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Special Features
(Titles subject to change)
• 26 Cast and Crew Commentaries
• "Mad Men" Says the Darndest Things
• The Uniform Time Act of 1966
• What Shall I Love If Not the Enigma?
• Party of the Century
• The Music of "Mad Men"
• NEWSWEEK Magazine Digital Gallery
• "Mad Men" Easter Eggs
• 26 Cast and Crew Commentaries
• "Mad Men" Says the Darndest Things
• The Uniform Time Act of 1966
• What Shall I Love If Not the Enigma?
• Party of the Century
• The Music of "Mad Men"
• NEWSWEEK Magazine Digital Gallery
• "Mad Men" Easter Eggs
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| Mad Men Season 5 | - Available Formats |
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
At the end of the eighth episode in this Mad Men season-five set (with 13 episodes, plus bonus material, on four discs), Don Draper (Jon Hamm) sits listening to "Tomorrow Never Knows," one of the more sacred items in the Beatles' catalogue. Licensing an original Beatles recording isn't just expensive, it's almost impossible, so the mere fact that it's there is a testament to this show's popularity and acclaim. It also speaks to creator Matthew Weiner and his team's uncanny skill at weaving together multiple storylines while also immersing viewers in the time and place they happen; this season it's the seminal years of 1966 and '67, when folks started smoking joints instead of cigarettes, dropping acid instead of sipping scotch, and seeing their casual racism and misogyny begin to give way, albeit stubbornly, to more enlightened views.
Of course, Mad Men is mostly about the characters who work at the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce advertising agency, as well as those in their orbit. Don, who remains the most compelling character and is still at the center of this universe, has a hot young wife, Megan (Jessica Paré), who seems to have tamed his wandering eye for now; but although she shows a genuine flair for the ad game, she still wants to be an actress. Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser), who's grown from an obnoxious little twerp into a marginally less obnoxious, slightly older twerp, has issues at work, at home… and outside the home. Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss), a likable sort trying to keep her head above water in a world dominated by arrogant, entitled men, makes some serious life changes. Roger Sterling (John Slattery), still a cad and still cracking wise ("Listen honey," he tells a prostitute, "I'm not going to bore you with compliments"), enters into a most unexpected affair. Joan (Christina Hendricks) deals once and for all with her soldier husband. And Lane Pryce (Jared Harris)… well, suffice to say that it's not a good year for SCDP's money man.
As always, the show's production values--art direction, sets, clothes, music--are brilliant and spot on. So is the writing, especially the dialogue ("You're a grimy little pimp," Lane says to Pete, knocking him silly in a fist fight). The writers also manage to seamlessly interpolate current events like the Richard Speck and Charles Whitman murder sprees, England's victory in the World Cup, and author Truman Capote's Black and White Ball (the subject of a separate bonus feature, as is the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which formalized daylight savings). The best show on TV? That's arguable, but there are very few worthy competitors. --Sam Graham
Product Description
Mad Men" is back. Season Five of Mad Men, four-time Emmyr winner for Outstanding Drama Series and winner of three consecutive Golden Globesr, plunges into the seductive and intriguing world of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. Jon Hamm and the rest of the award-winning cast continue to mesmerize as they adapt to changing times, social revolution, and a radical world. Lust is back. Adultery is back. Deception is back.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
147 of 158 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
"What is wrong with you people? You're all so cynical. You don't smile, you smirk." - Megan Draper
June 30, 2012
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
While this wasn't my favorite season, it's still an easy five stars since it's in the top 3 of best shows currently on television. I know there have been a lot negative reactions towards this season, and I think maybe it's for a few reasons. Lots of people despise Megan. And others say that "nothing really happened". I don't really like Megan either, but I've come to accept her character. She is SUPPOSED to be annoying (or at least can easily be interpreted as so). We don't have to like her. As far as nothing happening, plenty of things happened, although I admit it was a little slow-paced, but I think it's building up for better seasons to come.
This season takes place between Memorial Day 1966 and Spring 1967. The season focuses on Don Draper and Megan's relationship and how distracting it is from his job, and most of the main characters are facing painful new beginnings and realize it's a "dog-eat-dog" world. The season starts out light (probably because of how dark season 4 was), but by the end of the season things are gloomier than ever. So never fear, Mad Men isn't going soft.
