Sometimes I wonder if anyone listens to TV critics, but if the success of AMC's Mad Men is any indication, some people must be paying attention to the praise that's been heaped on the show.  Not only is the series nominated for 16 Emmy awards, but the ratings for last week's second season premiere more than doubled the season 1 average.  Despite the critical love that the show has garnered since it debuted last year, it seems many people waited until the first season wrapped up to see what all the fuss is about.  As someone who didn't get into the show until its recent DVD release, I'm happy to report that I was one of the 2.1 million viewers who tuned in to see season 2 kick off on July 27.

During its first season Mad Men only averaged around 900,000 viewers, which isn't great even for a cable series.  It's possible that the show needed time to build word of mouth.  The recent upswing in viewers could be due to the Emmy nominations, the recent DVD release, or the fact that AMC offered every episode for free through On Demand during the hiatus.  The network has done everything imaginable to promote the series, including having BMW sponsor the season 2 premiere so it could run with limited commercial interruption.

After breezing through about five episodes of Mad Men on DVD a few weeks ago, I rushed out to buy the entire season on Blu-Ray.  After devouring every episode and watching all the special features, I then started raving about the show to my friends.  I've already helped one person get addicted to the series, and now I'm doing my best to spread the word to others.  By highlighting the smoke-filled advertising industry of the 1960s, the series brings to life an era that we rarely see on television.  The best TV is something that truly transports you to another place, and now it seems like plenty of viewers are signing up to journey back to the '60s every week.

Mad Men airs Sundays at 10pm on AMC.  New episodes are also available through On Demand the following day.


- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of AMC)