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Chuck Norris' tears (and my mustache) cure cancer. Don Draper's tears save seasons
It's undeniable that this season's finale one of the most exciting and satisfying episodes of Mad Men we've seen yet. So much so that it's pulling me out of the bullpen and forcing me to write about MM once again. I've gobbled up as much recapping as I can handle on the tubes and linked to most of it below. I'll try to put my own spin on it here.
Top Moments of Mad Men Episode 313: Shut The Door. Have A Seat.
Don Versus
If Don Draper was a Mike Tyson's Punch Out character, he'd have unlimited stars. He wouldn't need to train by running by the waterfront or have Mac trail him on a bike or pat him on the back when he's feeling glum. He doesn't need to duck or dodge. Don Draper is Muhammed Ali. He is Rocky fighting Mr. T. Don Draper is the master of the rope-a-dope. Don Draper sits back for 10 episodes getting the shit kicked out of him (or so you think) and just when you think he's down? Boom! He's up and swinging. Tale of the tape below:
Don vs. Connie
The interaction between Don and Connie was the first big scene of the finale and arguably the most important. Don has been a whimpering baby for a bunch of episodes now, feeling bad for himself and falling short on a lot of things - basically un-Don-like. By asking if he "was one of those people" who cry about what's owed to them, Connie wakes Draper from his self-pitying slumber and puts the SCDP wheels in motion. Don may have lost his father-figure and his top account, but the experience he had with Connie led him to some important realizations. Still, Connie has been (and hopefully will continue to be) Don's superior and isn't afraid to knock him down a peg or two when Don gets out of line.
Winner: Connie (KO)
Archie vs. Dick/Don
Don Draper has been haunted by the goast of Archibald "Dad" Whitman all season. From flashbacks in his kitchen to late-night / red-pill induced visits, Don's been reminded of how his shitty father has abused him and his family for as long as Archie lived. Then came the latest flashback, with Archibald being his asshole self, but this time for the good of his family. Slate editors apparently hate flashbacks, (keep it in mind next time you make a critically acclaimed, Emmy winning drama), but they also apparently sympathized with Archie on this one. To paraphrase, Slate and others believe that the flashback was meant to show Don's father in a way that was worth imitating; don't give up on something you believe in or else you'll get kicked in the face by your horse and die. Something like that. To me, this felt much more like a Pete Campbell move: despite all intentions of being a stubborn arrogant SOB, Archie was doing what was right. And while I agree that the dream sequence was part of what encouraged Don to stand up for himself like his late father did, he transcended the inherited stubbornness by realizing that he'll need help if he wants to succeed. Where Archie rebuked a co-op, Don embraced it, marching right into Bert's office in order to build the rest of the Magnificent Seven.
Winner: Dick/Don (KO)
Dick vs. Don
Part of the reason Don's been getting kicked around is that he's been exposing himself more (Relax Sal) and showing more Dick (I said RELAX). What we're seeing in Don assembling his crew is that Don's not going to get anywhere without a little Whitman in him. This means opening himself up and showing that he truly does value people. I was a little taken aback at how quickly the transition from apathetic drifter to full-on ad-man came ("So you want to be in advertising after all") and with that, the honesty and heart-felt concessions to Roger, Pete and Peggy. But to be honest, the first few pitches only feel half-hearted. That is, until Roger breaks the news to Don about Henry Francis, sealing the deal that Don and Betty's marriage really is over. Raw and beaten down, someone new arises the next morning (Note to self: calling wife a whore is cathartic) - a Dick/Don hybrid that is focused but with the added emotion of a man who's invested in his own life again. And we see it when going back to Peggy, being as open as we've ever seen him: "Something happened, something terrible...and no one understands. But you do." The first layer is the change the times signaled by the Kennedy assassination and that Peggy knows how to read between the cultural lines and pull from the ether the perfect ad slogan. But the more interesting facet is the shared tribulations of Peggy and Don. Don knows that Peggy understands what it's like to go through "something terrible." Peggy, being the smart girl she is, realizes Don is revealing his new side to her. And being the vulnerable girl she is ("You won't talk to me ever again"), wants to feel needed (Enter pitch: "I'll spend the rest of my life trying to hire you"). It's this new Dick/Don combination that later offers both the conciliatory and cutting remark to Betty before her trip to Reno: "I hope that you get everything you want."
Winner: Tie
Don vs. Betty
Don: "You mainline brat" "I was never good enough for you"
More than anything, to me, this is what turned Don into the Dick/Don hybrid I spoke of above. When Betty retorts by saying, "That's right," we all know that Don is getting what he signed up for: a narcissistic woman-child; a real-life Barbie doll with the maturity level and attention span of it's intended target audience. As an aside: this is also the scene that makes me think Jon Hamm is indeed deserving of an Emmy. In less than a minute on screen he manages to be angry, visibly drunk (for once), scared and scary all at once. I also find this sad, not because I wanted them to last (Scos and WOHJR get along better), but because I was hoping Betty was going to transcend her childishness. Sure, the divorce was the right move for her and yes, she was showing some guts by being assertive and not taking Don's condescending advice to see a doctor ("a good one this time"). But running into Henry Francis' arms? C'mon. Don was right - she was jumping from one life raft to another. And from the last shot of her on the plane with Gene Jr. and Mr. Fainting Couch, I think she knows it too.
Winner: Don (Unanimous decision)
Survivor: Sterling Cooper Edition
How's everyone feel about the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce pickups? Here's my breakdown, in order of assembly:
Bert: Something makes me think Bert won't live through season 4. He's pretty old and also pretty ineffective. Don't get me wrong, he's a great plot device and every scene he's in is great, but I'd be surprised he survives, both in SCDP as well as on the show.
Roger: "Ugh, I'm tired. Peggy, can you get me some coffee?" What other character on Mad Men consistently delivers the greatest one liners, the funniest looks and now, one of the most surprisingly interesting backstories? If you say Harry, I'll lock you in the broom closet.
