October
8
'Mad Men': Drink it in
Posted by Kathy Lyford
"Mad Men" showrunner Matthew Weiner will be answering reader questions right here on Season Pass.
By now you've probably all gotten a sense of just how much we at Season Pass, and Variety at large, love this show. Check out our analysis and recaps at my esteemed colleague Cynthia Littleton's On the Air blog. I am very excited by this opportunity, as I hope you are.
With a show this intricate and attentive to detail, I am expecting some really creative and clever questions from you all — something beyond "Jon Hamm is really hot. What's it like to work with him?"
So there you go, you've been challenged.
Here's how it works:
1) Click the comment button below and leave your question by Tuesday at midnight.
2) Read through the other comments so you aren't repeating a question that's already been asked.
3) You may ask more than one question but that won't boost your chances of seeing your questions answered. I try to be fair and let lots of folks have a chance.
4) On Wednesday I will choose the 20 best questions to present to Mr. Weiner, who will then answer at least 10 of them.
5) On Monday, Oct. 20 I will post the answers.
6) Any changes to this timeline due to unforeseen circumstances or conflicts with Mr. Weiner's schedule will be added to this post as necessary.
Thanks for participating and have fun!
P.S.
There is still time to get your questions in for the "Friday Night Lights" Q&A before the Friday deadline.
And be sure to check out our previous Q&As with "Desperate Housewives" top dog Marc Cherry and "Ugly Betty" boss Silvio Horta.
Upcoming Q&As include the showrunning teams from "Lost" and "How I Met Your Mother." Stay tuned for details and added shows.
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What was the reasoning behind casting your own son to play Glen? Is there a "Betty Draper" in your past? Is this part of the script autobiographical? How difficult is it to direct your own child in such a strange, and somewhat creepy, scenario?
Posted by: Jenee Libby | October 16, 2008 at 07:48 AM
Since the show is so often infused with the real-world events and conflicts of the 1960s, do you have an end vision for the series in terms of where these characters might end up beyond that period?
Posted by: Brian Cochrane | October 15, 2008 at 06:34 PM
How much of the show's take on gender roles is rooted in your own upbringing as someone born in 1965? Did the changes taking place in that period resonate with you personally and channel into the characters of "Mad Men"?
Posted by: Brian Cochrane | October 15, 2008 at 06:24 PM
I'll go Pete Campbell on you for a minute: best show on television, hands down.
Now - on to my question. One of the primary themes of this season seems to be what will women do when given an opportunity to step out of their prescribed roles. Is this something that is planned in advance, or does it emerge as the stories are mapped out week-to-week?
Posted by: Quinton Peeples | October 15, 2008 at 03:19 PM
Now that we're in season two, is it difficult to deliver more of those interesting factoids during each commercial break?
Posted by: Bashirah | October 14, 2008 at 05:20 PM
Well, I wondered about a spurned Sterling/Cooper guy coming back at them, and it turned out it was Duck Phillips, not Freddy. I also like how one of the other questions in here seemed to get answered -- one of the Mad Men down in Freedom March Madness ... is your art director alone responsible for the great look of things -- off the top of my head the two stand-outs -- the commuter train station that Betty goes to; and the white, tapered nuclear bomb talk room that gives Don the impetus to play with the monied (?) and titled?
Posted by: Big Bomb | October 14, 2008 at 02:19 PM
Music informs so many of the scenes in the show. I was wondering why you chose to use a contemporary song in the opening scene of "Maidenform" when in all other cases (I think) you've used period tunes.
Posted by: Kat | October 10, 2008 at 12:07 PM
What will be the date on Don Draper's desk calendar when season three begins? Will we miss seeing Peggy's reaction to the Kennedy assassination or Beatles' arrival in New York?
Posted by: Hercules T. Strong | October 08, 2008 at 10:50 PM
So far the series' storylines have explored the burgeoning emancipation of women in 1950/60s America, and whilst the plight of non-white peoples of that time have, at times, been mentioned, their situations have not been explored to the extent that you have with women. Is there any particular reason for this?
Posted by: Ruaridh | October 08, 2008 at 05:58 PM
With its reserved characters, mounds of subtext, and occasionally ambiguous dialogue, Mad Men reminds me so much of the writing of Raymond Carver, both in terms of themes and style. Has Carver been an influence on the series at all? What other works--if any--have had an impact on the uniquely honest way Mad Men tells its stories?
Posted by: Aaron | October 08, 2008 at 04:05 PM
Crud, I just saw this. Can I just slide this question under the transom:
If Freddy Rumson gone for good? What if he lands some great client on his own, and force the firm to take him back? Or he walks with 5 great cash-cows, and the firm can't believe it (remember, this is before exclusivity contracts). And he really starts competing hard with them. And then like a schmuck he folds when they offer to give him a fancier office and his job back ...
Posted by: Big Bomb | October 08, 2008 at 03:19 PM
I loved a couple episodes back when Joan was a script reader and felt disappointed right along with her when she lost that position. Is Joan's career going to get a jump-start so we'll possibly have some competition with Peggy as to which femme fetale will make it higher in Sterling-Cooper? Please?
Posted by: Peter Velz | October 08, 2008 at 02:38 PM
How much did the Richard Yates novel Revolutionary Road inspire or influence Mad Men?
Posted by: Anne Thompson | October 08, 2008 at 02:19 PM
What, if any, were the resources that were particularly important in terms of informing the direction the show takes in its design, storylines, or shooting style? (i.e. novels, movies, etc.)
Posted by: Adam | October 08, 2008 at 12:33 PM