Mad Men: One Perfect Scene

[@Seemsayin]

One of the few times I actually enjoyed narration. Well thought out. No patronizing banter. No unrelated filler. Very entertaining. Nice job.

[@deanfarr3249]

Friday December 13th 1963 sounds like theyre talking about the new release movie Friday the 13th sales on the market

[@sargentoazul]

Guess it was necessary, but I hated that this woman had to keep interrupting such an awesome scene.

[@BadYossa]

Well said!

[@JimmyTheBoomer]

I agree. Her narration was excellent. An all too-rare phenomenon here on the Tubes...

[@Seemsayin]

@@JimmyTheBoomer You sure got that right, James. Most times... I just wanna watch the clips. I don't wanna listen to someone's bland, comedic take. It kills the experience. But most of them will talk through the video, like a play-by-play analyst, and break things down into bite-size chunks, as though we'd wouldn't have understood it without their help. That's why I found this video to be a diamond in the rough. Very well done.

[@tejaswoman]

Uncovered so many aspects I've never seen despite analyzing the heck out of this scene myself. The only one not mentioned is the beautiful fact that Lane doesn't tell them they're "sacked," the parlance of his home country, but that they're "fired," relishing this moment of committing fully to being an American businessman.

[@ASDasdSDsadASD-nc7lf]

The narration destroyed the scene. What arrogance..

[@alastairbeaumont9578]

“…corpse banging against the hull”. Creepy foreshadowing.

[@gardenlover9663]

Good catch.

[@riparianlife97701]

YES!

[@hippyhay1659]

I totally missed that. Subtle foreshadowing...

[@TheYurubutugralb]

Newbie here - in what way?

[@alastairbeaumont9578]

@@TheYurubutugralb Lane Pryce (Brit with the gigs) hangs himself later on in the show. His body quite literally banging against his door.

[@williamsmith35]

61 years ago today… Friday, Dec 13, 2024. This was such a fantastic show. Time for a rewatch during the holidays. Cheers.

[@noodle123ify]

Somehow this video essay ended up in my feed today. The magic of algorithms. I had such a pang of nostalgia watching this video, remembering how perfect Mad Men was at depicting a bygone era. It was a really special show.

[@noelwilson5960]

"dates are numbers only. people are life." I said that. copyright me. thank you

[@williamsmith35]

@@noelwilson5960 that is a good one!

[@ericepperson8409]

Jared Harris is an amazing actor. He somehow melts into the characters he plays, and he plays so many varied characters.

[@GaryAskwith1in5]

Another example of his varied roles is his recent unlikely portrayal of an almost Messianic character in the Asimov inspired show 'Foundation' he does just melt in! He learnt from the highest pedigree as his father was the iconic Welshman Richard Harris, though completely different from Harris senior.

[@3dbadboy1]

I couldn't agree more. I remember first seeing him in Fringe where he was so deliciously evil.

[@ryanjanis9184]

“For gods sake Boris, you were the one who mattered most.” I love Jared Harris, I think his role in Chernobyl is an absolute stand out in a list of great performances.

[@Tonysmithmusic]

like his father, richard harris, a powerful screen presence. he was great in chernobyl as well.

[@DarrenJohn10X]

Fringe. The Expanse. Even one of the Sherlock Holmes films. Jared is a terrific actor.

[@christopherward9690]

I could not agree more. The writing on Mad Men is the best I've ever seen. After watching every episode when they first aired, I have since gone back to watch the entire run of the series many times. What is most remarkable is the efficiency of the writing. Complex scenes that might normally take ten minutes are pared down to three or four. Their work was a huge influence on me when I wrote my first play, which played Off Broadway in 2019. I also teach scriptwriting at the college level and often use excerpts from Mad Men as prime examples of the craft.

[@timetowakeup6302]

Very fine. Thank you for sharing that unique perspective with us.

[@richardkirk5098]

👍

[@gothxm]

any books i can read to help me learn about the craft? I want to write, just dont know how to start. Progress is my goal. I want to start rolling that snowball up the hill so one day, hopefully, I can roll it back down and reap the rewards.

[@thebigcapitalism9826]

Mind sharing the name of your play? Understandable if you would rather preserve privacy (however impossible that is nowadays lol)

[@jeffreydaniels7519]

Absolutely brilliant scene. My father was a legend in the advertising business in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. I remember the culture very well as a young boy in the 60’s and when Madmen came out so much of that culture was depicted very accurately according to my father. Love the series and the creators are geniuses.

