Mad Men (2007)

Mad Men (2007) is a richly detailed, character-driven drama set in the early 1960s that plunges you into the world of a small but ambitious Madison Avenue ad agency and the people who keep it running. At the center is Donald “Don” Draper, a brilliantly creative but deeply conflicted ad executive whose polished public persona hides a secret past and a life of personal compromises. As the agency—Sterling Cooper and its later incarnations—fights for clients and relevance, the show explores ambition, identity, gender roles, racism, consumerism and the social upheavals of the decade. If you watch Mad Men you’ll experience a slow-burning, impeccably styled period piece: meticulous production design, evocative costumes, and a soundtrack that immerse you in 1960s New York. The pacing favors mood and psychology over action, with sharp dialogue, moral ambiguity, and layered storytelling that reward attention. Expect powerful performances (notably Jon Hamm as Don Draper), intense office politics, complicated interpersonal relationships, and recurring scenes of drinking, smoking and infidelity that reveal character as much as plot. The series balances professional creativity—behind-the-scenes of ad campaigns and creative pitches—with intimate personal drama, showing how public success can coexist with private unraveling. It’s thought-provoking and often uncomfortable, alternating moments of dark humor, melancholy and catharsis. Mad Men is best for viewers who enjoy slow, intelligent drama that examines character and culture as much as it tells a plot-driven story.

Actors: Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser

Genre: Drama

8.7 /10 8.7 /10