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TV Tonight: Mad Men's Season Two Finale

BuzzSugar — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 07:30:45 PDT

Sigh - it's here. The end of Mad Men (for this season, anyway - it's coming back). I can't believe it! Sundays will feel a little different heading into the Winter without the drama of the gang at Sterling Cooper.

The final episode is titled "Meditations in an Emergency," and the only small hint AMC is giving us is: "Sterling Cooper is in play and the office scrambles without Don. Betty learns some disconcerting news." So that tells me that things are really going to get nuts in the office as this merger goes through, and apparently Don won't be back (right away? at all?) to save the day. I'm starting to wonder how legit this whole thing is given that Don wasn't able to place an official vote at the partner meeting last week.

Also! What about Don and Betty? I feel like we need one more mega-confrontation between the two before we break. And is Joan going to marry this guy? Dump him? I wonder why they would make her hit bottom last week if they weren't setting us up for something in the finale. And finally, Peggy's going to learn something, but who knows what it will be. Maybe Don's true identity? Maybe something about her baby? Perhaps Father Gill admits a crush (that's my secret Thornbirds-esque hope)?

Regardless of how it all turns out, 'tis a bittersweet combo of excitement and sadness that it's over for now. To check out a scene from tonight's episode, in which the gang speculates about Don's whereabouts all this time,

Mad Men Rundown: Episode Nine, "Six Month Leave"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:30:39 PDT

Any Mad Men episode with a lot of Roger Sterling in it is going to be among my favorites and that's a big reason why this first new episode after the show's big Emmy wins did not disappoint. There's a moment at a gambling club when a young woman approaches Roger and Don and asks if they're winners. His response is classic Roger: "Uh, losers tonight but winners in general." Another reason why this episode was good? That would be Betty's bone-chilling spiral into crazy-town, made even creepier with the suicide of Marilyn Monroe lurking in the background. The symbolism of Monroe's untimely death is rich with meaning and I can't wait to chat more about that after the jump.

It isn't just the ladies who have had it up to here with their lot in life. Apparently, despite the fact that they've long been having their cake and eating it too, the men are also feeling trapped. Roger and Don, in a scene that makes them out to be even bigger jerks than I thought possible, talk each other into a midlife crisis together. All of this combined with the sad and pathetic ending of one man's career at Sterling Cooper made for a very dark episode indeed. Ready to chat about it? Just

read more. Betty Draper: One of the bestselling novels of 1962 was Katherine Anne Porter's Ship of Fools, a totally depressing take on basically the whole world and human nature - which is exactly what Betty's in the mood to read! She's so out of it that she can hardly interact with her children. She roams around the house like a zombie, half-heartedly taking on a home improvement task or just falling asleep in the middle of the day face down on her couch. When Don finally pays a visit their exchange is filled with contempt for each other. Don tells her he's not going to talk her into anything and she spits right back at him, “I thought you could talk anyone into anything." Yes! Betty is not backing down and it seems like with each episode she sees more clearly the true identity of the man she married (even though, sadly, she doesn't even know the half of it). Don Draper: Don's weird moral relativism and rationalizations are just making his character more unsettling than ever. There is this icky sense of entitlement that oozes out of the man and it's only made worse by his chauvinism. Can you tell he's really ticked me off? During his bonding session with Roger after they fire Freddy "that guy who played the symphony on his pants zipper" Rumsen, he confides that he doesn't feel badly at all for what he's done to Betty, that he's actually just relieved. And then, in the most nihilistic moment of the night, he waxes philosophic about what it is to live life: "You don't know how long it's going to be, but you know it's got a bad ending." Good grief, that's depressing. Where is that ray of sunshine Father Gill when you need him? Oh, and later Mona comes storming into Don's office, accusing him of making Roger leave her! Wow. Some more thoughts:

I know this sounds kind of strange at this juncture but you know what flashback I would love to see? Don and Betty falling in love. I think it would be striking to see how far they've strayed from whatever first bonded them together.
Marilyn Monroe's death affects the women in the office differently than the men. Joan has to sneak into Roger's office for some alone time due to the emotional weight of it. The men, on the other hand, are hardly sympathetic. Don's reaction is basically, "Suicide is disturbing," while Roger comforts Joan with, "She was a movie star that had everything and everybody, and she threw it away."
Don seems impressed when Peggy points out the obvious: that the Playtex ads they never ran in which they divided women into two groups (Jackie Kennedys and Marilyn Monroes) would have had to have been pulled in light of Marilyn's death.
Tellingly, Joan explains to Roger that Marilyn's death was because "this world destroyed her." There's so much in that line, isn't there? Especially since Joan herself has been referred to as the Marilyn "type."
The "Freddy's a drunk and peeing himself" scene was terribly awkward and horrifying. I mean, yes I laughed, but it was just so gross. And then the sloshing noise his shoes made on his way out of the office? Ew! However, some of the Freddy jokes around the office are pretty good ("He's a real whiz in advertising!").
Somehow this display of drunkenness is considered over the line, and Roger decides Freddy must be fired. Kind of amazing considering that office is filled with people who don't have a problem drinking before noon, but OK.
The hypocrisy gets even richer when Roger and Don tell Freddy he needs to "dry out," only to follow up with a farewell boozeathon in an underground gambling club.
What's up with Don's secretary? Is she flirting with him? She buys him shirts (and did you notice the Mencken's bag?)! She seems to annoy everyone, and then in the end Don wants her gone.
So, Don punches Jimmy. This took me by surprise and I felt badly for Jimmy.
Peggy gets her promotion but it doesn't feel very good since it's only because of Freddy's departure. All's fair in advertising, though. It makes me wonder if a man in Peggy's position would feel half as conflicted. Isn't it amazing that Peggy was once Don's secretary? I kind of forget that these days.

What do you think about last night's episode? Was it as depressing for you as it was for me? Are you mad or glad Betty passed the hot horse guy onto her friend? Do you think she has bigger and better ways to get even with Don than something as predictable as sleeping with a younger guy? Do you feel sorry for Mona? As a matter of fact, do you feel sorry for all the women of the early '60s? Photos courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode Eight, "A Night to Remember"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:39:55 PDT

Last night's episode of Mad Men shall henceforth be known as "that time Betty totally melted down," despite its official title. I've been hoping for a while now that she would finally let some of the air out of the repressed tension by confronting Don about his lies and this week I was granted this wish. More on that after the jump.

Meanwhile, Joan gets a taste of making a contribution to the business beyond her secretarial duties - and she likes it! We also see more of her fiance, who certainly has some strong beliefs about male-female roles. Finally, Peggy and her priest friend continue to bond as he works to gain her trust and talk about the deep secrets he knows she harbors (thanks to her lovely sister).

Yes, this week it's all about the ladies and some of the men who do crappy things to them. Ready to chat about it all? Just

read more. Betty Draper: Oh man, poor Betty! It started out with Jimmy blindsiding both Drapers last week which made Betty throw up all over the new car. I was suspicious that Betty physically ridding her body of that nastiness would be the only expression of her shock upon learning of Don's infidelity, but thankfully I was wrong about that. I just wanted to scream or kick or cry for her last night. She confronts Don about his affair with Bobbie Barrett, spitting at him "You think you know me? Well, I know what kind of man you are." In return, Don continues to look her straight in the eye and deny, deny, deny. It's the kind of thing that makes a person feel completely insane and that's exactly what happens to Betty. She searches his clothes, his desk, looking for any sign that could confirm what she knows to be true. Later things get even sadder with Betty telling Don that she would "never do that" to him, and asking him, "Do you hate me?" Totally heartbreaking. I'm not at all sure where the Draper marriage goes from here. Peggy Olson: Peggy is asked by the priest (played by Colin Hanks who is totally impressive in this role) to create a poster for the church dance. Unfortunately, her mock-up does not allow enough "room for the holy ghost" and the church ladies are displeased. My boyfriend glided through the living room around this time and assumed that the priest was flirting with Peggy, which I sort of didn't want to acknowledge even though deep down I think it seems that way, too. At the office he pushes her to talk about what's goin' on and asks if she feels like she doesn't deserve God's love. Oh, and then Father Gill rocks out on the guitar. Joan Holloway: Joan's storyline was totally unexpected and awesome. I love how naturally she helps out in the "TV department," openly sharing her insights about the scripts. But ugh, her fiance rubs me the wrong way. He expresses surprise that she likes to read, and tells her his impression of her role at the office: "You just walk around with people staring at you." Lovely. In the end, of course, a little nerdy guy takes Joan's spot even after she impressed clients, earning statements like, "I love what she says and I love the way she says it." She's obviously hurt and disappointed by being replaced, as was I. I really want her to keep using her real talents! Some more thoughts:

The product integration department on this show outdid themselves. It's obvious Heineken is one of the show's sponsors (since we're treated to those little bits of trivia during commercial breaks, which, admittedly, I find really interesting), but this week the beer actually plays a real role. It was overt, but somehow not as obnoxious as some of the product placement in other shows.
Betty smashing the chair! Eerie and poignant. I think that's one of the creepiest moments of the show for me.
Also, how'd you like Betty's "trip around the world" menu? I know that women were expected to be good housewives and entertainers but I forget just how elaborate those requirements could be. Nowadays you can throw a dinner party for colleagues by ordering sushi, thank goodness.
For some reason the wasted lady at the Draper dinner party made me laugh. She walks straight into a wall!
Another funny moment is Father Gill hanging over the printer, marveling at its magical printing abilities.
I found this line from Betty really interesting: "How could you? She's so old." It's clear that this is all very confusing for her. She's given these requirements to fulfill: Be young, be beautiful, be a hostess with the mostest, raise the children, be perfect. And even when she accomplishes all that her husband still steps out on her with a not-so-perfect lady.

Were you stirred by last night's episode? Did you have to watch something happier before going to bed like I did? What purpose do you think Father Gill serves in the grander scheme of the show? What's next for Don and Betty? Will she have a revenge affair? Will he become violent? Photos courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode Seven, "The Gold Violin"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:30:38 PDT

Last night's Mad Men ended on a totally shocking and gross note that rendered me unable to finish a piece of pizza. Just last week I was wondering when any of these men were going to get called out on their cheating ways (especially Don), and finally it kind-of, sort-of happened! I've also been wondering when we'd get back to some of the peripheral characters, like Ken Cosgrove (remember, he's a published writer of fiction?) and art director Salvatore Romano (remember, he's tormented by his sexual orientation?), and was happy to see the show pick up with those folks where we left off.

And then there was the Joan/new girl smackdown (totally awesome) and more flashbacks to Don's strange and mysterious past, including a little about how he got his start. He's come a long way, that Draper, but that only means he has farther to fall. To get chatting about the episode,

read more. Don Draper: The episode opens with Don shopping for a lovely new Coupe de Ville when we flash back in time to his beginnings as a used-car salesman who's loving life until a strange woman (an actress with a seriously creepy face) shows up at his work and tells him she knows he's not Don Draper. His face registers the same look of terror we've seen several times now when his true identity is threatened to be revealed. Back in real time, though, Don is doing quite well at work. He lands a new account, is invited to join a board of a philanthropy, and is informed by Mr. Cooper that "There are few people who get to decide what happens in our world. You have been invited to join them. Pull back the curtain and take your seat." Don's moving up in the world! Betty Draper: When Jimmy Barrett called Betty at home to ~~flirt with her~~ invite her to his party, I first thought that he was beginning to cross some lines and hit on her and maybe later she'd slap him and/or sleep with him. But it turns out he was just using her to stick the knife in Don, who he knows is sleeping with his wife, Bobbie. When Jimmy's eyes darken and he gets in both Drapers' faces separately at the party, rendering them stunned, I felt very, very frightened of that man. I was glad to see someone finally say something on the matter of infidelity rather than just suppressing emotions. However, we saw what getting stuff like that out in the open does to Betty: It made her barf all over her pretty dress in the brand new car. Shoot. Salvatore Romano: There have been subtle hints in the past about Sal's sexuality even though he is in fact married to a nice woman named Kitty. He reads young Ken's story and invites him over for dinner, where one of the most awkward dinner table scenes ever ensues. It becomes painfully clear that Sal has a crush on Ken and is far more interested in conversation with him during dinner than Kitty. It's hard to say whether Kitty suspects something is off or if she was truly just upset that she was ignored at the table. I'm enjoying the way this delicate subplot is being unraveled - the actor who plays Sal smolders with longing, and it's pretty powerful. Some more thoughts:

How gorgeous was that family portrait of the Drapers out on the lawn enjoying a picnic with the new car radio playing tunes in the background? The colors, the outfits - divine! Until, of course, Don smashes his beer can and chucks it out into the park and Betty leaves their trash on the lawn. I guess thinking about the environment was a ways off.
I really get a kick out of the new young and hip Sterling Cooper "kids," aka Smith & Smith, telling Don what people their age want out of life. They informed Don that their generation doesn't "want to be told what to do or how to act. We just want to be." Yeah, man! Yeah!
Joan vs. Jane was so amazing, don't you think? I seriously think you could have a whole series based just on the secretaries. Round one goes to Jane who is much, much more conniving than I (or Joan for that matter) initially gave her credit for. Jane lives on the edge and has dirty old man Roger on her side now, so Joan better watch out.
I really like Kitty and feel sorry for her. I hope we see more of home life with her and Sal. I was shocked by Sal's crush on Ken, though. Did not see that coming.