[@mikeonfreeserve2926]

Thanks for the fqgs, eh?

[@amun1040]

You should make a video of your dad's impression about the Show

[@TheIronDuke9]

Pete walking with the rifle on his shoulder as they break in and steal everything they need is one of the little cherries on top that make this show magical - heist indeed

[@claudetteholloway1126]

Technically, Pete Campbell suffers from small dick energy, so that's poignant...

[@hippyhay1659]

Completely missed that. Mad Men had a subtle humour to it, at times.

[@adzisme]

@@hippyhay1659The scene after this, when the survivors realize that their agency has essentially been raided, is also excellent.

[@osaji922]

Mad Men is an example that you don't need a grandiose premise, zombie apocalypse, gruesome battles or anything that these water-cooler shows have to be great. I mean if it were a book, it wouldn't win you over with its cover. It'd win you over with the actual story, how well it's written, and how deep the characters are. I feel bad for the people that haven't discovered this show yet because it never was on the level of a Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, or Walking Dead in popularity. They're missing out. I've lost count of how many times I've run through the series.

[@marianorivera3272]

I watched all of Mad Men just for the mid-century stuff.

[@ironhead108]

I echo every word you said! Absolutely correct!

[@stormwarning1235]

Perfect response.

[@Joshua-fr9fi]

This is much much harder to write than a zombie apocalypse

[@lindaleelaw5277]

Bringing these shows back might just educate younger, more unthinking quick buck Gens who put forth tele-trashy commercials

[@Georgina-lv9bt]

The last scene of the episode, of Don overlooking his new "family" of SCDP in the hotel room almost lovingly, after having just lost his own family and marriage with Betty, as Roy Orbison sings "Face the future, and forget about the past" is EVERYTHING. Greatest season finale of a show ever.

[@GREGWATSON-lc8cc]

Too much narration

[@Nope2479]

I’ve seen Mad Men, and when I recall great scenes, this wasn’t one that popped into my head. When I started watching your video, I remembered this scene line by line and exactly how it was presented. It truly is a standout scene and your video explained it perfectly. It was buried in my mind and I didn’t even know! You deserve great success in your channel, excellent work!

[@robjebster]

Well said. Fantastic video / contribution. Wishing the creator great success going forwards.

[@BD-zg7is]

Stuff like how the scene is broken into two parts, and how they are standing arguing and them come together at sit is just genius.

[@BillyDonegan]

I uii

[@silentwitness536]

Too many hand holding interruptions, like she's explaining the scene to fourth graders.

[@Nope2479]

@@silentwitness536 if you want to watch the scene without interruptions, perhaps just watch the show.

[@josephbrown9685]

I never thought I’d enjoy this show but gave it a chance based on positive word of mouth, and it far surpassed anything I could have imagined. I think the single best word to describe Mad Men is “sublime.”

[@fasillimerick7394]

As a child, you knew some serious shit was about to happen if your parents solemnly escorted the children into The Living Room. The Living Room was hallowed ground that could casually be travelled through, but rarely invited to remain. It was the Palace of Versailles, where great moments were celebrated, and terrible calamities sorted out.

[@peacelover8245]

😂 well said! I secretly woke up earlier than anyone else in our family of 6, just to sneak in and sit on our Livingroom Persian rug and watch the sun rise while eating my serial. Sacred morning ritual of a 7 yr old. Would just not have been the same in any other room.

[@davidwydra2401]

In this particular case the kids should have escorted their parents into the room to straighten their stuff out.

[@tessH]

I have these memories too!

[@raykaelin]

In the late 1960's I worked as a young 'office page' at Arthur Young & Co. (at the time, the 3rd largest Global Accounting Firm) while also attending college at City College in the Bronx (Lehman). They (Mad Men) captured the period with matchless honesty along well dramatic brilliance. And you personally have excellent and truly inspiring analyses and heartfelt insights that are both engaging and wholly intelligent. Bravo! (and I too, as the years go on, love and admire this show more and more.)

[@truthholder9263]

City college What a great investment.! Best talent to come out of those colleges I want to Lehman and then transferred to Baruch 84

[@micljbitty]

Thank you for pausing the video when you talk. I hate when people try to talk over the video. Great job.

