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Mad Men
Apr 25, 2010 18:11:23 GMT -5
Post by Spaced Out Looney on Apr 25, 2010 18:11:23 GMT -5
3.13 Shut the door, have a seat Don at a hotel? Or in the attic? Huh? More meetings with Connie. The business merger. Christmas at Sterling Cooper. Flashbacks. During the Depression. The Allotment Act. We can put everything back the way it was. Young men love risks because you can't imagine the consequence. you old men love building golden tombs and sealing the rest of us in with you. Fascinating conversation between Cooper and Don. I'm reminded of how Betty said that Don doesn't understand money. Don's still living at home. So he must be sleeping in the attic. Don't act like a stranger; we've got tea! Hee... The damn contract. Betty meeting with a divorce lawyer. The state of new york doesn't want anyone to get divorced. That's why people go to Reno. Is that why people go? Betty's exchanging one provider for another. so much for personal growth. Yeah, Connie was right. Lane's been cut out of the loop. That's going to make him ally himself with Sterling Cooper. Aww...Sally's sleeping in Don't bed. Flashback time. Is this when Don eats horse meat? Ohhh, that's how his dad got killed and his child hood got even more miserable. And he doesn't want his own kids to be fatherless. Aww...Don snuggling up to Sally on the bed Don trying to be the problem solver yet again. I can so relate. And he figures out the answer. Awesome. Conspiracy begins. Round up the usual suspects!!! Peggy grows a backbone. Awesome. Pete gets caught playing hooky. If only Don had appealed to Peggy the way he appealed to Pete. And the Pink Pantheresque music starts up. The game's afoot! Roger spills the beans about Henry Francis. Oops! Don confronts Betty. And it's on!!!! Harry. Hee. Nobody knows how the business works. Ha! Oh no, the "it'll be temporary" lie. You said you'd always come home. I will. It's just a different home. Don tries again to recruit Peggy. I will spend the rest of my life trying to hire you. Aww... Joan!!!!! Now the only one missing is Sal. ETA: Oh right, they can't recruit Sal because of Lucky Strike. And the whole gay thing. I really hope to see Sal again though. Peggy, can you get me some coffee? No. HA! I love it. How long do you think it'll take for us to work in a place like this again? I never saw myself working in a place like this. Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. New beginnings for all.
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Mad Men
Jul 31, 2010 20:20:46 GMT -5
Post by Lola m on Jul 31, 2010 20:20:46 GMT -5
Nice pair of opening scenes. Don is still creative and the one that everyone watches and wants (and still hiding – and how long can that work?), Pete is still smarmy and eager, and Roger is still jealous and sharp-eyed. “Do you want women who want bikinis to buy your two-piece or do you just want to make sure women who want a two-piece don’t suddenly buy a bikini?” Classic Don – cut to the chase. Heee! Peggy and guy are doing “John and Marsha”. ;D HA! And I just heard Stan Freberg doing a few bits of that live recently. Man, love his routines/parodies. A staple of my childhood, they were. And Peggy is still sticking up for Don. Betty and Henry are living in Don and Betty’s old house? Didn’t he have a place? I would have assumed they’d move there. Huh. Maybe she didn’t want to move the kids? PR ham fight? Peggy is still the one with creative flair too, just like Don. “Oh good. I got you when you’re vulnerable.” HA! Oh, Roger. You always say things that are the truth as if they are a humorous lie. Recurring theme of everyone being worried about Don . . . that’s new. And it’s looking like they’re right to worry. First date “that Roger’s been involved with” and Jane making him her personal project. Hmmmmm. What oh what have you been doing with yourself, eh, Don? Don’s only been to the opera for business, so he didn’t enjoy it. HA! Ham fight for realz! Heee! Travelin’ Harry returns! And he’s still working like a dog and getting none of the kudos he should, isn’t he? “I won’t even tell people after it’s aired.” HA!! (Joan – office! Looking fab! **happy squee**) Ad Age guy compares him to Dorian Gray. **snerk** How do they get credit for the Ham Fight? They can’t! Can’t even charge for it. I love how we can see Peggy creating ideas. They do a nice job with this aspect of ads – with her and with Don in particular. I’m totally loving confident Action!Peggy. Ooooh, are they all gonna get on Don’s case now about the Ad Age article and what not? And will he put up with that? “Turning creative success into business is your work. And you failed.” Ouch! Also? Harry not so meek anymore. You go, Harry! Ooooh, Betty and new hubby! Let’s see how things stand. Not too well it seems. Looks like his family is none too welcoming. And Sally is none too happy to be involved with it all. Ah. And this is what Don’s been doing. Getting smacked around by a hooker. Oh, Don, your Oedipus complex is showing. Ha! Bail money déjà vu! Don is so “heavy sigh, blasé” on the phone with Peggy about the Ham Fight stunt and then so angry in person (well, and this time he’s sort of right to be so angry – and sort of not). Also, fiancé? Yeah, I don’t think so. Oh dear, things aren’t exactly perfect at home with Betty and Henry. What a shock! And how wonderful to see them engaging in the classic use of the kids to hurt each other. [/sarcasm] “I waited for you plenty of times.” Which is true, but again – kids! And his anger makes him finally discuss the house, in the worst possible way. Again – surprise! “Believe me, Henry. Everyone thinks this is temporary.” Oh, snap!!! Interesting. Henry does want to move and she’s resisting. But is it really for the kids, or . . . ? “I try to stay away from these kinds of shenanigans. But I guess you knew that, or you would have told me.” “It was going great. Until it wasn’t.” I love these kind of scenes between Don and Peggy. They really do understand each other so well. And I love her snark!! “You need to think more about the image of this agency.” Right, Don. Ad Agency interview pot, meet Ham Fight kettle. Oh Henry’s mama really doesn’t like Betty, does she? “I see what you see in her. And you could have gotten it without marrying.” Oh, ouch!! Don's doing his prima donna act with clients again. **eye roll** "Your competitors are going to keep killing you because you're too scared of the skin your two-piece was designed to show off." So Don. He’s basically right, actually very right, but he’s being such a jerk about it that they won’t listen. It’s always his way or the highway. Yelling at them? Really?? Dude!! Well, they're not the clients he wants, are they? He doesn't want to be working like this, he wants . . . Ooooooh!! Don actually tells the story to the Wall Street Journal!! It’s ON! Don’s gonna dance like a good little monkey for the company, but he’s gonna do it in his own kamikaze style. Heeeee!! Tobacco Road. So. Perfect!! AWESOME EP!! AWESOME! OMG, the ending just killed me! The look on Don’s face? He was soooo throwing down the gauntlet! And the best thing about finally watching the ep is now I can read Tom and Lorenzo’s post about it.
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Mad Men
Jul 31, 2010 20:24:14 GMT -5
Post by Lola m on Jul 31, 2010 20:24:14 GMT -5
3.13 Shut the door, have a seat Don at a hotel? Or in the attic? Huh? More meetings with Connie. The business merger. Christmas at Sterling Cooper. Flashbacks. During the Depression. The Allotment Act. We can put everything back the way it was. Young men love risks because you can't imagine the consequence. you old men love building golden tombs and sealing the rest of us in with you. Fascinating conversation between Cooper and Don. I'm reminded of how Betty said that Don doesn't understand money. Burt and Don have very very different perspectives on it, I'm thinking. OMG, how I loved that! And taking all her unhappiness from one situation to the other, I'm thinking. It was totally like a caper movie, wasn't it? So cool!
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Mad Men
Aug 1, 2010 21:49:47 GMT -5
Post by Lola m on Aug 1, 2010 21:49:47 GMT -5
Glen! Tree shopping and there's Glen! Well, Sally will have something in common with him now. Hee! Advice on working the divorce to get stuff. And is he gonna be a "boyfriend" for Sally? Awwww. Sweet-sad letter to Santa!Daddy. And a mention of the Beatles - perfect! O.M.G! Freddy Rumson!! (I actually love their mid-century mod offices.) Oooh, and Freddy comes bearing a client. And doesn't want Pete involved. And we see that Roger can actually be the subtle diplomatic one, when required. Glen is bringing all kinds of info to Sally. Motivational research group!!!! **squees** OMG, this is like my Louis Nye comedy album - Heigh Ho Madison Avenue - come to life! One of the songs on it is the Motivation Research March. [motivation research is the tune to which we march, motivation research tells us what makes people tick, for instance people never buy the lollipop as such, deep down they buy the stick, etc .etc.] "It's right up there with the polio vaccine." Ha! I like her. Getting at what people really want, not what they say they want. This is gonna make Don nuts. And of course he skates out. To no one's surprise. Naughty nurse neighbor. Will Don take the bait? Listen to Peggy, Freddy! (I mean, Tallulah Bankhead? To get the younger buyers? Really Freddy?) And she's fully on board the Don concept of giving the client what they need, not what they say they want. Hmmm. Motivation research anyone? Theme, people, theme!! Ah! The buddy of his from Ponds is in AA with him. And Freddy doesn't know to treat Peggy differently now - he's acting like they are back in time a few years. Ha! Gotta quick manufacture a "real" office party for Lucky Strike Jr to attend. And we all know he's gonna have some . . . expectations, so to speak. Will Roger learn to live without an open pocket? Something tells me, not so much. "Want something? I brought it from home." Joan will get it all done perfectly, we know. Ah, Peggy's beau. "My bed is covered with work." "That's kind of symbolic." "We're not doing anything I can't do myself." HA! Yeah, you're too late to be her "first", dude. And she's really not old fashioned. Seriously dude. Not in really any of the ways you could think of. "I don't hate Christmas. I hate this Christmas." Ouch! And now she's nice nurse. Nice but not naïve. Competent Joan always turns me on. Indulging yourself. Versus "use it and get married". And she lays it right out there. "You're old fashioned." OK. I'm doing my usual thing of taking waaaaaay too long to watch Mad Men (rewinding, rewatching favorite moments, scenes, lines, images, as I go). So, in order to make it to bed when I should I'm stopping now and will watch the rest another night.