Don - one reason I enjoyed season 4 so much is that we had a break from Don being in a dramatic, serious relationship. He was just casually dating and we were able to see more of SCDP. Now he's married to Megan, and that opens up a lot more storylines. You'll either love or hate Megan. She shows signs of being very independent and mature, but then will surprise you by suddenly doing something very stupid and childish. The big question is: how long is it until Don cheats on her? I don't believe that Don will be in a monogamous relationship for the rest of his life. It's also interesting how it's reminiscent of the beginning of his relationship with Betty. Betty was a beautiful young model and Don swept her up. When Betty got older and he got bored, he lost interest. Megan is also a very young girl, an actress, and pretty (in Don's eyes). What's going to happen to his fidelity to Megan in a couple years? Or 10? Or even by the end of the season? When Don loses respect for someone, a lot of feelings for them deteriorate quickly.
Don also has to deal with Megan's Canadian parents, who have a very bizarre marriage and her father is not a total believer in Don. He thinks Megan took the easy way out by marrying a rich guy. Megan's mother is also incredibly insecure, which is a recurring theme throughout the season.
Betty - since January Jones is pregnant, they decided to put her in a fat suit to hide it, and turn that into a storyline. Perfect Betty has to deal with being overweight, which makes for some interesting television. Her appearances are very sparse, however, and you can go episodes without seeing her at all. There is a lot of pressure on Betty to compete with Megan, especially when her children are involved. As far as Sally goes, she goes through a lot of childhood development this season. Glen the creepy kid also makes a couple appearances, and their relationship is really open for interpretation. Kiernan Shipka is also a great young actress. We also get to see Henry Francis' mother a little bit, especially when she babysits Sally.
Pete - Pete is...well, Pete. But cockier than ever. He feels that all is owed to him, even as only a junior partner. He gets incredibly demanding this season and enters into some interesting affairs. Pete is honestly one of the most difficult characters for me to empathize with, especially this season. Almost every thing he does is just obnoxious, not to mention he is a total hypocrite. Vincent Kartheiser is great, however.
Peggy - as my favorite character, I liked what they did with her this season. She has to balance romance and work in a very sexist society, and makes some life changing decisions several times throughout the season. I love how strong Peggy is, and in these days she would easily be a partner already. Peggy also is Megan's boss...which is really quite inappropriate and causes a lot of awkwardness in the office.
Joan - remember that jerk she's married to? Yeah. They're still married when the season starts, unfortunately. Joan is strong though, and without spoiling anything, she makes some very questionable and life altering decisions this season regarding her romantic and work life. I think her and Peggy learn the most this season about how when it boils down to it, it's every wo/man for themselves.
Lane - bitter about not getting the greatest deal out of this partnership, Lane makes some...questionable business decisions this season. He becomes much more prevalent later in the season, and without spoiling much, he gets into a very....entertaining "discussion" with Pete. I think Jared Harris is amazing for this role.
Roger - talked into taking LSD with Jane, Roger has a very memorable and insightful trip. Although the acid trip was a little stereotypical, there's nothing funnier than watching Roger doing acid. The trip also has longer implications for him in the season. Additionally, Roger enters into a very odd romantic relationship with an unexpected character.
And it's not just the characters that will suck you in and keep you watching. The context of show is amazingly interesting. We get to see references to the Richard Speck murders, Charles Witman's shooting rampage, toxic clouds of smog over NYC, the Hare Krishnas, and the Rolling Stones. Also some interesting clients this season: Heinz, Jaguar, Mohawk Airlines, American Cancer Society, Manischewitz, Dow Chemical, and Virginia Slims.
You could watch this show for the amazingly intricate characters, the interesting portrayal of life in the 60s, or both. This show is highly entertaining, addictive, and one of the best on television today.
This season takes place between Memorial Day 1966 and Spring 1967. The season focuses on Don Draper and Megan's relationship and how distracting it is from his job, and most of the main characters are facing painful new beginnings and realize it's a "dog-eat-dog" world. The season starts out light (probably because of how dark season 4 was), but by the end of the season things are gloomier than ever. So never fear, Mad Men isn't going soft.
Don - one reason I enjoyed season 4 so much is that we had a break from Don being in a dramatic, serious relationship. He was just casually dating and we were able to see more of SCDP. Now he's married to Megan, and that opens up a lot more storylines. You'll either love or hate Megan. She shows signs of being very independent and mature, but then will surprise you by suddenly doing something very stupid and childish. The big question is: how long is it until Don cheats on her? I don't believe that Don will be in a monogamous relationship for the rest of his life. It's also interesting how it's reminiscent of the beginning of his relationship with Betty. Betty was a beautiful young model and Don swept her up. When Betty got older and he got bored, he lost interest. Megan is also a very young girl, an actress, and pretty (in Don's eyes). What's going to happen to his fidelity to Megan in a couple years? Or 10? Or even by the end of the season? When Don loses respect for someone, a lot of feelings for them deteriorate quickly.