[@MattSmith-il4tc]

From the first time I watched this episode, it has always been among my favorite episodes of any show. I have been rewatching Mad Men recently, and a week or so ago rewatched this episode. Afterward, I searched KZbin to see if anyone had done any breakdowns of this brilliant episode. ZERO. And now, a few days a later, your video appeared in my suggestions. Perfect. Great work!

[@ogle-tr-122b4]

MAD MEN is such a Gem. I randomly picked this and quickly became a binge-worthy favorite all thoughout Senior High School. ❤ would strongly recommend.

[@highwind1991]

The Suitcase is my favorite episode of Television. But Shut the Door, Have a Seat is the most important episode of Mad Men. It's the episode that evolved the show into the 7 season all time classic that it is

[@caffeinelife]

Suitcase is the pinnacle of the show. Totally agree with you.

[@johnmcintire3684]

Reminds me to watch this through again

[@eldemente87]

For me, these episodes were Mad Men at its peak. It was an exhilarating chain of events.

[@colinwatt9387]

Mad Men is one of those rare shows where the characters actions and motivations are always believable and never just in service of the plot. It's hard to like Don Draper as a person but by the end of it, you full understand why he is the way he is.

[@sbduggan]

You're not meant to like any of them. They are all deeply flawed. But it's why their motivations are so believable. It's why the show is so damn good.

[@seanmurphy9632]

This is a pet peeve of mine. I hate bad decisions that are just plot devices. The Netflix show Money Heist is a good example of bad decisions for reasons you can understand and at times relate to.

[@schwaarnkreddy7805]

@@sbduggan Absolutely spot on! That's why 99% of Hollywood's output sucks....all because movie-goers were raised wrong by cliched critiques, contaminating general tastes with phrases like 'invested in' ,'rooting for ' and the like.

[@johnalexander-d5d]

thank you God.......@@sbduggan

[@ChristopherJonesA]

Mad Men is peak TV. So glad i watched the old fashioned way, waiting for the next episode. 10/10

[@scottfalkner7420]

This is an absolutely perfect dissection of one of the greatest television scenes, ever. Bravo. 👏🏻

[@tommydowning3481]

You're supposed to say Brava for a lady. 😉🚬

[@williamj.dovejr.8613]

Hell yeah...best damn show in history!

[@raymondsims7042]

@@williamj.dovejr.8613”best ever” eh? I would say definitely top ten but the best ever for me is the wire. My top ten is actually 1. The wire 2. Game of thrones 3. Mr robot 4. Dark 5. The boys 6. Breaking bad 7. Succession 8. Stranger things 9. Sopranos 10. Mad men/Better call Saul What’s your top ten?

[@krezolv440]

WElll...you done did it and sold me on watching the entire series again....The binge starts tonight.😆🤣🤣

[@DaynePeachman]

Mad Men was such an experience. I wish I could unsee it so I could see it all over again for the first time.

[@davidc.2878]

This is the best criteria for knowing something is truly great. It applies to things like Lord of the Rings, the original Star Wars trilogy, Sopranos, Breaking Bad, the first time your read the Great Gatsby, etc. etc.

[@davidc.2878]

@@raymondsims7042 let me take a stab at it. I never got into GOT and haven’t seen Succession or the Boys or Mr. robot. In no particular order: Breaking Bad, Seinfeld, the Sopranos, Mad Men, Star Trek-the original, Homicide, the first three seasons of House of Cards, Newsroom, In Treatment (the Gabriel Byrne one), the Wire and MASH. That might be 11. Luther was damn good too and Prime Suspect was amazing.

[@raymondsims7042]

@@davidc.2878 very respectable shows mate🤝how could you have just skipped game of thrones though?😂🤔

[@miramichi30]

@@davidc.2878 Would you really put Star Trek TOS ahead of Next Generation. To me Star Trek: TNG is the best of all the Star Trek shows by a mile.

[@davidc.2878]

@@miramichi30 I'm old enough to have seen TOS as a kid. Maybe you're a bit younger and only saw TOS in re-runs? They both have their strengths and weaknesses--more lame stories in TNG, but more of a sense of arc and character development in TNG too (since they didn't really do character development in the old television series.)

[@Jacob-Vivimord]

This was such a good breakdown. Mad Men is my favourite show, too. Infinitely rewatchable.

