If something happens to Roger, I'm done with the show. Seriously. My phone has been beeping every hour for the past three days with random Sterling one-liners. "You've got yourself a paper route?" "'Fiddler on the Roof: audience or cast?'" Love, love, love him. I agree that this season has gotten much darker. Really, it's only Roger and Cooper who really come up with the light-hearted fun. But perhaps it's the show's way of demonstrating the sign of the times: gender roles starting to blur, race lines blurred, lack of trust in the government, etc...everyone else is affected directly by the mood of the country except the two "old school" characters with Don lost somewhere in between. Just a thought. And I'm happy we saw a little more of the "old Don." He was becoming way too dependent on Megan for ideas, for slogans, for reassurance. He was letting go of the office ("Peggy can handle it") and while we all see Megan as a great positive force in helping Don "develop," I can't help but see her negative influence as well. It's not her fault, but Don certainly crawled right up her ass and has comfortable lived there for the entire season. This episode showed the real him poking his nose out again and I couldn't be more thrilled. That said, I'm really really struggling with Don being married to Megan. It's just so sudden and he's so different that I just can't wrap my brain around it. I have to actively remind myself that they're married while I'm watching the episodes and find myself searching for some kind of connection between them. I know lots of people are feeling this way and I know it's deliberately written to garner this exact reaction but the WHY is bugging the shit out of me.
What was your take on his "I feel bad line" to Jane? It felt like he didn't mean it all. Like it sounded hollow as hell cause he knew exactly what he was doing.
Seemed like he meant it to me but he knows there's nothing he could do about it now, and seems unsure if he would be able to control himself if he had to do it over again.
I wish someone would buy me a new apartment every time a bad memory happened in the one I'm currently living in.
I don't know. I always feel like Sterling is such a little boy trapped in a (sexy) man's body. Therefore, everything he does I measure according to what my little nephew would do/think/feel. Sterling always has a bottom line and that bottom line is whatever is best for Sterling. Act now, get tot he goal, regret later. And even regret is a strong word. He even said in this very episode that "it's every man for himself." So do I think his apology was sincere? Yes, like manbehindthecurtain said, in a "what can I do about it" type of way. I think most of his apologies are like that because he never realizes his behavior is selfish and wrong until there are negative consequences that directly affect him. What is interesting is his "transformation" and new perspective about living in the truth after taking LSD. While many people have "revelations" while taking drugs, very few really do change their lives because of said revelations. I really thought Sterling was really surprised and pleased with the very adult way Jane and he broke up. And I like that he freely admitted that he wasn't a fan pf Pete's. If he changes his behavior after this most recent "you always get what you want" revelation, his metamorphosis will be something that is actually real and true instead of just face value.
I'm 40 minutes into the last one and holy fuck. Don just did the human thing and apologized to Megan (and we're spelling it this way, not meghan, tards) for popping off at her when she did the right thing. Also, this far into the episode, it's sad how much he's lost his touch, and trying to outshine new guy Ginsberg with lame shit... 6 minutes left, and Sally's manipulation of the parents is sweet, sweet deliciousness. If you look back at past season threads, I believe I brought up the fact that the girl that plays Sally is one of the best actors on this amazing show... Hahh. Sally has become an emotional Sniper at her mom, and I love it.
I loved last night's episode. The scenes with Don and Joan were the best! I finally got to watch it live and it was with my dad and best pal, and at that beat when they were both looking at each other my friend and I both yelled, "KISS!!!" I know it won't happen, and it shouldn't happen, but oh do I want it to happen. And we got to look at vintage Jaguars. My dad nearly had a heart attack because the one they test drove has always been his dream car, only in silver. Anyway, I love having old Don back. I missed him. Oh, and Kinsey as a Hare Krishna was hilarious, and sad. I think it aired a while ago, but we also watched the Inside the Actor's Studio with the cast. It was good but edited to shit. Does anyone know if there's an uncut version online? I haven't gotten a chance to look yet.
