Before the bra burning

When I first started viewing this series after somebody's recommendation, I thought it would be about the people in the dog eat dog world of advertising.
True the setting is in the office of a famous advertising firm in New York City set in the end 50s era. From the office, the series moves into the executives' bedrooms and their private lives. Actually, it takes a nostalgic look at the bygone era when men were kings and the fairer sex were second class citizens. Cigarette smoking was a socially acceptable norm, done by men and women - pregnant or otherwise. Every frame and every room is filled with someone smoking and is hazy with cigarette fumes. The general public is still unconvinced that smoking is detrimental to health and practically everybody is a chain smoker.

Men are held up on a pedestal as the hardworking head of the family who brings the bacon whilst the women finds great joy and self imposed themselves the divine duty of staying pretty at home and cooking fresh food for their weary men. The men have a good time socially with fellow workers of either sex and having affairs while the wives do not have the guts to raise their voice but instead decide not to disturb their tired husbands.
Alcohol is consumed liberally even during office hours and after. The ugly head of stress and the fad of seeing a shrink is slowly creeping into the lives of the bottled-up wives.
The way I look it is like this. The writers came up with this story after reminiscing the good times of the late 50s and 60s when men ruled the world. Probably, they are subconsciously trying to find out where they lost it!
Just finished watching Season 1 of Mad Men, more stories to come later. This series, a period drama, a multiple award winner, is praised for its historical accuracy and ability to bring to live the ambiance and mood of the early swinging 60s. 'Mad Men' is the nickname referred to the Ad Man then - the world was not sure what their job was!.

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