I was thrilled when Elisabeth Moss was nominated for an Emmy this year. I think that her subtle, nuanced performance as Peggy Olson is one of the best parts of Mad Men. I thought this was particularly evident this week, in the second episode of the new season.

All the characters in Mad Men are fairly complex, but I think that Peggy is right up there with Don in terms of depth. Like Don, she is a complicated individual, struggling with her identity. I love that the show is almost setting them up in a mentor/protege relationship.

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With the 2008-2009 network television season in the bag, and a dreary 2009-2010 season to look forward to, I find my mind a wandering back in time. As easy as it is to stumble back on The West Wing anyway, my stroll was aided by a recent conversation being held over the highs and lows that West Wingers past have been hitting on USA Network’s In Plain Sight.

While the topic need not be revisited (I can only tell Ivey he’s wrong so many times), Modwild got me thinking about just how well some shows cast their guests. Not that certain actors are deserving of a certain level of quality parts, but rather, that there’s a fine art to assigning an actor to a role.

While there are countless examples of how to, and not to, do this right, The West Wing, in particular, stands out as an example of casting done brilliantly. Over its life, guest stars big and small took both short and long turns on the show, and in a world where most things fall into predictable percentages, The West Wing got it right more often than most.

A few of my most memorable: Read the rest of this entry »

Another season of Saturday Night Live come and gone. 34 seasons is an impressive feat for any program. This show really has become an institution, as well as a launching point for many comedy careers. One of those careers is Will Ferrell’s, so it seems right that he is back hosting the season finale. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he has a big summer movie opening this year too.

I was happy to see that SNL ended the season on a high note, as I thought this was one of the best episodes of the season. Like last week there were a ton of special appearances and cameos, some oddly placed, but they were still fun. Let’s break it down….

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Dear AMC,

Okay, maybe that was a little harsh. I won’t actually burn you to the ground, but I will metaphorically end you with my mind if you dick over Mad Men. Yes, I know that you said it will be back this summer, which is all well and good. I mean, I would prefer it if it came back right now; hell, what I really want is for Jon Hamm and Christina Hendricks to just come over to my house and act out scenes from the show, but I get it. I don’t always get what I want.

But let’s be honest here. You’re AMC. You’re not HBO, or Showtime; you’re not even TNT. What I mean is you’re not exactly known for your original programming. You were what old people tuned into on Sunday afternoons when they wanted to watch reruns of Murder She Wrote, or Unsolved Mysteries, or whatever the hell.

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amctv.com

“I could have had you in my life forever, if I wanted to.” Peggy tells Pete she’s not perfect on Mad Men

How awesome is Elisabeth Moss? When I’m watching Mad Men, I’m often distracted by the utter hotness of Jon Hamm as Don Draper, but damn, Peggy Olson is a great character. Along with her genteel ambition and mousy exterior, there’s a quiet desperation that runs under everything she says and does. It’s the yearning that I notice the most when I watch Moss play Peggy, but the scene in last Sunday’s season finale in which she finally tells Pete exactly what the result of their affair was, she reveals a strength that is pretty damn impressive.

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