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Mad Men on Twitter

You know what? I think Twitter might be the new fan fiction medium.

Recently, almost the entire cast of Mad Men, which I obviously just can't shut up about, has appeared on Twitter, giving updates on their lives in a unusual mix of episode reporting and personal invention. The people behind the characters don't seem to have any connections beyond their interest in the show (although they are also careful to stay in their characters' shadows), and after the incident that brought the initial Twitterers to the media's attention - parent network AMC's massively stupid attempt to stop them on copyright issues - it's clear AMC didn't plan it as a marketing ploy.

But while it is brilliant marketing, it's more than that. It's a creative and intimate way to interact with the TV show's reality, and evidence of how much to heart fans of the show are taking these characters. There are lots of other fictional characters on Twitter, but, to my knowledge, they are largely just for laughs, and not as committed to staying in their characters, building a network between the characters, and exploring the subtexts of their storylines. It's really pretty fascinating to see it develop.

Join in by following the friends and enemies of Sterling Cooper: