Matthew Weiner Finds New Ways to Reveal Nothing About Mad Men

mad_men_weiner.jpgIf only Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse were a little bit more like Matthew Weiner, then maybe the reaction to the Lost series finale would have been different. To wit: Darlton spent so much time building up expectations, that when certain aspects weren't given satisfactory resolutions (see: infertility on the island), fans became enraged. Meanwhile, Weiner is the exact opposite -- he seems to delight in revealing as little about Mad Men as possible. So what does he have to say about the upcoming fourth season?

Speaking with TV Guide, the Mad Men creator found new and exciting ways to say absolutely nothing about his series. For instance, there's this exchange:

TV Guide Magazine: We know you like to keep things close to the vest, but are you able to talk about at all what's coming up?

Weiner: I have nothing to say -- I really don't! I mean, the season's not going to start the next day, and we're on episode seven or so. I'm working hard to make it an entertaining experience, to sort of keep in there and surprise people. I don't know what else to tell you.

Then this:

TV Guide Magazine: Have the actors reacted to what they get to do this season -- were they surprised about where their characters go?

Weiner: I don't think there's anything that's radical that really changes. There is some time that passes between the two seasons. I'm not going to say how long it is.

Don't forget this:

TV Guide Magazine: You've used cultural and pop cultural touchstones from the time period as central elements of storylines. Will there be something like that this time around?

Weiner: I promise that there will be plenty of that, but I can't really tell you because it'll ruin what period were in and I don't want to do that.

And finally:

TV Guide Magazine: Major series finales like Lost have been a major topic of watercooler discussions lately. Do you have in your head how and when and where your show ends?

Weiner: ... So I would say, yes, I have something in mind and then I would say, no, I'm not ready to tell that story yet!

You have to give credit to the TV Guide interviewer for being persistant, but man. Talk about stonewalled. Matthew Weiner: keeping what are obviously insanely high expectations in check since 2007. See you on July 25th!

· TV Guide Magazine Exclusive: 'Mad Men' Creator Teases Season 4 and Series Finale [TV Guide]



Comments

  • NP says:

    Just a hunch here, but I'm thinking we're going to see the biggest jump in time between seasons yet.

  • sweetbiscuit says:

    I'm thinking he jumps to the moon landing and Sally Draper experimenting with LSD.

  • MC says:

    " certain aspects weren’t given satisfactory resolutions (see: infertility on the island), fans became enraged"
    To the contrary, the island INCREASED fertility. Just ask Juliet in regards to Jin.
    Some things require critical thinking from the audience.
    Could carry babies conceved on the island to term before the Incident (drilling into the energy source followed by the detonation of a thermonuclear weapon?)
    Yes!
    Could women carry babies conceived on the island to term AFTER the incident?
    NO.
    So why couldn't women carry babies to term on the island....
    Um, the Incident?

  • Snarkymark says:

    Matthew Wiener learned from the master, David Chase. It's none of TV Guide's business what we are going to see this year (or mine for that matter). Here's a novel notion: we'll tune in and see what happens week to week. Stunning, I know, but do we really want Matt to sit around: "Well, in the first scene, Don's in a bar, banging a cocktail waitress so hard her ponytail is sticking straight out, then we dissolve to Roger Sterling shopping at what was then Gimbles..." Keep it to yourself Yoda. It's fine by me...