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Buzz News Roundup, 1/19

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:00:44 -0800

Finally! Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner has inked a two-year, seven-figure deal with Lionsgate TV to continue working on the series. - E! Online
Johnny Knoxville and Cher are attached to star together in the comedy The Drop-Out. - ComingSoon
Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow) is in talks to direct the movie adaptation of Isaac Asimov's science fiction trilogy Foundation. - Variety
Cheryl Hines will return to Curb Your Enthusiasm. - TV Guide
Eli Stone's brother is joining Brothers & Sisters as a potential love interest for . . . Kitty? - Entertainment Weekly
The documentarian duo behind Wordplay and I.O.U.S.A., Patrick Creadon and Christine O’Malley, will write, direct, and produce a one-hour documentary about SpongeBob SquarePants. - Variety
Meet the guy who keeps track of Lost's crazy plotlines and time twists. - New York Times

Mad Men Rundown: Episode 13, "Meditations in an Emergency"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:30:16 -0700

The storm clouds swirled on this week's exciting season finale of Mad Men. As the terror of the Cuban missile crisis thrums below the surface, everyone copes with the prospect of the end of the world in his or her own way. The entire episode has a nihilistic vibe to it, with characters weighing each moment against the idea that it could be their last.

But worrying isn't just for global affairs: the ad men of Sterling Cooper are also fretting about big changes a little closer to home. If you know what I mean and want to chat about it, read more.

While the men in the office are riveted by the TV set, following every move President Kennedy makes, they are also concerned about the big merger. How will it work? Will anyone get fired? Meanwhile, Peggy and Betty each use impending doom to confront and attempt to make peace with their own issues. It's a doozy of an episode and plenty entertaining, even if it may be one of the gloomiest ever.

Betty Draper: The night opens with Betty at her doctor's office gazing at a picture of deer. An interesting image for a woman about to find out she's pregnant and immediately inquire about an abortion. From there we travel with Betty on the kind of cathartic journey that's been bubbling up in her for two seasons now. She smokes, she drinks, she broods - even when Don shows up with his tail between his legs, she doesn't skip a beat. When he tells her he had to get away for a while to think she responds flatly, "Must be nice, needing time and just taking it, all on your own terms." Oh, snap. Take that, Don. And then she drops the kids off with Don and has sex with a stranger at a bar. I got the sense that she finally understands her own discontent. She seems to place the source and no longer feels like she's the one going crazy. She takes control. It's an extremely satisfying finale to Betty's story this season (though maybe misguided). What do you think?

Peggy Olson: Peggy also faces her past head-on this episode (amazing what the threat of nuclear war will do for one's emotional development, isn't it?). Father Gill lays a humongous pile of guilt and shame onto Peggy, hoping she'll make things right with God ("Don’t you understand that this could be the end of the world and you can go to hell?"). I half expected Peggy to mumble something like, "Thank you Father" and shuffle away - but she doesn't! She stands up for herself and her ideas: "I can't believe that’s how God is." She's bright and perky when Don returns, informing him right away that she landed the Popsicle account. Later, when things get really dark, she responds to Pete's declaration of love (also: OMG Pete declares his love!) with the truth about his baby. The look on Pete's face is priceless when she confesses her entire ordeal and how a piece of her is gone forever. And now Pete's the one crying and Peggy is calm and resigned.

A few more thoughts:

I am curious about Pete giving Don a heads-up about Duck becoming president of the new merged Sterling Cooper. In the previous scene between Pete and Don, Don gives Pete some new respect for handling things in Don's absence. Perhaps Pete feels like he's closer to Don's level and gives him the information about Duck because, as he says, he'd want to be in the know if he were in Don's place. It's an interesting change of pace, the two of them on the same team.
There's something comforting about Joan and Don back together in the office. Like the old Mad Men coming full circle. I liked Don's line to Joan about Peggy, "So, other than her office and new haircut is there anything else I need to know about?" (Also, again with a cute dress on Peggy! Love it.)
Isn't it just like Don to get to drop out of work for three weeks and when you return you've made half a million dollars? Oh, and your wife takes you back after years of cheating and lying. Life goes well for that guy.
I thought Betty and Francine's conversation about the possibility of Betty having an abortion was fascinating. Even though it's illegal, the women still talk about it as a viable alternative.
I love the scene in which the guys corner Lois the phone operator and pump her for information. Can you imagine people listening in on your office calls?! I think the ominous way she delivers the news is so perfectly gossipy: "There are definitely going to be
some . . . redundancies."
What did you think about Don's letter to Betty? Romantic? Sweet? Too little, too late?
And how about Duck? After all that work on the merger and then he flips out when Don stands up to him.

