In the Writing #5: How Character Development in Mad Men Drives Conflict

 
"Throughout Mad Men's run, many have commented on its "slow burn" progression, and some have cited its soapiness as a shortcoming. There's a separate discussion to be had about the merits of soap opera tropes and their absorption into the contemporary media landscape, but it is Weiner's specific and successful incorporation of these tropes that distinguishes Mad Men from other heavy-hitters such as network counterpart Breaking Bad. What has taken place is a reversal of its target audience's expectations: rather than working from a definitive inciting incident (Walt's cancer diagnosis) that requires immediate action (cooking meth to generate quick money to leave behind for his family), we find that, as we progress, we stumble upon what would otherwise have taken the form of inciting incidents -- many occurring in the latter seasons of the show's run."

read Jesse Damiani 's analysis

In the Writing #5: How Character Development in <i>Mad Men</i> Drives Conflict | Jesse Damiani