Pop Vultures

I’m having a very hard time forging a relationship with Mad Men. Sure, it’s an excellent show. It’s been nominated for just about every television award in existence, and deservedly so. The writing is smart, the acting is strong across the board, and the period details are flawless. In fact, it’s hard to find anything wrong with the show. In my defense, I do keep trying to make it work. Each Monday morning, I hit iTunes, happily download the latest episode and then…forget to watch it.

I’ve been forgetting to watch Mad Men for several weeks now. It’s not like my viewing schedule is completely booked up, either; lots of my favorite fall shows haven’t even premiered yet. Besides, if I have time to watch America’s Next Top Model, I must have time to watch Mad Men, right?

And yet, somehow, each week, I forget about the new episode sitting quietly on my hard drive. When I do watch the show, I really like it and plan to see it again, but somehow, it always slips my mind. No matter how great the show is, it isn’t compelling enough to drag me back week after week. Sure, I want to know if Peggy ever breaks into the boys’ club of advertising, but for the most part, I don’t really care if the characters get what they want. Hell, I don’t actually <i>know</i> what they want, because in this world of repression, most of the characters don’t know what they want, either.

Mad Men is a subtle study of an era, a slow reveal of the widening cracks in society that led to the vast changes of the late 60s. While the characters are oblivious to the upcoming changes, the viewer watches the slow increase of tension, knowing that the explosion is yet to come. However, unlike just about every other show out there, Mad Men is not about the explosion; it’s about watching people slowly load the gun they’ll be using to shoot themselves in the foot.

The show is more about quiet, passive desperation than active searching, and that’s part of its beauty. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the reasons I keep forgetting to watch. I know that, each week, I’ll be treated to an hour of quality television, but I also know that so little will happen that it’s okay to wait a week or two to get caught up. Basically, it’s the television equivalent of dating the strong, silent type, and apparently, after a few dates, I want someone I can gab with.

It not you, Mad Men; it’s me. I just can’t seem to commit. Maybe we need some couple’s therapy. Fortunately, I know there are lots of other people out there happy to declare their love, so I’m not too worried about you. You’ll be fine.

What about you? What are the best shows out there that you keep forgtting to watch — and is Mad Men one of them?