Pryce: "Very good, Happy Christmas!" - Lane Pryce offers a great counter-balance to the other three partners. I've been silently rooting for him ever since we saw early on how he's been pushed around by his tight-assed bosses across the pond. I just hope in Season 4 Captain Mike will finally stand up to his wife.
Peggy: Though somewhat predictable, Peggy has shown the kind of balls we all expected the secretary with the ankles that can sing to have. Not only is she standing up to Don, but she's getting laid on a regular basis and occasionally smoking drugs. Plus, Vulture or Slate or someone said that the Duck x Peggy storyline isn't dead and I agree - I can't wait to see Don explode when he finds out his mentor is sleeping with his biggest professional enemy.
Pete: Pete's been a favorite character of mine for most of the season, largely due to his unexpected transformation. If I didn't know better, I'd expect Weiner and co. to keep Pete as the show's antagonist, constantly trying to weasel his way to the top with no respect for his coworkers. I don't think that competitiveness will ever die, but it was nice to see Don recognize what we all liked about Pete this year - that he's been constantly ahead of the curve. Plus, more Pete = more Trudy ("Peter, can I see you for a minute?!") Campbell and their strangely rejuvenated marriage. Here's to more scenes with the Chip & Dip.
Harry: TV's that important. How else can they stand to keep him around? Harry's not interesting either as a character or as an employee. I liked him better when he was opening Ken's mail and walking around the office with only his boxers on. Here's hoping for some more interesting plot lines for Harry next season.
Joan: JOAN! Did anyone yell her name when someone complained about not knowing where any of the files were? Also one of my favorite understatements of the episode: "Joan, what a good idea."
Those voted off: Kenny and his haircut were more of a charicature than a real character. If you counted up his time on screen since the pilot, I don't think it'd be more than 3 minutes. Kinsey's been phased out and it's another "meh." I'll miss Sal and was secretely hoping he was sleeping in the Art Department when Don kicked down the door. I have a feeling he'll be back. I'm going to miss Hilde constantly giving Pete shit. But I think you can all guess where I'm going with this: LOIS!. Will SCDP @ The Pierre need a switchboard operator slash grass cutter?
The Single Guy
Unless Betty has a sudden change of heart (please don't do this off camera Weiner), here are my predictions for who Don may hook back up with and the odds associated with them:
Midge: The East Village is SO first year out of college season. While she was a good compliment to Don, it's hard to imagine her being brought back. 10:1
Rachel: Dating a successful single Jewish woman? How progressive of Don. Pretty possible and in my mind, hopeful. That said, she's on SOA now and seems pretty locked in there. Either way I get my fill of Maggie Siff 5:1
Bobbie Bartlett: Besides the great fingerbang scene, I don't think many people cared about this vignette. I'll be happy if she doesn't come back and I think I'll be ok. 20:1
Stewardess: I know it's a long shot, I just like thinking about her. 100:1
Ms. Farrell: I hate this bitch so much but I have a sneaking suspicion that since she didn't off herself in the last few episodes (would have been darkly humorous if she pulled her own trigger on the same day Kennedy was shot), I bet either her, her brother or both will be back next season 4:1
Peggy: Why not? Oh, right, she's unattractive. 7:1
Betty: An affair with your soon to be ex-wife? Sounds steamy. Plus he can't just drop a banging bod the mother of his children so quickly 3:1
It was good for me, was it good for you?
Sources:
Alan Sepinwall
Interview w/ Weiner
Behind the scenes on the finale
Vulture's Logan
The Surf's Emily Nussbaum
Vulture: Logan x Emily IM conversation
Slate 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Don Draper doesn't sleep. He waits...for the perfect time to unleash a cliched line about the color blue that actually works.
As I sit in my sub-comfortably unheated house drinking my $10 wine, I wait for inspiration to hit. I drink more wine. I pull out old Smoke-Worthy posts of which I'm especially proud. I even turn on the MTV Jams and unbutton my pants. Still, I can't tug out an ounce of inspiration.
Then it hits me.
It hits me.
Dammit, I was hoping saying it over and over would help. I've got nothing. So I wait.
***
2 minutes and 17 seconds 24 hours pass. Here's what I've got.
Top Moments of Episode 310: The Color Blue
The Kinsey Renaissance
Paul Kinsey is a force of nature. He smokes a pipe. He has a beard in a British-owned corporate conglomerate. He once banged Joan (lifetime high fives). But for the entire third season, Paul's been marginalized to near-Cosgrove status. Sad, yes, but not unexpected. Besides the need to leave room for other more interesting people, Paul's been made more into a caricature than character. But in 310, Paul's done something I wouldn't have expected: he's taken his precious onscreen time and instead of sulking, embraced his oddball status. He's acting completely ridiculous and is now totally lovable. Here are just a few things that made for great Kinse-sanity.
Masturbating to his own material while listening to Jazz: At least if he's going to be self indulgent, he's doing it in style.
Talking to Achilles: "How does one talk to Achilles" Peggy aptly asks. Lots of scotch, a trip to the fridge and a very rude "Hush" would be the answer. Pen and paper not required.
Getting his ass kicked by Peggy: Not once, but twice. Reward: Consolation from Don - "See? It all worked out"
Lois is his secretary: LOUIS. Enough said.
Now if they could give Kinsey more action and stop wasting screen time on Miss Farrell, "I shall sleep very well tonight. Very well indeed."
Up For Interpretation
I thought The Color Blue and the whole analogy was a little too on-the-nose for Mad Men, and for the most part, I was right. The episode as a whole was a bit uneven and lingered too long on Don's explanation of how people perceive things differently (We get it, Paul v. Peggy re: Western Union, Don v. Betty re: prank call, Don v. Miss Farrell re: their relationship, Mr. vs. Mrs. Pryce re: NYC). But the writers* did a great job using what appears to be purposefully ambiguous language in a few areas that more subtly got across the point of interpreting the same thing differently:
"We don't have to go to Church every week" - Betty rationalizing to Sally why Church isn't necessary. Does that mean it is necessary for Carla, one of the show's "you people" or is it because the Draper family is above spiritual guidance? Either way, not good.
