Mad Men

[ZarakiKujata]

Sally gets better and better w/ every episode.

[hopefulki]

"what's on this?"
"Mrs. Butterworth's"
"go get it"..."this is rum, read labels"
"is it bad?"
"no, not really"

^ amazing.

and

Sally gets better and better w/ every episode.

this, 1000 times this.

[Kais]

The whole secretary scene was just gold lol, also loved Sally's reaction to when Peggy popped in Don's office

[Kiehl]

"what's on this?"
"Mrs. Butterworth's"
"go get it"..."this is rum, read labels"
"is it bad?"
"no, not really"

My favorite part.

[Trichocyst]

That episode was a gold mine of dark comedy. Loved it. Sally's character is becoming more and more complex all the time (and the girl who plays her is getting better and better too). I was disappointed that she was mostly in the episode as a plot tool because I feel like the character is so much more than that. I'm still not a huge fan of Dr. Miller to boot. I'm so glad Greg went to Vietnam, but I feel bad for Joan. Peggy's story was good again this week. I like that she's opening her mind without being influence too much by the people around her.

[Rhyis.]

Sally gets better and better w/ every episode.

She really is coming into her own. The transformation has been fantastic, both with the character and the actress.

[ZarakiKujata]

The whole secretary scene was just gold lol, also loved Sally's reaction to when Peggy popped in Don's office

I was kind of sad they killed off Blankenship if only cause she was such a comedic gold mine, but they sent her off in a great way and fucking lol @ Pete Campbell being the man around the office they used to move her body.

[Trichocyst]

Well that was quite the episode. Almost too jam packed for it's own good. I feel like Don's arc could have been integrated more with his post marital fugue. The exhaustion of his existence would have been a great issue to deal with during that time to really bring him to rock bottom. It was touched on some with Anna's death and his brief connection with Peggy, but this panic inducing urgency finally forced him to address a core issue of his existential being. He's drunk, lonely, and living a lie. I also feel like I'd prefer he made this revelation to Peggy instead of Dr. Miller. As far as I'm concerned, Dr. Miller is a stop gap in a long line of women in his life. Peggy has been there since season one and, if this season is any indication, she's absolutely not going anywhere. Added to his rock bottom is Don's admission that he just signs things without looking at them. He does things without really thinking of the consequences. And that's why he was in trouble. Not a flattering episode for Don.

The Roger and Joan storyline this week felt a bit clumsy (really the whole episode felt a bit clumsy). I'm not a big fan of Roger acting lovesick. I like their relationship, but the way Roger interacts with Joan can really bend his character traits. The Lane Price stuff was entertaining, but felt forced. The visit to the Playboy club was weird. Shoehorning Don into an uncomfortable dinner for what reason? I can't tell.

I didn't feel like this episode had as much progression as others. A lot happened, but it seemed to happen so fast that you missed it and at the end everything was sort of status quo at the end. A lot went on, but nothing happened. Lucky Strike wants to take business elsewhere. Don is eying his new secretary. Sally gets to see the Beatles (but likely not hear the Beatles). And Betty was surprisingly pleasant for once. She even smiled when Don told her he was taking Sally to see the Beatles. I'm enjoying her off and on thaw.

No Peggy?! Not even a cameo. Sad ham.

[Baelorn]

No Peggy?! Not even a cameo. Sad ham.

I kept waiting for her to at least pop her head into Don's office or something. I was disappointed.

[blindSharingan]

Shoehorning Don into an uncomfortable dinner for what reason? I can't tell.

I believe he brought him simply because he's afraid of his father (who's obviously abusive). I thought the whole scene of him being hit and bullied into going back to England was kind of stupid. Not only does it seem out of no where but his father is pretty old; I think there would be a point where he would realize that and stop taking that shit.

[ZarakiKujata]

He brought Don along because British people stereotypically cannot come out and say something that they are feeling (i.e. his father simmering all episode about his sons decadent lifestyle while) so he needed to bring along someone to cut the tension that would have been multiplied 10x fold if they were alone because of the Britishness. (OFC, Don is a weird choice since his emotions/feelings are as bottled up as any Brits, but outside of Joan, he's closest with Lane.) Additionally, the scene also served to highlight the pathetic loneliness of Lane's life. He doesn't have Don's charm or looks and so in need of companionship he came to the Playboy club, where he did fall in love/end up in a relationship healthier than anything that has happened to Draper in the past.

I would disagree with Dr. Miller being the stopgap woman in his life. I think the contrast between his first date w/ her and his 5-6th date w/ the girl who blew him in the taxi was to showcase that she is different. The girl who blew him is essentially a younger version of Betty, and had he gone down that road, it would have history repeated. Instead he chose to go out w/ Dr. Miller, act like a gentleman and not try to bang her at first, he's evolving and this is the woman he can do it with. I'll agree with the Roger/Joan storyline but it more than paid off in the abortion waiting room scene imo.

