Mad Men

[ksrymy]

I feel that in the coming seasons, we could expect an Emmy nomination from Shipka. She is marvelous and Sally is growing into such a complex person, but the Emmys always stray from child actors.

[flipp525]

Was startled by how much Sally's grown in the 17-month interval (she even came by a new voice).

What's great, though is that Kiernan Shipka is at the perfect age to play Sally. The first season started in March 1960 and Sally had her sixth birthday party in the third episode. It's now June 1966 so Sally is 12. Shipka is also 12.

[Mister Tee]

I liked Lane's response when Joan asked how Don reacted to being serenaded in public: "I saw his soul leave his body"

Loved the Lane/Joan scene in general. Lane got to show alot of colors last night -- he can be noble, and he can be a sleazeball, sometimes only minutes apart. (And was I alone in not knowing that the actor, Jared Harris, is Richard Harris' son?)

As usual, plenty to comment on -- almost more than I can recall. Was startled by how much Sally's grown in the 17-month interval (she even came by a new voice). I'm closely watching her interaction with Megan. Megan can still make her smile, but when Megan's back is turned Sally shows ambivalence about this woman's role in their father's life.

Harry Crane, unlike Lane, is all scumbag. Loved him not picking up Stan's "Hi, Megan" cue, and digging himself a deep grave.

This was just about the time my father became a commuter, so Pete's enforced train time rang a huge bell with me.

1966 was some year in fashion, wasn't it?

[ksrymy]

I was a fan of

ROGER: I'm going to Staten Island.
JANE: What time is it?
ROGER: Shut up.

Match made in heaven.

[Greg]

My favorite piece of dialog from last night is:

"Why can't you sing like her?"
"Why can't you look like him?"

[ksrymy]

Mad Men will have its season debut episode this coming Sunday at 9/8 PM eastern/central.

My favorite show on television as well as the best. I'd rate The Good Wife and 30 Rock closely behind. I'm entirely glad I'm not closing Sunday. My life will be consumed by the show.

[Greg]

Mad Men will have its season debut episode this coming Sunday at 9/8 PM eastern/central.

[The Original BJ]

Best moment of the show, though, was Roger's reaction to the news.

"Who's that?"

And then, "Megan, would you get us some ice?"

Priceless.

[Damien]

I just realized that I've been so caught up in baseball that I hadn't posted about the last episode. It was a fine show, but didn't have quite enough punch ot intriguing elements to make for a memorable finale. The problem for me with the engagement is that we haven;t really been allowed to get to know Megan. SHe's pretty, she's nice with the kids, but we have not seen any depth from her -- frankly, she's unnteresting and so their engagement had little impact. Best moment of the show, though, was Roger's reaction to the news.

Another great moment, worthy of Sirk or Minnelli: Don and Betsy departing, leaving each other through different sides of the frame, a liquor bottle remaining in the center.

Back in the days when Mad Men is set, you'd get 39 new episodes of a show each season, and then either 13 repeats or a summer replacement. It seems cruel that we have to wait 9 months til Don and company return to our lives.

[Greg]

Mad Men Theme Song ... With a Twist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEj0z0maxzM

[Franz Ferdinand]

I was somewhat indifferent to the episode after it wrapped, but that article really captured its essence and augmented it with examples of Don's previous behavior that you don't immediately conjure up as you're watching. Good, ominous ending.

[flipp525]

I thought this recap really nailed last night's brilliant season finale. I was sort of on the fence right after it aired, but, in retrospect, I think it delivered on many more fronts than I had initially thought. The impromptu engagement to Megan, along with so many other things (including the ever-so-satisfying Peggy/Joan scene) really was telegraphed from previous seasons.

http://nymag.com/daily...._d.html



Edited By flipp525 on 1287462163

[kaytodd]

Last season's finale was obviously much more intriguing, with the new firm starting, Greg going to Vietnam which allowed Joan to return to the firm, and Betty and Henry on their way to Reno. I was dying to see how all that would play out and was disappointed that the new season began a year later. Whether Don's relationship with Megan will last, whether Betty and Henry's will last, whether Peggy and Joan will get the recognition they deserve does not interest me nearly as much as last season's questions.