"I don't want to ruin this" Don to Miss Farrell - could be either, "I don't want to ruin this moment together" or "I dont want to ruin my sweet deal of mindless sex"
"Are you sure?" Don to Miss Farrell when she said he could come back tomorrow when her brother would be gone. Could be interpreted, sweetly, as "Are you sure you'll let me come back?" but equally salty, "Are you sure he'll be gone by then?" Suzanne then telling him to "Stop" could be to either "Stop poring pouring it on" or "Stop being an asshole."
"I told myself I'd do this right once" - Don to Kid Brother Farrell. Don's either reminded of the shitty way he dealt with his brother or the fact that he's never invested any serious effort in his love interests.
"My God" - Pete to Peggy after another one of Peggy's epiphanies. Jealousy or genuine appreciation?
These and other answers hopefully to come**.
Don Slow Downward Spiral To Idiocy
All the hard living has caught up to him. It took most of us four years of college life to kill off most of our productive brain cells. Don seems to have done it in three years (and 2.5 seasons). Some examples:
Work: When has he himself put out a great campaign? Remember when he used to do it all on his own? Now he's relying on Paul, Peggy and anyone else that can offer up an idea? "I can't do this alone" he growled to Peggy, the Swede and Other Guy. What he meant to say is that he can't do anything by himself. Roger's on his case for jeopardizing his biggest account (no moon) and for his second (no Sal). Pryce and Co. have his contract. Despite his guest-of-honor-ness, he's being held by the balls and has no idea.
Mentoring: Don used to be so good at this - helping people, specifically Peggy, get to where she deserved to be. This season, we've seen Don bully her around to what can only be disastrous consequences. Don's also decided to take on a new mentee, this time an epileptic trouble maker kid brother of the tweaked woman with whom he's having an affair. Genius. Hey Don, why don't you just start the paperwork on your divorce now and give the kid all the money in your treasure chest now because he's only going to clean you out or ruin your life, whichever comes first. I wanted to give Little Farrell (again, last name too on-the-nose?) a chance and see him the way Don wants to, as either mini-Don or "the little brother he didn't force to commit suicide.***" Still, don't say we didn't warn you, Don.
Philandering: Midge, Rachel, Bobbie, Suzanne. Which of these doesn't belong? While all the other women are intelligent, worldly and most important of all, able to call a spade a spade, Suzanne is an idiotic idealist with more than a splash of crazy. Patrick at Slate says what everyone questioning someone's relations with the opposite sex says: it's Freudian. All the women before were easy and made sense for Don's two-timing ways. But I agree with Patrick - he's dwelling on his past pretty heavily this season, diving into the box (the cardboard one, sicko) a lot. He's also connected with Connie on what's becoming a replacement his deadbeat cheapskate father (Connie to Don: "What, do you want love too?"). So it's only natural he's looking for a mother figure. Too bad she's 'dumb' and not 'pure' like Don was hoping. This will only end badly as Weiner is setting us up for the monumental fail of Don's life.
Related Mad Men Links (Courtesy of Vulture)
- MM prop guy on his job and Weiner's fascist control (Here)
- Facist Weiner trying to control how you experience Mad Men (Best viewed in the dark sans internets) (Here)
- Superstar Peggy's Elisabeth Moss on how she sees Peggy's progress this season(Here)
- A quote I thought was about Don Draper but was really about Don Hewitt, creator of 60 Minutes(Here)
It was good for me, was it good for you?
*Sup Kater, nice episode - how's "retirement?"
**Don't hold your breath. It's Mad Men after all.
***Hat Tip: Sars for the quote and the help on some of the dual meanings.
Don Draper is always late and doesn't care about that or anything else. He's a bad influence on me.
Rant: If Matt Weiner thinks he can toy with the viewers' emotions the way he did on this episode, I'm actively not going to care about writing this post. That's why I'm so late. I tried to sack up and just write like normal because even though it was the most frustrating episode of the season (ever?), it was still 10x better than anything else on TV right now. But the fact remains, nothing satisfying is happening and it's driving me nuts.
Because this episode is making me tell you how I really feel, I'm going to focus on the future, and therefore predict what the top three moments of next episode will be.
Top Moments of Episode 310: The Color Blue
1) Creator Matt Weiner uses his time-traveling tricks and skips to 1964, where all the problems of last episode have been skipped, smoothed over and forgotten. Joan has returned, inexplicably, to run the office once more. Roger is back to being a fun-loving, highly functioning alcoholic after Don and Roger 'hug it out' over two dozen oysters and mutual vomiting (let the martinis do the work!). Ken Cosgrove has decided to have more than 2 lines all season and has stepped up into the . Peggy, Sal and Pete have gone off to work for Duck, where the four of them have begun a TV spin off called Three Mad Men, A Woman And A Baby. The show is cancelled in 2010 / 1965.
2) In a rare anachronism, equal rights legislation is enacted that persecutes employers who discriminate "you people." Don is put on double secret probation (one step worse than "on notice") and is forced to have a male secretary. Realizing their time-warped mistake, Congress then retracts the legislation, allowing good ole' boy office antics while grandfathering Sal in his swanky new office. Don sulks.
3) Suddenly aware she does't want to revert back to being an idiot, Betty Draper gets her wits about her, realizes Don is off philandering somewhere, and hires a Private Investigator. The PI quickly finds out Don is having a(nother) affair (he's really not very sneaky) and tells Betty. Betty pulls a Kate Gosselin and kicks JDon out of the house (again). Don, still sulking, moves in with Miss Farrell, who apparently is a heaver drinker and philanderer than Don and ends up leaving him for a handsome advisor to Governer Rockefeller (Irony). Divorced and self-pitying, Don begins crashing weddings in a desperate attempt to pick up married women by womb-touching (Double irony!).
Cut. Print. Weiner & Co, I'm a free agent Nov 1. Call me.
On a slightly more upbeat note, here are some exciting Mad Men-related links below
- January Jones in lingerie for GQ (and me!). Pic below and more here.
- Sal's Bryan Batt on his character and if we'll ever see him again (here)
- Pete Campbell's Vincent Kartheiser talking about Mad Men and the Charleston here.
