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"Mad Men" Tv Series returns to AMC Season two of AMC hit "Mad Men" will premiere. July 27. All 13 episodes of the drama’s new season will air in that Sunday-night timeslot. Star Jon Hamm won a Golden Globe for lead actor in a drama, while the skein’s scribes took home the Writers Guild Award for new show. To help viewers catch up, AMC will air a "Mad Men" marathon of the entire first season on July 20. Skein is produced by Lionsgate and exec produced by Matthew Weiner. |
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| From Goldderby.latimes.com - "Mad Men" Tv Series nominated for 4 Television Critics Awards Television critics’ awards continue to snub (slap ?) women with ’The Wire’ and ’Mad Men’ leading the nominations Fox TV may be No. 1 among viewers, but according to the Television Critics Assn., there is nothing on the network worth nominating for awards. Paycaster HBO leads the pack for the annual TCA awards with 10 nods, including four for the final season of "The Wire." Perhaps this will be the year that this show, long touted by the critics, finally gets some awards love from them. They have long criticized the Emmy Awards for snubbing the gritty series, save for a sole writing nod in 2005, but they have done the same, with the show going 0 for 6 with the TCA. Mad_men_glenn_close_damages_saman_2 Of course, the TV critics did the same with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and star Sarah Michelle Gellar, bemoaning the Emmys for not taking the show seriously but failing to recognize it themselves until after it went off the air. Then they gave it the heritage award — a prize "The Wire" is up for this year, along with program of the year, drama series and individual achievement in drama (show creator David Simon). With men making up a majority of the TCA membership, testosterone-driven programs like the Ken Burns WWII documentary "The War" — which picked up three nods, including program of the year — tend to dominate the nominations. Perhaps that explains why another critical darling — "Battlestar Galactica" — will leave the airwaves this year having been snubbed by the TCA. After all, the president in that sci-fi series is, egads, a woman (Mary McDonnell). The other programs competing for the top prize are male-driven : "Mad Men," which is also up for drama series, new program and an individual nom for star Jon Hamm ; "John Adams," which also contends for movie/mini-series and gets a nod for star Paul Giamatti ; and "Lost," which found its way back into this category after being snubbed last year. To be fair, two of the entries for best movie or mini-series are distinctly female-friendly — "Cranford" and "The Complete Jane Austen" —which both aired on PBS’ "Masterpiece." However, that nod for "Austen" is odd given that this umbrella series included a showing of the decade-old version of "Pride and Prejudice" among its offerings. While these period pieces showcase great actresses like Dames Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins, women still struggle to make it into the individual achievement races. This year, like last, only two women are competing for each of these prizes. Connie Britton ("Friday Night Lights") and Tina Fey ("30 Rock") return, joined by Glenn Close ("Damages") and Christina Applegate ("Samantha Who ?") in the drama and comedy categories. However, if the TCA track record is anything to go by, I wouldn’t worry about writing an acceptance speech, ladies. Of the 22 awards bestowed so far for individual achievement in comedy or drama series, only three have gone to women : Jane Kaczmarek for "Malcolm in the Middle" in 2000 and 2001 and Edie Falco for "The Sopranos" in 2003. This year, there is not a single woman among the five finalists competing for the career achievement award. That is not so surprising given that only two of the first 20 honorees were women — Lucille Ball (1989) and Angela Lansbury (1996). And with Carol Burnett having been honored in 2006 and Mary Tyler Moore last year, looks like Oprah Winfrey will have to wait till at least 2028 for her turn. Then the following year, the TCA could finally fete Barbara Walters, who will, no doubt, still be holding court on "The View" as she turns 100. Winners will be announced July 19, two days after Emmy Awards nominations are made public. Luckily for the ladies, those kudos include just as many categories for them as they do for the fellas. Program of the year "John Adams" "Lost" "Mad Men" "The War" "The Wire" Comedy series "30 Rock" "The Colbert Report" "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" "Flight of the Conchords" "The Office" Drama series "Damages" "Friday Night Lights" "Lost" "Mad Men" "The Wire" Movies, miniseries and specials "John Adams" "Masterpiece : Cranford" "Masterpiece : The Complete Jane Austen" "The War" "A Raisin in the Sun" New program "Breaking Bad" "Damages" "Flight of the Conchords" "Mad Men" "Pushing Daisies" Individual achievement in comedy Christina Applegate ("Samantha Who ?") Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock") Stephen Colbert ("The Colbert Report") Tina Fey ("30 Rock") Ray Wise ("Reaper") Individual achievement in drama Connie Britton ("Friday Night Lights") Glenn Close ("Damages") Paul Giamatti ("John Adams") Jon Hamm ("Mad Men") David Simon ("The Wire") Children’s programming "Curious George" "Hannah Montana" "Word Girl" "Yo Gabba Gabba" News and information "Alive Day Memories" "This American Life" "Frontline" "Nimrod Nation" "Ken Burns’ The War" Heritage award "M*A*S*H" "Roots" "Saturday Night Live" "Sesame Street" "The Wire" Career achievement James Garner Lorne Michaels Bill Moyers William Shatner Mike Wallace (AMC, ABC, FX) |
