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Blood Nightmaster posted:I feel like I have to post the scene where Betty walks down the staircase from this episode--it really is one of those times where the music just fits the moment perfectly. It almost feels like an ad itself, kind of selling the idea of their relationship: The image is real to Don, isn't it. Appearance, and what it says. He has the perfect life precisely BECAUSE it looks perfect. His job is to spin words into fantasies you can buy, his affairs help him deny death, his identity his best creation. Image made real. Its such a damning idea of America it boggles.
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Dec 7, 2020 23:06
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This episode reminded me of something: https://i.imgur.com/vF3z8iE.jpg (light spoilers for Fleabag season 2 (and none for Mad Men except the current episode))
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Dec 9, 2020 08:10
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lmao
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Dec 9, 2020 09:12
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Season 2, Episode 5 - The New Girl Written by Robin Veith, Directed by Jennifer Getzinger Bobbie Barrett posted:This is America. Pick a job and then become the person who does it. Pete and Trudy Campbell have done to see a doctor, to discuss the issues they are having conceiving a baby. Pete affects a carefree attitude during the session but he is anything but relaxed, having to be told to sit and jumping to poor humor to cover for his fear that the doctor will tell him there is something wrong with him. Similarly, though Trudy is seated, dressed her best, and trying to be open and honest, the near-panic sitting just below the surface of her calm is obvious: they've been trying for a baby for 18 months now with no success and she knows there MUST be something wrong. This is not Dr. Stone's first rodeo, however, and he radiates an air of comforting wisdom as he assures them both not to jump to conclusions or make assumptions. Don Draper and Freddy Rumsen arrive at work together, Freddy telling Don a joke when they're suddenly assailed by a collective whoop of joy coming from the break room. Freddy comments this is either a visit from the stork or De Beers, and it turns out to be the latter. Joan Holloway exits the room holding some files with a smile of pure satisfaction on her face, greeting both men while making a point to wiggle her fingers and draw attention to the diamond ring now in place there. It seems her doctor boyfriend is now her doctor fiance, and got in under the deadline she had fixed in her mind for him to do so. Dr. Stone has moved on to speaking to each of the Campbells individually for more "intimate" questions, asking Pete if he has ever had mumps and if his testicles descended normally (yes, and yes). Pete thinks he is telling the truth when he says he has never fathered a child, and admits that sometimes when he has been drinking it makes "completing" more difficult but he always "reaches home base". But when Stone asks him if he ever has trouble getting aroused, he gets irritated, not liking having his virility questioned. Stone, calm and more than used to this kind of reaction, assures him that an inability to have children does not equate to being less of a man, reminding him that George Washington was sterile. But forgetting whether he can have a child, the next important question is does he WANT to have a child? Pete is adamant that he does... butttttt..... well, there's the world right now, the bomb... He never actually says he doesn't, just leaves it hanging for Stone to fill in the blanks so he doesn't have to. He gets more confident when talk turns to the office, the only thing he considers to be vaguely radioactive is the Xerox and he doesn't use it personally. Stone tries to keep him relaxed by saying being in advertising must be fun, but this sets Pete off on a surprisingly bitter tirade about how he's effectively a babysitter for "creative crybabies" and drunk clients, that he's completely replaceable and this adds to the stress caused by "this baby thing", the contracting economy and pressure from his in-laws. This is far more information than Stone got when he directly asked Pete if he wanted a baby, and it also leads into Pete revealing that his own father died only a few months ago which he tries not to think about. Stone points out that can be a difficult part of the "life cycle", but reminds Pete that they are human beings are simply part of the continuum. Pete seems less than troubled when he points out that maybe this makes him the end of the line (again, he has no idea Peggy had his child). Stone has enough information to work with now and thanks Pete for his time, asking him to send Trudy in for her own individual session. He also asks Pete to make an appointment with the nurse for collecting a semen sample, and is less than impressed when Pete turns it into a crude joke suggesting the nurse would be the one "collecting" it. As always, Pete somehow manages to end up being both sympathetic and an enormous piece of poo poo in the same scene.   