Mad Men: One Perfect Scene

Mad Men has a lot of great scenes, but this one might just be perfect.
0:00 Intro
0:44 Context
3:08 Four Main Players
4:10 The Scene
11:01 The Rest of the Episode
12:00 Turning Point of the Show
13:25 Outro

[@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

[@abdulkarimelnaas7595]

​@@Joshua-fr9fiI think the point is that any media worth its weight in salt is hard to write. If you think about it, GoT (S1-S4) is a show about a zombie apocalypse, magic, great battles, prophecy, and dragons (among other fantastical creatures and races), but all the greatest scenes take place in rooms with a bunch of characters just standing around or sitting down and talking, similar to Mad Men. As ever, the setting is just seasoning; dialogue is the meat. If you get lazy it all goes to shit, no matter how many CGI dragons and massive choreographed battles you burn money on.

[@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.

[@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.

[@alastairbeaumont9578]

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

[@gardenlover9663]

Good catch.

[@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

[@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]

👍

[@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...

[@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."

[@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.

[@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.

[@eldemente87]

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

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@user-zn8kd5bx5u]

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

[@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.

[@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.)

[@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.

[@tonyp333777]

There is no question about it. Mad men is my favorite show of all time! I’m a 41 year old black man and even with the racism sexism and all the isim’s I still have never watched a show that is so in-depth and complex and rich in development and detail and visually superior to the vast majority of television shows. As a classic menswear enthusiast and artist this show is the pinnacle of what I have watched in my lifetime for television at least !

[@carolhauer7103]

I agree 🎉

[@richardkirk5098]

Yes. Greatness wrapped in a particular kind of nostalgia

[@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.”

[@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.

[@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?

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@DWilliams-ce8nb]

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

[@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.

[@fredvachss6567]

Undoubtedly a great scene, but the Kodak pitch scene at the end of "The Wheel" gets my vote as the best. Still hits me like a punch to the gut 15 years later.

[@nakedtruth761]

In my opinion, "The Wheel" scene you referenced is the best scene ever filmed in the history of television.

[@MichaelWillems]

Me too. I show this to my photography students at the beginning of the semester.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@JJ-ju6ky]

One of the best shows ever produced. Man, the 2000's had some amazing television. Breaking Bad, Sopranos, Mad Men, The Office, Parks and Rec...

[@raymondsims7042]

What’s your top ten shows? To me the top ten is 1. The wire 2. Game of thrones 3. Mr robot 4. Dark 5. The boys 6. Breaking bad 7. Succession 8. Yellowstone 9. Stranger things 10. Sopranos Honorable mentions Mad men Better call saul Dexter

[@hassanshoaib2410]

​@@raymondsims7042man why would you keep stranger things in this list? otherwise its a great list succession is too underappreciated dkw

[@raymondsims7042]

@@hassanshoaib2410 I had to update my list just a little bit since I’ve made this comment the missus and I have watched more shows. However stranger things still makes the list. Apparently I think highly of it than most people. I think it’s fantastic on every level. It has a great ensemble of charismatic and interesting characters, it has incredible cinematography/cgi, it’s got great acting, it changes its mood a bit every season which keeps it fresh and entertaining, and every season is high quality and I think seasons 1,3,4 are phenomenal. It easily makes my top ten.

[@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

[@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.

[@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?

[@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.

[@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

[@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

[@ajhieb]

I have long argued that it's not just a great scene, but that entire episode is one of the best episodes of TV (not just one of the best episodes of Mad Men.)

[@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?

[@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

[@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!

[@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

[@stevek6518]

The scene where Roger and Don go to Pete's apartment to recruit him is classic too. Trudy calls out to Pete from another room, admonishing him to listen. Pete asking why me, and insisting on hearing the praise come from Don. Don immediately knowing what to say, citing Pete's knowing the pulse of youth, Elvis, JFK. Apparently at the end of the scene at the center of this video, the 4 men discuss who to approach including Pete over Ken. How I'd love to hear this cut scene.

[@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 .