So, we aren't left with too many crazy cliffhangers this time around, which is kind of nice. The biggest one is Don's future at the agency. It will be interesting to see what goes on with Pete's marriage, and the dynamics between Pete and Peggy in the office should be pretty awkward going forward. Season three will be interesting! What did you think of the finale? Is it a depressing episode or a hopeful one? Was it as exciting as you hoped or a let down?

Photos courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode 12, "The Mountain King"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:35:28 -0700

A lot went down in this week's episode of Mad Men, which makes sense as next week will mark the conclusion of season two (boo!). However, despite some character story lines progressing along, this episode doesn't offer many clues as to how Betty and Don will resolve their marital issues.

We do learn a bunch of stuff about other characters, though, including the fact that Pete is violently opposed to adoption and poor Joan is caught up in a terrible relationship with a wretched man. And while Don's away in California indulging in a mother of an identity crisis, Peggy's slowly but surely proving herself to be the brightest star in the office. So much to talk about! Let's get started, just read more.

Don Draper: Whoa. Talk about getting some answers. We finally learn the identity of the mysterious woman who showed up at Don's car dealership job in a flashback a few episodes back. She's the real Don Draper's wife! (And I so called it, as soon as I understood who she was, that she's the person to whom Don mailed the Meditations in an Emergency!) Turns out the two struck a deal that was financial as well as emotional. The "real" Mrs. Draper allowed Don to live as her legal husband until, of course, he met Betty. The flashback where he comes home to tell Mrs. Draper about the beautiful model he wants to marry is a nice glimpse into his early feelings for Betty, and I loved that dopey grin on his face as he described Betty to Anna. I can't decide if Anna (Mrs. Draper) is a force for good in Don's life or a kind of enabler. On the one hand, the little family they form together is sweet, but on the other hand she offers rationalizations like this one after he finally admits he's ruined everything by lying to Betty: "You love her. You don't have to tell her everything." I think I get what she's saying, but hopefully Don won't take this to mean that he doesn't have to be honest with Betty.

Peggy: Peggy continues to be the character I enjoy rooting for the most. Even though we know she's made some bizarre, confused decisions in the past, she still seems to be the most well-adjusted, rational person in the office. The way she lands the popsicle account is brilliant and I love watching how quickly she's become one of the guys (in their own way they seem to accept now that she's reaching their level, professionally) and they respect her. I also really enjoyed her exchange with Joan. It seems they've realized that they both struggle to stay afloat in a man's world. The cherry on top of last night? Peggy landing her own office. Hurray! When Pete is curious how she landed such a sweet situation she deadpans, "I’m sleeping with Don. It’s really working out.” Sassy, funny, upwardly mobile Peggy? Yes, please!

More thoughts:

OMG, Sally Draper smoking is so disturbing but I laughed out loud. It's heartbreaking to hear her tell her mom that daddy left because Betty is "mean and stupid." Ugh! That kid is going to be a handful as a teenager, especially if she (crossing fingers!) becomes some kind of '60s hippie activist. Probably won't be able to stick her in a closet then!
For some reason Ken's contribution to the popsicle campaign brainstorm made me laugh: "In Vermont we made our own ice cream. It was a pain in the ass."
OK, Pete's reaction to the adoption agency is crazy! After he screams "Hells bells Trudy! That's final!" and tosses dinner over the balcony, I loved how Trudy put him in his place: "You don't speak to me that way!"
Aaand. . . Daddy pulls the Clearasil campaign from Pete, who is too stubborn to back down and keep the business for Sterling-Cooper. I'm amazed that Pete's personal issues cause a client to withdraw, and Pete doesn't seem to care much about it.
Let's get the terrible scene with Joan and her fiance out of the way. Just, ugh. I could hardly stand to watch that go down in Don's office. I've never felt as sympathetic toward Joan as I do now. How soul-shattering was it that they went straight to dinner afterwards (though she left the flowers on the desk, which seems like even more heartbreaking symbolism)? She cannot marry that jerk.
One of the funniest lines to me was when Anna comments on Don's crush on Betty: "Look at you. You're in the lavender haze." Ha! People in the '60s used funny phrases.
Betty's call to Sarah Beth is also insane! Sarah Beth accuses Betty of encouraging her affair with Arthur and Betty shoots back that there's a difference between "wanting and having." It's an intense scene that makes Betty look like the puppet master over these people as a way of working out her own desires. Maybe?
Cooper's sister Alice is fabulously powerful as a character and I enjoyed her back-and-forth with Roger. She appears to convince Cooper of agreeing to the merger. And does it seem darkly foreshadow-y when she says something in the beginning about letting Roger Sterling die in the arms of a 20-year-old? Anyway, next week the staff is going to flip out! I can't wait.

What did you think of this episode? Are you sad we're nearly done with season two? Remember to chime in with your expectations for season three!

Photos courtesy of AMC

What Do You Want From a Third Season of Mad Men?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 07:30:23 -0700

Mad Men will be getting a third season on AMC - though creator Matthew Weiner is still in negotiations to determine whether he'll return - and that means we'll be watching another year in the life of Sterling Cooper. Back at the TCA press tour, Weiner suggested he has a five-year plan for the series that would end in 1968, so presumably a third season could mean another time jump (though even at the time Weiner said nothing was set in stone).

This season of Mad Men has focused more on the characters' home lives than on the office. I think it would make sense for a third season to shift the entire dynamic back to the workplace and focus in on office politics. Duck is in position to shake things up and I'd really like to see Peggy move far enough up the ladder to a point where she's landing business. There's also plenty to resolve from this season that may not be wrapped up by the Oct. 26 finale, including the fate of Betty and Don's marriage.

I'm wondering: What would you want to see in a third season of the show?

Photo courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode 11, "The Jet Set"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:43:50 -0700

This week's Mad Men episode has got to be the most bizarre yet. I was looking forward to Don and Pete's trip to L.A. (especially for the fashion and sets!) but did not see Don's little sojourn into an eerie little "family" coming. The mood in L.A. is surreal and exotic, with the figures around Don often moving around him in slow motion, making his departure from the realities and responsibilities of his life all the more creepy.

Back in New York, Roger and Jane get extremely serious and move their relationship to the next level even as Roger stares down what I'm guessing will be a nasty divorce. Also, Peggy gets a mini-makeover, Bob Dylan is the hot concert ticket in town, and someone comes out of the closet in the Sterling-Cooper break room. Ready to chat about this fascinating episode? Just read more.

Don Draper: Do we even call him Don still?! By the end of the episode he is speaking as Dick Whitman. . . but I'm getting ahead of myself. Los Angeles is, as expected, totally awesome in terms of a new swinging set of people and fabulous fashion. There's an interesting scene in the poolside bar when Don thinks he sees Betty but it turns out to be some other blonde. Pete's digging the pool scene but Don cracks the whip and makes him work only to ditch him later for a young (really young), mysterious woman named Joy who hangs out with a Count named Willy. Um, yeah. The Palm Springs abode is a den of temptations and offers Don a chance to indulge in a life without strings attached - even Joy explains she wouldn't expect him to be faithful sexually. The song at the end of the episode has the lyrics, "What'll I do?" and the sight of Don's luggage arriving on a quiet Draper doorstep makes me feel ill about what his choice might be.