What did you think of last night? Did the end scene make you jump/scream? It kind of caught me by surprise! Who do you think the mystery lady in Don's flashback is? I'm so curious how she's no longer an "issue" in Don's life - could he murder someone who knows his secret? OK, I know that's pretty far-fetched, but still, one can hope. Photos courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode Six, "Maidenform"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:15:24 PDT

Last night's episode of Mad Men was a lot of things: illuminating, kinky, awkward, frustrating, and heartbreaking. I guess same old, same old for this show - but something about last night was a bit more intense, a touch more raw than the previous episodes this season. Maybe we're just at a place in the story arc of all the characters where, as Bobbie put it, "the gloves come off."

A lot of the characters in the Mad Men universe had moments of self-reflection: Don at the end of the episode, after another intense encounter with Bobbie, gazing at himself in the mirror; Pete taking a good look at himself in his own mirror after a night with a model. Meanwhile, Peggy's professional journey still captivates me, as she continues to face challenges as an up-and-coming woman at the office.

The part of Peggy's story that gives me chills is watching how ambitious she is becoming while knowing that, to some extent, she's not quite right in the head - or, at the very least, has experienced some emotional trauma we haven't seen her cope with yet. And this episode also had me laughing at the funny, old-fashioned terms people used for bras (like "brassiere")! So much to talk about, so let's start chatting - just

read more! Don Draper: Don is quickly unraveling on the inside, and I can't totally place why this is occurring, other than the fact that his secret past is eating away at him. While he appears to be rocking and rolling at work, personally he's become unstable. First he ditches Betty at the country club gathering they attended on Memorial Day to call and flirt with Bobbie. Then once he's in bed with Bobbie it goes from being totally hot and sexy to terrible. Bobbie mumbles something about Don's reputation with other women, and it sets him off. He ties her to the bed and leaves her there! Don also completely undermines Betty's self-esteem when he tells her she looks desperate in her new yellow bikini. So mean - I could have cried for Betty. Peggy Olson: As we saw in the previews last week, Peggy has been getting left out of a lot of business meetings and gatherings inside and outside the office. I really loved how this episode captured what must have been the most difficult part of breaking glass ceilings as a woman in business back then (and maybe now?) with the impromptu decisions being made at strip clubs and other men's hangouts. In the end, Peggy decides that if she can't beat them she'll have to join them, dresses herself up, and heads to the strip club with the gang and the bra client. But ew - when she sat on her client's lap and he said "Tell me what you want for Christmas," I nearly threw up. Pete Campbell: Sometimes Pete doesn't seem as diabolical as he is pathetic, and his motives are hard for me to discern. His visit to Peggy in her office to talk about the Clearasil idea got weird as he lingered there awkwardly. I couldn't tell if he was trying to steal Peggy's idea or undermine her position at the firm in some way - or if he was trying to figure out if she still has a crush on him. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it? And then later we see Pete cheat on his wife with a young, blonde model. Wouldn't you love to see one of these guys get caught cheating? Just once? A few more thoughts:

I really liked the exchange between Joan and Peggy when Joan told a discouraged Peggy, "You’re in their country, learn to speak the language," and then handed down this advice: "You want to be taken seriously, stop dressing like a little girl."
How'd you feel about "All women come in two types: Jackie or Marilyn?" I thought it was hilariously sexist to reduce an entire gender to two categories. Do you think that kind of ad campaign would work now?
Betty's flirtation with Arthur was back again and Don noticed! I really like this storyline and can't wait to see how it unfolds.
And finally, smarmy line of the night goes to Pete as usual. When Don asked Peggy about the difference between Playtex bras and Maidenform, Pete chimed in with, "I find they both open easily."

What did you think of this episode? Were you stunned by Don's treatment of Bobbie or are you used to his aggression toward her at this point? Do you think they're really over? How'd you like Peggy's transformation at the strip club? Did you feel sorry for her, or did you think it was a good move? Photos courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode Five, "The New Girl"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:36:50 PDT

Whoa - big episode of Mad Men this week with all of my favorite characters getting a good amount of screen time. One of my favorite characters from last season makes a return and we learn a whole lot about what happened to Peggy a while ago, including how she managed to keep her job after going through her secret ordeal.