Don Draper speaks Italian. He can say "Do you need a light?," "Is this seat taken?," "Would you like to go to my room and make love?," and "Can I buy you a trinket to replace the emptiness you feel as a result of your sad, solitary suburban life?" all with a lighter and a stare
Top Moments of Episode 308: Souvenir
Don Draper is Many Things:
It appears Don is stretching his abilities beyond intimidating stares and clever sayings. Check his new personality range below:
Don Draper is Worn Out: Thanks to the excellent introduction of Conrad Hilton, Don has been thrown off-kilter. I can’t help but laugh when Connie forces Don to find a seat that isn’t his own, to fly to Denver or Rome, to wake up early or just to come up with a better one-liner than him. It’s a great dynamic and I can’t wait to see where it goes.
Don Draper is Romantic: This must be Bizarro Mad Men. I think we’re up to 7 episodes of Don not putting his P in a strange woman’s V. And what is this? Don’s being spontaneous by role playing with his own wife? And then having sex with her?? I’m not sure I can handle this abrupt change. But for once, I’m actually starting to believe that he’s falling in love with his own wife. Maybe it’s just Rome, but he’s at least trying his hardest. That is, until Miss. Farrell comes back around. It’s possible she’s gone now that school’s out, but you never know with those wiley writers. Maybe she’ll teach Bobby III (or IV if they swap him out again).
Don Draper is Brave/Thoughtful: The two times Don decided to be unselfish led to mixed results. The first was listening to his wife (for once!) and turning down Connie for lunch. Result: a shared shower with his wife. [Fist pound to explosion].
The second time he surprised Birdy with a charm bracelet of the Roman Coliseum, even going so far as to ask Connie to send it back for him. Result: Snide comment and a lonely camera pan-out. Either way, it shows Don is trying and unlike his other empty efforts (ieg Season 2 Valentine’s Day), it feels genuine.
Don Draper is Pregnant?: One of the blogs said Draper/Hamm actually started to look overweight. Knowing how Weiner gradually added Peggy’s fat suit in season one, it’s not completely unreasonable. Is Don pregnant? Tune in to find out for sure.
My Bad, Pete’s Still A Dick
From the first shot of the episode, Pete was sure to entertain. While Ebony-reading Pete was planning to stay in the city while everyone, his wife included, was out of the city he decided it would be better to stay. I agree with Pete’s decision that New York is worth sticking around while everyone is gone, and nanny-banging our not, there’s still a lot of fun things to do.
Sadly, Pete is as true a representation of the recently-graduated-ex-Dartmouth-frat-boy-in-the-real-world as they come. Without his main pursuits (job and wife), he’s completely at a loss. When no one’s watching, he reverts back to what’s comfortable: taking his dress shirt as clumsily as possible, eating cereal at night, passing out watching TV. So it should be familiar to us all that of course doing something adult-like such as taking out the trash can’t be just the dull chore that it is. Instead, Pete meets German au pair Gudrun, who he ends up coercing into sex.
Lately I’ve done quite a bit of standing up for Pete. Last episode he was actually helpful in his advice to Peggy and the episode before (despite his best efforts) was coming out on the moral side of the race issue. So would Pete do the right thing when given a chance to cheat? At first, it seemed like he would, though after a shady interaction with Joan(!) and a botched attempt to give the dress over no questions asked, things quickly degraded. What started as a simple effort to be neighborly ended up being what many are calling rape. At first, I wanted to brush this whole episode off and go back to thinking Pete would be good again. I kept thinking back to what an asshole Season One Pete Campbell was, undoubtedly the villain of the show then. In episode 101, it was Pete after all who drunkenly talked Peggy into letting him into her apartment, even though he just came from his bachelor party. What a scumbag right? Then I started to think how eerily similar that first season's scene was to the scene of Pete at Gudrun’s door. Much like leaving NYC, Pete doesn’t know how to escape the asshole he really is.
My advice: Humps, next time you find you have idle hands, try taking a jaunt to Sheep’s Meadow (a short walk from the UES). It’s a better place to sun your pastey chest than from the glow of Saturday morning cartoons and gets you in less trouble with Trudy.
You Go, Betty
A lot is made about Don Draper getting older and forced to either adapt to be like the young guys or get left behind. Same is said for Peggy and her attempts to be “like the guys.” These are consistent themes that run through the show and, at times, can be heavy-handed. But Betty is different.
Season 1 Betty was a victim. Season 2 Betty fought back. Season 3 Betty seems to be striking out on her own, but from within the household, which is arguably more interesting than from within the workforce. Like the other female leads Joan and Peggy, Betty has some hidden talents as Sars says:
Sars: she goes to Italy!
she does a little dance!
she speaks Italian!
she wears a pucci maxidress!
she fends off would-be italian suitors like nobody's business
she has sex with her husband!
We’ve seen her wield her sexual powers in previous episodes so the Henry Francis thing to me at first seemed like a step back. Betty, don’t you know you’re oppressing yourself and setting a bad example for Sally? But as we are learning, Betty’s a smart woman and has been learning that she can be both intelligent and sexual at the same time. She can swing her hips like Joan and she can talk to the Connie Hiltons of the world like Peggy (Aside: Wouldn’t you love it if Don gave Birdy a real chance to be more of a business partner? The dinner parties sponsored by Heineken, Utz and Hilton Resorts were all examples of how she can be the Draper Better Half and I personally want to see more of it)
Turns out she can also be a real mother (for once!). Sitting Sally down and discussing the complex social dynamic of making moves on guys (‘don’t do it’) showed she can address her daughter’s anger issues, give motherly advice, and even empower her daughter to hold some power over men. Sure, it’s a bit antiquated, but if Sally grows up to be smart and crafty (and hopefully a little less psychotic), she too will be able to use her brain and her eyelash-batting for good (and hopefully not blood-thirsty evil).
Much like women in the 2009 blogging world, 1963 was a time of change. Betty’s more of a 2009 AMDAL-esque post-feminist than the 1960’s bra burners. Still, a little brassier conflagration couldn’t hurt, right? Now that’d be good TV.