Peggy Olson: Aw, Peggy. She's getting more respect at the office in some ways but we finally see how confused she is about other aspects of life, like men. It's interesting to compare the sophisticated way Jane uses her sexuality at such a young age to dazzle Roger and Peggy's innocent question, "I don't know why I pick the wrong boys. What's wrong with me?" I love her budding friendship with Kurt ("I fix you") and love her haircut even more. Of course, Pete notices her new 'do as soon as he returns. I hope Kurt helps Peggy become less insecure and I hope the Mad Men folks give her a cute straight boy to go to concerts with soon.

Some more thoughts:

How's this for coming out of the closet in the office during the early '60s? "I make love with the men, not the women." It was an awesome moment followed by homophobic slurs and jokes (once Kurt left the room, of course). Poor Sal's face broke my heart in two.
Duck's fighting for his life and drinking again. He's been a truly sad and pathetic character thus far so I'm glad to see him find his mojo in the firm. I find his desire to take over Sterling-Cooper very interesting. With three weeks to go you know things are going to get nuts now that this little plot has been seeded.
The staging of the scenes in this show is so magnificent sometimes. I was struck by the final shot of Don from behind, sitting on the couch in Palm Springs with his arm draped along the top of the couch - a replica of the black silhouette we've come to associate with the show.
In both Don and Roger's scenes the women's ages come up. They're really young. I have to admit this skeeves me out, big-time.
Back in L.A. I noted the scene where Joy asks Don if he's ever had Mexican food and he says no. In this day and age, I can't imagine a world where Americans have never heard of Mexican food! And frankly, that's not a world I want to live in. Mmm. . . burritos.
I still love the business-related scenes where the creatives brainstorm around brands like Right Guard. It's so hilarious to hear them position these products at this early stage ("Men will be men," and "Women smell bad, too").
The episode opens on a pretty chilling scene: Don and Pete watch a scientist gleefully explain America's new missiles, excitedly talking about limiting second strike capabilities via total annihilation of cities. If I had to sit through that presentation I might have hopped in a car to Palm Springs with a total stranger too, truth be told.
So, ew. Joy is Willy's daughter and he is quite involved in her sex life. Creeps-ville!
How amazing is it going to be when Joan finds out about Jane and Roger?!

What did you think of last night? Was it weird to not see Betty at all while Don is off in the Garden of Eden with a 21-year-old? And who did he call in the end? Do you think Roger will go through with this marriage to Jane? Or will the divorce get too expensive?

Photos courtesy of AMC

Mad Men Rundown: Episode 10, "The Inheritance"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:36:52 -0700

As is often the case with Mad Men, the title of the episode is perfect. This week's installment has little Sterling-Cooper stuff and tons of richly layered, sad, prickly family issues dealing with difficult moms, sick dads, unknown heirs and lonely little boys. We don't see too much of our main man, Don Draper, this week, and I longed for more Joan, Roger and Peggy, but this episode is just as sad, disturbing and well-written as any of them.

To talk about this week's new developments, read more.

Betty Draper: Betty's whole storyline this week is so fascinating and layered. She basically has issues with all three of the male characters in her life this episode. Her father, Gene (who actually bears a resemblance to McCain, in my opinion), has suffered a stroke and is starting to mix things up, mistaking Betty for her mother. The scene at the dining room table when he grabs Betty's breast is staggeringly sad, but Betty doesn't even miss a beat. She's shaken, but doesn't react negatively toward her father at all. She and Don go to see her father together, and she decides to sleep with Don while they're there, but kicks him out again once they return home ("Nothing's changed. We were just pretending."). It seems like all Betty craves sometimes is a little truthfulness. When Viola states simply that Gene is "very, very sick," Betty is relieved that someone is finally admitting it. Later, the boy with the crush on Betty, Glen Bishop, shows up in the Draper kids' playhouse and Betty brings him inside, where he takes Betty's hand and says he came there to rescue her. When Betty calls his mother to pick him up, he glares at Betty and says, "I hate you." As Sally Draper stared at her mother, I couldn't help but wonder what she's learning from Betty, and what Betty learned from her family.

