Now that I am as up-to-date with Mad Men as anyone except Matthew Weiner, I can read Basket of Kisses with gay abandon. It really is a super fansite with great interviews. For example, there is this insightful one with Elisabeth Moss who I was pleased to read did not play her scenes with Father Gill as if she found him attractive. There is tons of stuff I still haven’t read.
Ages ago I noticed in my Google Reader a post at The Hathor Legacy with the eye-catching line “Betty really was just a hysterical housewife who needed to get laid”. I immediately thought this was a S2 spoiler and quickly skipped the entry and mentally filed it for reading once I had finished S2. Many months later, I was most surprised to find that was what Jennifer Kesler ’s reaction to the conclusion felt was the message the show was sending at the end of S1. lizriz’s responses are close to my opinion and I never once thought that Peggy was stupid for not realising she was pregnant.
As a feminist my feelings about the show are mixed though I do think it has done a great job most of the time. Only occasionally I felt it has “enjoyed” its portrayal of sexism a little too much with lingering shots of Joan’s ample bottom as she bends over and the sleazy remarks by the ad men in “Babylon” as they watch a lipstick testing through a two way mirror. I am also aware that this is a minute slice of life. This a view of the 60s focused on a narrow privileged closed world that the majority of Americans never lived through.
I could get addicted to Mad Men. I wonder if there is any fan fiction? Duh. (NB: I have not read any of them.)
I read about specialised crushes over at The Anti-Room and I can only agree with the examples of Viggo Mortensen and Jon Hamm. VM as Aragorn is a honeypie while JH with “floppy hair and stubble” is just not the same!
January Jones is in the specialised category too. As Betty she looks fantastic but, as herself now, in any photoshoot she looks generic starlet and doesn’t look beautiful at all.
Despite what this says, this is not an extra scene but was shown in the original broadcast. It has been cut from subsequent showings and it was definitely not on the BBC broadcast. I remember noting that I had read the TWop recap that mentioned this scene. I thought then that it was just the BBC version that was cut but that seems not. And Pete was in his pajamas! Are the DVDs complete? I shall soon find out (once we have got through Buffy and Angel).
Mad Men – “Meditations in an Emergency” (Matthew Weiner and Kater Gordon)
This season ender doesn’t have the power of “The Wheel” but it does have the best scene so far when Pete confesses to Peggy that he loves her and she tells him it’s too late.
Pete: I love you. And I want to be with you. What? Didn’t you know that?
Peggy: Pete. I could have had you in my life forever if I wanted to.
Pete: What do you mean?
Peggy: I could have had you. I could have shamed you into being with me. But I didn’t want to.
Pete: I don’t understand.
Peggy: You got me pregnant. I had a baby. And I gave it away.
Pete: What?
Peggy: I had your baby. And I gave it away.
It was utterly gripping and it was this scene (following on from her scene with Father Gill) that has convinced me that Elisabeth Moss is playing Peggy very well indeed. Father Gill is doing his job but I was so relieved that Peggy wasn’t falling for his fearmongering despite the imminent apocalypse.
Father Gill: Hell is serious and very real and unless you unburden yourself you cannot know peace.
Peggy: I understand that, Father, but you’re upsetting me right now.
Father Gill: That is your guilt, Peggy. All that God wants is for you to reconcile with him. Don’t, don’t you understand that this could be the end of the world and you could go to Hell?
Peggy: I can’t believe that’s the way God is. Good night, Father.
Betty spends the whole episode telling everyone she doesn’t want the baby to no avail although the much missed Francine has more advice than most. I love Anne Dudek and I think a re-viewing of The Book Group is required. I also love Lois (Crista Flanagan). She is such a sweet character. I do like how actors in these tiny recurring roles sneak up on you in terms of affection. Pete’s secretary Hildy is another favourite of mine (Julie McNiven – “Stand-in/body double for Lindsay Lohan!” – excellent).
When Don comes to see Betty at the stables I was in two minds about whether I wanted her to say “it’s okay” or to say what she did say. Damn Don’s charisma. Don’s letter was a marvel and the moment when Joan tells Don that Betty wants him to come home made my heart leap.
