There are two main dramatic thrusts at work in ‘Mad Men’ (at least at this point, in season two): One, will Don Draper ever get his shit together, stop cheating on his wife, and open up about his mysterious past? (Spoiler alert: his real name is not Don Draper.) Two, how will our characters and their lives buttress and collide with the tumultuous historical events swirling around this period. The two complement each others in certain ways, and the show always walks a fine line in terms of what it’s telling us (about history, about the characters) and what it’s keeping from us. Divorce: Circa 1960's (HD; 1:19:36 cumulative) is an interesting three part documentary which charts the course of the growing divorce "problem" of mid-sixties America, something that's alluded to frequently in Mad Men with the subplot of Betty and her new husband. Copious film clips are utilized as well as various talking head experts on the subject. The Final Season Part 2 - Audio Commentaries, Generation Boom: Baby Boomers, Earth Day 1970, Unmarried Professional Woman, Laurel Canyon and Advertising Timeline. Everything in ‘Mad Men’ has an almost three-dimensional level of texture, from the different fabrics (and metals and plastics) used in both the costumes (particularly Joan’s outrageous getups) and the set design, to the way everyone’s hair is so expertly coiffed. This texture is wonderfully strong here. Skin tones look amazing. Colors vibrantly pop. Shadows are deep and inky. Everything looks divine.

Still, ‘Mad Men’ works overwhelmingly well as a remarkably-detailed period drama, a fascinating glimpse into the birth of modern corporate culture, and a tragic study of manipulation and greed. I can’t guarantee everyone in TV land will enjoy its slow pace and niche subject matter, but I can definitely say it deserves all the attention and accolades it has received over the last year. Pictures of Elegance -- This multi-layered HD photo gallery is divided into nine sections that include shots of the shoot, cast and crew, costumes, sets, advertising campaigns, and more. Mad Men: The Final Season Part II' comes with an excellent 1080p HD transfer presented in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. If you've seen the previous seasons, then you know just how great this video presentations look, and this one is no different. Detail is very sharp and vivid throughout with excellent closeups that showcase the amazing textures in that 60s/70s clothing and furniture.Season Four - Audio Commentaries, Marketing the Mustang: An American Icon, Divorce: Circa 1960 Part 1, Divorce: Circa 1960 Part 2, How to Succeed in Business Draper Style and 1964 Presidential Campaign. The Final Season Part 1 - Audio Commentaries, Technology: 1969, Gay Rights, The Best Things in Life Are Free, Gay Power, Trial of the Chicago Eight Part 1 and Trial of the Chicago Eight Part 2.

And joining Hamm in his seminal role as Draper is a stellar cast of endearing actors and actresses, featuring Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson, Vincent Kartheiser as Pete Campbell, January Jones as Betty Francis, and so many more names you will become closely attached to over the course of this encapsulating 92-episode epic. For more about Mad Men: Season Three and the Mad Men: Season Three Blu-ray release, see Mad Men: Season Three Blu-ray Review published by Jeffrey Kauffman on March 25, 2010 where this Blu-ray release scored 5.0 out of 5. Clearing the Air: The History of Cigarette Advertising is split into two parts, Part 1 running 25:28 and Part 2 19:58. As any aficionado of this series will tell you, smoking occurs virtually nonstop by almost all of the characters, and this fascinating documentary ties that all in to the history of ads for tobacco products. Following the escapades of the Sterling Cooper advertising agency, join the womanising, hard-drinking, chain-smoking Don Draper (played by the charismatic Jon Hamm), and immerse yourself in his life both personal and professional as you discover the ruthless competitiveness of this dog-eat-dog business world.

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An Era of Style (HD, 21:44) This is a historical overview of the fashion styles of the late ‘50’s and early ‘60’s (“one of the most important times in fashion history,” says the show’s costume designer). It’s just as snappy as the feminist documentary, with a lot less heft. Still, it’s a lot of fun to watch (and anyone who loves the show, should) and a great little doc, but could have done with a longer running time.

