Great article.  In particular, I love this line: "Barnes & Noble hangs in there, but its stores never seemed like they were stocked by people who liked books, the way Borders used to be."  So true.  Though I don't know why.  Why do you think it ended up that way?  Did Borders have better selection?  Project a more…

Mad Men is middle-brow how exactly?  Cuz of all the white peeps?

So, we're supposed to dislike S & W now?  No, fuck that.

something something i am sargeant poopenstein

I dunno.  He is pretty insufferable as a camera-hogging celeb every year during the televised NBA All-Star Saturday festivities.  Like even moreso than all the other celebs who participate.

Watched some U.S. Open with the Dad.

Oh man.  Remember when there was that Chris Brown troll on here?  That guy was a tool.

Even as a guy who watched LOST in huge episode batches, the unevenness of the show on a per-episode basis still really killed it for me.  I signed off after the third season - I couldn't take it's meandering plotting and absurd character-confrontation drama any longer.

@avclub-ee712b54ff92d404ff6cd6c8f6e41324:disqus  and @avclub-230e46d19fe78a6c8dc715659a7188d7:disqus  - I think you both raise good points.  Perhaps they could have showed Don labor a bit more as he tried to pick himself up.  And I agree that showing the effect of Don's transgressions and poor judgment on the lives of…

The shark wants to use my telephone!

Yeah, good call.  I should have remembered Last Airbender and Jonah Hex at the very least.

First time I recall seeing an F on this site.  Have there been others (and what were they)?

Haven't seen all of Breaking Bad yet but I think MM stands on its own two feet, for me at least.  They are both great shows - just different.

Maybe you watch too many shows and are spreading yourself thin???  There are only 3-4 shows that I absolutely love and go out of my way to recommend to ppl …. and there are definitely episodes from each of those shows that stand out to me - in ways good or bad.

I had the same impression.  I watched it for the first time just recently on DVD.  The first disc (i.e., the first 3 episodes) was enjoyable enough but I didn't really get the love for the show.  Then, like you said, it got amazing.  More character stuff and less a show that was trying as hard to be everything for…

I half agree with you.  Roger never seems to let anything truly bother him.  Then this happens and his panties get all twisted up.  Still, the story's rationalization for why is one that I can buy.  It sort of bothered me but not terribly so.

I can see how that MM episode would get flak.

True story - it is completely all downhill from the pilot.

ts;dr

Never got Cathy, at all.  Maybe you need to be a girl?