Joan is holding court at her desk, surrounded by ecstatic secretaries wowing over her diamond ring as she explains it will be a Christmas wedding... she just hasn't told her fiance yet! But while Joan might be in 7th Heaven, she's also still more than aware of office politics, and when one secretary happily tells her she'll take over watching Mr. Draper's desk for her, Joan coldly reminds her she already had a chance. The other woman's face falls, but she doesn't protest, Joan is still Queen Bee. The phone at her desk is ringing and Don, his door open, calls out to her a reminder that the sound isn't wedding bells. Brought back to reality, she quickly takes the call and with practised efficiency immediately reads the situation when she learns who is on the other line. Without making a big deal or drawing attention, she puts the person on hold, steps into Don's doorway and informs him Bobbie Barrett is on line 1, then closes the door behind her. Nobody else picks up on it, and Joan makes her dismissal of the other secretaries (while making sure to still display her ring) seem like it's just time to get back to work... but she's effectively given Don privacy to talk to Bobbie without drawing attention to the fact that she's giving him privacy. She's making assumptions, but not unfounded ones, and proving good to her own advice once given to Peggy (who in turn gave the same to Lois): you don't judge the executive you are assigned, and you turn a blind eye to their personal business. Don takes the call, and in typical Bobbie fashion she immediately takes control, "asking" him to ask her how she is. Amused, he does as hes told, and is even more amused when she asks where he is, reminding her that SHE called him at his office. She is a little tipsy, she's celebrating the fact that she and Jimmy have successfully sold "Grin and Barrett", though they've only gotten a pilot as opposed to a full order. She's at Sardi's and "being ignored", by which she means none of the men there day-drinking have tried to pick her up yet, so she wants Don to come and pay attention to her. Still amused, he reminds her he's working, so she points out he gave her advice on making "Grin and Barrett" a reality so they could call it a business meeting. On this he's firm though, he doesn't want to confuse the "relationship" she obviously wants with business. But like any good pitch, Bobbie knows when she's made her case the best she can and simply tells him she might be changing her mind before hanging up. That leaves the ball in his court, she isn't going to beg or plead, and if he comes down now then it is his decision and he can't go blaming her: she made it entirely clear what she wants, it's on him if he chooses to follow up. Being Don Draper, follow-up he does. He joins her at Sardi's just as she is being served another martini at the table she have moved to. She immediately orders for him, not acting remotely surprised that he took her up on her offer. He hangs up his own coat and hat (how did he manage such a herculean task without a secretary to do it for him?) and takes a seat, and she explains without being asked that she's alone because Jimmy went home to sulk after Buddy Hackett told him Jackie Gleason didn't need to make a pilot to get a full order, and then all Jimmy's buddies went out to celebrate ruining his day. So that leaves her all alone, sulking a little herself as she complains that she expects his poor attitude when things are bad but not when they are good, and that he understands how big this opportunity is but SHE understands that he's probably gonna wreck it anyway. Don is distracted from her smiling self-pity though by an unexpected ghost from his past. A couple has just entered the restaurant and the woman has spotted him too: it's Rachel Menken. She considers for a moment, would it be best to pretend she didn't see him or not? In the end she remains true to her character and faces things head on, she approaches with the man in tow and they greet each other, and she corrects him when he calls her Miss Menken: Her name is now Mrs. Katz. The man beside her is her husband, Tilden, and she explains to him that Mr. Draper used to do advertising work for Menkens. Don though is for once at a loss for words, seeing Rachel again was already a gutpunch, learning she is now married doubly so. He's only saved when Bobbie - not used to or liking being forgotten - speaks up to introduce herself. This brings Don back to himself, and he introduces her as the wife of a comedian who works with him. Feeling a little more on stable ground, Don asks whether Grey is still taking credit for the work that Sterling Cooper did - it seems that Menkens is yet another client that Sterling Cooper has lost in the last year and a half. Tilden reminds Rachel that they need to get going, they have seats for A Funny Thing Happened, and with that she walks out of Don Draper's life once more. Bobbie is no fool, she can tell there was something deeper there between Don and Rachel, and takes his suggestion they go elsewhere for food as a desire to get away. He insists everything is fine here though, and shifts back into smooth, in-charge Don. In a complete reversal of when he arrived and she ordered for him, he confidently declares what meal she will want and goes ahead and orders it for her. For Don, Rachel is a reminder of himself at his most recently vulnerable, and how she rejected him and (accurately) identified his character flaws. How does he react to this? By diving headfirst into "seducing" Bobbie, turning on the charm AND the confidence, because if he acts well enough like everything is all right and there is no problem, maybe he can even convince himself.   