Don also has to deal with Megan's Canadian parents, who have a very bizarre marriage and her father is not a total believer in Don. He thinks Megan took the easy way out by marrying a rich guy. Megan's mother is also incredibly insecure, which is a recurring theme throughout the season.
Betty - since January Jones is pregnant, they decided to put her in a fat suit to hide it, and turn that into a storyline. Perfect Betty has to deal with being overweight, which makes for some interesting television. Her appearances are very sparse, however, and you can go episodes without seeing her at all. There is a lot of pressure on Betty to compete with Megan, especially when her children are involved. As far as Sally goes, she goes through a lot of childhood development this season. Glen the creepy kid also makes a couple appearances, and their relationship is really open for interpretation. Kiernan Shipka is also a great young actress. We also get to see Henry Francis' mother a little bit, especially when she babysits Sally.
Pete - Pete is...well, Pete. But cockier than ever. He feels that all is owed to him, even as only a junior partner. He gets incredibly demanding this season and enters into some interesting affairs. Pete is honestly one of the most difficult characters for me to empathize with, especially this season. Almost every thing he does is just obnoxious, not to mention he is a total hypocrite. Vincent Kartheiser is great, however.
Peggy - as my favorite character, I liked what they did with her this season. She has to balance romance and work in a very sexist society, and makes some life changing decisions several times throughout the season. I love how strong Peggy is, and in these days she would easily be a partner already. Peggy also is Megan's boss...which is really quite inappropriate and causes a lot of awkwardness in the office.
Joan - remember that jerk she's married to? Yeah. They're still married when the season starts, unfortunately. Joan is strong though, and without spoiling anything, she makes some very questionable and life altering decisions this season regarding her romantic and work life. I think her and Peggy learn the most this season about how when it boils down to it, it's every wo/man for themselves.
Lane - bitter about not getting the greatest deal out of this partnership, Lane makes some...questionable business decisions this season. He becomes much more prevalent later in the season, and without spoiling much, he gets into a very....entertaining "discussion" with Pete. I think Jared Harris is amazing for this role.
Roger - talked into taking LSD with Jane, Roger has a very memorable and insightful trip. Although the acid trip was a little stereotypical, there's nothing funnier than watching Roger doing acid. The trip also has longer implications for him in the season. Additionally, Roger enters into a very odd romantic relationship with an unexpected character.
And it's not just the characters that will suck you in and keep you watching. The context of show is amazingly interesting. We get to see references to the Richard Speck murders, Charles Witman's shooting rampage, toxic clouds of smog over NYC, the Hare Krishnas, and the Rolling Stones. Also some interesting clients this season: Heinz, Jaguar, Mohawk Airlines, American Cancer Society, Manischewitz, Dow Chemical, and Virginia Slims.
You could watch this show for the amazingly intricate characters, the interesting portrayal of life in the 60s, or both. This show is highly entertaining, addictive, and one of the best on television today.
51 of 57 people found the following review helpful
By K. Krauser
Format:Blu-ray
I looked at a couple of the negative reviews and found them to be bizarre. This is very thoughtful and well-written show that stands head and shoulders above the vast majority of what is currently out there. A couple of people seem to be fixated on the Betty episode which I would agree was the weakest of the first six that I have seen but that is only relative. The other episodes have been among the best of the series with the the further fleshing out and development of the older characters going hand in hand with surprisingly strong and complex new(er) characters such as Megan and Ginsberg, not to mention Mrs. Francis (Henry's mother). I just think that this show continues to be a wonderful window into upheaval of the 1960s that still affects to this day. The early comments do not reflect the high quality of the fifth season at all and are misleading. Update: I just completed watching Episodes 7-11 and found two of the very best episodes ever produced including The Other Woman which really exposes the seamy underbelly of the "getting ahead at all costs" nature of the world of advertising and of the corporate mindset in general.