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Post by Karen on Aug 2, 2010 9:30:38 GMT -5
Things that stuck with me from last night's episode. Weirdness of Christmas in July. (from my perspective) Mr. Lucky Strike Jr forcing Roger to play Santa. (Lucky Strike - what a blast from the past!) Glen is just plain creepin' me out. Don is a dog. Of course. But such a pretty puppy he is. Peggy and boyfriend are really mismatched. Grown up 'Connor's' suit is too big for him. Joan in red leading the Conga line. A Conga line! The garbage being swept up in the office after the Christmas party. Don's secretary getting the brush off and a $100 bonus. Don loaded up with presents for his kids that he put no thought in whatsoever.
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Mad Men
Aug 2, 2010 13:33:40 GMT -5
Post by Julia, wrought iron-y on Aug 2, 2010 13:33:40 GMT -5
Things that stuck with me from last night's episode. Weirdness of Christmas in July. (from my perspective) Mr. Lucky Strike Jr forcing Roger to play Santa. (Lucky Strike - what a blast from the past!) Glen is just plain creepin' me out. Don is a dog. Of course. But such a pretty puppy he is. Peggy and boyfriend are really mismatched. Grown up 'Connor's' suit is too big for him. Joan in red leading the Conga line. A Conga line! The garbage being swept up in the office after the Christmas party. Don's secretary getting the brush off and a $100 bonus. Don loaded up with presents for his kids that he put no thought in whatsoever. I'm not sure about that last: he and Sally were at Macy's together when they saw the necklace, and I suspect that choosing the drum set for Bobby was the product of some calculation as to what will annoy Betty and Henry the most. Julia, what he doesn't think about, for the whole episode, is his relationship with Allison.
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Mad Men
Aug 2, 2010 20:28:57 GMT -5
Post by Lola m on Aug 2, 2010 20:28:57 GMT -5
OK, ready for the second half! Glen calling again. He's a bit . . . scary, isn't he? I mean, I get it. He's a lonely little boy. A scary, creepy, lonely little boy. Ah, the wonderful, awful, painful party begins! So totally staged for their one client. Ha!! Gifts, girls and games. Oy. Trashing the house? Oh, Glen!! Also? I think your "if you hear anything, run, don't worry about me" didn't need to be said. Something tells me the other kid would abandon you right away without you even having to suggest it. Oooooh!! Joan conga line!!!!!! **rewinds and watches several times** OMG, does this party read sooooo very fake, or what? They're trying so hard! Too hard. Oh, Roger. You'll be Santa and you'll like it, buddy. Only client. Only client. (Awkward!) "He's a hell of a sport." And you're a hell of a prick. As if we didn't already know that. Giving out Lucky Strikes. OY!! "You didn't need to do that." "Yes, we did." Oh, snap! Good one, Lane. "I can't leave until Jeff and Bert Cooper figure out how to take food from children." "Well, if anyone can do it . . . " HA! Good one, Don. "I learned a lot about you. I learned you're the kind of man who doesn't want to take the test." HA! Watch out, Don, she's gonna see right through you. "It all comes down to what I want versus what's expected of me." "That's true." "I know it's true. And you would have known it's true if you'd stayed for my presentation." Excellent! "You'll be married in a year." Oooooooh!! She does not stop, does she? "Nobody wants to think they're a type." Oh, the painful, awkward party continues. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! This company badly needs to get some more clients! Stat! Interesting. The young pups at the office are not so in thrall to Don - at least not now that he's drinking so much. And now he's making a play for his secretary? Oh, don't sleep with him, he's sooooo fucked up right now! I mean, even worse that he usually is!! Yeah, that was not exactly a magical moment there. For either of them. That was an interesting moment between Peggy and Freddy. They're in the same room talking to each other but they're really each having a different conversation. "Did you enjoy the Führer's birthday?" Oh, Roger. You still get the best lines. "I've probably taken advantage of your kindness too many times." Ouch. And then "here's the bonus we talked about". OMG, Don! Oh, Peggy. And she continues to play a game too. Ep all about lonliness, wasn't it?
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Mad Men
Aug 2, 2010 20:30:35 GMT -5
Post by Lola m on Aug 2, 2010 20:30:35 GMT -5
Things that stuck with me from last night's episode. Weirdness of Christmas in July. (from my perspective) Mr. Lucky Strike Jr forcing Roger to play Santa. (Lucky Strike - what a blast from the past!) Glen is just plain creepin' me out. Don is a dog. Of course. But such a pretty puppy he is. Peggy and boyfriend are really mismatched. Grown up 'Connor's' suit is too big for him. Joan in red leading the Conga line. A Conga line! The garbage being swept up in the office after the Christmas party. Don's secretary getting the brush off and a $100 bonus. Don loaded up with presents for his kids that he put no thought in whatsoever. I'm not sure about that last: he and Sally were at Macy's together when they saw the necklace, and I suspect that choosing the drum set for Bobby was the product of some calculation as to what will annoy Betty and Henry the most. Julia, what he doesn't think about, for the whole episode, is his relationship with Allison. Yeah, I guess I'd say there was thought but no effort. ;D
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Mad Men
Aug 9, 2010 19:54:28 GMT -5
Post by Lola m on Aug 9, 2010 19:54:28 GMT -5
I like how Joan and her doctor seem to be on equal footing. Everyone’s off traveling and yet they’re the ones who are cranky. Laney baby, you should not have taken your personal problems out on Joan. And Joan, you should have known that your usual method of using your sexual appeal to get your way wouldn't work on Lane. California Don!Dick!! Squeeeeeee!!! Oh, Joan. Things are just not going well for you. I also tend to thing he’s gonna get sent to Viet Nam. “You’re in charge. Trust me, I work in advertising.” “You’re kidding me. It’s pollution!” “Stop buying things.” “Don’t think that’s not possible.” ;D ;D ;D We’re definitely heating up, politically, this season. More and more “current events and issues” being mentioned, becoming a part of everyone’s daily lives. “I’m sorry she broke your heart.” “I had it comin’.” Damn, for Don, that’s fairly honest, I think. Should have been that honest with Betty. Well, except I think he’s right that she wouldn’t have loved him if she’d known. Don is always different in California. Oh, Don. Don’t try it on this college girl. Seriously. She’s gonna slap you down. And not the kind of slapping that you like. ;D Oh, Anna!! Oh, damn! I was wondering what was really wrong with her, but damn! And she DOESN’T KNOW!?! “I’m not gonna fight watching Dick Whitman painy my living room in his shorts.” **snortle** Well, who would? He’s gonna want to stay and take care of her for awhile, I bet. Which is fab, ‘cuz I just love their conversations. “I know everything about you, and I still love you.” Damn!! I guess you don’t have any power to “fix” things this time, Don. “So encouraging to see someone happily married around here.” Oh, ouch! And then the flowers? Oh, ouch! Lane and Joan both angry at you? Yeah, your ass is soooo fired. Oh, Dick! Oh, Anna!! The little signature and date? And the tearful goodbye (she soooo knows)? And the sad flight? And then Joan and her husband and “I can’t fix anything else, but I can fix this”? (Niiiiiice parallel to Don and Anna, by the way.) Damn! Ep of the tears, this is! I love Don’s little “I can’t take any more bad news” and then, precarious finances or not – it’s been a “magnificent” year. It’s both sad and amazingly funny to watch Don and Lane drink and work and watch Godzilla (or was that Gamera?) and be obnoxious in restaurants and clubs, all alone with just their $25 hookers, through their odd little New Year’s. It’s almost adorable, in a Dickens kind of way. Orphans in New York, in the house they call the risin’ sun. “I should pay.” (Oh, you are paying, Lane. ) “Thank you. For the . . . welcome distraction.” (Love the English. Love them!) “Alright, gentlemen. Shall we begin 1965?” Wonderful layered ep!