What happens next? A jump in time again? I won’t be waiting until 2010 to find out
Mad Men – “The Mountain King” (Matthew Weiner and Robin Veith)
This was an action-packed episode, well, packed. What with Peggy’s new office, Betty berating Sarah Beth, Don and Anna then and now, Joan’s rape, the Popsicle and Clearasil accounts, and Peggy cracking a joke, there was a ton of great stuff to digest.
We were taken once again away from the New York world that we are used to but unlike “The Jet Set” the scenes in San Pedro, CA, totally worked. Don’s relationship with Anna was fascinating and the actor (Melinda Page Hamilton) was instantly likeable. Dick/Don’s excitement over meeting Elizabeth was a little overplayed by Jon Hamm but the line “I just like the way she laughs, and the way she looks at me” just killed me with its irony.
I was concerned that the child playing the piano was Don’s son which was a complication I wasn’t interested in seeing.
Peggy scoring Freddy’s office just by asking was fabulous and seeing her behind the desk joking with Pete (“How the hell did you swing this?” “I’m sleeping with Don. It’s really working out.”) and drinking whisky was very exciting.
Betty’s changing relationship with her daughter Sally was a pleasure to see though I was 21st century horrified when she put her in the cupboard as a punishment. However, she treated her better later on by giving her riding boots (and hence riding lessons) and telling her the truth about Don was a great leap forward.
Betty’s words during her phone call to Sarah Beth were harsh but I see disappointment in Betty’s reaction. Sarah Beth failed to be faithful despite what she has said to Betty about her marriage and Betty was disappointed.
Joan’s rape by her perfect fiancé was pretty hard to watch. Her face as she looked away into the distance was heartbreaking – Christina Hendricks is amazing and I was sad that she wasn’t Mrs Reynolds at this point because then she could beat the shit out of him. Sadly, in real-life, kick-ass women don’t exist.
I think I get Matthew Weiner’s intentions for “The Jet Set” but I felt a growing sense of disbelief as the episode progressed. It just didn’t work at all. The bohemians felt so phoney that it took me ages to realise that they weren’t actually con artists or something of that ilk (or maybe they were – sometimes I think I watch through a fog of incomprehension). The actor playing Willy was the least convincing and Joy with Don felt forced and unnatural.
I may be misinterpreting this but I felt they were also trying to present Pete as an awkward and somewhat repellent figure. He may be a bit of an idiot (maybe) but he’s not so instantly dislikeable and certainly has not been depicted in that way before.
All the focus on Don and his failure to connect to people who have cracked glasses poolside meant no Betty time and I did want to see how she was getting on while he was away.
I loved Kurt’s coming out which certainly didn’t seem implausible to me. Not everyone was terrified of upsetting conventions and he is (pointing to Scandinavia maybe) European… I am disappointed his makeover of Peggy didn’t do something with her fringe but everything involving Kurt and Peggy made me laugh. She also wore two lovely outfits: a cream dress with red flowers and a green and black suit.
Mad Men – “The Inheritance” (Lisa Albert & Marti Noxon and Matthew Weiner)
I was shocked when Betty’s dad grabbed her boob. I think she recovered more quickly than I did.
It’s a shame that the actor playing Glen isn’t very good. I really didn’t believe him when he told Betty that he hated her. Betty has been triggered at last. She needs to take charge and with Don away she really has to step up.
Despite Don’s advertising acumen he just cannot work out how to talk to his wife (though I suspect a confession and a heartfelt sorry might work) and he has now run away (he also tried to run away with Rachel).
Joan was unnecessarily mean to Paul even if he is a pompous bore.
When Betty seduced Don on the bedroom floor I was convinced it was a dream just because the episode had been co-written by Marti “Buffy” Noxon.
Pete is such an arse although no matter how crass and appalling he behaves, he always manages to redeem himself in some way. In this it was his touching conversation with Peggy about his father and mother.
Mad Men – “Six Month Leave” (Andre Jacquemetton & Maria Jacquemetton and Matthew Weiner)
The Mad Men crew are knocking out one excellent episode after another. After the iffy “I’m not sure I want to watch this any more” “The Benefactor” the series has just got better and better. Consequently we are now on a MM marathon weekend and I’ll be trying to produce short practically pointless observations.
When Roger touched Jane on the back I shuddered. He really is the creepiest creep and his wife should be glad he’s leaving her. John Slattery plays him brilliantly.
I’m glad they had Don admit to Roger about relieved about his freedom. Betty has no-one to talk to at the moment. She could talk to Clara but there is too much of a class and racial gap for that to happen.
Freddie Rumsden’s alcoholism was tremendously sad. Nobody knew how to deal with it effectively or even, in some cases, seriously. Freddie is finished because without his work he’s dead. Peggy’s outrage over the Rumsden incident is misplaced. Something had to be done but perhaps six months’ leave isn’t quite the right answer.
Betty’s manipulation of Sarah Beth and Arthur was sneaky. Manipulation seems the wrong word to use in regard to Betty who doesn’t seem to think through things but rather acts instinctively. I think Betty’s journey this season will involve a change from reacting to things to taking charge (oops, I’m getting ahead of myself).
Don and Betty just don’t know how to communicate with each other and it’s painful to watch.
Mad Men -”A Night to Remember” (Robin Veith & Matthew Weiner)
Mad Men is getting better and better. I don’t think there is a part of this episode I didn’t like even the news that Sally had been cast as Piglet seemed appropriate.
Betty spoke up at last and Don lied to her. Utterly convincingly. It’s what he does. For years Dick Whitman has been lying. Don works in advertising where people are sold lies about the products they buy. I was so scared Betty was going to cave because we, the viewers, know that he is a cheat whereas she doesn’t and despite her looking and looking for evidence there was none. However, she is finally convinced as she watches a commercial on TV in which the funny comedian (who is horrible in real life) sells crisps. She realises everything is probably a lie and despite her lack of proof (just the word of Jimmy and her suspicions) decides it is definitely true.
January Jones was superb although she has a tendency to look thoroughly modern when her hair isn’t curled. Actually, the entire cast is superb.
Talking of Joan, it’s about time we had a Joan storyline (and it was as good as last season’s lesbian flatmate storyline). I was quite surprised that her fiancé was young and good-looking. For some reason I assumed he’d be a mousy fellow. Joan is unlucky because unlike Peggy she doesn’t have a champion and I would be deeply resentful of everything right now.
There was a point when the show reached observational perfection. Joan removes her bra and fingers the deep red marks indented into her skin by the bra and that moment was a “yes! moment”. Many women will recognise that imprint on their skin after a long tiring disappointing day and then might wonder when they have ever seen anything like that on TV.
The musical priest is an interesting character and I like all his interactions with Peggy (even if Peggy doesn’t so much) and his singing at the end was one of those moments that could go either way but it worked very well indeed. Mad Men certainly knows how to close an episode.
Mad Men – “The Gold Violin” (Jane Anderson and Andre Jacquemetton & Maria Jacquemetton)
The Don flashback was intriguing and tantalizing.
Has Joan met her match? Jane won that bout but there’ll be sticky times ahead.
Have I mentioned before how much I detest Roger? He is so creepy and always looks as though he is going to make a pass at any woman.
Sal’s behaviour at dinner toward Ken was a little OTT. And would Ken not have missed his lighter quite quickly and guessed where he had left it?
I loved Sal’s wife, Kitty. She was instantly likable in a way that I can’t think that any other character has been (except, maybe, Rachel). I wish Ken behaved as nicely as he did in this and “The Wheel” because generally I find him rather sinister.
God, not more of the Barretts I thought when Jimmy phoned Betty. However, I am willing to put up with more of “you people” if it leads to an awesome Don smackdown. The silence in the car journey home would have been a brilliant way to the end the episode (like “Hush“) but Betty vomiting was perfection (and I can’t stand vomiting scenes usually).
Obviously people littered in the sixties but would people like the Drapers be such bad citizens? It seemed a rather clunky way to make a comparison between a lack of concern for their surroundings versus a desire for a pristine car interior.
