Basket of Kisses

IFC published an article on Barbet Schroeder and other unusual directors on Mad Men. This was back in November, so belated thanks to Basketcase Lisa.

Best of the Year, anyone? Zap2It’s TV Gal lists Mad Men as #1 on her favorite shows of 2009. The Associated Press includes Mad Men among 2009’s finest. The Boston Herald names Mad Men this year’s “most improved show.”

For the second third year in a row, Mad Men is on the American Film Institute (AFI) list of best television shows of the year. Time Magazine places My Old Kentucky Home #7 on a list of best television episodes this year, while iTunes Rewind cites The Gypsy and the Hobo as the best single episode of a 2009 television drama.

Update: Mad Men led the TV field for the 2010 Writers Guild Awards with three nominations (along with 30 Rock, The Office and Modern Family).

Ad Age charts the Twitter posts of Glee vs. Mad Men.

Jon Hamm has an uncredited voice role in A Single Man, which is is set in the ’60s and boasts the production team from Mad Men. Meanwhile, The L Magazine calls A Single Man “a feature-length, Los Angeles-based Mad Men spin-off,” and points out that a lot of Mad Men’s production design team was involved with the film.

Jezebel asks you to “Meet Joy Golden: The Real Peggy Olsen.”  Video galore.

Cultivator Advertising & Design in Denver produced a Mad Men-themed holiday card.  The attire is temporary, but the decor is permanent. Meanwhile, Ohio.com suggests you do your own Mad Men Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, DO NOT MISS Mad Men gingerbread (h/t Basketcase Esther).

Author and critic Chuck Klosterman talks to /Film about product placement in Mad Men (and 30 Rock).

(more…)

Well, maybe just to some of us. We know that not all viewers took notice of Gertie at the stables in S2, but others are fans of Denise Crosby from way back–she was the ultimately doomed, oft returning Lieutenant Tasha Yar on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Whether you recognized her or not, you couldn’t help relishing in her performance as Gertie–yet another example of Mad Men’s wonderful casting, resulting in big characters from relatively few lines.

And of course, no one will forget Colin Hanks as Father Gill. Colin’s performance brought a such a light to the role; one that truly matched Elisabeth’s Peggy.

A basket of birthday kisses to both!

One Blue Egg by Dyna Moe

November 24th is the birthday of Colin Hanks, the attentive and questionable-in-his-appropriateness Father Gill.

November 24th is also the birthday of Denise Crosby, Betty’s strict, humorless and presumably gay riding instructor. Denise is the daughter of Dennis Crosby (one of Bing’s twin sons), and former daughter-in-law of directing legend Blake Edwards. To Star Trek fans, she needs no introduction.

Happiest of birthdays and many baskets of kisses to both of you!

Here’s part two, which has some interesting stuff about Roddenberry and his writers. Interesting, y’know, maybe even for people who love a show that is so strongly one man’s vision. If you happened to know anyone like that.