I thought bringing back Kinsey for a one off episode was ridiculous and borderline network TV bad in execution. Sorry, but Kinsey was cast off a long fucking time ago and Harry Crane has been regulated to back up cast since he was never really a power player in the series anyway. I could care less what he thinks about Kinsey joining a cult (just saying the plot line makes me think of terrible network TV). I know the show likes to reference and add in trends of the time and the Krishnas certainly were. But it all felt like they were taking the easiest swipe at low hanging fruit from beginning to end. I guess his script name and idea were sort of funny in that outrageous way but it seemed like the writers were trying too hard to be funny but didn't really knowing how to handle a one off episode D plot. It just felt WAY out of place. I think a good example of how they handled C plots well was Cosgrove's writing ambition, which was handled perfectly earlier this season. This just felt cheap and out of place for the show. Otherwise, the scene with Don and Joan at the bar was amazing and I guess they are finally heading towards a Joan/Sterling reunion. I am really not sure what to think of Pryce defrauding the company. He has been a secondary character in all but I think two episodes this season so seeing him doing some heavy shit was kind of jarring. Megan seemed a little out of place playing strictly house wife this episode as well.
I was close to feeling this way - it was definitely jarring at first- but in the end I appreciated it. First, with a show that does characters as well as Mad Men, I actually care a lot about what happened to characters that have drifted off of the show. When we were watching the Actor's Studio episode, I was crying about not knowing how Sal was anymore. I really liked how we got to check in with Don's old beatnik girlfriend (even though I didn't like that she was now a junkie). Also, it's kind of cool how you get rocked out of the little Mad Men bubble when old characters pop up. You remember that there's a whole other world out there, and all of these other crazy things happening. I thought the choice of throwing the Hare Krishnas in there, along with the play Don and Megan went to, were a nice reminder that the whole anti-capitalist movement is really starting to grow. Obviously, that can mean trouble for an advertising agency, especially one that's as precarious as SDCP. Even though this episode was light on the heavy foreshadowing and gloom and doom, it still had that element of reminding us that things may not end so well for them. I think as we go farther into the sixties, a lot of things may seem over-the-top compared to earlier seasons of Mad Men, just because the culture gets so much less...subtle.
I can see what you're saying, but more with Audrey's 2nd post in response to this. I was wondering where the fuck Paul went, and I find it "network television" when things get so locked in, so self contained on few characters. Like Game of Thrones, background characters never really stay background characters. Yes you need leading characters, but shows are more real when you are constantly bringing characters to the fore/back -ground. Annoying when characters vanish and stay gone. People come in our lives and fade out all the time, keeping the show so locked up, especially when those other characters were in since the beginning is more unrealistic than anything else. Not sure why you were surprised about Megan being housewife-y. Spaghetti has been established as her go-to dish, and auditions don't last all night. It was another showing of her having a backbone. She's never been anti-housewife, she's just been anti-submissive wife like Betty was. Also there is a recurring theme with Don getting settled into his dream life, then getting knocked out of it again. The good thing is, him getting knocked out of it gets him hungry again. I found it interesting saying how he lied saying "The car does nothing for me" but afterwards, he was driving his ass off, shifting faster and faster obviously enjoying it. Dick Whitman brought Don Draper back out, with the removal of a jacket and a rousing speech telling everyone their holidays were cancelled. If you tried that shit today, people would bring guns to work and start shooting. Also a funny look as to how work was so important, how work is a central part of their lives, that their happiness can be achieved through work accomplishments. "This is as good as it gets in this business."
I don't mind updates on past characters but the execution of this one was off. Though this show in kind of known for casting off characters and leaving it be, Sal was the biggest question mark never answered. I like that they are comfortable doing it, more daring than the standard tv storytelling practices and I feel more realistic in a way. There are plenty of people, say during college, that you might have known intensely for a short time but lives diverged and you never heard anything from or about them. Peoples lives move on. Look at Betty for example, she was one of the most integral parts of the show and January Jones was one of the biggest break out stars. Since she's married campaign manager guy her role has shrunk significantly, not that she doesn't have small yet impactful part to play, but Don's life isn't focused on her anymore, he's grown beyond her needing a large part in the show. I applaud them for this.