[@raymondsims7042]

It’s a top ten show ever made in my opinion. I’d go 1. The wire 2. Game of thrones 3. Mr robot 4. Dark 5. The boys 6. Breaking bad 7. Succession 8. Stranger things 9. Sopranos 10. Mad men/BCS What about you?

[@Jacob-Vivimord]

@@raymondsims7042 Those are all great shows! I don't know if I can make a proper ranking, but if I can be permitted to be a little vague about it... Mad Men and Deadwood tied in first position. Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul after that. Then, in no particular order: Downton Abbey, Fargo, Anne with an E, Bojack Horseman, The White Lotus, the first season of True Detective... and Frasier. Honorable mentions: Severance (only one season so far, so it feels inappropriate to put it on the list), The Haunting of Hill House/Midnight Mass, Game of Thrones (the last two or three seasons really detracted from the overall score). I've seen all of the shows you mentioned and love all of them. The only one I haven't (yet) finished is Mr Robot, I need to get back on that one.

[@raymondsims7042]

@@Jacob-Vivimord that’s respectable 🤝the missus and I still need to watch deadwood!! Also you’ve got to finish mr robot you’re going to be shocked how the last season plays out

[@281m.wasiqwasim3]

Mad men had so many unique episode structures: Heist film(Shut the door have a seat) 2 character play(the suitcase) Dream like/lynchian(far away places) Character study(signal 30) This made it one of the all time greats IMO

[@RicardoRodriguez-jq5hd]

Thriller/psychedelic (The Crash)

[@TrulyMadlyShallowly]

@@RicardoRodriguez-jq5hd Mystery Date was very Hitchcock. And there was the nod to musical episodes in Waterloo.

[@ethanwebb5334]

Tragedy (Commission and Fees) Plus the episode "The Monolith" with all the 2001 references

[@emptylikebox]

the suitcase episode is one of the greatest

[@kerrimerrall6540]

My favourite show of all time also. Its actually made all tv and film difficult to watch since very little comes close to its clarity, depth and wit. This scene IS perfection....the moment when Don says "so now we are negotiating...?" SO GOOD! Feeds my soul!

[@nakedtruth761]

I heartily concur!

[@annehajdu8654]

*It's actually

[@TeddyRumble]

Brilliant writing, and acting.

[@jakebaldwin7172]

This is one of the coolest break downs of anything that I've ever seen. I'd watch you do a 5 hour recap of the entire series.

[@AliaOfTheKnife10191]

Great essay! Another cool thing about this scene, from a craft perspective, is that each character's dialogue is unique to them. You really couldn't trade any one person's lines for another. They are tailored to each character. They contribute to the scene not just in what each partner brings to the new company, but what each character's personalities bring to the relationship dynamic.

[@TeddyRumble]

Yes, that's difficult to do. If you write, you need to put yourself in the head of each character. I wrote and filmed a short film centering around three women, two lesbians and a bisexuality wife. Me, a straight het guy? Yet I think I pulled it off. How? By realizing everyone is human. Do not make caricatures of your characters. My female actors had zero problem with the story. And the bi actor was indeed a lesbian, and she liked the dialogue.

[@onothankyou]

This was great. One more item was where they all sat. I always consider Lane's seat to be the "driver's seat" of the room - it is a more comfortable seat, facing the door, with back to the wall. That is where a king would sit. It shows (however temporary) his important status that you mentioned. It would've been easier for him to take a closer seat, he had to walk the entire diagonal of the arrangement to sit there. That may also have had significance - he not only was in power, but he had to go the furthest (including literally, such as his move from England) to make this happen, but that may have just been to get him from the door to the seat of power. Really enjoy your analysis, just thought I'd throw this additional note in!

[@Impractical0]

Mad Men analysis is always a treat to sit and listen to, especially with precise but simple explanations for those who haven't seen the series in quite a while, along with smooth editing to keep the pacing tight, eager for the next one.

[@kmagnussen1052]

Absolutely right, well done. I seem to be drawn to smart dialog and stellar acting.

[@vixapphire]

This is a highly enjoyable analysis piece, and well thought-out. I think my favorite of this series was the scene where Draper brings his kids to the house he grew up in and they're standing there on the sidewalk looking up at it and the music track starts up with that Judy Collins tune. Holy cow. The lady who did music supervision for that series was so ridiculously great it can't be said enough. I hope she won tons of well-deserved awards for her work there.