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Mad Men
Aug 16, 2010 21:21:13 GMT -5
Post by Lola m on Aug 16, 2010 21:21:13 GMT -5
Cigarette commercial restrictions getting tighter . . . and of course their primary client is Lucky Strike. This has been one long arc a buildin’. “Why is this empty?” “Because you drank it.” Oh, ouch! I like the scrappy more-modern vibe to the way they’re working. Bustling, multi-tasking. Interesting to see both Don and the motivation research woman praising Peggy’s ideas. Pete’s Clearasil account being bumped for Ponds? Damn! Nice little bit of office politicing, with him saying that he doesn’t expect Lane to understand the personal and family trauma in this, but Roger must. And I tend to think that each of them actually understands. Lane just doesn’t really care while Roger will pretend to care. Sort of. “Throw yourself on the grenade. Protect the agency. You’re a partner now.” And then they pretend there’s a fire. Heeeeee!! Cosgrove mention – yay! Interesting meeting in the elevator between Peggy and the Life woman. What’s going to come out of that, I wonder? OMG, the scene between Pete and his father at the bar? Comedy gold! “You’re some kind of high WASP, alright” and the oh-so-earnest “what are you talking about?” and the TMI babbling as Pete mentally goes to his happy place and so on. HA! Oh happy pregnant Trudy! Awwwwwwwww!! And in her own way, Trudy is just as ruthless as Pete is. Saying that she should tell her dad because he’s already feeling so guilty, he’ll “never feel the knife go in”. Interesting to compare the reactions to the Pond’s call for “girls” from the office and compare it to the lipstick test just a few years ago. Now it’s “why do we have to do this” and getting cooperation through payment. And also now it is a set-up, with the motivation research woman somewhat deceptively taking part. Leave the e off, so she can correct it and be more “one of them” because she’s not important. And it works. Damn devious. “Can you imagine? Your financial future’s in the hands of a room full of 22 year old girls.” “Not mine.” And then Peggy’s “she’s amazing”. And Allison’s glance at the mirror (she knows) and Don’s guilty little adjustment (he knows she knows.) And then OMG, Peggy is all “I feel kind of responsible”? Ouch!! Yeah, not you so much, Peggy. Lots of layers in those small sentences and little moments. “I feel like it doesn’t matter what I see, it’s what he sees.” “Your problem is not my problem.” “Fine.” “And honestly, you should get over it.” WHOA! Harsh! And it’s because it pushed just exactly the wrong button with Peggy. Letting her know just exactly what some in the office are assuming and saying about her – she must have had sex with Don, or why would she have the job? Just exactly the thing to set her off and soooooo not the way to keep her on your side. Also? Peggy is all about the moving on herself and struggling with this just a bit right now, pushing even more buttons. Heee! The theme of not enough space is a perfect running gag. As is the amusing column in Pete’s office. Ha! Harry is getting positively adorkable with his TV exposure, isn’t he? Ken just goes right for Pete’s throat. OMG, and he has the brass to be all “Harry is just like that” but it matters when Pete says snotty things about him? HA! And whoa! Lots of McCann hate. Plus, interesting to hear that things are not necessarily happy-rosy-fun-times at other agencies either. Oh, Alison. Don’t confront him, woman. It’s not going to get you anything. Oh, damn, just quitting? (Dude, you should have taken him up on the idea of writing your own recommendation and then getting it signed. Because he really isn’t a “good” person. Certainly not now, wallowing in all his ouches and angst and drinking himself into a stupor all the time.) OMG, Peggy peeking over the wall? Heeeeeeee!! Time woman! Inviting Peggy to a party! Cool! “Kinda pretentious” – HA! You are not in the best place to call someone else pretentious, woman. Whoa! Pete! Goin’ right at the business, put daddy-in-law right up against the wall. And if it works? He really took what Ken said to heart. Go big, Pete, don't just get a part of a company, get it all! He’ll be big man at the office. Also? "Every time you jump to conclusions, Tom, you make me respect you less." Oh, snap, Pete! Oh, Don. Drinking alone in the dark in your office? That way lies Freddy Rumson territory, dude, and no one wants to see that! Party-girl Peggy, lookin’ sharp and getting high. “He doesn’t own your vagina.” “No, but he’s renting it.” Oh, Peggy, can you be any more fab? I think not!! Compare and contrast happy Peggy to sad drunken Don. “Right now my life is very . . .” Very fucked up? Very depressing? Very trainwreck? Hitting bottom, perhaps? Ha! Copy-writing is writing. You tell ‘em, Peggy! “For someone to sell their soul, they’ve got to have one.” Ha!! Ooooh, cute bohemian guy and kissing in the dark. Yay you, Peggy. Now, run from the cops before you get your head punched in. Blenkinship. Ha! She’s actually the perfect secretary for Don. And Pete gets to be the big hero. That was a really nice moment between Peggy and Pete, congratulating him about the baby. Both of them just so adult and calm and then one little moment when she goes off to smack her head briefly and then – moving on. Research says to go with the idea of Ponds and marriage. I love Don’s reaction. “Hello, 1925.” And, while he’s falling apart in other ways, I do agree with some of what he’s saying here – that of course a new idea isn’t going to be brought up by the audience because it is exactly that – new. I agree with that. I mean, think of all the new shows or movies or pop culture hits, etc. that just suddenly take the world by storm. Could they have been predicted, manufactured based on consumer research? I think not – they became as popular as they did because they couldn’t be predicted, couldn’t be imagined until they were there. People loved them because they were a surprise. (Well, and also I have my own biases and agree with the whole “it’s nobody’s business” thing too, so I’m not exactly impartial. ;D ) Awwww. Peggy going off with the fun young things and Pete schmoozing with the clients and then, just that little look. Awwww. Message of the ep? Get your act together, Don! Also? Did she get the damn pears? I need to know!!!
