The Erotic Theology of Mad Men

July is the month when fans of the award-winning series Mad Men, which follows the lives of 1960s Madison Avenue executives, eagerly await a new serving of high drama and retro-chic fashion. But since the fifth season has been postponed to next year, Maddicts will have to content themselves with revisiting already-released episodes. One of these, the episode “Maidenform” from season two, is especially worth a second look, for it is a curious window into the truth of Catholic teaching on human sexuality.

Not that that was anyone’s goal. Mark Greif is too harsh, but he has a point when he accuses the show of essentially “congratulat[ing] the present.” The series’ explorations—often through graphic scenes—of sexism, racism, “homophobia,” etc., often seem designed to confirm some viewers in their self-satisfaction.