[@davidc.2878]

This is a great scene, particularly for the moment when Don and his daughter exchange a look in which it's clear she has a new understanding now of her father, even a new respect. The scene is the opposite of nostalgia; it is genuine generational connection.

[@thomaspapp104]

@@davidc.2878 Fuck, that was a great scene.

[@27seaglass]

My favorite scene as well. I knew then that Don was going to be all right...everything was going to be all right.

[@happywanderer84]

Mad Men is the most beautifully filmed and scripted show I've ever seen. I know the reality of 60s New York wasn't as glamorous but still. Breathtaking television.

[@georgeflowers3730]

Only on my third and fourth run of the show was I able to appreciate all it has to offer. It is really one of the best shows of all time!

[@thisorthat4195]

Ditto

[@MikeJones-rk1un]

Stop watching TV. It is killing your brain and judgement.

[@gunman462]

@@guyincognito8440 Troll lol

[@bhillboy37]

It really takes 3 or 4 watches to see all of the subtleties. And it's a grand watch every time.

[@vicentemorales2533]

It really is, I couldn't believe how good it was while watching it.

[@patrickryan5011]

Excellent take-away. I love this show, but never gave this particular scene this much significance. After your video, I gained new appreciation for it.

[@DWilliams-ce8nb]

Amazing how smoothly Broadway-musical-Icon Robert Morse (Bert Cooper) transitioned into this TV drama. Brilliant work by Morse.

[@rtothec1234]

Great analysis. I know I loved this scene but hearing you break down it intellectually makes me like it even more. Well done.

[@eygthatsme]

Thank you for this! Everyone always heaps praise on “The Suitcase” but I’ve always thought this episode is absolute perfection. Especially this scene!!! Well done!

[@mjremy2605]

The only time I have enjoyed the narration and had value from it. You did an intelligent analysis of these scenes. Well done. Most enjoyable and I have a renewed appreciation of the series.

[@peterthomas3554]

This was the best 15 minute productivity killer I've had in quite a while. I'm now only 26 minutes away from happy hour! Thank you!

[@vincenttavani6380]

Right with you, pal. I have to pack for recording retreat and am telling myself this'll help with the storytelling.

[@OhHeBustin]

Wage slaves

[@suchanderreddy]

This is the one of my favorite scenes in the entire show. Thank you for the brilliant break down and analysis.

[@robertholtz]

I am very rarely moved to subscribe to a channel on a single viewing of a single video. In fact, I can’t specifically remember ever doing it before. Outstanding analysis, masterfully presented. I watched every single episode of Mad Men when the show was running. This one video makes me want to rewatch and re-appreciate the whole series. Mad Men was that good and this video is that good. I’m genuinely looking forward to watching more of your content. It’s very difficult to stand out this day and age by actually doing the work and contributing something intellectually meaningful rather than just gaming the algorithms and bottom-feeding with gimmicks. You achieved something real here and for that I thank you.

[@SirPablo2Pablo]

I agree

[@kevinkeels6845]

Mad Men is my favorite show too, and this is my favorite episode. And this video might be my favorite thing on KZbin. I’ve watched it probably as many times as I’ve watched the actual show. Well done!

[@AyeCarumba221]

Agreed very much. When Don said “so we’re negotiating then”? The most pivotal line of the most pivotal scene. Since then, I have used that line a number of times in various conversations. I try my best to deliver the line with my best Jon Hamm. Of course, nobody but me “gets it”.

[@alangil40]

It made me think of Al Pacino in The Devil's Advocate. "Are we negotiating?". "Always."

[@TeddyRumble]

Yes. It is a huge switch from, absolutely not to, I'm on board.

[@babylonian.captivity]

And remember his interaction with Bobbi Barrettt: Don: Negotiating's a bore. Bobbi: It's hand to hand combat! You don't like negotiating, what the hell do you like?

[@Larkinchance]

Agreed.. Brilliant writing and excellent casting in this limited series. Also great art direction in capturing the Madison Ave culture of early 60's NYC

[@novamationmedia]

I'm glad I found this segment. "Shut the door, Have a seat" is my favorite episode of the entire series, furthermore it shows what great television should look like. When I write myself into a hole, I often play just this episode to get my creative juices flowing again. I could continue to rave on about it, but this video covers everything I could say and more. Thank You.

