Mad Men

[Trichocyst]

I hated the teacher the most. Should have been a great character to play off Don's old fashioned ways with her wide eyed idealism and an introduction to the women's lib movement but quickly became just another woman trying to fix him. Hated her.

Don preys on women for sure, but they're also so desperate to fix him.

[Rowe]

lol, if you remember Bobbie Barret preyed on him. Yeah the school teacher seemed she could have been a good thing. She pretended to be strong and independent but in the end she was as needy as him.

[Talint]

Spoiler: show

Prediction: Lucky Strikes is gone by the end of the season, and that'll really put SCDP into serious financial jeopardy. There seems to be some implication of impropriety between SCDP and Lucky Strikes as-is.

Interesting to see Anna write a note to Draper addressed to "Don". I am more and more curious as to how this particular relationship functions.

And oh, Campbell, you're my favorite scumbag. Granted, turning Clear-a-sil into an opportunity to bag the entire line of medicinal products and using your new kid as leverage to get it isn't so scummy, the leftover scum from, "I got you that dress so now you have to fuck me" kind of drips over.

Loved Peggy peeking into Don's window after the temper tantrum from the secretary.

Can't figure out what they're planning with Cosgrove, if anything. I thought for sure he was going to snipe Clear-a-sil from Campbell, but I guess not!

[Trichocyst]

Along the lines of Lucky Strikes...

Spoiler: show

Teenage markets are about to skyrocket and along with it, Clearasil. I have this great book about comics which talks about teenagers with disposable income suddenly becoming a selling point. It's why Spider-Man is one of the two most important superheroes of all time.

[Rhyis.]

"He doesn't own your vagina."
"No, but he's renting it."

Classic.

[thestalkmore]

Great ep. New sig!

[thestalkmore]

Tonight's was awesome, like usual

[Demetrius*]

I've watched like 5 episodes of this show and I still don't quite get it. Is it like a soap opera for dudes with better writing?

[Trichocyst]

Last night's episode was pretty good. Don's Batman Gambit was pretty inspired, but it also had one of the more disturbing moments in Mad Men history. I didn't get a chance to watch it as closely as I normally would.

[Alvein]

Definitely a disturbing episode in many regards. Through everything I've always liked Slattery's character, but watching yesterday's episode I really despised him. It was just disappointing. Though it's really true, those types of feelings did exist in the `60s. That's what I like about the show, they really do tackle the real issues that were facing society during that time period.

[Alvein]

I've watched like 5 episodes of this show and I still don't quite get it. Is it like a soap opera for dudes with better writing?

It has interesting historical fiction qualities if you give it time.

[Rhyis.]

Sally's story finally has me intrigued. This episode was perfection.

[ZarakiKujata]

I honestly thought this was one of the best episodes so far this season and was pretty shocked that for once Matthew Weiner was not involved with the writing..
Also, I fucking loved Betty's hypocrisy with Sally masturbating, since back in Season 1 she was getting off w/ the laundry machine..

as for why its enjoyable, it is a great social commentary on society of the 1960s, stylistically probably the coolest show on tv from a cinematography standpoint and from set design/costumes if you are into that, and has great tongue in cheek humor thats really dry (if you like that), titcow, and a great plot that keeps going back to previous seasons to build a rich tapestry

[ZarakiKujata]

I think I liked tonights even more than last week. The flashbacks were fucking great.

[Kais]

don's fucking losing it, lol
also, the secretary is gold

[ZarakiKujata]

Series is gonna end with either Don or Pete putting a gun in their mouth and pulling the trigger.

[Trichocyst]

What a curious episode.

Spoiler: show

The whole episode had a great theme of glory (and I doubt it was coincidence that it ran on the night of the Emmys). Don's drunk on glory, Roger feels forgotten, Peggy feels neglected, Pete feels hamstrung. Everyone is all about the glory.

I love the way Peggy's character is developing and I loved the way the flashbacks served to show where people seem to be going, as much as where they have been. Peggy is the scene stealer tonight with the way she called the art director's bluff. Not only did she embarrass him, but she rubbed his face in it. Times are changing and Peggy is going to change with it. Her character development really echoed her sentiment at the beginning of the episode. She's really come a long way. This season has been especially about Peggy moving forward.

I thought a lot of the other developments were interesting too. Pete, in spite of his repeated problems with Roger, is more like Roger all the time. The more power he demands to wield, the more of his power he seems to flex. He's got the be the only guy in the world who doesn't like Ken Cosgrove. I also enjoy the way Pete tries to do damage control at the Life meeting while clearly not realizing how they started out just like he did.

Which brings us to Don. Has Don Draper hit rock bottom? Black out drunk? Check. Neglecting his children (whom he does very much love)? Check. Harmful business practices? Check and check. Accidentally using his real name? Check. Unfortunately, I don't think this is it. I don't think is rock bottom for Don. The parallel of his story with Roger and the new guy were telling. Don still clearly remembers what it's like to just want a break and more than ever, Don wants a break. But this time he doesn't know how to get it. And if this is an episode of glory, he is getting in as much as he can, while he can, because he's becoming Roger. A confused, bitter, alcoholic, who is hanging on to his identity. Except that Don is still searching, desperately, to find something he can anchor on.

I'd like to say the Don has finally hit a bottom and can start healing, but he's not there yet. It's going to be pretty epic when he gets there.

[Caiyuo]

I thought I was on the verge of strangling Don following the award acceptance and the rambling idea vomit at Life (whom I thought he was going to literally throw up on ), but I had no idea what would follow lol. Seriously, goddamn, get your shit together. It always bugs the hell out of me when Don makes me feel embarrassed for him, an ability he seems to love to abuse lately.

Loved Peggy in this episode and most of this season so far, her knock against the art director after they pitched the idea to Joey was priceless lol. Flashbacks were great, too, really interesting to see Don's personality at the time. Simultaneously taking Roger's shit without ever biting on the massive "seriously you're below me get a clue" hints he's throwing at him.

[thestalkmore]

Don made me sick this episode. I was ready for him to get hit by a truck just so I could stop feeling so fucking awkward.

Peggy is my favorite character of this season I think. Her interactions with the (intolerable) art director made me lol hard, as have most of her scenes lately. I was wishing she would have slapped the shit out of Don in his apartment though.

[hopefulki]

Peggy has really come into her own this season, for sure my favorite character also. As previously said, Don's downward spiral this episode was especially terrible - something's gotta give! That bottom is rapidly approaching.