Mad Men

[wuapinmon]

It's nice to see Don show some emotion and Peggy to let it all out. I'm guessing that she's going to run the whole thing by 1975.

[BoylenOver]

Bert Cooper hated Roger because he was running around with Ida Blankenship? And Cooper had his testicles removed?

Anyway, fantastic episode. The two main characters are Don and Peggy, and seeing their relationship up close and personal is fascinating. Peggy seemed infinitely more upset that Don never thanked her for her role in the Glo-Coat ad than she was for not being able to have dinner with Mark (and family). I also thought it was interesting to see the different courses Peggy's life could've taken (single, party-going secretary; mother to Pete Campbell's offspring; being with Drunk, er, Duck Phillips), yet the night--and the episode--ends with her at Don's side.

[RobinFinderson]

I thought this episode did a great job of portraying transference of Anna's maternal role in Don's life to Peggy. Peggy asks Don about his mother, and Don tells her that he never knew her. A couple of scenes later Don is asleep with his head in Peggy's lap, like a boy being comforted by his mother. Anna always gave Don motherly love, in spite of his flaws, and now that she is gone, no woman knows Don more intimately than Peggy. How 26-YO Peggy will step into this role should be interesting, especially given Don's manic treatment of underlings.

[Green Lantern]

I thought this episode did a great job of portraying transference of Anna's maternal role in Don's life to Peggy. Peggy asks Don about his mother, and Don tells her that he never knew her. A couple of scenes later Don is asleep with his head in Peggy's lap, like a boy being comforted by his mother. Anna always gave Don motherly love, in spite of his flaws, and now that she is gone, no woman knows Don more intimately than Peggy. How 26-YO Peggy will step into this role should be interesting, especially given Don's manic treatment of underlings.

There was also a great callback to the very first episode, when Peggy tried to put her hand on Don's and was rebuffed. This time Don places his hand on Peggy's, acknowledging their relationship. Great, great episode.

[RobinFinderson]

There was also a great callback to the very first episode, when Peggy tried to put her hand on Don's and was rebuffed. This time Don places his hand on Peggy's, acknowledging their relationship. Great, great episode.

Nice recall!

I'm surprised that some in this thread see this show as a triumph of style over character and narrative. I haven't seen more fleshed out, unpredictable and interesting characters since... The Wire (still tops in my book)? The Wire is still my favorite, but feel like Mad Men is plumbing a bit deeper than The Sopranos. I wonder how many seasons they can keep this up... the show's structure (setting the historic events of the times against the characters' lives; manufactured culture vs. the immerssive culture that only a few can even see, but which tosses us around like rag dolls (women and men's roles... both are captives of society's expectations)) could work all the way up to the present, but I would think they would have to let Don slip into the background... become more of a Roger Sterling.

[Green Lantern]

Nice recall!

I'm surprised that some in this thread see this show as a triumph of style over character and narrative. I haven't seen more fleshed out, unpredictable and interesting characters since... The Wire (still tops in my book)? The Wire is still my favorite, but feel like Mad Men is plumbing a bit deeper than The Sopranos. I wonder how many seasons they can keep this up... the show's structure (setting the historic events of the times against the characters' lives; manufactured culture vs. the immerssive culture that only a few can even see, but which tosses us around like rag dolls (women and men's roles... both are captives of society's expectations)) could work all the way up to the present, but I would think they would have to let Don slip into the background... become more of a Roger Sterling.

I have had similar thoughts. The Wire is still tops for me as well but Mad Men episodes like last night's are putting this show up into the same rarefied status. What I'm hoping is that they can keep the characters growing and changing. It's the feeling of character stagnation that irked me a bit with Sopranos (as fantastic as that show was.) A feeling that every character, but specifically Tony, would always be prevented from changing or growing too much on the show.

[Tim]

Fantastic episode.

[MarkGrace]

That appeared to have been a bottle episode.

[BoylenOver]

Great article from Slate about the most recent episode in their ongoing correspondence re: S4

http://www.slate.com/id/2261483/entry/2266347/

[venkman]

Great article from Slate about the most recent episode in their ongoing correspondence re: S4

http://www.slate.com/id/2261483/entry/2266347/

I'm also relieved Don and Peggy didn't do it.

[Non Sequitur]

I desperately want to like Mad Men. It's smart and chic and wonderfully produced. I just need to find a way to stay awake for an entire episode.

[Green Lantern]

I desperately want to like Mad Men. It's smart and chic and wonderfully produced. I just need to find a way to stay awake for an entire episode.

I have found that staying awake has increased my enjoyment of almost everything I find pleasurable. Except possibly sleep.

[Art Vandelay]

Perhaps the best episode of the any season or a close second to the school teacher waiting in the car one.

I had very similar feelings to RF and GL. Peggy appears to be taking the place of Anna in Don's life both of which took the place of the mother he never had. I find it interesting Don has slept or attempted to with every other female that has shown the least bit of interest in him. Yet as close as he felt to Anna for so many years he never tried to replace the real Don Draper; he was always Dick Whitman with her. Peggy already has learned more about Don that Betty did in the 10 (?) years they were together.

I have found that most of my employees (all of whom are women) want appreciationg and recognition as much if not more than they want to be financially rewarded.

[BoylenOver]

"Narrative. Forced perspective. Are you sure Joey drew this?"

Good episode. Don Draper voiceover was subpar, but the thing I've probably enjoyed most from this show is seeing how women fit into the culture as it shifts and evolves, and we see the three main women of the show (Joan, Peggy, Betty) all deal with their different situations.

[wuapinmon]

"Narrative. Forced perspective. Are you sure Joey drew this?"

Good episode. Don Draper voiceover was subpar, but the thing I've probably enjoyed most from this show is seeing how women fit into the culture as it shifts and evolves, and we see the three main women of the show (Joan, Peggy, Betty) all deal with their different situations.

My wife looked at me last night after the elevator scene with this look on her face like WTH? I pointed out that while Joan was still hot, she is clearly losing it.