43 of 49 people found the following review helpful
A lot is happening in this episode of Mad Men, all of it heartbreaking and it all makes for one of the best episodes of the season. The race to get the Jaguar account is still on and difficulties abound. The Jaguar continues to be an expensive and unreliable car and the agency hopes to compare it to a mistress, but needs the slogan - a slogan that Don is having trouble creating. One of the Jaguar executives wants Joan's company for an evening, and not as Pete puts it for dinner and dancing. It is right that Pete should define the terms as he is the weasel who pimps and pitches the propisition to Joan. The rest of the men are aghast and don't want Joan to do it but Pete is convinced that this is the only way they will get the account - even if Don comes through with his ususal brilliance. In his stress, Don is lashing out at both Peggy and Megan and Peggy is considering pursuing another opportunity. Megan is hoping she gets a part with an out of town try out.
The episode highlights the differences for women and working women in particular without preaching or being heavy-handed. All of the female characters are asked to prostitute themselves in some way, either literal or metaphoric and their femininity is still their defining characteristic to the men in their world, despite what they do and how they function. Don is surprisingly moral and Pete unsurprisingly adds pander to his many slimey accomplishments. Lane is pragmatic and fond of Joan and advises that if forced to sell oneself to get the best possible price and to get it up front. Roger and Cooper are as ineffectual as ever. The editing of Don's pitch and Joan's decision about what to do is a brilliant bit of filming. The depth of Don's feelings for Peggy are finally revealed and end by being as sad as the rest of tonight's show.
These characters were never paragons but tonight they all participated in the corruption that would emblematize America as it went forward into the seventies and eighties; they did it for understandable reasons and they remain good but flawed people but the worm is in the apple. A brilliant, brilliant episode that shows us why Mad Men is not only one of the best shows on television but is destined to be remembered as a classic. Watch this episode at your earliest possible convenience.
The episode highlights the differences for women and working women in particular without preaching or being heavy-handed. All of the female characters are asked to prostitute themselves in some way, either literal or metaphoric and their femininity is still their defining characteristic to the men in their world, despite what they do and how they function. Don is surprisingly moral and Pete unsurprisingly adds pander to his many slimey accomplishments. Lane is pragmatic and fond of Joan and advises that if forced to sell oneself to get the best possible price and to get it up front. Roger and Cooper are as ineffectual as ever. The editing of Don's pitch and Joan's decision about what to do is a brilliant bit of filming. The depth of Don's feelings for Peggy are finally revealed and end by being as sad as the rest of tonight's show.
These characters were never paragons but tonight they all participated in the corruption that would emblematize America as it went forward into the seventies and eighties; they did it for understandable reasons and they remain good but flawed people but the worm is in the apple. A brilliant, brilliant episode that shows us why Mad Men is not only one of the best shows on television but is destined to be remembered as a classic. Watch this episode at your earliest possible convenience.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
madmen
I think it started well. But the following years to me it is a down hill course. Still we will watch it.
Published 15 hours ago by De Carl A. Restivo
5.0 out of 5 stars
catching up
Got this one to catch up and get ready for season six. Now, I'm hoping it's even better this season.
Published 2 days ago by Danielle
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent season I really loved it.
I have seen the 1-4 season and I liked the all seasons story so I was excited to watch the 5th.
I was so interested with this new actress Megan, I was watching the... Read more
I was so interested with this new actress Megan, I was watching the... Read more
Published 4 days ago by Amal
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blown Away
This season was spectacular. So many themes I don't know where to start. Perception vs. Reality. Feminism Ideal vs. What a Woman Does to Get Ahead. Giving in to Your Desires vs. Read more
Published 5 days ago by C. A Puzio
5.0 out of 5 stars
good buy
The video pack was here quickly in good shape and all the cds worked fine. I've purchased other dvds that didn't work properly - this was package well also
Published 7 days ago by rhon
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant!
The show that keeps on getting better - follow the team into their next challenge. Great acting, writing and directing. A show that lets itself explore the quiet moments.
Published 8 days ago by MICHAEL F. DALEY
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great!
I love everything about Mad Men! I have been a faithful watcher of this show since the first season and I am never disappointed. I just want more. Enjoy!
Published 8 days ago by 3 sisters
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mad Men
Great show. I love the character development and the way the show captures the cultural changes of the 60's. Read more
Published 9 days ago by 18969-duck
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cineamatic heaven
I just love, love, love this program. I'm sorry that the 6th season is the end. The character of Don Draper/Dick Whitman is so well developed that I find myself just trying to... Read more
Published 9 days ago by bbgirl27
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mad Men season 5
I am a huge fan of the series . I found the blu-ray edition to be of excellent quality. Well done.
Published 12 days ago by Carmelanna