It was good for me, was it good for you?
Fedora Tip: Sars, Makens and Elise for the ideas
I wish Don Draper was Jon Gosselin. At least I wouldn't feel bad when he gets donkey punched.
Right from the "Previously, on Mad Men" and subsequent clips, I was fearing for my undies on this one. Creepy womb toucher, Unstable Miss Farrell popping up, Conrad saying ominous things - all of it was pointing towards bad news. I guess after a lawn mower episode, the next one's going to smart. And smart it did.
Top Moments of Episode 307: Seven Twenty Three
Betty is the new Don
Like some superhero that can absorb powers, it seems Betty is destined to live up to the Draper name. Sure she's flirted with guys in the past and even cheated (who's Gene Jr's daddy anyway?) in the past. But she's asserting herself in new and exciting ways. She's leaving the house to be a part of the Junior League (Good work Francine). She's taking clandestine calls in Don's double secret office (Betty trying one more time to open the locked drawer was a hilarious nod to last season). She's putting Roger in his place, just like Papa Draper ("Don wouldn't appreciate you calling and I find it offensive." Bap!). And of course, she's disguising business trips as opportunities for sexy time (or free pie!).
But can she pull it off? My guess is no and here's why: she doesn't know how to stare directly into the sun. It's pretty clear that the eclipse was metaphoric - light and dark, night and day, good and bad. Don has walked the line for almost three seasons and his entire life. Sure, the last few episodes are denting his armor / ego - Don's been called out by his daughter's slightly demented school teacher (she still totally wanted him), questioned about career moves by his housewife, donkey-punched by a hippy draft-dodger, and put in his place by a shoeless Colonel. But at the end of the day, when idiots are wearing boxes on their heads and Betty is burning her retinas, Don's looking directly at sun. And might I say, he looks pretty cool doing it.
Roger is the Bad Guy
Roger has always been the comic foil. Even when he's hitting on Betty or cheating on his wife, he's doing it with enough dry wit that make it hard to hate him. So whatever Weiner and co. have cooked up for this season already appears a bit harsh. At first it just seemed that Don had a stick up his ass ever since Roger left Mona (since when did Don give a shit about the piety of marriage? Oh, right, jealously). And even though Don refuses to express his gratitude, as Roger was hoping, it seemed like the hot shave was going to help put this mess behind them.
But then there was that contract.
Apparently Don is afraid of commitment (who knew?) and reacted negatively to the news of a three year lock-in. What I don't get is why Don blames Roger alone. He merely one third of the messenger, and given his backseat role as of late, probably less. And again, it was Don being unreasonable and treating Roger as a scapegoat for all Don's problems.
But then there was that phone call to Betty.
Raising old reminders of Roger's season 1 house call, Don was understandably pissed. And so was I, but not just at Roger. Weiner, why the fuck are you writing Roger into a corner? He's now actually acting like an idiot that will only piss off Don and the viewers. I want to like Roger and have him to succeed. He's one of my favorite characters (caricatures?). It'll be hard to laugh at his wise-cracks if I'm too busy hissing when he comes onscreen.
Mentoring revisited
Woa, Daddy Issues much? Last week I mentioned Pete and Peggy's mutual aspiration to achieve Don-like status and this week we see some deep-seated issues popping up with them as a result. This week we also see Don also (finally) succumbing to his own issues of the past. I've addressed them in increasing order of disfunctionality.
Pete: Who would have guessed that Pete was the sane one this episode? He laid low in this episode but the moments he popped up were pretty level-headed. He gave Peggy sound advice ("I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about Duck. Send it back."). He pushes Don to be on the Hilton account, but backs off when told. All in all, a pretty healthy learning experience for our boy Humps.
Peggy: Oh Peggy, you were doing so well. Our last few posts have been an ode to your accomplishments and now you're sleeping with Duck? Duck? Why did she sleep with him? As Slate points out, Peggy was not the man-eater that she was in earlier episodes - she gives in completely to Duck's charm(?). I also agree more with MM blog, Basket of Kisses, which compares Peggy with the dead Bond girl in Goldfinger. This is probably supposed to be Peggy's hubristic fall, but to me it feels like a writers' cop out. I consider her overly ambitious, not overly acquiescent. For this episode, she reverted to her Season One neediness, and not maintained her Season Three strength. Hopefully this is a recoverable mental lapse.
Don: Don's been brushing off his daddy issues for a while - dismissing Betty's problems with Gene Sr. and agreeing with Prison Guard Dennis that blaming your parents for your issues was "bullshit." But we all know Don hasn't dealt with how his father has, for better or worse, made him who he is now. Like his dad, Don is a philandering drunk, albeit a highly functional one. Don treats his kids well because he doesn't want to be anything like his father but he can't commit emotionally; he always wants an 'out' because his dad never wanted him. Don's trying to prove himself to his dead father, but is never quite able to come out of his shadow. Don, next time you're high on reds in a motel with some teenagers, just remember you're not in Heroes, Lost, Rescue Me or [insert chick flick / ghost romantic comedy] and it's not advisable to talk to a ghost that way. It's a good way to get DP'd.
It was good for me, was it good for you?
Fedora Tip: The BMar for the last minute editing
(Don Draper couldn't be located for this Draperism so Joan Halloway is stepping in)
Joan Halloway is a better secretary, ad man, fraternizer and surgeon than you. Golf? Lights out.
Top Moments of Episode 306: Guy Walks Into An Advertising Agency
Mentors
We all knew from Episode 303 that something was bound to happen with Connie. Turns out Vulture was right: Connie = Conrad Hilton, Time cover man, hotel mogul and grandfather to the (porn)stars, Paris and Nicky Hilton. Knowing how Weiner and Co. have no problems lingering on scenes, I'm a little upset this one was cut short. Still, both guys got some zingers in - Connie in particular had a favorite line of the show - after initial refusing to give free advice to Connie, Don asks what he wants. "I want one for free" Connie replies firmly. Minutes later, Connie repays the favor, asking Don what he wants. Less firmly, Don asks for the Hilton's business. "Next time a man like me asks you a question like that, I'd expect you to set your sights higher." Don calmly waxes about snakes suffocating on mice and says "One opportunity at a time."