As for the progression, I think a lot happened. And Mad Men has always been about a lot of stuff happening fast in singular episode form (I mean this season will cover a year or more when all is said and done, and Don's road to sobriety only took one episode). But, this is clearly the setup for the finale which is right around the corner, some stuff returned to status quo sure like Don's double life, but the agency is currently in a very precarious place that nobody knows about with their CFO in London when the other shoe is gonna drop. Anyways, this also means they can bring Salvatore back instead of the current semi annoying art director, since they arent working with Lucky Strike anymore.

[Trichocyst]

My biggest issue with Dr. Miller is that there's usually women each season who holds Don's attention who isn't Betty. While it's true that he's acting like more of an adult with her, she's still not a true consistency in his life. This rare opening up may suggest that she's sticking around, but I'd still have preferred that he open up like this to Peggy with whom he has a deep, meaningful, connection (even if it is strained at times) and consistency. Peggy also has the added bonus of being of non-romantic interest in him.

A lot did happen in this episode, but I've always been a fan of the show's pace. They take their time with big reveals and put most of their attention toward developing characters and relationships. When an episode like this comes along, which was necessary to keep the plot moving, it feels like too much, too fast, which is why I felt like a lot of the plot points left me wondering how much has really changed. The season finale (Already? Seriously? Ugh.) will reveal how much of this episode's rapid release will stick.

[thestalkmore]

l how much of this episode's rapid release will stick.

Hehe

[ZarakiKujata]

My biggest issue with Dr. Miller is that there's usually women each season who holds Don's attention who isn't Betty. While it's true that he's acting like more of an adult with her, she's still not a true consistency in his life. This rare opening up may suggest that she's sticking around, but I'd still have preferred that he open up like this to Peggy with whom he has a deep, meaningful, connection (even if it is strained at times) and consistency. Peggy also has the added bonus of being of non-romantic interest in him.

A lot did happen in this episode, but I've always been a fan of the show's pace. They take their time with big reveals and put most of their attention toward developing characters and relationships. When an episode like this comes along, which was necessary to keep the plot moving, it feels like too much, too fast, which is why I felt like a lot of the plot points left me wondering how much has really changed. The season finale (Already? Seriously? Ugh.) will reveal how much of this episode's rapid release will stick.

I think each woman has been someone that hes had a deep meaningful connection with but couldn't be together with permanently because he wasn't honest w/ himself emotionally which is why he had a parade of other hos to cheat on them with, and Betty who was a trophy (I think for him it was a way to raise his status societally as well?). Now that he is emotionally honest and knows exactly what he wants in life (the scene w/ him and baby Gene 2? episodes back summed this up perfectly imo). I think he will stick w/ Dr. Miller. (at least till the end of this season or next )

The finale is still a few episodes away, just saying that its fast approaching Also, thestalkmore's sig was exactly what I was looking for this morning when everybody was complaining about no pop up from Peggy lol

[Talint]

The contract between Campbell and Betty this episode was absolutely amazing.

Betty, whom everybody really hates and people try not to even remotely like, was genuinely concerned for Don, even though she had absolutely no reason to hold back the truth. I was utterly shocked at the concern she showed; something I didn't think she was capable of showing.

Whereas Campbell, whom people like even though he's kind of a scummy douchebag, was pretty unrepentant as his unbelievably brazen attempt to get some kind of dopey "security clearance" (wtf?) and wound up jeopardizing not only Don (scummy within itself), but subsequently the entire company as well. Keeping Don's secret a secret is most certainly in his best interest, and he gets pissed at Don for having to keep it. It's so... wonderfully scummy again. Different from, "I got you that dress so now you have to fuck me" scummy, and yet, somehow, just as scummy.

Feel the same way about Lane. Pretty forced way to get him out of the next few episodes. Really, if my dad hit me with a cane, I'd beat the everliving shit out of him.

[Trichocyst]

Oh God. Roger in blackface.

[Caiyuo]

Just caught up on the last 4 episodes today and wow, I didn't realize how much I'd miss it. Scared as to what Roger's doing with the Lucky Strike account and the company losing Northwestern, but Don/Dr. Miller and Don/Peggy's storylines hold my interest the most right now. I really like Faye, probably because I think she's ridiculously hot and I like the feeling of there being something healthy between the two of them, so I hope that doesn't fall to pieces.

Also, christ, besides Joan's obvious everyday hotness, she looked super beautiful during these last few with Roger. Like "makes me sad" beautiful.

[Caiyuo]

So much for Dr. Faye. Besides even what happened with Megan, the choice to make the meeting with Heinz seems to have doomed their relationship henceforth.

Is that why this is completely dead? We're all sad that Don has returned to fucking up? :/

edit: also christ x2 @ Joan in pajamas.

[Kais]

edit: also christ x2 @ Joan in pajamas.

I realized Geoffrey Arend is probably used to that and that made me sadjealous inside

[ZarakiKujata]

I realized Geoffrey Arend is probably used to that and that made me sadjealous inside

Everything about who Geoffrey Arend is and what he has done as an actor to get Joan makes me sad/jealous inside.