Sunday, August 08, 2010

Before there was Don Draper, there was Michael Steadman

Before there was Mad Men, there was Thirty-Something. Maybe not quite a edgy but....

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15 comments:

George said...

I liked the subplot about the company being part of a secret merger or buy-out.

6:21 PM
Anonymous said...

Patti - I hadn't thought about thirtysomething for a long time. Thanks for the reminder of a good show. I always appreciate intelligent writing.

6:31 PM
pattinase (abbott) said...

More about family life and strife, but the ad business was part of the plot and people's foibles.

6:46 PM
Steve Oerkfitz said...

Never understood the appeal of Thirtysomethng.Self centered whiny yuppies never did it for me.

7:41 PM
pattinase (abbott) said...

A lot of people say that, but to me, that's how we all are in our worst moments-and this was about worst moments as is MAD MEN.

7:47 PM
Todd Mason said...

And each series from Herdkowitz snf Zwick improved on the last. ONCE AND AGAIN even reintroduced Miles.

MAD MEN, while good, doesn't hold a candle to O and A (not OPIE AND ANTHONY). MAD MEN is too consistently use at our petty worst.

5:04 AM
Anonymous said...

Michael Steadman (and, even more so, his wife Hope) was a whiner.

If you want to look at a comparison with Don Draper you need to look at Michael's brilliantly devious sometimes boss, Miles Drentell (brilliantly played by David Clennon).

It's the difference between a real grownup and someone playing at it.

Jeff M.

6:53 AM
pattinase (abbott) said...

Truthfully I had forgotten the mysterious Miles Drentell. I was thinking along the lines of the handsome family man that really is too troubled to be good at it.

8:00 AM
pattinase (abbott) said...

Yes, but TS had Michael Steadman and Once and Again only had Sela Ward. Apples and oranges.

8:02 AM
Todd Mason said...

Um, no...while Sela Ward was delightful in the role, the cast as a whole was strong and the writing was stronger. Which had been true of MY S0-CALLED LIFE and more true of RELATIVITY before peaking in O&A (not, mind you, the radio series OPIE AND ANTHONY).

Pleasant enough Stayman apples, THIRTYSOMETHING, and a nice tart McIntosh, ONCE AND AGAIN...

8:14 AM
Todd Mason said...

Still holding out hope for the new Herskowitz and Zwick, apparently coming this season...

8:15 AM
Todd Mason said...

I think Paul Haggis's involvement with THIRTYSOMETHING might've had something to do with it being so offputting to many. Such a terrible writer.

8:20 AM
Kieran Shea said...

yeah, but he was such a wuss when it came to advertising. he would've had his head cut off in the first meeting at the agency i worked for, probably break down and cry.

10:38 AM
pattinase (abbott) said...

That's because he was really "novelist."

10:53 AM
Todd Mason said...

Um.

11:05 AM

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