Does this feel familiar to anyone? What about that dinner scene that Peggy and Pete got from Duck? Pete, the dickhole that he is, responded by being insulted that a co-op dinner wasn't enough to be woo'd. While it shows some Don-like cajones, I think it was too brash. It's too bad Pete Campbell couldn't witness the magic of his Sterling Cooper idol this week; Pete has a thing or two to learn about humility and patience (Remember his pout to Trudy earlier this season: "Why can't I have the success all at once?").
But what about Peggy? She seemed to have handled that same dinner quite smoothly - expressing her discomfort with the situation while at the same time not completely rejecting the offer. Good training? Peggy is and has always been Don's favorite. But it's clear everything she does drips Don Draper - the ad-ephiphanies, the assertive (if unsuccessful) request for a raise, and now the handling of a potentially better offer. "I want what you have" Peggy said to Don last episode. Their relationship to date was best summed up in the 10 second exchange between the two this episode over champagne. Peggy thinks the champagne is good. "I don't think so" Don replies. On the surface, it's Don being Don - surly and to the point. But Don is also openly displaying his frustration about the party, the British rule and his place in it. And he isn't afraid to let Peggy see it. It's as if to say "See Peggy, we're both just employees now - you have what I have and it's not everything either of us want." Too bad Draper Olsen doesn't have the same ring as Sterling Cooper.
The Lawn Mower Scene
Every week since starting Smoke-Worthy Moments ("SWM"), I've used my little black book ("LBB") to jot down notes while I watch / rewatch each episode. I'll avoid the [Apple symbol] style show-and-tell and just explain to you that when this scene came up, there was a big blank spot where my chicken scratch would normally go. The reason for going au natural was because a) I was too busy watching and b) every detail was engrained in my head. Smitty hands over the mower to Lois in the background. Louis' face as the tractor lurches forward. The confetti spray of blood (see GIF file below, which will reach meme-like status on the internets very shortly). Peggy fainting only to be caught by Pete. Joan working quickly to staunch the bleeding. Guy's belly-aching (what a baby). All was too much to avert my eyes. And you can't beat Roger's line, "Somewhere in this business, this has happened before," for denouement.
Remember Season 1 when Weiner used dark comedy to depict a very important relationship and a turning point in the season? If not, go back and watch Episode 107. Summary: Roger tosses his cookies oysters all over the office floor in front of the Nixon people. Funny yes, but also important because it established Don as alpha male.
Like that scene, there's a lot to be gleaned from the chaos here. In two minutes Joan has established herself as a key contributor to Peggy's rise, a more competent head hen in the bullpen over Moneypenny and even has better hands than her useless husband, Dr. Rapist. While Peggy shows she's not invincible within the company walls, Pete Campbell is once again the good guy by sheer luck. And Lois...sigh...all I have to say is that she can't be fired because without her comedic relief, Mad Men will be in serious jeopardy. Besides, who else will defeat the British? I thought this was Amurica?!
When Worlds Collide: Don and Joan
Joan's had a rough couple weeks and this episode was no exception. Some may have noticed the light imagery this episode. Did anyone see how Joan ceremoniously "closed" the light in her apartment after hearing the bad news about Dr. R's impotent fingers? While this may seem heavy-handed, it's an interesitng tie to the next shot of Don staring happily at the turned-off bedroom ceiling lamp above his head. While Joan's hopes of retirement and house-wivery have been dashed, Don is simultaneously contemplating the English promotion. But in that hospital waiting room (what's with these waiting rooms?), everything seems to change.
So what is going on here? Don laughs not once but twice at Joan's jokes. Don blushes when she kisses him on the cheek. Don stares longingly as she walks out. I'll tell you what's going on here: we just witnessed Superman and Batman briefly teaming up to fight the forces of evil (or boredom, whichever comes first on MM). BMar didn't like this scene because it felt forced. I respectfully disagree and think he's fucking stupid*. I swear I haven't seen that much emotion out of either character in the last 2 seasons. And the scene wasn't longer than 3 minutes (Again, Weiner, stop being a cock tease).
So we obviously benefited from watching, but which character got more out of this brief exchange? Don clearly had a chance to relax with someone who is in this author's opinion, his only equal. It was more familial than sexual - not since being in California with the Real Mrs. Draper was he able to be himself. But there's no question Joan was the winner of the scene (and arguably the episode). Don let her know how he felt about her professionally - arguably the biggest compliment he's given anyone in the office to date. And her heroism with Guy didn't go unnoticed, in either the Brits' eyes or in Don's. Should Don move on, Joanie's secured her spot.
It was good for me, was it good for you?
*Hat tip: Kidding BMar, thanks for the good call on Joan's surgical hands
Education program application rates skyrocketed in the early 1960s as thousands of women applied in hopes that they would become educators in the tri-state area and one day teach Sally Draper about grief and sleep with her father.
Top Moments of Episode 305: The Fog
The Odd Couple: Don the Ad Man and Dennis the Prison Guard
First Connie the Self Made Man, now Dennis the Prison Guard - it seems Don's biggest learning experiences (and some of my favorite scenes) are coming from strangers. In some of the most entertaining ("It's not a party, but I'll have one") and thought provoking ("Imma be better. Tell me you heard me.") came out of the two or three scenes between these two anxious fathers. In a sudden turn of events, and likely a watershed moment in Don's career / life, one of his trademark one liners ("Our worst fears lie in anticipation") got a luke warm response. Could he be losing it? Or maybe he's starting not to believe his own words. The face he made when questioned makes me think the latter is true.
But what does this mean for our hero? His fidelity counter tentatively hangs at 4 episodes now (A Mad Men record). Even with the flirtatious phone call between him and the slightly-tweaked school teacher, Don's keeping it on the up-and-up, focusing on the even more unbalanced Betty (more on that below). Even Weiner hints at this transformation being more permanent; when Don and Betty arrive home together, the shot of them entering the red front door is shot from the top of the stairs. For avid MM fans, you'll remember this is how Don comes home at the end of the pilot, alone and post-cheating with that LES hipster.