Talk turns to Jimmy, Bobbie complaining that she always does the ordering for him because otherwise he'll go crazy with their money... particularly in spending it on other people. She is always telling him that being a big shot means you don't have to pay for anything, an idea that Don disagrees with. Bobbie points out that they're in different businesses, then happily brags that she managed to get the network to agree to a full order of 39 episodes if they pick up the pilot. Don is impressed, and perhaps for the first time actually seems to understand she is exactly what she says she is: Jimmy's manager. Certainly he's met woman before that handled the finances, or exhibited some level of management... hell, he just watched one of them walk out of his life for the second time only a few minutes earlier. But Bobbie wasn't born rich, she doesn't come from a powerful family or have an expensive education. When she tells him that this is America and you pick a job and then become the person that does it, it resonates strongly with him. After all, that's exactly what he did, and the idea that somebody else could do it too - particularly a woman, PARTICULARLY a woman without advantages - fascinates him. Where they differ though is that Bobbie enjoys the negotiation process, while Don finds it a bore. So what does he like then? This question catches Don by surprise, and she's amused that he doesn't have an answer. He insists that the answer is too huge to really articulate, but she's not fooled, the answer seems to be that Don doesn't really know himself what he actually enjoys. He's so busy constantly presenting the perfect facade that even he may not remember what he genuinely takes pleasure in anymore. Luckily for him, Bobbie teases him with some suggestions, including the ocean. When he agrees that he likes the ocean, she considers for a moment, then leans forward and with whispers that she has a little place in Stony Brook on the shore, and she wants to have him on the beach, to feel the cold sand on her back as the surf pounds behind them. Don hesitates, only for a second, but he hesitates. Why? Because it would be wrong to cheat on his wife? Because he knows an ongoing fling with Bobbie is tempting fate given who her husband is? Because his mind is still on Rachel? Whatever the case, he hesitates... then discards whatever inner protests he had and takes her up on the offer. Because this is yet another way that Don Draper can convince himself everything is fine, by pursuing this hedonistic ideal he once claimed to Rachel was all he lived for, even though it is clear he derives little satisfaction from it. He drives her towards Stony Brook, Bobbie knocking back directly from a bottle of whiskey that she passes to Don who - despite driving - happily knocks back a swig of as well. Bobbie talks about her love of crossing bridges and is pleased when Don says he likes them to, claiming they've now found TWO things he likes. He is finally able to give her an answer without being led by hand, telling her he likes movies, and is pleased if a little surprised when she brings up foreign films. As he drives, all supreme confidence, she languishes in the passenger seat, drunk and enjoying the fresh air through the open window. She gushes that she feels so good, and Don turns and smiles back at her... and admits openly that he doesn't feel a thing. She's surprised, perhaps not least because he says it with a smirk on his face that is almost challenging. So she decides to change that, drawing up close beside him and nibbling at his ear. Don certainly feels that, the physical pleasure he chases to temporarily replace the gap in his heart/soul. He closes his eyes to enjoy the sensation, and suddenly headlights from an oncoming car snap him back to reality as he realizes he has drifted across the lane. He jerks the steering wheel to the side to avoid the head-on collision, losing control of the car which skids around on the wet surface of the road and - unseen on camera - goes off the side of the road and flips onto its side. Don and Bobbie lie pressed together on the passenger side of the car, Don coming to with a groan and asking Bobbie if she is okay. She manages to mutter a,"Yeah..." and he starts to slide up the seat to stop crushing down on top of her. A voice calls out, presumably from the car they narrowly missed, asking if they're okay, and the next shot is of a dazed Don sitting alone in a police station, mind probably racing as he thinks about how he is going to explain all this, whether that be to Betty or, more cynically, to Jimmy. The Sergeant brings him a coffee, sits down at his desk beside him and explains that his "wife" told him the whiskey belonged to her... but that Don has failed the sobriety test. He scored a .15 (close to twice the accepted legal limit in 2020!) which means a fine of $150. Don opens his wallet and pulls out the cash inside, and doesn't even blink when he picks up Bobbie's purse to rifle through that too, that the Sergeant does give a little double-take. He only has $63 on him though, and mutters that he'll mail the rest tomorrow. That's not going to do it though, he has to pay the full amount tonight or spend a night in the drunk tank. Don, who finds negotiation a bore, suggests that if he just lets him go then he'll be sure to send an employee with the complete $500 fine tomorrow. This blatant bribery attempt falls flat with this Sergeant, who doesn't doubt that Don would pay that exorbitant cost but isn't interested in taking it. Don has the temerity to actually be offended that the cop wants him to suffer the consequences of his actions and won't let him buy his way out of trouble, and asks what the problem is. The cop snaps back that people's kids are out on that road, which is probably a bit of an exaggeration given the time of night it was, but