Pete Campbell: Speaking of inheriting things, Pete and his brother Bud are sifting through what their father left them (or, more accurately, what he didn't leave them), while Pete and Trudy discuss adoption. Pete and Bud talk about kids and toast to "the end of the line," but of course, they're not the end of the line because Pete actually does have a child. I look forward to the scene when Pete discovers that Peggy had his kid. Pete can be such a prick ("Why do you insist on making me angry before I go to bed?"), but seeing the way his mother treats him certainly explains a lot. Again, what he "inherited" from that family has seriously informed the person he is now. When his mother snidely dismisses adoption ("You're pulling from the discards"), it almost seems like Pete becomes more sold on the idea because his mother disapproves of it.

Some more thoughts:

More heirs/inheritance stuff: Harry Crane's baby shower! During which he wears a giant yellow bonnet. I love that the cake reads "Congratulations! It's a Crane!" and I find it hilarious that they give him Lucky Strikes as a gift to celebrate the birth of a baby. Oh, and Mr. Cooper poking his head in to just say "happy birthday"? Priceless.
Trudy's line to Pete completely melted my heart: "We're not related by blood and you love me." It struck me as the sweetest, most beautiful argument for adoption there is.
So Kinsey is going down South to register voters, taking a stand with Sheila and waxing philosophic on the bus ride there: "Advertising, if anything, helps bring on change. Consumer has no color." I am loving this Sheila. She is no-nonsense and strong, calling Kinsey out when the need arises.
When Don scoffs at Kinsey and Pete for not having read Peggy's write-up about their trip to L.A., he jokes, "Maybe I should send her." For a moment Peggy looks so hopeful! Also, I love that her outfits are getting cuter. That fitted, black-and-white number is fantastic.
At one point Gene snaps at Don that he has everything and acts like it's nothing. "My daughter's a princess, you know that?" It makes me wonder if this is what's going on with Betty, that she was a princess to her father, and a perfect wife to her husband. But now her father is starting to slip away, and she's realizing her husband was not so perfect. Helen Bishop's comment to Betty seems significant: "The hardest part is realizing you're in charge."
Fun fact: The boy playing Glen is Marten Holden Weiner, the son of Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner.
It made me laugh when Pete told Bud to get back the money their father gave to Lincoln Center. Bud: "You can't take a donation back!"
Pete seems like such a little boy sometimes; he just has no filter. Like when he says to Peggy, "I hate my mother. What do you think of that?"
I like that Betty confides in Helen Bishop, finally telling another woman that Don's not living in the house anymore. It's good that Betty can talk to a female her own age about these things.
Smoking on planes! I forgot that this was ever something people did. This episode included little of Don's story, but I liked that it ends with him gazing out the airplane window, sunlight gliding up his face.

What did you think about "The Inheritance"?

Photos courtesy of AMC

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

BuzzSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:30:39 -0700

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

Live From the Emmy Press Room: Mad Men

BuzzSugar — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 22:06:16 -0700

The cast of Mad Men was completely delightful in the Emmy press room, where they were celebrating their Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series - the first basic cable series to win that award. Several cast members sipped champagne, and Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss snapped iPhone pictures of each other.

Series creator Matthew Weiner called the win gratifying for a show that "resonates with the human condition," and he said it was something of a victory for every writer who's ever toiled away on a TV script at a library or a Starbucks. But a lot of the questions were for Hamm, whose Don Draper has been the heart of the show from the start.

"It is a career-changing role," Hamm said. "It is the thing that you dream about. You dream about getting to play something this rich and layered and funny and sad and beautiful all at the same time. Until recently, it hardly ever happens on television."

Pretending to smoke a cigarette while swilling champagne, Hamm acknowledged that "it is fun to dress up and smoke and drink in fakeland." But no worries - he said he doesn't behave like Don behaves in daily life.

Hamm also heaped praise on Bryan Cranston, who took home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Breaking Bad, so to hear about that, just read more.

"I think Bryan's work in the show is amazing," Hamm said. "I know him well, also. For a friend on a show that's if anything even less watched than our show to succeed was - I mean, I was just so happy for him. So it was really nice, and I'm really, really glad he won and he got to make a speech rather than me, cause I'm terrible."

Source

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

BuzzSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:39:55 -0700

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 -0700

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