Is Don going to be better like he seemed to indicate to Dennis? Will he stop blaming his upbringing and play catch with his son like he admitted he should do more often? Does putting an unscrambled egg in a hunk of fried meat count as cooking? Stay tuned.
Pete "MLK Jr." Campbell will be the harbinger of change at Sterling Cooper
Oh sweet irony. While I agree that it's difficult to argue that Peggy is the most nuanced character on the show (and TV?), Pete is becoming my favorite to watch this season, and almost by no doing of his own. By sheer momentum and his own arrogance, it seems Pete may actually do some good this year.
Case in Point 1: Racism. At the onset of the episode, Pete picks up on Kinsey's joke that the cities where client / TV maker Admiral is succeeding is in "Jazz cities," latching on to the idea that it's possible negroes (Campbell's words) are the reason for such growth. He pitches it to disastrous results. The higher ups catch wind, bring him in the office, give him a flogging (Pryce's words) and then ultimately get some receptive ears in the form of Pryce and Burt. Aside: Am I taking crazy pills or was it insane that Colonel Burt and Blackface Roger required outsider perspective to see that racial change was coming? Activitist Medgar Evers was just murdered and JFK just spoke in support of civil rights. I thought their job was to pay attention to worldy activities. Too much time buying Japanese paintings or banging secretaries. Back to topic - OK, so what if Humps conducts crude diligence (nice throwback / comparison to Don in Season 1 episode 1 with the waiter and his Old Gold cigarettes. Point Draper). And so what if Campbell can only see the picture in terms of dollars and cents (and pounds).
Case in Point 2: Loyalty. In a hilarious exchange, Pete shuts down Duck at the dinner pitch he shared with Peggy. Even a sly compliment from Duck on Pete's "chivalry" over Freddy Rumsen didn't phase him from walking away from the table, jabbing one last time that he would need "his own dinner" if he wants to be properly woo'd. Once again, Pete Campbell comes out on top, but not because he's honorable, but rather because he's a petty prick.
Case in Point 3: Friendship. "Your actions affect me." This from Pete to Peggy in reference to Duck's offer is his fucked up way of showing affection to someone he cares about. It is equally heartwarming and horribly selfish. Pete wants her to make the right decision but not because he cares about her but because he's worried his head would be on the chopping block next. And if we didn't know Pete well enough, we'd think he was being sweet. Good thing Peggy is one smart cookie (my words, sorry).
The little things: details in Episode 305 too good to pass up
Preggers Betty trying to scootch her rolling chair over towards Don / Don's bemused look
"Get that in writing" - Don's response to Pryce's snide tardy comment "A little Don is better than no Don at all." Don exits stage left 30 seconds later.
"What time is it? What time isn't it" Ken Cosgrove rhetorical conversation on his Bird's Eye watch
Don's disappearing act in the hospital hallway (no wonder he's so good at cheating)
The flicker in Betty's eyes when she killed the caterpillar. A metaphor for her squashed ascension to butterflydom or senseless acts of insecticide?
"That's bullshit" - Don's ironic response to Dennis' comment that all inmates blame their parents
"Have you seen my husband? Have you been with him?" - Betty to the bitchy nurse (zing)
Duck's turtleneck
"Every job has its ups and downs" Hollis the elevator operator announcing his lauded return to the show
"The Women's Room, want to come?" - Peggy's half proposition / response to Pete Campbell's inquisition over the Duck offer
Betty's shrug to end the episode
It was good for me, was it good for you?
Hat tip: BMar for the Draperism and Sars for her advice
If Don Draper were looking for a roommate, his advert would read: [Blank stare].
Five minutes later, he’d be living with four blondes, three brunettes and Sal.
Top moments of Episode 304: The Arrangements
1) Jai Alai: Nothing sticks to viewers in a recession like the idea of wringing your clients for dough. And Mad Men is not a show to disappoint. HoHo, Campbell’s fellow Dartmouth (and Psi U?) alum, was brought in to discuss promoting the sport of Jai Alai and asked Sterling Coo to help out. And help out they did, offering all forms of media to pimp the sport, all at a measely $1mm ($7-24mm in today’s dollars depending on your favorite index).
I enjoyed how the father/protector theme intertwined with Don / HoHo Sr. and then was amplified from other vignettes involving Gene, Betty, Don and their thoughts on parenting / grandparenting. My takeaway message is that you can love too much. I’m sorry, but when was anyone loved too much in this show up until Ep. 304? Last I checked, in order to be a Mad Men character you had to be loveless and selfish. But apparently that isn’t enough, so a less-helicopter-parenting approach was the major takeaway.
Oh yea, and there’s this:
Was this symbolic? Is Don breaking the traditional mold that the ant farm represented in episode 1? Will he be the hero of the late 60s we want him to be? Why hasn’t he had sex with anyone in 3(!) episodes? All these questions and more hopefully to be answered (or not) shortly.
2) Joan and the Ants: Oh Joan, always cleaning up other peoples’ messes. In season 1, she helped Peggy get off the ground, as long as it didn’t elevate Peggy above herself. In season 2, we watched her see Peggy rose above her in the corporate structure and then see her being raped by her fiancé (Aside: Rewatch that Season 2 scene and how Weiner makes the camera Joan's eyes, focusing on the painting on the wall of Don's office. Look familiar? Weiner did the same thing with Peggy in the Gyno office back in Episode 101). In season 3, we watch as she continues to be subservient to her husband despite his tendency to rape and his seeming inferiority at work. But we want her to succeed. Goddamn it, she’s the best looking girl in the office and apparently the smartest, once again telling Peggy what to do, this time in her world of ad copy ("responsible sometimes"; "no dull moments or dull men tolerated"). So why won’t Peggy help her or Joan lift herself up? Slate said it well: “[She] born just a few years too soon.” Still, I miss the old Joanie, the one that told everyone what to do, the one that sashayed and didn’t mope. I wouldn’t consider Exterminator as a job promotion.