[@willmather4046]

Such a great episode and one of the many times a season ends with Don finding some new beginning. Then the novelty wears off and he's left asking "Is that all there is?" and then the whole cycle starts again. I truly love that the whole show ends inferring (at least to me) that this cycle will go on forever.

[@benjaminraponi5399]

I always felt relief for don at the end but I honestly think you’re more right on your take

[@DeftPol]

This is an amazing scene, but I also equally love the “I don’t have a contract” scene from the earlier season. Such a great build up to that as well

[@robertabrahamsen9076]

Madmen probably has at least twenty or thirty perfect scenes. My favorite might be the Dow Chemical pitch. "What is happiness? It's the moment before you need more happiness."

[@PinkFloyd102489]

That scene letting Duck Phillips pay out as much rope as he wants just to hang himself with it is peak television.

[@klowen7778]

@@robertabrahamsen9076 Yep, and I've always appreciated how it used 50's & 60's culture to contrast with our own 'post-modern' values... for better or worse.

[@100percentwigs]

@@robertabrahamsen9076 For me its the carousel sales pitch.

[@robertabrahamsen9076]

@@100percentwigs yeah, that's held to be one of the greatest moments of scripted television. I agree.

[@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.

[@jcboland79]

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

[@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

[@kirk8429]

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

[@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!

[@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.

[@Tom-yd1ur]

That comment by Don to Layne, referring to his existence being akin to a body banging against the hull after being thrown overboard really hits hard if you have already watched the series. Mad Men was the 1st big show I had fallen under the spell of the fantastic Jared Harris, and I still have some PTSD from Layne's demise.

[@baierc]

Damn, that’s such a good call. I need to rewatch this series asap.

[@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!”

[@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!

[@bscepter]

I'm rewatching the whole show for the first time since it aired, and it's even better now. So good, in fact, that I almost think we didn't deserve it.

[@Jadty]

It’s unapologetically masculine and focused on MEN being MEN. It’s better than anything else on TV right now.

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@mikeoyler2983]

It was after Lane's death that SCDP actually starts its decline. They proved that they could work hard and get new customers even in the absence of the tobacco company, but without somebody to watch the money, there was a problem. On the one hand, Don was always right about how creative people need room to work, and in order to do that the company was going to have to pay for a few broken eggs i.e. office supplies. On the other hand, Layne really protected the company not only from nickle-and-dimming itself to death, but also under performing employees. After he is gone, the company slowly starts to collapse under Don, Roger and Ted collectively at the helm.

[@manfredkropp6273]

Good observation. I was always surprised, and a little disappointed, that Don couldn't seem to look the other way at Lane's discretion.. especially in light of the above scene and what he did for the new company..

[@manfredkropp6273]

"indiscretion"

[@acefire6422]

@@manfredkropp6273 And not least because Don himself has spent his whole adult life lying and cheating in the name of self preservation; the hypocrisy in his castigation of Lane shows that Don is unwilling to accept the same negative traits in others that he happily lets himself get away with.

[@jameshannahs9010]

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

[@JAI_8]

Madmen was so popular because it was full of nostalgia for the last era of great middle class wealth, power, and hope for a progressive future in America. Madmen showed us the excitement of creating that world and regular working and middle class families amassing that wealth during the late 1950s and early 1960 and the USA being run for their benefit, not just the wealthy ruling class. Great analysis in this video of this terrific episode … well done video! It was a terrific episode on one of the finest shows of the new century. It’s one of my top five shows (all genres) of all time without a doubt. I’ve binge watched it all-the-way through (in two to four episode chunks … I still have family responsibilities after all) twice now after it’s first weekly run on AMC from 2007-15. Can’t recommend it highly enough as evocative of the last great era of middle class wealth and power in America (long dead now I’m afraid … since Reagan we’ve allowed the top 2% to use “conservative values” to justify taking all the money wealth and power back from the middle class and now they own and run everything … leaving us cheap t-shirts, fast food, sports, action movies, electronic gadgets and some financial table scraps, and the culture war of course … no real wealth, power, hope of progress or a future). That’s why Madmen was so popular … it was nostalgic of the late 1950s and early 1960s … that great era of great middle class wealth, power, and hope.

[@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.

[@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.