I don't know about you, but there were some heart-stopping, high drama moments for me in this week's episode. Pressure continues to build within the Draper marriage as Don's lies keep piling up, Pete is a tool to his wife as usual, and there's some exciting news for Joan!

To read the rest of my thoughts and chat about the episode,

read more. Don Draper: Once again Don succumbs to Bobbie's charms, and after getting thoroughly wasted he gets behind the wheel of his car for a late night tryst by the sea. As he guzzled hard alcohol while driving I thought, "I know they smoked while pregnant and stuff but surely they understood the hazards of drinking and driving?" And, of course, that's the moment when Don and Bobbie get into a terrible accident. Oh! But before all that they bump into Rachel Menken (yay! She's back!), who is now Mrs. Katz. Her husband seems a little less exciting than Don but likely not as much of a d-bag. There's a lot of clean up after the big wreck, including some more lying to Betty who is angry that Don didn't call her after his accident. Of course, he dismisses this argument from his spouse by calling her hysterical and telling her to help him get dressed. Peggy Olson: We learn a lot about Peggy this week via flashbacks, including a diagnosis by the doctors in the mental institute: "psychoneurotic disorder" a.k.a. "refusing to admit she had a baby." Then we find out that Don visited her in the hospital and offered some eerie words of advice to poor, confused Peggy, like "Get out of here and move forward," and "This never happened. It will shock you how much it never happened." This scene gave me chills all over; the way Jon Hamm delivers these lines is extraordinary. Later, Bobbie gives Peggy some constructive advice on how to get that corner office: stop being so deferential toward Don and start acting like his equal. Thus, Peggy asks Don to repay her for his bail, and when he hands her money, she calls him by his first name instead of her usual "Mr. Draper." The playing field has been leveled a little bit (both Peggy and Don now know destructive secrets about each other), and Peggy is learning how to leverage that. Some more thoughts:

Did anyone else notice that Peggy's sister is hugely pregnant when she visits Peggy in the hospital? What do you think that's about? She could be pretending to be pregnant as a cover for Peggy, or perhaps the little boy we've been seeing this whole season is actually Peggy's sister's.
Um, what the heck was up with that guy who popped out of his office and played Mozart on his pants zipper? Oddest. Mad Men moment. Ever.
Ugh, Pete! He finds out that he does not have fertility issues (which we knew because of his baby with Peggy) and proceeds to rub that in his wife's face and treat her like a child. He is so despicable sometimes.
I like the addition of "the new girl," though I think she looks more modern than any of the other women. Like, 2008 modern. I'll be curious to find out more about her.
Joan has some great lines this week, and the one that made me laugh out loud was when she told the group of men gathered around near the new secretary to go and "Pitch your tents somewhere else."
Speaking of Joany - she's engaged! Cue break area squealing! We haven't seen much of this doctor love of hers, so we'll see how long this engagement lasts. Can you really see Joan out in the burbs next door to Betty raising kids? Me neither.

What did you think of last night? Were you as blown away as I was to learn about how deep Peggy and Don's relationship actually goes? Do you think we'll see more of Rachel? Do you prefer Peggy the power-playing office politico to Peggy the doormat? Photos courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode Four, "Three Sundays"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:31:59 PDT

After last week's episode of Mad Men, there has been lots of discussion about that scene in the restaurant between Don and Bobbie (you know, That Scene) and what it means for Don's character. My feeling was that this was the beginning of Don becoming dangerously unhinged, and after this week's episode I'm even more convinced. I would not be shocked if he became increasingly violent as this season progresses.

But Don's not the only one whose world is unraveling; it seems that many people in the Sterling Cooper universe are reaching their own breaking points. With the slow and deliberate pace of Mad Men, I find myself becoming more and more on edge with each episode, as though watching a storm slowly gather, and waiting for lightning to strike.

To talk about the chilling, funny and interesting new developments from this week's episode,

read more. Don Draper: I think Don's unraveling is two-fold. Firstly, men like Don and Roger Sterling are a dying breed, and as this dramatic decade rolls on, I think they will feel more and more obsolete. This is tough for men who pride themselves and have entire careers riding on the fact that they are in touch with what Americans want and need. Earlier episodes this season that hinted at Don's age and things like his not being charmed by Jacqueline Kennedy, support this point. Secondly, Don is having an increasingly difficult time reconciling his troubled, secret past and his present life. This week, he struggles mightily to not repeat the sins of his father, only to explode and shove Betty. More and more we're seeing the scary side of Don. Betty Draper: Poor Betty is clearly feeling trapped, and conflicted about this life that she thinks is supposed to make her happy. The scenes between Don and Betty this week are unsettling. Earlier episodes this season hinted at her sexual dissatisfaction with Don, testing the waters elsewhere to feel attractive and sexy. She has a lot of anger pent up, and her outbursts signal that she's becoming discontent and overwhelmed by raising their children, feeling like she's stuck at home all day and "outnumbered" by the kids. Peggy Olson: Peggy's family hosts a young priest from their congregation (guest star Colin Hanks looking very grown up!) and he quickly takes a shine to Peggy. Her sister can't help but be a little disgusted by all the praise heaped on Peggy - despite her recent transgressions. The constraints on women at the time aside (and I know we don't know the entire story yet), I am still weirded out by Peggy's odd state of denial. So, even though ratting Peggy out in confession to the priest was not very nice, I can sympathize with her sister's frustration. Some more thoughts:

Scariest line of the night goes to Don: "You want me to bring home what I got at the office today? I'll put you through that window." Yikes.
Also someone should just sign Sally Draper up for AA meetings right now. After fixing her dad stiff drinks and getting wasted at the office, I think it's safe to say the girl's going to have issues. And by "issues" I mean hopping on that free love revolution train and heading to San Francisco, to Don's horror.
Pete's short shorts are amazing. I am still intrigued by him, and would like more Pete next episode.
Does anyone else find the kid playing Bobby Draper a little creepy? I know he's just a kid, but onscreen he just seems utterly lifeless.
I really enjoyed the scene between Roger Sterling and his daughter. Let the generation clashes begin as the daughter has her own ideas about what a wedding means to her. Then it swiftly turns sad as Roger's wife romantically reminisces about their wedding, followed a few scenes later by Roger's interactions with Vicky.
High-priced hookers are popping up quite a bit on Mad Men (remember Betty's old roommate, the "party girl"?). Do you think this was more common/classier than it is today? Perhaps more overt? At any rate, as much as I enjoy the life Roger injects into the series, he also strikes me as pathetic when it comes to the ladies. And I can't help thinking about his poor wife.

What do you think? Are you feeling a little uneasy about Don? Do you relate to Sally's trip to the office with her dad at all? Is Father Gil a positive force? Are you liking this season's stronger focus on the home life, instead of being as office-centric as the first season? Photos courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode Three, "The Benefactor"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:35:00 PDT

Last week I mused that the soul of Pete Campbell was being set up as a battleground for the competing forces at Sterling Cooper, but I may have been a little premature, as Pete was nowhere to be seen in the latest episode of Mad Men. Boo. Even though Pete can be slimy and repulsive, that's a heck of a lot more interesting to watch than, say, Harry angling for a raise. Joan was also pretty much MIA last night, which only added to a sense of wanting this episode to be over so that we can get back to the good characters next week.

That said, last night was not without its fair share of slime, although the target of my revulsion came as a bit of surprise to me. Plus, we got a lot more Betty, which means we're inching closer to to knowing what happened between her and Don during the break between seasons - and also means we're probably closer to her ilicit affair with the horse guy (at least that's what I'm ~~hoping for~~ predicting). To see the rest of my thoughts on last night's episode,

read more. Don Draper: Whoa! All this time spent practicing restraint and staying loyal to his wife and he throws it all away in . . . the front of a car? With someone who is not Rachel Menken or my other favorite lover-of-Don, Midge Daniels the bohemian? I was not happy with that but also wasn't surprised to see Don back to his cheating ways. The biggest ick moment of the night for me came from how violently Don treated his new mistress, Bobbie Barrett, at Lutece. His manhandling of her after she threatened him on behalf of her "client" was uncomfortably sexual and made me a bit fearful of Don (has he ever treated Betty that way?). Betty Draper: Betty had quite the episode, starting with her little moment with Arthur, the horse rider all the ladies have a crush on (do you find him all that dashing? I don't). He comes onto Betty by telling her she's beautiful and his fiancee is jealous of her. He also observes several times how "profoundly sad" she is, which turns out to be quite intuitive because after attending the business dinner at Lutece, in which she fulfilled Don's request that she be "shiny and bright," she breaks down in tears on the drive home. She tells Don they are tears of joy because she really enjoyed being a part of his life, being on the same "team." I feel like poor Betty is heading for an emotional implosion, and yet I can't completely guess what that will look like. A couple more thoughts:

Does anyone have a guess for what French movie Don was watching? I've seen a couple of guesses, including Hiroshima Mon Amour.
One of the biggest cringeworthy moments for me was when Betty asked Don, "Is this one where I talk or don't talk?" after he invites her to a business dinner in the city. Can you even imagine asking that of your husband one day? Ugh.
There was definitely a body-shaming theme woven through last night's episode as well. Betty's horse riding friend casually refers to her own daughter as fat (with a twinge of remorse and bitterness in her voice) and the whole episode's dramatic arc kicked off with a comedian comparing the overweight wife of one of Don's clients to the Hindenburg. In regard to a certain standard of beauty for women and girls, I wonder how far we've truly come since then.
Harry and his wife were actually pretty adorable. I loved her coaching him on how to get a raise, although it struck me that she was far more savvy about how these things work than he is and probably would be better in the corporate world!
How did you feel about Don firing his secretary? That poor girl was doomed from the start, but I'm unclear what purpose her tiny subplot has served other than showing us how tough it was to make it as someone's "girl" in the office, especially since they were practically asked to read minds and cover their male bosses when they slipped out to cheat on their wives and/or watch French movies. Who knows, maybe we haven't seen the last of this girl.
And I just have to say that I totally love Roger Sterling and laughed out loud during his scene with Harry discussing the raise. The cavalier way he speaks is often a welcome relief from how stilted and repressed the rest of the cast can be.

So what did you think of last night? Did Don's affair end right then and there with that terribly physical confrontation in the restaurant? Do you think Betty will find out about his infidelity? Did you miss Joan, Peggy, and Pete as much as I did? Photos courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode Two, "Flight 1"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:31:06 PDT

On Sunday's Mad Men, a tragedy struck the office and set off a chain of events that further divided Sterling Cooper into two competing sides: the good (Don) and the bad (Duck). Or at least that's how I like to think of it, even though nothing is as simple as good vs. evil in the world of these ad men. For now, though, the show seemed to kick off what I bet becomes a struggle for the soul of Pete Campbell (of all people), and we're probably in for some interesting office politics over the next several weeks.

The thing that continues to nag at me, though, is: What's wrong with Don? He's seriously lost his mojo and is constantly looking bewildered and sad. Last week the show hammered on the fact that he's growing old and might be losing touch with those hip kids so important to advertising. This week was all about watching him lose power and influence at the office and at home, and it clearly doesn't suit him. It's quite the departure from the cocky and ambitious philandering dreamboat we met in season one.

This week's episode also belonged to Paul, Joan, and Peggy, as we got some deeper revelations about what their lives are like outside of the office and what makes these people tick. To read my thoughts and chat with me about yours,

read more. Pete Campbell: The office is shocked when an American Airlines jet crashes. Pete, being the class act that he is, jokes that there were likely golfers on the flight, so the bay probably turned plaid. He then learns that his father was one of those passengers and proceeds to be awkward the rest of the episode. At first he turns to Don for comfort (they have a strange father/son-ish relationship sometimes) but the next day Don is rude to him so he goes running to Duck. Together they use Pete's tragedy to try to get American Airlines as a client. Don Draper: Don doesn't know Pete helps Duck, but he knows Duck isn't wasting time to woo the troubled airline, and he's rather repulsed. He's then instructed to dump their other airline client so, all in all, it's a bad time for Don. That night over cards with their friends, Betty tells a story about their son lying about a drawing he did. When Don says it's no big deal, Betty shoots back, "What about all that praise he accepted for something he didn't do?" Don's look of bewilderment indicated to me he was thinking something along the lines of, "Oh great, now my wife is thinking? What a crappy day!" Peggy Olson: So, it turns out Peggy comes from a super Catholic background, and we finally get to see where her love child with Pete has been stashed: with her sister and mother. I know I'm supposed to feel sympathy for Peggy, being that women pregnant out of wedlock had few options at that time - not to mention she's right in the middle of a bona fide career in a boys' club industry - but her total inability to deal with her baby irks me. And then, when Pete gives her a tiny look that indicates he might feel something for her, it clearly still melts her heart. She's come a long way in terms of having a spine, but I still have trouble with her sometimes. A few more thoughts:

Joan's reaction to Paul's girlfriend was deplorable. Makes her somewhat of a villain now. I loved how Paul's response to her evilness was publicly posting her real age (In her 30s! Gasp!) in the office.
How funny was that passive-aggressive battle between the Olson wives to comfort their mother-in-law at Pete's family home? I loved when Pete's sister-in-law said, "I like to offer a nice bouquet of my thoughts." I'm going to use that line the next time I deal with my cable company.
Poor Paul. His outfit, plus the way he held his drink at the party, plus his beard, plus his pipe was kind of ridiculous. But generally speaking, I like him as a character, even though he always sounds like he's delivering a Shakespeare monologue.
What did Peggy's sister mean when she told Peggy that neither the State of New York nor the doctors thought she was capable of making her own decisions? Did someone take Peggy's baby away from her? Were they allowed to do that back then? I've assumed she gave her baby to her family because she couldn't deal.

What did you think of last night? Are some of your questions from season one getting answered? How did you feel about Joan's behavior and Paul's response? Do you think Betty and Don are heading for a major marital blowout? Photos courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode One, "For Those Who Think Young"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:38:48 PDT

It's no secret that I'm quite addicted to AMC's Mad Men - I declared July "Mad Month," after all! It's fresh and smart, with great writing and fantastic characters (and the fashion is awesome, and Don Draper is one of the dreamiest men to hit the television in a long while . . . ), and because there isn't a lot going on this Summer in TV-land, the show's return on Sunday felt a little like Christmas in July.

So, since Mad Men keeps me riveted to my screen (both because of the entertainment value and multi-layered social commentary embedded in each episode), I'm going to be recapping each episode of season two. Together we can sort through the drama and thought-provoking topics the storylines touch each week.

I know a lot of people are still playing catch-up with season one, so I won't even hint at where we last saw these ad men and the women who ~~loathe~~ love them until after the jump. But if you're ready to chat about last night or just see my thoughts,

read more. Season one closed with just about every character in crisis on a depressing Thanksgiving 1960. Last night opened just over a year later, on Valentine's Day, 1962. Don Draper: Last we saw the handsome creative director, his secret identity had nearly been exposed and his affair with his client Rachel Menken had ended. This season opens with Don at his doctor's office, basically being told he's getting old. Then, he heads to work only to be told that the firm needs young talent to stay relevant and keep clients happy. Don's also acting more his age at home: He's coming home at night to Betty and the kids and has seemingly halted all extramarital affairs. So the moral of last night's opener is that poor Don is feeling over the hill. Do I like this new and improved Don? I feel like I'm supposed to say "yes," but it wasn't as much fun to watch. Betty Draper: January Jones must be thrilled, because Betty is becoming one of the most fascinating characters on the show. We know she knows that Don has had affairs - but did she confront him about it? Is that why he's shaping up? At the downtown hotel where the Drapers go for V-Day, they run into Betty's old roommate, who is now a high-priced call girl - or "party girl," as Don puts it (here's a real-life fun fact about that actress!). Later, when her car breaks down, she dabbles in bargaining with her sexuality with the mechanic fixing her car, only to catch herself and back down. Clearly she's hungry for male attention (that Don doesn't seem to be great at giving her) - maybe deep down she wants to be treated like a grown-up woman? An equal instead of someone who has to ask her husband for money and gets in trouble when the car breaks down? What do you think is going on in Betty's head? Peggy Olsen: So Peggy had a baby in the finale last season, and so far the only evidence is that she clearly lost all the weight. Then, the men in the office notice her weight loss and gossip behind her back that Don got her pregnant and then gave her a promotion. Pete guesses she went to the "fat farm." UGH. Poor Peggy endures the most awfulness in Mad Men, even as her influence in the office grows. She's clearly Don's favorite and is portrayed as more talented than all of those sexist ad-boys combined. She also makes Don's new secretary cry, displaying a new, hardened Peggy. What do you think? Is the baby at home or did she give it up for adoption? Do you think Pete will ever find out? Let's hope she's not still caring a torch for that guy. A few more thoughts on last night's developments:

Joan nabbed herself a doctor! She seems confidante she'll get a proposal soon, but I wonder if that's truly what she wants? I never thought of her as husband-hunting, so that was a change.
Pete is still slimy, and currently he's dealing with his wife's desperation to get pregnant. Something is being set up here, given that we know Peggy gave birth to Pete's child last season. This has to all blow up on him at some point.
Betty also flirts with a horseback rider guy, and I feel like a Betty Draper affair is just around the corner! Do two wrongs make a right? Probably not, but that is good stuff.
How great was that vintage Jackie Kennedy footage? It seemed like all the women were curious to see this classy new first lady while the men seemed casually dismissive of her and some even wondered why the president wasn't pictured.

What did you think of last night? Was the time jump disconcerting? Or do you like the slowly unfolding mysteries of what went down in the year we didn't get to see? Photos courtesy of AMC