3) Bye Bye Birdie: Surprise, Patio hates the new TV ad, claiming they "can't put a finger" on what's not right. I know what wasn’t right and it wasn’t the unnecessary cleavage – that was fine. It was the fact that the girl couldn’t sing and the whole thing was creepy. I’m glad Peggy felt smug (hubristic?) after Patio pulled out, but in the end it wasn't because it didn't appeal to women like it should. Patio pulled out because they’d associate their shitty diet beverage with horrifying nightmares of off-pitch red heads shrieking and repeatedly running at them. Besides, I think I liked Sal’s interpretation better. Who knows, now that he’s going to have an office of his own (you like that imagery of him standing alone in Don’s office?), maybe he'll have a hand at acting too. You go, guyfriend.
And what’s with Sterling only getting one phoned-in line at the tail end of the scene? Behind Don, Joan and Sally Draper (yea I said it), Roger is my favorite character and always the comic foil. There were some funny points in the show (Sally driving the Lincoln, Peggy being prank called), but a couple Sterling quips would have really brightened my day.
It was good for me, was it good for you?
Don Draper would tell his boss to fuck off. But he's not into self deprecation.
Much has already been said about Mad Men – the clever and multilayered writing, the superb editing and direction that lingers on moments no other show would dare to spend time on, the acting that says more without words than a page of script could ever say – the list goes on. After each episode, the Internets goes nuts with recaps and interpretations. So far, I haven’t seen anyone do it better than NYMag’s Vulture blog. Check their latest analysis on Episode 303 here and here.
Here, I bring you my own take on a Mad Men episode recap/analysis: Smoke-Worthy Moments in Mad Men: Scenes that feel so good you’ll need a cigarette (and maybe a nap) afterwards. And as if you didn’t know, spoilers aplenty.
Despite not owning a TV, I’ll try to get this out by Mon or Tues. As always, I encourage commenters to offer their own Chuck-Norris-esque opening Draperisms, top moments and thoughts on the post as a whole. Enjoy.
Top moments of Episode 303: My Old Kentucky Home
1) “I’m Peggy Olsen and I want to smoke some marijuana”
Why is it that smart, hardworking girls / young women on TV often are also the highly unlikeable, know-it-all brown-noser who hates fun (Lisa Simpson comes to mind). Despite her preggers mishap, Peggy played that role for over two seasons. Until now.
Here, Peggy gets stoned, is inspired in Draper-like fashion (staring off into space or the cue cards) and then sends the boys home so she can single-handedly give Bacardi its requested vacation scenarios. Still, not entirely groundbreaking. She has joined in with the boys before (strip club, season 2), come up with great ideas (basket of kisses, season 1) and saved the day (every episode, all seasons). It wasn’t until Peggy stood up for herself to her secretary, of all people, proclaiming that she’s a big girl and will be ok being the modern woman she wants to be, dope smoking included. She might as well have been looking directly at the camera. I’m not totally convinced this is confidence and not hubris. The flick of the writers’ pens will determine that in episodes to come. But of the female triumvirate, Peggy clearly is more satisfied in life than Joan “Play Monkey Play” Crawford or Betty “Touch My Baby, Baby” Draper.
Get some Peggy.
2) Mad Men is great because of the details, the collection of little moments where you’re amazed they get it right. Blogs have been ripping on the show lately, saying creator Matt Weiner is missing out on anachronisms like 1970s cymbals and 1980s encyclopedias.
Some of these details can actually make money. There’s been a lot of press about product placement in Mad Men (I’ll leave it to Tastemaker to link me up). So they grow the top line, but we’re in a recession - what about cutting costs? You’ll notice that Mad Men almost never uses recognizable actors. Weiner and co. chalk it up to “allowing the audience to better relate to the characters.” Blah blah blah. It’s all about the papers. Mad Men deftly avoids the oft-used celebrity cameo and therefore the celebrity cameo fee. This idea became obvious to me in a collection of moments in episode 303: John McCain as a decorated war hero? Nah, Betty’s dad will do just fine. A handsome, carefree Princeton grad? Jeffrey, Tigertone class of ‘55 is cheaper than Tom Cruise. And an episode entitled “Kentucky” without Colonel Sanders seems downright blasphemous… until you get a load of Burt Cooper in that hat.
3) Vulture et al probably commented all about how this episode should have been titled “Show And Tell.” I loved it. I thought Pete Campbell doing his celebration dance in episode 302 would be all we’d get from him. And it would have been enough (Side note: Did Vincent Kartheiser practice that dance? Are those his real moves? Did the script call for “awkward and embarrassing celebration?”). Turns out it was just a taste. Pete and his wife Trudy broke it down so hard they cleared the dance floor (to the chagrin of season two scene stealer Mrs. Harry Crane). And while everyone, the bosses included, were impressed, the show’s director was not. “This is the way the world ends. This is the way the world ends.” Paul quotes TS Elliot while stoned on the floor back in the office, yet with a delayed cutaway, it was made to seem like Kinsey was describing the rug-cutting display and not his own inner workings. My laugh out loud moment right behind number 1.
As most of you know, everything on this show means something and I believe this voiceover was no exception. “Not with a bang but with a whimper” Elliot concludes. So if all Pete’s attention-whoring is the bang, what’s the whimper? Will Pete (or Trudy?) be the end for our anti-hero protagonist? Pete’s always been set up to be the bad guy, but really he's just the embodiment of what Don Draper pretends to be when playing dress-up as a Clark Kent - ad man by day, family man by night. We know there’s no Cuban bang, despite Kinsey’s mention of it. Instead, “A whimper” could be the slow change of the times that their lifestyle will undergo with the coming of the 70s . The world won’t end – just the world as 1960s Madison Avenue knows it.
It was good for me, was it good for you?*
*That’s my tagline – I was going for thinly veiled sexual humor just like Mad Men!
Hat Tip: Makens for the reads / rereads and Scos for the McCain sighting.
