Mad about the men

Libby Moore

I do not care what you say; no one will ever, ever convince me there is a better show on current television than "Mad Men."

There are certain television shows that will always be dear to my heart such as "I Love Lucy," "The Andy Griffith Show," "Happy Days," and "Friends." Everyone has a list of shows that are worth buying season by season. They are the same shows that still play reruns late at night. Something about them is worth seeing over and over again.

"Mad Men" belongs in this category.

Fresh, original, and sexy, "Mad Men" has all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, driven by a dramatic yet believable script. Historically accurate in everything from clothing to current events, "Mad Men" reveals a 50-year-younger America where men were masters of their homes and offices, and all women needed was a tube of scarlet-red lipstick.

Riddle me this: where can you still light up a cigarette and pour a glass of scotch from the wet bar you have in your Madison Avenue office, all before noon on a Wednesday? The answer is only on "Mad Men!"

Now in its fourth season, "Mad Men" has won more Emmys than anyone ever thought possible. Why? Probably because it has been created by new and unknown writers and actors who seem to be created only to play their parts on the show. In fact, I think that's why I enjoy it so much. Too often a new sitcom or a drama is created to re-launch the career of a long-lost actor. I become so focused on who that actor is, what his previous roles were, or how many times he has been divorced. When I watch Jon Hamm and January Jones, I forget they live in today's society. I convince myself Don Draper is real, and that he is an immensely successful advertising agent and his silent suffering wife, Betty, is at home with the children.

The few existing critics would tell me the show is not politically correct and dull. To them I say: it is not politically correct, but neither is 90 percent of history. And contrary to dull, I feel inspired by "Mad Men." It's true the women in the show do not have the opportunities I have today; but in the show's lead females, I see characteristics I wish to emulate. I long for Peggy's work ethic. I strive for Joan's confidence and candor. And if my closet could be filled with every outfit Betty wears on the show, I would die happy.

"Mad Men" has the ability to seduce you in such a way that you actually believe you are watching people in an era that somehow must still be real because they exist so beautifully within it.

So for those of you looking for the kind of show you just have to watch every week, or a drama where you can't help but connect with the characters, tune in to AMC at 9 p.m. on Sundays. You are in for a real treat.