There quite a lot of Betty hate on the TWoP boards – TWoP is the only place guaranteed to be spoiler free in episode discussions – which I am puzzled about. [I also don’t like the new use of the word “hate” to mean “criticism”.] Some of the criticism centres on Betty’s alleged shallowness that I do appreciate is a valid concern but in general the complaints are about Betty being a bad mother. First, I dispute that she is a “bad” mother. She may not dote on her children but seems attentive and engaged enough, e.g., she doesn’t have to sit down and eat with them. Secondly, why should she dote on her children? Children she had because that was expected of women in her position. A modern Betty, a woman in her late twenties, has the real choice of not having children if she doesn’t want to have them. The criticism is also gendered. She gets called on her parenting while Don gets a pass. She may not have finished her game of chequers with Sally but at least she was playing with her daughter unlike Don. I also see that people can look for reasons to see her as bad mother. When Jimmy phones her, she shoos Sally out of the kitchen and that was seen as bad by a couple of posters. I can’t say that not wanting a potentially noisy child near you when you are on the phone is a symptom of poor parenting!
This is the first episode in a while that has gone me itching to see the next one as soon as possible.
Sometimes I watch Mad Men and wonder what the hell the characters are doing and why.
This should have been a brilliant episode but it seemed to miss the mark for me too many times.
Four examples:
I simply don’t believe that an unaccompanied woman would be allowed in a strip club in the early sixties.
Would Betty really wander around serving breakfast to her children in a bikini? (No matter how hot a month of May it was.)
This may be a trivial example but while it was shocking that a person could dump his dog outside to fend for itself while he goes off to drink (or commit suicide or not to drink, I dunno) it lost its sadness when the dog turned away and, after spotting his off-screen handler, trotted off tail wagging.
The use of a modern song at the beginning was jarring and wrong. After 18 episodes of perfectly chosen music this was extra-specially wrong even if the lyrics were appropriate.
The irony of excluding the people who actually wear Playtex (and probably buy most of it) was sad. I thought Peggy was excessively passive throughout which made her transformation seem even sillier. Just who is she going to listen to next?
Poor Pete. He has absolutely no idea what an arse he is. He tries so hard to chat amiably with Peggy but is rebuffed. He makes friends with a girl dog who’s a boy dog. He then shags a model (who failed to get the part) in the living room of her apartment with her mother next door. His self awareness is pitiful. He actually thinks he isn’t a loser.
Fucking Don – take that in all its meanings – he is such a horrible character at the moment. I’m glad he took a moment to think at the end. He needs to get a grip and soon. He has all he needs at home if he would just look.
I’m itching for Betty to tell Don where to shove his patronising hypocritical attitude. I suspect I have a long wait.
I guess we have seen the last of Bobbie unless her next appearance is to take some sort of well deserved revenge on Don. I don’t like the character at all but Melinda McGraw plays her brilliantly.
The Jackie/Marilyn/Madonna/whore thing was interesting and I have no doubt the assvertising industry would love to have two such strong models to divide modern women into such day and night categories. I see Peggy as a Joanne Woodward.
I’m not the brightest of people so I didn’t get that Don was a bit of a Jackie/Marilyn/Madonna/whore himself and missed the symbolism of the mirror at the end but I really don’t understand how people could query his discomfort at being celebrated as a hero on Memorial Day.
Bobbie was bearable which I attribute to the character being portrayed as less sexual predator and more rounded person
Melinda McGraw who plays Bobbie has a resemblance to noughties Madonna
I was confused by the timeline because I assumed that Bobbie was just staying with Peggy for the day and not until her black eye diminished
Peggy’s flashbacks were welcome particularly since they ultimately led to my favourite moment of S2 so far when Peggy called Don “Don”
Betty’s “because we love him” answer to Sally’s question about Don’s salt intake was really poignant
Pete is just about a complete ass: hee-hawing about his viable sperm and just completely forgetting about his wife’s feelings
he redeemed himself by not storming out but stopping himself to actually listen to Trudy
I’m not sure what to make of Don’s new secretary but I do miss sweet, kind useless Lois
I was most pleased to see Rachel because it closes a door in Don’s life
I do wish her husband was as good-looking as Don because I don’t want to think of her as settling for second best via pop culture’s shorthand that ordinary looking people are mundane individuals (hello, Susan Boyle)