[@marccram6584]

Your analysis is spot on .. And the older you are, the more you relate to all four characters.

[@Peters2centsWorth]

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

[@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!

[@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. 🙏

[@alambster]

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

[@Brian-uy2tj]

Mad Men is the smooth Jazz of drama, it is the Dave Brubeck Take 5 of drama

[@Calypso694]

This is one of those shows that was perfect from start to finish. Has a perfect ending and makes Office Talk interesting to watch.

[@shom4458]

I am a professional writer... I teach writing... this was a great analysis of one of my favorite shows. Well done!

[@9w96b6]

Great video! My only complaint about the show was, as it moved forward, they started focusing too much on the personal lives and the extramarital affairs. The balance of the office and the home lives was lost. But still, a great show. And one of my favourites.😊

[@rtothec1234]

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

[@suchanderreddy]

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

[@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. :)

[@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!!

[@stevenanderson875]

I love to be nerdy about nuances in shows and film which often clue me into a character's thinking and feelings in a scene and it often leads me to predict a future move later on, that is if the writing is good and is true to the character. I have to say your analysis was as wonderful as the scene itself. I think I need to do a re-watch!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@ceven07]

I've seen this (and every MadMen episode) at least 6 times. Your narration made me feel like I was watching for the first time. Amazing content. Really impressed by how you keep us interested non-stop for 14 minutes.

[@sarthakshrotri4500]

A brilliant breakdown of one of the many great episodes of this excellent television series. I remember watching this arc of the season with such enthusiasm and intrigue that it truly made me fall in love with this show and the characters. Had it not been for this elegant piece of writing, I would not be here as a proud lifelong Mad Men stan! Great work!

[@roydodman3703]

Just an OUTSTANDING bit of analysis, and ultimately, an warm and loving appreciation. This type of deep dive is an example of how I drive my friends nuts talking about television and film. When it works, it's because so many well crafted pieces fit and operate perfectly. Kudos on your own efforts here.

[@raymondsims7042]

Mate whats your top ten tv shows? Mine are 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

[@chadpatrick5112]

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

[@dicksanders8206]

Beautifully done. I've seen Mad Men twice, and after watching your video, I want to see it a 3rd time. Such a great show!

[@bigmacdaddy1234]

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

[@stevek6518]

Hazel you are fantastic. It's my all time favorite show too. You should do more episodes on this awesome series

[@firstmkb]

Such a great show, and outstanding commentary! Thanks!

[@Hortaltera]

Thank you so much for this excellent review of a key scene and putting it all within the grander context. Brought back nice memories from the 2010's when I first watched all the Mad Men seasons. Time for a second run.

[@goldenu2]

I have never seen Mad Men, but your breakdown was excellent and gave a witty and insightful view into that universe. Thank you.

[@TrulyMadlyShallowly]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="335">5:35</a> look at how perfectly the decor (with its vertical beams) frames the positions of the various characters. Lane, by himself in the light separated by a beam. At first. Roger, on the edge. The others in the dark, in their own squares, but grouped together. Then Lane, who needs to be convinced to join, gets both light and dark in the background. Finally, he moves over. When they start colluding, Don - ideas man - is the one in the light, central to the four. Cinematography and decor... so great.

[@michaelleboeuf6321]

Currently in a Re-watch. This was an episode I remembered from over a decade ago..and it’s been my favorite during this current Re-watch. I know ‘The Suitcase’ is considered the best episode..but I think this one is my #1

[@supersonique001]

Could not have said it better and could not agree with you more! Reminds me of my years in the 80s when a few of us stockbrokers broke away from a takeover firm and created our own, those were the days!

[@bizzionary1]

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

[@ralphrex9118]

That was a masterful narration, tone, context and cadence - bravo. I’ve only ever caught a few episodes of Mad Men but loved the subtle, understated intensity that is punctuated by brief eruptions.

[@ronaldshank4283]

It's interesting to me that when I first watched this episode, this scene didn't immediately jump out at me. But every subsequent rewatch (and there have been a few) I come to appreciate it more and more.

[@Platypi007]

I'd almost forgotten how brilliant this show was. I'm going to have to go back and watch it again.

[@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!