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| Mad Men grabs 16 Emmy nominations Mad Men, the acclaimed drama set in the world of advertising in the 1960s, has picked up 16 nominations for US TV's Emmy awards. Historical drama John Adams, about one of the United States' founding fathers, tops the shortlist with 23 nominations. 30 Rock, which took best comedy at last year's awards, leads the comedy nominees with 17 nods. The Primetime Emmy Awards, now in their 60th year, will be announced at a Los Angeles ceremony on 21 September. Mad Men will compete against Emmy stalwarts House and Lost, as well as serial killer drama Dexter, and Damages - which also earns a nod for star Glenn Close. 30 Rock, the spoof comedy about life in network television, vies with the US remake of British hit The Office, Two and a Half Men, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage. However long-running hits Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives failed to make a showing in the best series categories. Story from BBC NEWS: |
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| Mad Men scoops US critics' awards Mad Men, the drama set in a 1960s New York advertising agency, has dominated the annual awards ceremony organised by the US Television Critics Association. It was named programme of the year and outstanding new show, and also won the prize for outstanding drama. Comedy series 30 Rock - centred on a fictional entertainment show - took two awards, including a comedy prize for its star and creator, Tina Fey. Hard-hitting drama The Wire received the critics' heritage award. This is given to shows with a "lasting cultural or social impact". There were also two honours for mini-series John Adams, which told the story of the second US president and was based on a biography by historian David McCullough. It took the category for best film, mini-series or special, and Paul Giamatti - who took the title role - won the award for outstanding actor in a drama. Lorne Michaels, one of the creators of long-running show Saturday Night Live, received a lifetime achievement prize. And public broadcasting channel PBS collected two awards, for news and children's programming. The victory for Mad Men was a landmark for cable channel AMC, which had never before won awards from the Television Critics Association. The programme - seen on BBC Two and BBC Four in the UK - has been praised for its script, its set and its wardrobe. A second series begins in the US next Sunday. Story from BBC NEWS: |
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| Christina Hendricks - "Mad Men" Tv Series - Chicagotribune.com Interview MR: It’s been kind of crazy to see all the press attention the show is getting this season CH: It’s been extraordinary. I’ve never been on a show that people just don’t have anything bad to say about. I’m not scared to read the reviews for once. They tend to be positive, so that’s a really good feeling. MR: It’s one of those things where I’m like, I want the second season to be good, but I’m almost afraid that it can’t be as great as the first season. CH: I’m not just saying this — I really think it’s better this year. I think the scripts are extraordinary this year. Last year they were as well, but because now we already know these characters to a certain degree, these scripts are just opening up their worlds and it’s revealing more about them and you’re learning more about them. I just think that’s so interesting. MR: Yeah, watching Season 1 again on DVD, I thought a lot about that – that you really don’t know these people all that well, we go glimpses of who they are, but there’s still a lot to learn about who they are. It kind of set the stage… CH: Yeah, exactly. There are a lot of characters on the show. In Season 1, each person had an episode to shine, and some more than others. But there were little things revealed, enough to make the characters really rich and to create this world that they’re living in. Now we’ve got the opportunity, now that the background has been laid out, to show more. MR: Right, Joan is someone we got to know to a degree, but there were all these things you learned about her that you just went, “What?” She could be so awful but then she could be so kind too. Sometimes I don’t know what to make of her. CH: Sometimes I don’t either [laughs]. I think the nice thing is that these characters are really well rounded characters. Sometimes you don’t like Joan. There are things that she does in the office and things that she says and the way she treats Peggy in particular makes people dislike her. And a lot of people could dislike her for having an affair. But then you see how tender she is with [Roger Slattery] and how girlish she is. And she’s just a girl. And then you see her with her roommate – she’s a good friend, but she’s confused. There are all those elements of Joan. I remember when I first got the script where [Joan’s] roommate came to