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Mad Men
Aug 18, 2010 12:13:40 GMT -5
Post by Michelle on Aug 18, 2010 12:13:40 GMT -5
Lola! Loved your comments about this last ep.
Peggy was *way* harsh to Allison, but I think that's because of the reasons you mentioned, Lola, as well as that she has been schooled by Don to "just get over it." ("This never happened.")
I wonder if there has been gossip about Peggy's "fat stage" and that maybe Don was the one who knocked her up? I can see the office secretarial pool coming to that conclusion. There is obviously a history between Don and her, and Pete has never once let on that he had a thing with Peggy.
Re: Don. I hope he snaps out of it, or hits bottom soon, or something. Watching him free fall is SO depressing! The drinking, the chain smoking, the barely paying attention and bullshitting his way through meetings...it's all so tragic. And of course we know that their biggest client, Lucky Strike, is soon to get hit hard.
And is Faye Miller correct? That Don will be married within a year? God, I hope not. Out of the frying pan into the fire.
And why does Don hate Dr. Miller's ideas so much? And who is right--Don or Dr. Miller? Can they sell product based on how people behaved in the past, or is it the advertisers' job to tell consumers how to behave?
Someone mentioned on another web site that Joan was punishing Don by assigning Mrs Blenkenship to him, and they may be right. But I also thought it was a way of protecting Don from repeating his recent transgression. To me, it's Joan's way of saying, "Keep your mind on your work, Don."
I wondered if Allison was going to work for Helen Gurley Brown...I think she mentioned she was going to work for a magazine, and the boss was a woman. It seems like the time period is about right. *checks Wikipedia* Yup, HGB became chief of Cosmo in 1965.
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Mad Men
Aug 20, 2010 10:14:46 GMT -5
Post by Karen on Aug 20, 2010 10:14:46 GMT -5
Lola! Loved your comments about this last ep. Peggy was *way* harsh to Allison, but I think that's because of the reasons you mentioned, Lola, as well as that she has been schooled by Don to "just get over it." ("This never happened.") I wonder if there has been gossip about Peggy's "fat stage" and that maybe Don was the one who knocked her up? I can see the office secretarial pool coming to that conclusion. There is obviously a history between Don and her, and Pete has never once let on that he had a thing with Peggy. Re: Don. I hope he snaps out of it, or hits bottom soon, or something. Watching him free fall is SO depressing! The drinking, the chain smoking, the barely paying attention and bullshitting his way through meetings...it's all so tragic. And of course we know that their biggest client, Lucky Strike, is soon to get hit hard. And is Faye Miller correct? That Don will be married within a year? God, I hope not. Out of the frying pan into the fire. And why does Don hate Dr. Miller's ideas so much? And who is right--Don or Dr. Miller? Can they sell product based on how people behaved in the past, or is it the advertisers' job to tell consumers how to behave? Someone mentioned on another web site that Joan was punishing Don by assigning Mrs Blenkenship to him, and they may be right. But I also thought it was a way of protecting Don from repeating his recent transgression. To me, it's Joan's way of saying, "Keep your mind on your work, Don." I wondered if Allison was going to work for Helen Gurley Brown...I think she mentioned she was going to work for a magazine, and the boss was a woman. It seems like the time period is about right. *checks Wikipedia* Yup, HGB became chief of Cosmo in 1965. I love Mrs Blenkenship...interesting name, huh? Along with protecting Don, I think Joan is protecting her 'girls', too. She is slowly changing how she views a woman's role in the workplace. A bit of Peggy's shortness with Allison comes from her hitting a nerve - but it comes from her dalliance with Pete, not Don. Don's had quite a few hits lately. The pending Lucky Strike hammer does not bode well for his recovering from his depression any time soon. But I agree, he will look for a woman to pull him out of it.
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Mad Men
Aug 24, 2010 10:02:55 GMT -5
Post by Michelle on Aug 24, 2010 10:02:55 GMT -5
Love to see Don back on top! Well, business-wise, at least. He fooled Shaw into spending big bucks on a commercial and impressed the hell out of the Honda people by returning their $3000. Now SCDP is first in line to get advertise the automobiles. Whoo hoo!