[@jackwillmore2319]

Absolutely great narration of an outstanding series. I watched it with great pleasure. I grew up in the 60' s and 70's and it was brilliantly written, acted, and directed. The period piece just made it all the more delicious. Television/ movie making at its finest.

[@Dan-zq5wt]

Great analysis! What an incredible cast. Jared Harris is one of the world’s greatest character actors.

[@BeBopScraBoo]

he was so good in fringe

[@thestoicwhinger]

His departure episode is still so hard to watch, even after a dozen times. What a great character and actor

[@lakkadbagga]

​@@thestoicwhingerwhat a tragic character.

[@jcboland79]

A brilliant dissection of the scene. You’ve made me want to watch the whole thing again 👍

[@jameshannahs9010]

A series full of many perfect scenes. This is certainly one of the best. Thank you for your deep dive into this scene.

[@kdw75]

My family has been in the printing and marketing business for over 100 years. I love this show in part because it reminds me of how my father and grandfather would talk about the industry being back in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

[@TeddyRumble]

Those were better times.

[@JoeRogansForehead]

@@TeddyRumbleunless you were a woman lol

[@pevebe]

@@JoeRogansForehead They seldom know what's good for themselves

[@f33d4ward]

Great choice of scene to review and the connections made throughout. I liked your analysis of Don's eureka moments and how they are driven by high pressure situations. The thread you drew between the death of Kennedy, Don's role as a father, and the misgivings surrounding his father influencing his decision to flip the company was brilliant!

[@john_in_Berlin]

My god, Hazel, if you haven't found just the perfect canvas for your brilliance. Thank you for this work of art.

[@kaitlyn__L]

All these little pauses on moments, and tying-into the references, really puts this over the top as analysis. So many other channels just treat the scene directly without giving the context like this. The writing is so strong, I always have to repeat “well gentlemen, I suppose you’re fired!”

[@ecezeynepgercek3060]

the work you put on this video is fascinating, the result is so clear to understand and the script is so smooth. thank you!

[@dmartinez5173]

I’ve seen mad men series 4 times already. It’s always great seeing videos like this explaining in great detail about certain scenes from the show.

[@ryanpena8713]

I’ve watched it 4 times too as well. I may rewatch it a 5th after watching this video haha

[@ultraviolettas]

16 for me, it’s psychotic

[@raymondsims7042]

@@ultraviolettaswait wait what? Are you saying you watched mad men 16 times lass?🤔 I need you to please clarify this

[@davidhenry9419]

What a fabulous break down and analysis of this episode and the entire show. Perfect pitch, dead on. So insightful. And so aware of good writing, and acting, and directing.

[@lonelygiant]

This is literally my favorite scene, of my favorite episode, of my favorite show, of all time. I have sat down and done breakdowns of this scene trying to nail why it is so good. Thank you for making this video. 🙏

[@bigmacdaddy1234]

Now that's what I call an excellent narration. Thank you for taking the time to put this together.

[@NateGerardRealEstateTeam]

This, in terms of strategy and direction is unequaled in the show. For me though, it’s the carousel scene that is the greatest. Probably because my dad was a photographer and had thousands of slides and the sound of the carousel truly is a Time Machine not just because of the photos but because of the experience of seeing it as a child. Really nice work on this video. You’re creating art about art, which allows all of us to share it collectively.

[@oscardelaguardia1129]

"Art about art"-- nice.

[@Afreshio]

thanks god of the YT algo for recommending me this video and this channel. you are a very eloquent and clever. this video analysis of this scene was perfect. Mad Men is truly one of the greatest things ever.

[@kirk8429]

Such a great scene and series of events that followed. Lane getting the call from his boss and his response was so satisfying.

[@DubShaq]

Please do more of these “perfect scene” breakdowns. This was an amazing analysis and brought a few different perspectives that I hadn’t thought about. Very well done

[@hogey74]

Mad Men was the wildly popular series I ignored during it's run. Then in 2015 it suddenly grabbed me and looked timelessly fantastic on my first big TV. Now in 2023 I'm watching Suits after the fact and keep getting reminders of Mad Men. They even directly refer to the earlier show! This is a series worth trying out. Thank you for this analysis - I hope it gets more people into Mad Men.