Well most of the reason this season Betty has been mia has been for meta-baby reasons. I doubt she'd be this sidelined if that wasn't the case. Same thing with the fat suit, but like I said, I don't entirely disagree.
I've felt for a while that because of its growing pop culture impact, it would have a finale/final season that re-visits a lot of old threads, a la "The Wire". This certainly feels like the last we'll see of Paul Kinsey. Now, I guess we only have to wait for the final dispositions of Sal Romano and Lee Garner, Jr. I have two comments about this past episode. First, Jon Hamm put on an acting clinic in one shot with the face he gave as they were watching the acting workshop. Seriously, go back through any other TV series or film and find something comparable that shows as much storytelling as the look Don was giving those actors. It was a perfect mix of annoyance, boredom, and disbelief. The fact that he makes it look that easy makes the fact that he hasn't won an Emmy yet even more unbelievable. Also? HARRY KRISHNA! HARRY KRISHNA!
I think Bryan Cranston has taken it all but one year since Mad Men came out. Can't fault them he kills in Breaking Bad. Murders.
Wow. My heart is still racing...I thought for sure Peggy was going to fall down the elevator shaft. Seemed all too reminiscent of the lawn mower incident a couple of seasons ago. There are just no words for the "what's your price" episode. Have to watch this one a hundred more times to fully appreciate/see/understand all the nuances. Seriously, wow.
That was the best episode of the season so far. I feel like I need to take a shower. So, so dirty. They are going out of their way to make Pete into the least likeable character on television this season. I'm more than a little surprised that Peggy is out though, I've always felt like she was #2 right behind Don Draper in the main character hierarchy. Boardwalk empire spoiler: Spoiler It feels much the same as when Boardwalk empire killed off James Darmondy last year. Probably the right move for the sake of the character and the story but I still wish there was another way. Poor Don. 0 for 3 with the women in this episode. It'll be interesting to see how the Don/Joan dynamic changes in the last 2 episodes, though. They kind of came together this season but the look on his face when Joan walked into the partners meeting spoke volumes. I can't imagine he'll be all that impressed with the rest of the partners either. This all feels like a ramp up for the end of the series not the end of a season.
Heart wrenching episode, well, particularly the Joan storyline. Is Pete really worse than Price? He's such a fucking scoundrel he convinced Joan to whore herself out in a way that would be easier for them to afford/hide his fraud. Do all of the junior partners have the same share? ie: is Joan just as powerful as Pete and Price now? Peggy left SCDP for about $130k in 2010 dollars. That's an incredible salary for a woman in that era. You go girlfriend.
I think Peggy will have a winding down line over the rest of the following seasons. How they have shifted focus away from some characters to others it is easy to forget she was one of the biggest focuses in the show in the first seasons right behind Don. I don't think they'll cast her off completely. Brilliant episode. Season is amazing.
Wow was that episode depressing or what? I cant tell who I felt more sorry for: Joan, Peggy, or Don. I think this was the ultimate destination for Joan. Shes very smart and knowledgeable, but its always preceded by her looks and this was the inevitable result. I think this irrevocably changes her character as she always seemed as if she would rise above doing just this sort of thing. Its ironic that the feminist movement is about to be kicked off at the same time. It was incredibly saddening to see the look on Dons face when he found out she had gone through with it. The Peggy departure takes the cake though. He looked more crushed when Peggy resigned then he had at any other point during the show. Dons biggest fear throughout the show is abandonment. It ranges from his mother dying during child birth, his first wife dying, to his daughter wearing a slutty outfit. This was biggest act to that point thus far. I really hope this isnt the end to Peggy , I always considered her a crucial character with an interesting dynamic. But maybe that's the point; the characters arent crucial and abandon the audience like they do Don. Or maybe Im going too deep with it...