"New Amsterdam" is the fourth episode of the opening season of the successful American television show Mad Men. The show started strong and definitely stayed that way with these over 43 minutes we have here. There is elaboration on several characters again, but the one at the center of it all this time was probably Vincent Kartheiser's Pete Campbell, especially with what we find out about his family background. This includes the complicated relationship with his father in the scene right between the characters, but we also get to know the financial background or society background of his mother in a conversation between two, or rather three, other characters. This background is also why Campbell is not fired from the company after he was really close to. At the same time, there is elaboration on him and his wife trying to buy an apartment where Campbell is clearly not happy about not receiving and financial support from his own parents while the parents of his wife are ready to happily support. Of course, they do not know about another woman playing a major role in Campbell's life or at least being in his head. You can argue to what extent this was a reason as well for Campbell's skepticism. This woman is of course Elisabeth Moss' Peggy who, with the exception of one brief inclusion, is not a factor at all in this episode.
The rest of the focus is on the Drapers again, but almost more on the wife this time and not on Don, the show's lead character. We follow what happens when she agrees to babysit for a friend in the neighborhood who seems to be struggling a bit, especially because of her own romantic background and the man who is also the boy's father. Said boy is getting close to puberty, which results in two awkward situations with January Jones' Betty Draper during the babysitting, one of which she does not likely, but during another she is almost a bit flattered. It was definitely a bit on the weird side, but it was intended that way of course and another ingredient to a really convincing episode. In general, you will find many pretty women in this episode (Siff, Stanchfield, Brie, Lyons, Moss, McNiven), even if a handful of these are only seen during one scene or shot even. Christina Hendricks, otherwise a key supporting player, is not in this episode at all. As for the business side, a deal with a steel company is at the center of it all and also used to further elaborate on the protagonists here and especially with Campbell it serves as a great character study. I found it especially nice that Robert Morse also had a scene, his only scene this episode, in which he could really shine. Always nice to see him and may he rest in peace. His character humming a children's song at the end of a scene was also truly nice. Perhaps even the best scene of the episode.
This episode is now over sixteen years old and still a massive winner. In general, it feels as if the show was getting better and better not only the longer it went despite being on such a high level early on already, but it also seems to be getting better and better the more time passes since it ended. Definitely nothing too many shows can say about themselves. Slattery's Sterling (maybe my favorite character/actor from the show) has some fine moments in the second half, including a conversation with Draper, but nothing that really totally stands out. There's other episodes for him. As usual, the show is also worth seeing for the reference about the life and times back then. Here Kennedy is included more than once and if you take a closer look, you will find more than that, of course also with some of the music and movies running. On the laughing (or at least smiling) front, the show often also delivers in terms of situational comedy and maybe it was a bit of a running gag how the boys were chilling and listening to entertainment records in Cambell's room. You hear about Bob Newhart there and it is beautiful to say that this man is still with us in 2023. Hopefully, it can stay that way for a while. So yeah, as you see from my rating, this was another episode from Mad Men I really enjoyed and one of the contenders for being my favorite episode of season one. I definitely recommend the watch. The chemistry between the actors and tensions between characters make it impossible to regret seeing this fine piece of primetime television. Big thumbs-up.
The rest of the focus is on the Drapers again, but almost more on the wife this time and not on Don, the show's lead character. We follow what happens when she agrees to babysit for a friend in the neighborhood who seems to be struggling a bit, especially because of her own romantic background and the man who is also the boy's father. Said boy is getting close to puberty, which results in two awkward situations with January Jones' Betty Draper during the babysitting, one of which she does not likely, but during another she is almost a bit flattered. It was definitely a bit on the weird side, but it was intended that way of course and another ingredient to a really convincing episode. In general, you will find many pretty women in this episode (Siff, Stanchfield, Brie, Lyons, Moss, McNiven), even if a handful of these are only seen during one scene or shot even. Christina Hendricks, otherwise a key supporting player, is not in this episode at all. As for the business side, a deal with a steel company is at the center of it all and also used to further elaborate on the protagonists here and especially with Campbell it serves as a great character study. I found it especially nice that Robert Morse also had a scene, his only scene this episode, in which he could really shine. Always nice to see him and may he rest in peace. His character humming a children's song at the end of a scene was also truly nice. Perhaps even the best scene of the episode.
This episode is now over sixteen years old and still a massive winner. In general, it feels as if the show was getting better and better not only the longer it went despite being on such a high level early on already, but it also seems to be getting better and better the more time passes since it ended. Definitely nothing too many shows can say about themselves. Slattery's Sterling (maybe my favorite character/actor from the show) has some fine moments in the second half, including a conversation with Draper, but nothing that really totally stands out. There's other episodes for him. As usual, the show is also worth seeing for the reference about the life and times back then. Here Kennedy is included more than once and if you take a closer look, you will find more than that, of course also with some of the music and movies running. On the laughing (or at least smiling) front, the show often also delivers in terms of situational comedy and maybe it was a bit of a running gag how the boys were chilling and listening to entertainment records in Cambell's room. You hear about Bob Newhart there and it is beautiful to say that this man is still with us in 2023. Hopefully, it can stay that way for a while. So yeah, as you see from my rating, this was another episode from Mad Men I really enjoyed and one of the contenders for being my favorite episode of season one. I definitely recommend the watch. The chemistry between the actors and tensions between characters make it impossible to regret seeing this fine piece of primetime television. Big thumbs-up.