re: What I didn’t like about Mad Men

I’m the OP.
I’m a little surprised by the amount of downvotes.
I’ll stick to my guns, thank you. There’s well written scripts out there with believable, authentic dialogue. Breaking Bad may be a good example, although I haven’t seen an episode in years.
But again, there’s countless examples in Mad Men where the dialogue just sounds so inauthentic.
Roger Sterling is sitting with Don at a restaurant, waiter walks up and asks if they’re interested in dessert or something. Roger immediately says to Don, “Did you know the ancientGreeks served cheesake to their Olympic athletes ? Don replies with an equally clever reply about “ an extra lap or two around the steno pool”. Yeah right.
This goes on and on throughout the show , throughout the series. Everyone has the clever witty remark on the tip of their tongue, or the astute historical reference to make a point. C’mon man!!!

quote:

---

’m the OP.
I’m a little surprised by the amount of downvotes.
I’ll stick to my guns, thank you. There’s well written scripts out there with believable, authentic dialogue. Breaking Bad may be a good example, although I haven’t seen an episode in years.
But again, there’s countless examples in Mad Men where the dialogue just sounds so inauthentic.
Roger Sterling is sitting with Don at a restaurant, waiter walks up and asks if they’re interested in dessert or something. Roger immediately says to Don, “Did you know the ancientGreeks served cheesake to their Olympic athletes ? Don replies with an equally clever reply about “ an extra lap or two around the steno pool”. Yeah right.
This goes on and on throughout the show , throughout the series. Everyone has the clever witty remark on the tip of their tongue, or the astute historical reference to make a point. C’mon man!!!

---

I’m sorry you don’t enjoy good writing.

Every show has unrealistic dialogue, because it’s pre fricking written.

quote:

---

I’m sorry you don’t enjoy good writing.

---

Oh I love good writing. But the dialogue has to sound more genuine, that’s how people talk in everyday conversation. They don’t speak in soliloquies. It’s pretentious stuff. Other writers find a way to write excellent scripts with authentic dialogue. Curb Your Enthusiasm excelled at it, to give just one example

Is this more realistic to you?

quote:

---

It got funnier right idk maybe just me but at this point I think their about split down the middle seasons wise.

---

American dad on TBS vs Fox

They weren't communicating with their phones back then.

You should be complaining about Two Broke Girls.

Two uneducated broke girls where every sentence is some quip.

Not complaining about educated smart men in the 60's.

Oh nooze! They know history. You're really just sort of arguing your own ignorance by thinking it's impossible people can be smart and talk like that.

Shows have clever dialogue (except Two Broke Girls which is more your speed) that's why they have writers. Nobody wants to hear an hour show about the weather.

And despite your protestations they have normal conversations in Mad Men. And they talk very formally because YES, that was the workplace back then...not hey dude and showing up in jeans and a t-shirt.

When you say people don't talk like that, what you're saying is you and your friends don't talk like that. But hey, Don drinks Martinis and you like your Natty Lights.

quote:

---

Take the L and move on my dude

---

Even the hobo in don’s season 2 flashback Rhapsodizes like Shakespeare. Gimme a break. Matt Weiner is too pretentious. After smoking some pot, Don says to Marge, “ I feel like Dorothy, everything just turned to color”. Yeah right. That’s how people talked

quote:

---

What is the necessary levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month,

---

The origin of ......."bout 350"

LOL I knew a cashier at KMart that had a PhD in English Literature from Northwestern. He used to recite stuff at the checkout. He was like one step above a hobo.

First of all, It’s a tv show, and the witty dialogue makes it entertaining. Unwitty dialogue wouldn’t be entertaining. You think everyone in small town Canada is as witty and fast-tongued as the folks of Letterkenny? Not a chance. But if those characters weren’t so hilariously witty, the show would suck.

Second, it works for the characters on the show. Advertising people’s entire existence depends on coming up with pithy quips and witty lines. Why wouldn’t they be that way on the fly? These are highly educated people in this show, and liberal arts degrees in the 50’s and 60’s were much heavier on substance than they are now. It was all about learning the classics, philosophy, mythology, etc. those concepts are reflected in their advertising.

As for talking like Larry David, have you ever met a Jewish person? A lot of us talk like that, just maybe not quite as blunt and obnoxious.

And I am extremely quippy. Damn near everything I say is a one-liner. I once got cut off from sex during forplay because I wouldn’t stop cracking jokes like James Bond right before the scene cuts to black.

Finally, my father is full of memorable lines of wisdom which I use in every day conversation like “you can’t pick EVERY hill to die on”.