Mad Men, the megamovie of the moment

Writing for The Atlantic, Benjamin Schwarz says we’ve got it all backwards regarding Mad Men: January Jones is a bad actress and the show’s appeal lies not in the accuracy of the production details but in the emotional intelligence.

Then there is the miraculous Hamm, playing the lead character, Don Draper. Here is an actor who at once projects sexual mastery and ironic intelligence, poise and vulnerability. That alchemy has created the greatest male stars, from Gable to Grant to Bogart to McQueen to Clooney, because it wins for them both the desire of women and the fondness of men.

For my money, Jones is just as good at Hamm in portraying her character’s multitudes.

• Benjamin Schwarz
• January Jones
• Mad Men
• TV