[@dreamercross]

How did they refer to Mad Men? I missed it

[@gephetto]

This is one of those moments I’m so happy KZbin recommended me a video. So happy to come across your channel. I was captivated with your narration and felt the pace was perfect. Hope to see more of your videos in the future. Also, great voice.

[@Peters2centsWorth]

This is a brilliant summary of the scene - so clearly explained. Thank you.

[@LlamaxFur]

I’ve never watched an episode but you’ve convinced me. Excellent steady reading of the script and splitting. The ideas were well contained to their parts while supporting the bridge of the essay

[@Big_Island_Boi]

You mentioned the writing and acting are brilliant... and that's true. But there's so much more going on as well that ties it all up in a bow. Everything from lighting to set design and dressing to photography to sound, to casting, etc. That's one thing about Mad Men that makes it so amazing... there are essentially no weak links in the production. No flaws. Pitch perfect almost every time.

[@turbotek-wj8vc]

I would like to buy those two hemp chairs.

[@tejaswoman]

WARDROBE! What Janie Bryant managed to do year after year astounds me.

[@jamesage24]

It really does have the standards and production value of a high budget Hollywood movie.

[@megarachne3000]

Especially the style/wardrobe going into the late 60s.

[@meridethtohayes]

Thanks so much for posting this!

[@zzoa.]

Loved this video! Mad Men is such an amazing show, there's tons of potential to analyze so many significant scenes, parallels. I always notice new things when I watch it. Can't wait for more videos like this!!

[@losriosprofundos2113]

This is exceptional work. I have to watch Mad Men again.

[@fleetskipper1810]

Very nice critique. I’ve always loved that scene as well, but you articulate why I do much better than I do. Thank you!

[@teabaggg23]

Wow. Your editing, narration, etc on this are top notch. You described this scene as near flawless, and I kept thinking as you led us up to and through the scene (which I hadn't seen before) that your analylsis and presentation are as good as the scene itself.

[@jimboratelli742]

This was without a doubt the best television show, ever. I'm about to revisit it, again, for the fourth time from the very beginning.

[@dradenhaven1549]

That's the beauty of this show, you never get tired of rewatching it, because every time, you see something new, something beautiful you haven't noticed yet.

[@bizzionary1]

I love videos like these. they're almost like college lectures but super entertaining. This breakdown and analysis of this scene was excellent.

[@chrisadams2670]

This has always been one of my favorite episodes and scenes, and you've done a fantastic job of dissecting this and giving great insights into both the acting and the use of space and positioning to show how they ultimately come together here. Well done!

[@bilalf9907]

Brilliant analysis and commentary. All immaculately weaved together by your lovely voice!

[@chadpatrick5112]

Very well done video! I absolutely agree - this scene is just *chef's kiss*. Jared Harris is an incredible talent!

[@warwolf6359]

Thank you for this video! I drifted away from watching this show for no good reasons after season 1. You just made me want to watch the whole thing. Thank you!

[@AyeCarumba221]

I’ll agree that no show tops this one. Breaking Bad is close, but the emotional pull from the human interactions puts MM in top place. MM is a Masterpiece. Thank you Matthew Wiener.

[@raymondsims7042]

Mad men is absolutely amazing and a top ten show ever without question. I’d go 1. The wire 2. Game of thrones 3. Mr robot 4. Dark 5. The boys 6. Breaking bad 7. Succession 8. Stranger things 9. Sopranos 10. Mad men/Better Call Saul What’s your top ten shows?

[@TeddyRumble]

Much less violent and sadistic as well. Breaking Bad was simply too violent for me, and BCS was a joy, except for the horrific sadism and gruesome deaths. Give me more light fare.

[@pinkpandamiranda]

This is not only a fantastic scene, but also a fantastic video.

[@chrisandviccoughlin734]

Wow! An amazing summation of a great show full of great scenes. Well paced and impressive narration, thoughtfully done, and I'm sure many hours were spent on this, and it is quality work.

[@tribecayeah]

This is an excellent analysis. If you haven’t seen Mad Men and this one scene has you running to watch, just wait until you watch the whole thing! I too revisit this brilliant show time and time again. There is so much detail and subtlety, that I still find new things I didn’t catch from before.

[@davidborwick2339]

My favourite episode in the entire series. The scene where Don and Rog visit Pete is a gem too.

