AMC's Mad Men won four consecutive Emmys for Best Drama, and is one of the best written shows on television. The show's meticulous attention to detail greatly enhances the atmosphere and credibility of this period drama set in a 1960s advertising agency. The characters are multidimensional and their motivations aren't always readily apparent. The production design, direction, acting, and writing all contribute to the charmingly reproduced 1960s America. The show's tendency to combine its original storylines with real historical events adds another level of legitimacy and complexity. Mad Men is a relatively quiet, slower-paced, and more meditative alternative to the more action-oriented and violent shows on this list. But there is great drama, witty banter, and sharp dialogue here. Jon Hamm's Don Draper is mystifying, Elizabeth Moss' Peggy Olson is quick-witted, John Slattery's Roger Sterling is side-splitting, and Robert Morse's Bertram Cooper is wonderfully eccentric. The entire ensemble is first-rate; it is baffling that this show has still not won a single Emmy for acting. Not many shows can match the ability of Mad Men to convey the mood of a bygone era so fittingly. Prepare to explore a slice of 1960s Americana, but not everything is as idyllic as it seems.
