Mad Men

CHICAGO – How about a precisely done comedy of romance in time for Valentine’s Day weekend? Prime Video presents “Somebody I Used to Know,” a collaboration between a real-life married couple … director/co-writer Dave Franco (“The Rental”) and co-writer/lead actor Alison Brie (“GLOW,” “Mad Men”).

CHICAGO – With the major league baseball playoffs on the horizon, there is no better way to celebrate than a screening of the ballgame-themed TV pilot “Vendors,” created by Christopher Biewer, directed by Joel Murray and featuring Biewer, Kim DeJesus, Tim Kazurinsky, Emo Philips and former Chicago Cub Ryan Dempster.

CHICAGO – Elisabeth Moss is the ‘Actor of Her Generation.’ She is a true chameleon, and can anchor a lead role while still expressing a twitch of consequence. The subject is depression in “Queen of Earth,” and writer/director Alex Ross Perry is able to honestly portray it through Moss.

CHICAGO – iO Chicago continues the Grand Opening at its new venue with one of its most famous alumni – the illustrious Joel Murray. Besides opening the seventh season of “Mad Men” with a brilliant monologue as Freddy Rumsen, Murray brings his “Joel Murray & Friends” show to the new iO Chicago on August 30th.

LOS ANGELES – It was one more lap around the victory track for the AMC-TV show ‘Breakling Bad,’ as the gritty drama about a teacher turned meth dealer took home six Primetime Emmy Awards at the 66th ceremony on August 25th. ‘Modern Family’ took home the statue for Outstanding Comedy Series for a a fifth straight year.

CHICAGO – You would think that a film written and directed by Matthew Weiner – the creator of “Mad Men” – would be worthwhile company, especially when the cast includes Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson and Amy Poehler. It is disappointing to note that not only was this cliché-ridden mess unpalatable, but it also switched gears two-thirds of the way through to evoke a different mood, and that schizophrenia didn’t help the overall product.

CHICAGO – Some old TV favorites and some new online upstarts highlight the nominations for the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards, which takes place on Monday, August 25th, 2014. The Netflix series “Orange is the New Black” competes with stalwart sitcoms “The Big Bang Theory” and “Modern Family” at this year’s ceremony.

CHICAGO – While there were a few nice surprises (Vera Farmiga! Laura Dern!), the 2013 Emmy nominations were a largely predictable bunch, including most of the nominees from last year, including “Breaking Bad,” “Homeland,” “Downton Abbey,” “Mad Men,” “Modern Family,” and many more.

CHICAGO – Don Draper (Jon Hamm) is no longer the most popular person in the room. Time, depression, alcoholism, and the changing politics have altered this character, once such a vital force of human nature. Remember the days when everything Don said hit with the client? When he could juggle secret pasts and multiple mistresses? One of the most prominent arcs of “Mad Men” overall has been how that Don is fading away as the ’60s head toward the next decade.

CHICAGO – Zombies. Dragons. Gangsters. Meth dealers. David Lynch. It was a weird year for television. Was it a good year? Sorta. It was nowhere near the landmark year of 2011 but there was still a lot to like and it was easy to get to 30 shows worth mentioning.