[@docboy989]

What a great video Hazel, you absolutely nailed it describing what makes Mad Men so great. Really the most underrated series of all time.

[@idreamofgenie2599]

Great analysis! For me personally, this episode came out when I was working at a place where a lot of office drama was going on, ultimately leading to my employer going out of business. So when I watched an episode titled, "Shut the Door, Have a Seat", it really hit home for me because of all the closed-door conversations that were happening at my workplace in real life--even if nothing quite as spectacular as the events of this episode of "Mad Men" came of it. :)

[@JL-ze5qm]

Mad Men is also my favourite all-time TV show. I don't know why. I don't like to think it's merely a wistful nostalgia, but more like a brilliant commentary on society and psychology. The 60s were monumental times, but the character development was also astounding. This is also one of my favourite episodes. Thanks for your narration.

[@wilkeithsarratt1337]

One of the finest written , acted and let's not forget the casting of each and every character was so great . I miss good drama , comedy television shows from this to Frasier to Seinfeld and Everybody Loves Raymond . They come along and don't last long enough but you're glad they did .

[@cedricgist7614]

Thank you for sharing this insight. We didn't have cable television. When I did sign up, I lost my job or something, and couldn't maintain it. So, it's video clips, retrospectives and commentaries like this that have helped me get a sense of what the great shows that aired were like. I lived through the sixties and was aware of the events, movements, and spirit of that era. But it was only from my perspective - what I personally experienced growing up. Movies like, "Forrest Gump," and series like, "Mad Men," give me an idea of how others experienced that time - even if they are fictional accounts written in some cases by those too young to have experienced those times. Your discussion is outstanding. Thank you for sharing your insight!

[@donalddees5503]

If I was on a desert island and only had one episode of television to watch, I would pick "Shut the Door, Have a Seat". The writing, acting, direction and editing in this episode is perfect.

[@akwon5]

My favorite scene of Mad Men as well...brilliant analysis! 😅

[@msspi764]

Check out the shot composition in that scene, particularly how the conflict scene is rife with tension building angles. Then when the conspiracy is started and they all move to sit down the camera moves right and pans left to create a series of verticals and horizontals that is less tense and more ordered. The office is full of hard lines, the windows, the ceiling, the blinds, the panel frames, the door, the translucent walls. The director uses these with the camera angles to heighten or dampen drama and add a level of visual reinforcement that we feel as much as we would a soundtrack or the stage blocking.

[@lost1croc]

The subtly of the dichotomy of each character’s internal war within themselves is what makes Mad Men such a brilliant show. You identify and root for them, but are repulsed at the same time knowing you battle with your own personal flaws just like them. This is one of my favorite scenes and this is a most excellent breakdown!🤘

[@cole4684]

fantastic video. makes me want to re-watch mad men for the 9000th time

[@jamesage24]

And each time, we discover new realizations. Absolute brilliant show.

[@titanspirit7238]

Just finished watching and I thought I'd write a comment to acknowledge how good this analysis was. A well made video. I'll be sure to watch something else you've done in future. Thanks.

[@Benjumanjo]

Don and Peggy’s father/daughter relationship never fails to make me tear up. The willingness to raise up the next generation redeems people, even for someone as unscrupulous as “Donald Draper”.

[@TrulyMadlyShallowly]

Never seen this as a father/daughter dynamic, but our culture lacks a frame for what they are. Mentor/mentee is close, but their bond as mirrors of each other is stronger than that implies.

[@Benjumanjo]

@@TrulyMadlyShallowly You speak ill of your culture because perfectly adequate phrases don’t imply the right feeling. You are so confident in undermining yourself.

[@mikeoyler2983]

It seems more like a master and apprentice relationship.

[@Benjumanjo]

@@mikeoyler2983 Thought the same thing, up until Peggy and Don danced to ‘My Way’ by Frank Sinatra, and she stands on his shoes like a father/daughter dance, knowing her father died when she was a teenager.

[@TrulyMadlyShallowly]

@@Benjumanjo huh?

[@thephotochad]

Mad Men is a classic among classics. An analysis of a scene so good I will know have to re-watch this show once more.

[@alambster]

I adore Mad Men. It’s so brilliant, well written and acted. Wish there were more like it.

[@peterevans8598]

Brilliant commentary. So enjoyed the analysis of this scene. Thanks for putting together.