the office and she’s just been fired. And Joan says, “Sit down, tell me everything that happened.” And I remember going, “Wait a minute, I don’t know how to play this scene – Joan is being really nice.” And [Matt says], “But she is nice. That’s her roommate, and Joan likes her.” “But Joan’s never nice!” It was just another side of her I hadn’t seen yet, I had to figure that out. MR: There are a lot of great scenes between Joan and Peggy – there’s that one where Peggy says, “I think I understand now. You’re actually trying to be nice.” CH: It’s true. I think Joan really is trying to be helpful. And Peggy’s behavior is dumbfounding to her. It’s like, “Every other girl came in here and listened to what I had to say. You’re not the first girl to be walked around the office and told what to do. Every other girl is doing that and been just fine.” Here’s this young girl who is not listening to me and I know my advice is good. So it’s really frustrating for Joan. Joan MR: One thing I’ve been thinking about is, Peggy and Joan are not that different. Maybe both of them are eventually going to get married, but neither of them is on this path to get married and have a house in the suburbs. Neither of them is really pursuing that. CH: Right, they’re both career-driven in different capacities. Joan is, to her, at the top of her field and that’s exactly where she wants to be. Peggy wants to go in a different direction, but they’re both ambitious and career-driven. I don’t think a woman in 1960 would be office manager and running the whole place and telling everyone where to go if she wasn’t driven. And Joan could go out and find a husband quite easily. She’s an attractive, smart, successful woman but she’s not pursuing that. She’s doing things that are safe to a certain degree, because she can’t marry a man who’s already married. (...) |
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| Fashionmagazine.com Christina Hendricks - Interview This month’s cover goddess Christina Hendricks plays office bombshell Joan Holloway on the breakout 1960’s Madison Avenue drama Mad Men. In this web exclusive, she opens up about being curvy in Hollywood, shares her on-screen smoking tips and reveals the downside of being a fashion trendsetter. The storytelling on Mad Men is consistently surprising. What’s the moment like when you get a new script? “In season one, I used to get my scripts and go [settles in] ‘Aaah,’ with my cup of coffee. Now, we all grab at them, flip through them for our names and see how much we’re in it. [Laughs] But it does feel like a gift, like you really don’t answer the phone for an hour. You sit and read that script.” Nearly every character smokes on Mad Men. What’s tricky about that for you? “Keeping the cigarette lit, because the herbal cigarettes we use go out really quickly. If I take a drag now, I know that if I don’t take one within three lines, the thing will go out and then the scene will be ruined.” The fashions of Mad Men have started influencing what we see in boutiques and on the runways, yet it seems like you can’t really get too into it or people will look at you funny. “Exactly, like I’m crazy. ‘Poor Christina Hendricks, have you seen her? She’s just wandering around Hollywood in a shift dress. She can’t let go. She wears a beehive at home.’ [Laughs] I really like vintage clothes but I tend to wear things from the ’40s more than the ’60s.” As Joan, you’ve given us a more curvaceous brand of beauty and glamour than we’ve gotten from Hollywood lately. What’s that been like for you? “It’s been nice. I was a little fearful that people wouldn’t know what to do with it and be critical, but everyone’s been wonderful. I’ve still gotten a bit of, ‘It must be so great to be on a 1960’s show.’ I’m like, ‘Well, I’m on [the contemporary series] Life on Friday nights and it works there, too.’” Has your figure ever been an issue in auditioning? “I had one audition where they said they loved me but they thought I was too heavy. And I said, ‘To be honest, fuck you, I’ll do Mad Men.’ Some casting people have had a hard time placing me because I’m tall, I’m curvy, I’m pale, all these things that don’t work in Hollywood necessarily. But I’m a really good actress and I believe that.” Are you a natural redhead? “I’m dark blonde but I’ve always felt like a redhead. I started coloring my hair red when I was about 10. When I first started modeling, my agent was like, ‘It’s a disaster.’ So then I went honey blonde. Then I did a campaign for L’Oréal and they wanted red and after that, I started booking every job because there were so few redheads. So my agent let me keep it.” Your father worked for the forest service. In what ways did his job rub off on you? “I’m super recycler. I’m the girl on set who’s picking the water bottles out of the garbage and putting them in the recycling bin, thinking, ‘It’s three feet away, people.’” Your boyfriend, actor Geoffrey Arend, is going to be turning up soon on his own advertising-themed show drama, Trust Me. That’s quite a coincidence. “It’s pretty incredible. While all the madness of Mad Men has been going on, he’s been by my side supporting me and then as soon as my show ends I get to jump in and do that for him. It’ll be perfect because he’s a little Mad Men-ned out. (Laughs) He’s like, ‘I can’t go anywhere without seeing your damn show!’” |