The most intriguing cliffhanger of course is Joan's decision to keep Roger's baby. I cannot wait for Roger's reaction. He has such deep feelings for Joan I wonder how he will tolerate seeing her give birth to and raise his child while being forced to pretend it is Greg's. I do not think he will be able to keep his mouth shut.

My fave line from last night: "Do you realize how many things had to happen for me to be with you?" Don better hope Megan does not give too much thought to that question. First he banged one secretary and then treated her so badly she fled the office in tears after creating a loud commotion. Then her successor drops dead at her desk. Then Sally runs away from home and comes to the office, giving Megan a chance to show parenting skills superior to Faye's. Then Betty fires the person who has treated Don's children better than anyone, including Don, causing him to invite Megan to the California trip.

It's hard to say whether Don would be better off with Faye or Megan. But I agree with Faye that Don needs to discreetly come clean with his family and trusted colleagues about his identity. Yes he did commit a serious felony but I cannot picture anyone at SCDP or in Don's family who would turn him in (well...Roger maybe, considering his display of faux patriotism while Pete was trying to land the Honda account). I agree with Faye that Don needs to become Dick even while living publicly as Don. The strain of living the double life is hurting him inside, especially since Betty's discovery of the secret, the resulting divorce, and Anna's death. The scare of the federal investigators and getting Pete to dump a desperately needed account also added to the stress.

But Megan would never force Don to deal with such tough issues. She is far from naive but she is young and, for now, sees Don through romantic rose colored glasses Faye would never put on. But, Megan is much better with his children and that is important. And Megan will probably want to have children right away, giving Don another chance to start something new. Faye's line about Don only liking the beginning of things may be right on target.

[Mister Tee]

Well, for me, there's no getting around the fact that the finale's major event -- Don re: Megan -- felt like it came out of the blue. I've read some other sites and many apparently reacted as I did: thinking for a long while that the whole thing was a dream/fantasy. It's not as if you can't justify it in retrospect -- Don's dream woman is one who turns him on and can take care of the kids, and Megan succeeds at both where Faye only managed the first. (I did love the whole family's shocked reaction during the spilled milk-shake scene -- "You mean this doesn't have to become a crisis?") And the disbelieving/mocking reaction from all the other characters at least seemed right. But the story taking this turn was a big undigested lump for me, and I'll have to see how I feel about it going further.

But, as always, lots of wondeful stuff on the show.

The Peggy/Joan scene was a super high point, kicked off with Joan's beautifully delivered "I wonder what you want to talk about", culminating in the shared laugh over "That's bullshit".

What a sleaze Harry's turned into. Will that model turn up again next season?

In Don's absence, Peggy had to become him to land the panty-hose account.

Don may have thought he was complimenting Peggy when telling her Megan reminded him of her, but wasn't the subtext behind it "except, she's also someone I want to bone"? I see Peggy/Don as the great unrequited love story of the show.

So, based on season one and this, should we conclude that if we suspect a character is pregnant, it'll turn out to be true?

Loved that Don half-told the kids about Dick Whitman. When they're older, they might get the full story.

Betty was at her worst firing Carla (though Carla made an initial mistake). Carla's "Best you stop talking now" was about as assertive as a black character could believably be in that setting in 1965.

And later, Betty was as close to begging to get Don back as she's ever going to. I loved her "Things aren't perfect" -- most people say that to mean "Life never is'", but her intent seemed to be closer to "and that's not fair".

Always so much to say, even about a problematic episode.

[Franz Ferdinand]

The idea that Don would get it together by the end of the season and pull his Draper magic? That open letter was it. Amazing moment.