Bryan Batt Movies
Following a first-season finale in which housewife Betty Draper (January Jones) comes to the realization that her ad-exec husband, Don (Jon Hamm), may be having an affair, Season 2 dives headlong into the couple's marital strife. Professionally, Don is flying high as a junior partner and creative director at the Sterling Cooper ad agency, but his home life is rapidly deteriorating. After Betty kicks him out for apparent infidelity, Don moves into a hotel and is only able to see his children with Betty's permission. At Sterling Cooper, the long-simmering power struggle between Don and Herman "Duck" Phillips (Mark Moses) reaches a boiling point, as the impetuous director of account services negotiates a deal with a British firm that he believes will finally give him the upper hand. A subtler power play is made by Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss), who seems to have recovered nicely from the shocking birth of her child by married account exec Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser). The product research that Peggy conducted while serving as Don's secretary during Season 1 eventually leads to her promotion as the agency's first female copywriter, and even her own office. Other employees also confront emerging social issues of the day: Creative copywriter Paul Kinsey (Michael Gladis) breaks social taboos by dating a black woman, while art director Salvatore Romano (Bryan Batt) secretly struggles with his homosexuality. And romance remains tricky for secretary Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks) -- whose doctor fiancé proves controlling and abusive-and her ex, Sterling Cooper partner Roger Sterling (John Slattery), who embarks on yet another extramarital love affair with yet another young secretary. ~ Todd Thatcher, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, (more)
The debut season of Matthew Weiner's intense and stylish drama follows the lives of Madison Avenue advertising executives (so-called "Mad Men") in 1960. The series centers on Don Draper (Jon Hamm), the dashing and brilliant creative director for ad agency Sterling Cooper (Season 1 accounts include Richard Nixon's presidential campaign and, appropriately, Lucky Strike, given the cigarettes are smoked in nearly every scene). Don's charms extend well outside of the boardroom and into the bedroom: The married man has a free-spirited lover, Midge Daniels (Rosemarie DeWitt), who's his polar opposite, and a second mistress, Rachel Menken (Maggie Siff), a client whose independence challenges Don's views on women. Don's wife, Betty (January Jones), meanwhile, dutifully fulfills her role as housewife. But when she develops a mysterious ailment that causes her to lose feeling in her hands, she's sent to a psychiatrist to work through her problems. Over at Sterling Cooper, new secretary Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) tries to adjust to life in the boys club with guidance from seen-it-all bombshell secretary Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks). Young account exec Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) also has his eyes on Peggy and quickly begins pursuing her, despite his upcoming nuptials. There's even more bad behavior at the office from skirt chasers Ken Cosgrove (Aaron Staton) and Paul Kinsey (Michael Gladis), loving but imperfect Harry Crane (Rich Sommer) and stuck-in-the-closet art director Sal Romano (Bryan Batt). Partner Roger Sterling (John Slattery) does little to set an example for his employees as he happily indulges in an array of vices and an affair with Joan. Senior partner Bertram Cooper (Robert Morse) is mostly out of touch with the staff, preferring to remain within the sanctuary of his giant office. In the midst of this workplace frivolity, Don learns that the picture-perfect life he's created for himself could be threatened by a secret from his past. ~ Brie Hearn, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, (more)
Based on Paul Rudnick's hit Off-Broadway play, this romantic comedy centers on the chaotic love life of Jeffrey (Steven Weber), a gay man who swears off sex only to fall in love with his ideal man (Michael T. Weiss). Jeffrey's vow of chastity is inspired by a fear of AIDS, a prospect which has started to terrify him so much that he decides he'd be better off never making love again. He is happy and relieved for a time, until he meets Steve, a handsome, charming dreamboat who also happens to be HIV-positive. Jeffrey wants nothing more than to be with Steve, but his anxiety over the disease and fear of commitment stand in the way. Much of the humor falls to Jeffrey's friends, including the sharp-tongued Sterling (Patrick Stewart), an outwardly catty but surprisingly good-hearted interior decorator, and his young boyfriend Darius (Bryan Batt), a performer in the Broadway musical Cats. Nathan Lane also contributes a memorable cameo as a questionable priest. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Weber, Michael T. Weiss, (more)