On a personal front, he's still struggling. Fighting with Betty, feeling guilty as a parent, and sporadically dating that vapid chick Bethany. Somehow his relationship with Phoebe the nurse transitioned from flirtatious to hired (now fired) babysitter.
And of course, Betty over-reacts to Sally acting out. Henry at least is somewhat cool about the whole thing and coaches her through the situation. He treats Betty with kid gloves and calms her down a bit. He's not a bad guy. The question is, what does he see in Betty?
Looks like Pete is going to outshine Roger, and Roger knows it. Roger sees that past behind him and Pete in front of him, and he doesn't like it. It's an interesting argument from Roger that working with Honda supports people who they fought against in World War II, whilst he puffs away on his cancer sticks. What's the true danger?
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Mad Men
Aug 28, 2010 22:09:49 GMT -5
Post by Lola m on Aug 28, 2010 22:09:49 GMT -5
So very Don. Problem? There is no problem. “I never heard of him.” Yeah, I think you’ve heard of your fellow competitors in the ad world. Still, refusing to acknowledge the guy is a nice insult. More mentions of outside world. Selma. And the different reactions by each of them. Roger pragmatic and looking to others for their opinion. Bert all “they should shut up”. And Pete getting it, just in his own crude way. Oooooh, Roger. Not on board with Honda, still fighting his own WWII. But he looks like he’s the only one with an issue. Something tells me he’s gonna learn he’s got different partners now who won’t go along with his issues. “Keep Roger out of the loop.” Yep, it’s starting. I like that Don is straightforward with Sally. “You’re going to see a girl, aren’t you?” “Yes.” And that she doesn’t have to like it. Ah, and then she acts out by cutting her hair. Not exactly a surprise. “I know that the man pees inside the woman.” “Where did you hear that?!” Ah ha ha ha ha!! Ooooh and they run into Don’s “rival” at Benihana’s. Trying to push Don’s buttons. Don’s never gonna show it, even if you do get to him, dude. Or at least, you have to move into more . . . personal realms to get him visibly flustered. Also? You’re annoying your wife. And Bethany’s just keeps in there, trying her little heart out. Somehow, I don’t see it happening. Interesting to see the chain of anger here. Sally cuts her hair and is afraid the babysitter is angry. The babysitter tells her she is in more trouble with her dad than Sally is. And one of the first reactions Don has is that he is gonna get “a river of shit” with Betty over it. Heirarchy! Whoa! Betty! Well, she is always so tightly wound and when she snaps it is always in these “things are not going the way they’re supposed to in my perfect vision” moments. Plus, it always goes back to the nasty things her mom used to say and do to her. Plus, plus, she hates Don sooooo much! “Reward her. Really.” She just doesn’t understand this way of parenting because it’s not how she was raised. Damn, I continue to love Joan. “I hope no one’s taken you to Benihana?” and “I’ve got a very good list of steakhouses, just ask.” (Perfect!) And then the “not very subtle, are they”, “no, they are not” moment. Eyebrow raising! Bert, doing so well in the little gestures and Pete just blundering through, but sooo enthusiastic. Whoops!! Roger’s here. This has doom written all over it. “They won’t know it’s over until you drop the big one. Twice.” Oh wow! This is just gonna go downhill even more, isn’t it? “We beat you and we’ll beat you again.” Yeah, downhill for sures. Is the “sick wife” thing at all true, or did Pete just completely make that up? So much “that’s so Don” stuff on display. It’s not about the money, it’s the design. This is the kind of work, the kind of creativity, he wants to be part of. “These are not the same people!” “How can that be? I’m the same people!” Whoa!! Lotta meaning in that there set of lines. Lotta foreshadowing too, I’m thinking. Go, Pete!! “Some of us are trying to build something!” **squeeeee** Man from U.N.C.L.E.!!! Ilya Kuryakin!!! I have an Ilya Kuryakin statue (you can’t call it an “action figure” ‘cuz it’s solid molded plastic, so there’s no “action” happening) from my childhoon on my desk at work!! I sooooo had a crush on Ilya. So pretty. And OMG, Sally like him too. Oh man. Sleepover mom is gonna tell Betty her daughter is a filthy whore or something, isn’t she? Betty will think she inherited this kind of behavior from her slutty daddy, won’t she. Don’t do them in private (yeah, right – remember the washing machine, Betty?) and especially don’t do them in public. Oy. “They’re businessmen and you insulted them to their face! I’m expecting a child!” I think I like plain-spoken-yet-so-dorky Pete. Will Don work his magic on Honda? “We need to do something to make them notice us.” Oh, Don. “Boy or girl?” So clueless!! And I love how babysitter mom has set it up for everyone to think Sally was putting on some kind of live nude show for the crowds or something, instead of just starting to encourage those fun tingly feelings in a dark room with