Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
James Martin, S.J.September 18, 2009

Our online editor, Tim Reidy, and I are currently battling for supremacy in the contest of who is the bigger "Mad Men" fan.  Here we are on this week's podcast talking about the philosophical and theological underpinnings of the hit AMC show--not to mention the hidden meanings in its name (how many ways does "Mad" describe the characters); whether the talented Don Draper and Peggy Olsen will ever find a rest for their restless hearts; why Betty seems so full of sadness and longing; and how the coming social changes that will soon entirely upend the world of Sterling Cooper.   (Along the way Tim and I manage to discuss Jean-Paul Sartre, Charles Dickens, Flannery O'Connor, Richard Yates, Betty Friedan and St. Augustine!)  And if you've never seen the show, it's a good way to introduce yourself to the last few seasons, without having to buy the first and second season DVDs.  Spoiler alert: next week the Culture section will feature a piece by Fr. Terrance W. Klein, associate professor at Fordham, who uses Flannery O'Connor's stories and novels as a way of unlocking some of the underlying themes of "Mad Men." 

Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
14 years 10 months ago
It's common knowledge that the priest played by Tom Hanks' son is a Jesuit, right?  My wife and I are just catching up on this excellent show and we noticed the S.J. after the priest's name on the parish bulletin in the first episode in which he appears.  Very cool!

The latest from america

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández declared that the Vatican will only validate reports of Marian apparitions in “exceptional” cases that incur the special interest of the pope.
A Homily for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Father Terrance Klein
Terrance KleinJuly 17, 2024
The 58-year-old Portuguese Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça is widely recognized not only as a poet but also as one of the leading intellectuals of the Roman Curia.
Gerard O’ConnellJuly 17, 2024
Former President Donald Trump appears with vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance during the Republican National Convention on July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
At one time, the presence of Catholics on both major-party tickets would have been cause for celebration. But now Mr. Vance and Mr. Biden reflect the political divisions among U.S. Catholics.