Mad Men
Interestingly enough, the harsh, jazz-tinged, nearly hallucinatory opening to Mad Men went through a lot of pitches to get to the final result. However, one can expect that of all the ideas put forward, the one eventually chosen to open the Emmy-winning drama is the same one Don Draper would have approved. While original concepts focused on the period stylings of the workplace and paid homage to various successful ads, this opening focuses on the black silhouette in the middle, whose consciousness collapses, sending his body into a free-fall from the Madison Ave. skyscraper.
The primary focus of this opening is an eerie, slow motion drop into oblivion. With a nod to the symmetrical, vividly drawn title sequences of Saul Bass, although with a sleek, modernist flair, the cryptic and slightly morose opening is up for speculation. That makes sense given the layered themes and symbols that come from Mad Men’s best episodes. Meanwhile, RJD2’s smoky “A Beautiful Mine” is a mix between smooth jazz and the opening theme to The Twilight Zone.
There is a twist to this title sequence, though: just as you think the body is going to hit the ground, we back away from the man, sitting in his chair with his head tilted, holding a cigarette. What we have just seen is all in his imagination. What a perfect grace note to capture the brilliant but damaged psyche of the show’s enigmatic protagonist. Haunting and handsome, just like Don Draper, these titles are a classic glimpse into the ennui of the central character.