The Color Green

Revisiting my comments about past Mad Men episodes is often a cringe worthy exercise. Like chapters in a book, each episode is part of a collective whole. It’s easy to over emphasize many individual plot trees that ultimately turn out to be of minor significance in the forest of Season 3. That said, one motif I continuously harped on was the juxtaposition of the colors blue and green. I saw many examples as having a deliberate symbolic importance rather being simple arbitrary production design decisions. Specifically, blue seemed to represent traditional social mores and institutions in existence at the start of the sixties which, like the fall of Rome Gene reads about, give way in Season 3 and force the character to face change in their lives. This is often depicted by the use of green tones.

I received a range of feedback on this from some who thought that I “may have a point” to others who found me being “overwrought” in my analysis.

Now that I’ve had a time to fully digest and reflect on Season 3, I am more certain than ever in the merits of this read. So, forgive me if I take the time to yet again lay out my case for this interpretation. In doing so, I have selectively pulled relevent content from my recaps of the last thirteen episodes.

I realize that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar and not EVERY use of either color applies equally. But, I’m still convinced that a definite pattern can be discerned.

...Full Post at Basket of Kisses.