction shots is that a lot of them, on a lot of shows, just look like the actor doesn't know what to do. There's a lot of "blink, look down, look to the side" type business, perhaps with a pursed lip, depending.
And so there are theatrical devices that can give a certain character more weight, more dimension, without having to include them in more scenes.
And so the rationale for why we don't have a better understanding of what Carla's (the Draper's nanny) or Hollis' (the elevator operator) reactions are to the scenes unfolding around them, the reason they haven't been given a "voice" is...???
@yearofthewoman: Didn't Hollis get a moment last week in the exchange with Pete? I want more, though.
Perhaps the show will mirror the times portrayed and gradually make these characters feature more prominently by giving them more of a voice as the season/seasons progress? Let's hope, anyway.
@leesie:
Oh, god, he definitely did. The whole "yes, Pete, this person has unsanctioned thoughts and feelings; you don't know what he's thinking, you don't know what he likes, you *do not know his opinion of you*. Yet, he still has one," was amazing.
I thought it kind of paralleled the moment a few episodes back when after Peggy spent the entire episode being told by men, including Don, what women feel and what they want, she gets in the elevator with Roger and he has an entire conversation with her in which he actually *asks* her what she (from her perspective as some man's daughter) wants and then answers the question *immediately* with the answer he wants.
@leesie: That's what I'm thinking, too. There's an evolution on the show, however gradual. White women's voices have been heard only because they have to be around to do the dirty work (typing, having kids) and some take advantage of it. Black people, at this point, are being paid to stay in the background. But that elevator scene was so incredible in its foreshadowing.
I know it's probably seen as hamburger compared to Mad Men's filet mignon, but Gilmore Girls was always really good at this, too. Lorelei and Emily especially.
@annebreal: For the record, I adore GG and think it's a great show, an amazing show, but it never exactly scored big at the Emmy's and had its own very special Oprah episode, and finished its run on the steaming turd that is the CW network. Just in case people thought I was putting it down, I wasn't. I don't see it as hamburger.
@annebreal: I know what you mean, GG is awesome. I also think it wasn't taken that seriously because it basically dealt with "women's issues" and some men see it beneath them to watch that kind of show (my best friend, a man, watched it with me, so some men do know about good things)
Also, GG was a "dramedy" or whatever it is that the genre is called whereas MM is more a drama (though it has touches of humour, and very funny ones, as we have seen in the last episode)
@Ailatan: I don't even think some men care what it's about – they just hear the word 'girls' and shut down. I can't think of any male fans I know (and many female ones) who don't start off their praise by explaining how they'd avoided it for so long. Same with Buffy.
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I think my favorite uses of this are the scenes with Peggy, like especially her confession to Pete and that great scene with her and Colin Hanks in the office as they're waiting for the copies.
09/23/09
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09/24/09
Acknowledged master of the "smell the fart" moment, yup.
09/23/09
That's all.
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(yes, i realize she's older than 7, but i was deep into awkward by the time i was her actual age)
09/23/09
Also, re Peggy and Don. That's me at most networking events. Long silence-- "I'm going to see what's on the buffet".
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And so the rationale for why we don't have a better understanding of what Carla's (the Draper's nanny) or Hollis' (the elevator operator) reactions are to the scenes unfolding around them, the reason they haven't been given a "voice" is...???
09/23/09
09/23/09
Exactly. I want those silences for Carla and Hollis NOW!
09/23/09
Perhaps the show will mirror the times portrayed and gradually make these characters feature more prominently by giving them more of a voice as the season/seasons progress? Let's hope, anyway.
09/24/09
Oh, god, he definitely did. The whole "yes, Pete, this person has unsanctioned thoughts and feelings; you don't know what he's thinking, you don't know what he likes, you *do not know his opinion of you*. Yet, he still has one," was amazing.
I thought it kind of paralleled the moment a few episodes back when after Peggy spent the entire episode being told by men, including Don, what women feel and what they want, she gets in the elevator with Roger and he has an entire conversation with her in which he actually *asks* her what she (from her perspective as some man's daughter) wants and then answers the question *immediately* with the answer he wants.
So much transpires in that elevator.
09/24/09
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And, I agree: the Gilmore women did excellent reaction shots.
09/23/09
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Also, GG was a "dramedy" or whatever it is that the genre is called whereas MM is more a drama (though it has touches of humour, and very funny ones, as we have seen in the last episode)
09/23/09
My brother loved it as much as I did, though. Which is one of the myriad reasons I love him so much.
09/23/09
We women are used to having male protagonists, men however are not too comfortable at experiencing the female world through female characters.
09/24/09