Mad Men, aka Gossip Girl all grown up and set in the 1960s, mixes juicy relationship drama and corporate intrigue with nostalgia for a time before you were born.

What It’s About

This season finds smoother-than-his-slick-hairdo protagonist Don Draper as a new partner and founder of an upstart ad-agency. The boys are on the hunt for new clients but Don’s ego keeps getting in their way. Meanwhile, Don’s separation from his wife, Betty, gives this season the emotional punch for which the show has grown famous.

Your Favorite Part Will Be

The image of Mad Men’s suits seated in mismatched chairs around an imaginary conference table is sure to elicit laughs. Meanwhile, Don’s daughter, Sally’s reactions to her parents splintering are heartbreaking and Don’s deep depression is difficult to watch.

Is There a Cause?

Mad Men addresses several causes, especially (surprise!) those most plaguing these types of people during the 1960s:

• Alcohol Abuse - Alcoholism is shown to lead to outbursts and poor decisions by many of the characters. In the second season, Don’s drunk driving results in an accident.
• Smoking - Through revealing the ways in which smoking advertisements were created to appeal to the consumer, the show exposes and weakens their manipulation.
• Women’s Rights - The character of Peggy Olson, a former secretary who has fought discrimination at each step up the corporate ladder and gained a position as a respected associated in a male-dominated firm, teaches about the fight for workplace equality that occurred in the latter half of the 20th century.