the tv after her little friend fell asleep. And of course it’s really all about Don and Betty and their issues and fights. OMG, I love them all mesmerized over the dunking bird toy wondering what makes it work and Don all “I’m still wondering what makes you work”. Ha! I love that Don actually read the book and it’s obvious that no one else did. Now, what is his complete sneaky plan, I wonder? “Count on your discretion” and then Don there with a motorcycle? Yeah, they’re so expecting him to run off to the other agency. Which is exactly what he does. Ah ha ha ha!! Rival guy soooo didn’t want to hear his employer fondly remembering Don and saying “he’s a genius”. OMG, I love Peggy just riding around and around on the motorcycle!! Research woman again. Drinking with Don in the kitchen. And once again with the revealing snippets of conversation. They all drink a lot around here, but it would put her to sleep. Tightrope walker. Who says his father is the real talent. “You’d be surprised what people will say to an interested stranger” and “why does everybody need to talk about everything?” Talking makes people feel better. Oooooh, she’s not married, the wedding band and pretense is a “stop sign”. And as Don points out, she told him. Which leads him to open up to her about the divorce, his ambiguous feelings about his kids and the therapist for Sally idea. “I’m pretty sure if you love her and she knows it, she’ll be fine.” And now the matching scene of Betty finally talking to someone. The prospective therapist for Sally, but the topics are mostly Betty’s issues and feelings. Don doesn’t care (she says he wouldn’t care about coming to Sally’s therapy, but I wonder if she even knows that this is, of course, false – Don might be a bit clueless but he does love his kids and if asked to be there for therapy he would – she is really thinking about how Don doesn’t care about her). Her father’s death (which we can see is still very painful for Betty). How her father would have gotten along with Henry (he’d have liked him more than Don, more “their kind of people”, I’m thinking). Her mother – oooooh, and we get a story about little Betty’s budding sexuality in her own youth and the reaction that got. She feels like Sally did this to punish Betty. Hmmm. I think Sally has done things to punish her mom, but this seemed to me to be not related to that in the slightest. This was just Sally … feeling what she was feeling. IMHO. “That must be a terrible feeling.” “It is.” Yes, Betty, you should talk to someone. Someone better than your last therapist. I love how the therapist accomplishes this by setting up monthly meetings to keep up with Sally’s progress. And I love the call-back to the very hurtful discovery that Don was talking to her therapist before by asking if the doctor would tell her what Sally said, being glad that the doc won’t share either direction – “that’s better”. (Or was it “that’s fair”?) 4 days a week is a lot of therapy, though. Ooooooh, that was Don’s evil plan! And it’s a good one! Withdraw, give them back their money (or rather, give them Don’s money, even better) because it isn’t an “honorable” competition, now that their rival didn’t follow the rules. Which he tricked them into doing, of course. Sweet! They still probably won’t get the account, but I’ll bet rival firm doesn’t either. Oh sulky Roger. I love how Joan throws a bit of perspective his way. “I don’t want to hear it. My husband’s gonna be in uniform any day now.” “Roger, I know it was awful. And I know it will never seem like it was that long ago. But you fought to make the world a safer place. And you won. And now it ends.” They really do bring out the best in each other. Interesting. Honda was never going to leave their agency. (Or so they say now, at least.) But they were most impressed with Don. And now their agency is first in line for the Honda car. And the rival? Soooo not. Ha! I’m really enjoying seeing how much more open and flexible the hierarchy is at the new office. The sparring and sniping between the partners and so on. Final song is “I enjoy being a girl”?! Ah ha ha ha ha ha!! Oh, talk about bringing the two story threads together in a totally wonderfully sick and twisted way!! Ha!!
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Mad Men
Aug 28, 2010 22:19:01 GMT -5
Post by Lola m on Aug 28, 2010 22:19:01 GMT -5
Lola! Loved your comments about this last ep. Peggy was *way* harsh to Allison, but I think that's because of the reasons you mentioned, Lola, as well as that she has been schooled by Don to "just get over it." ("This never happened.") Yeah, I think Peggy is a very "moving on to the future" kind of person. I have hopes that new clients and all the world-changing that is about to happen might energize him. At least, I hope so! I tend to thing that both of them are right and both are wrong, in some ways. ;D I almost wonder if the reason Don dislikes her are not for the things they disagree on, but rather their similarities. They both are rather alpha people. Oh what an awesome idea!!!! Sex and the Single Girl!
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