Laurel Canyon (HD, 3 Mins.) - Things are focused on the hippie movement and certain place in California, where some of the show took place this season. Medgar Evers: An Unsung Hero runs over 70 minutes, split into two parts, and details the pioneering efforts of this largely forgotten civil rights hero. There aren’t any technical issues, either. There is a fine layer of grain, however, which actually adds some authenticity to the show, and in a way adds to the period detail.Engulf yourself in the 7-series phenomenon Mad Men, which follows the dynamic events which take place in Manhattan, New York, on the wealthy Maddison Avenue. Season One - Audio Commentaries, Advertising the American Dream, Scoring Mad Men, Mad Men Music Sampler, Pictures of Elegance, Establishing Mad Men and Mad Men Season Two Preview. Mad Men: Season Three Blu-ray delivers stunningly beautiful video and great audio in this must-own Blu-ray release

Season Five - Audio Commentary, Mad Men Say the Darndest Things, What Shall I Love If Not the Enigma?, The Party of the Century, Scoring Mad Men: Themes of Season Five, Scoring Mad Men: Inside a Session and The Uniform Time Act of 1966. For more about Mad Men: Season Four and the Mad Men: Season Four Blu-ray release, see Mad Men: Season Four Blu-ray Review published by Jeffrey Kauffman on March 15, 2011 where this Blu-ray release scored 4.5 out of 5. Unlike many drama series on television today, it isn’t necessary to suffer through the first few hours of ‘Mad Men,’ waiting for the story to hit its stride. From the opening volley of the first episode, viewers are thrust into the sexist, racist, and anti-Semitic culture that dominated American corporations in the early ‘60s. Business executives were WASPs, housewives were the naïve property of their husbands, and working women were secretaries, sex objects, and office play things. Weiner doesn’t pull any punches, exposing the show’s fictional firm for what it is -- an impenetrable boys’ club whose existence is fueled by other successful boys’ clubs. As a result, the show’s plotlines, character development, and central themes generate plenty of unsettling reactions that make it difficult to root for the whole of Sterling Cooper’s greedy and distasteful workforce. From the first episode through the final credits of the season, ‘Mad Men’s colors are naturally saturated, contrast is comfortable and strong, and shadows are deep and well-delineated. The series’ warm palette holds up exceedingly well in spite of a variety of interior and exterior lighting schemes, allowing the characters’ yellow-hued homes to look every bit as good as the firm’s brightly lit offices. Detail has also been painstakingly preserved, imbuing the picture with crisp edges, clean patterns, and sharp textures. I continually marveled at the depth of the image and found myself entranced by everything from the creases in the firm’s leather chairs to the stitches and pinstripes in Draper’s suit coats. While a few random shots look a tad soft compared to the majority of scenes in the show, Lionsgate’s BD transfer really highlights the series’ critically acclaimed research, set design, and period accuracy.Season Two - Audio Commentaries, Mad Men Season Two Music Sampler, Birth of an Independent Woman Part 1, Birth of an Independent Woman Part 2, An Era of Style and Time Capsule - Historical Events of the 1960s. Directors: Phil Abraham , Michael Uppendahl , Jennifer Getzinger , Matthew Weiner , Scott Hornbacher , Lesli Linka Glatter Every stitch and and imperfection can be seen clearly. Closeups reveal every individual hair, bead of sweat, and fancy makeup blemish nicely. Wider shots also look excellent too, as the image never goes soft. Colors are bold and bright, simply popping off screen with vast array of those iconic 60s/70's color schemes. It's really a joy to watch whether the characters are in an interior office setting or outside by the beach. It's simply marvelous. Part of what makes ‘Mad Men’ such a fun watch is the period detail. Here, with the set’s sublime MPEG-4 AVC 1080p transfer (aspect ratio: a cinematic 1.78:1), this detail has never looked better. One criticisms of the show was that, for all its arty direction, it was something of a soap opera at heart: the complicated love life of an alcoholic shagger whose behaviour is more often than not legitimised by the fact that he looks good in a suit. It’s not a completely unfair criticism. Rewatching, you wonder how many times Draper can fall in love, break hearts (including his own) and then turn around and do it all over again. But both of the marriages he trashes over the seven series tell important stories. His first, to anthropology-student-turned-model-turned-anxious-housewife Betty is one of male power and the latent tension of late 1950s/early 1960s suburbia. The other – to Québécois secretary-turned-actor Megan – slowly, painfully shows a redress in power, as she gradually outgrows their uneven relationship (while the world surrounding Draper does the same).