goes towards a greater point: Don was driving drunk, that's... that's not allowed! That's a bad thing! Dripping with contempt, the Sergeant passes Don a phone and suggests he call somebody, or find out if his "wife" has a friend. He leaves, and Don tiredly looks through his list of numbers while trying to think who to call. Who could get him out of this situation? Who can he trust to keep this quiet? Who does he know well enough to trust with this intimate information, that he was out with Jimmy Barrett's wife in the middle of nowhere for no reason? He comes to the only conclusion he can and makes the call, and soon a woman is seen entering the police station carrying the money to bail Don and Bobbie out. I had assumed it would be Rachel  Peggy walks into the room and Don gives her a look that speaks volumes, he REALLY didn't want to have her see him like this but felt he had no other choice. Even worse is when a still dazed/half-drunk Bobbie comes staggering into the room as well, Peggy immediately grasping the significance of her presence. She's been able to scrounge together $110, an amount that would have boggled her mind a year and a half ago, and with Don's fine paid they're free to go at last... but the night is far from over. They're driven home, Peggy going out of her way to avoid being judgmental as she asks Bobbie to let her know if she needs to be sick. She explains that it is her brother-in-law's car and she doesn't want to pay to get it cleaned on top of the $2 of gas she already put into it. Bobbie gives no response though, seemingly nodding off in the back seat, so Peggy quietly recommends to Don that he keep her awake. Don's response is far less diplomatic, bellowing at Bobbie to stay up and jerking her back to attention. Don fumes in his seat and Peggy notices his mood, asking what is wrong. "What do you think?" he snaps back at her, resenting being in this position of his own making, resenting her for being there to help him even though he was the one who called her. They discuss what to do next, Don can make his way home by train but what about Bobbie? Bobbie, who has a heck of a black eye from the crash, says she can't let Jimmy see her like this, so she'll need to hole up somewhere for at least a day to see how it heals up. Don asks if Peggy has a roommate and she doesn't (no more arguments over the phone bill and the groceries!) and Peggy agrees it would be best for Bobbie to stay there. What about Don though? She thinks he'll need to rent a car and suggests LaGuardia, and corrects him when he says Idlewild would be faster by pointing out he can get to LaGuardia via Grand Central much faster. Don is a little put out at being corrected, his fragile male ego already bruised by having to get her help in the first place. Luckily Bobbie suddenly speaks up, remembering belatedly she doesn't have any clothes to wear, sighing that she wishes she was Peggy's size. That's no problem though, Peggy assures her she'd be happy to go into the city and pick up her dry cleaning early in the morning so she'll have something to wear. Bobbie passes out and Don takes the opportunity to speak "privately" to Peggy for the first time. This night can never have happened, he needs her to forget it ever did. Peggy, who has done nothing but go out of her way to be helpful, agrees, and makes a very sensible point: she doesn't want Don treating her badly because she reminds him of it. She promises him that this can be fixed, and they continue the drive in silence. Don arrives home at last, sneaking into the bedroom with his shoes off in the hopes of going unnoticed by Betty... but no such luck. She's lying in bed, fully awake and completely aware of her presence, and this is not the woman from last season who would happily assume if he was late that he was working in the city overnight. She demands to know where the hell he was, and is horrified by his calm response that he was in an accident. He's had time to think about what he'd say, and his literal job is to convince people of what he is selling, and he's in full effect here as he smoothly spins a story that uses just enough of the truth to cover up that it is a lie. He was in an accident, by the time he got everything sorted out it was late and he didn't want to wake her, plus he didn't want to worry her. To make things worse, he for the first time reveals to her his recent diagnosis of having high blood pressure, using it as an excuse by saying his prescription pills reacted badly with alcohol which is what caused him to lose control of the car. This of course only serves to worry her further, but it's also distracted her from the accident itself and any questions like where exactly the crash happened and why he took so long to get home. It is after all almost morning by this point, but his plan works a little too well... because while she's no longer asking questions about the crash, she's now freaking out about his high blood pressure and why he didn't tell her about that, reminding him that her father suffers from it too. Don tries to make her feel guilty, complaining he needed to deal with things with a clear head and he doesn't need her getting "hysterical". But he does mumble out that he didn't know she was waiting up, as close to an admission of his own guilt he is going to offer. Finally though, she comes to the one thing that sits at the heart of her concern. All through the night she was angry about it, then she was worried when Don gave her this new information. Now she offers with pure dismay a reminder, that Don has promised her that he would no longer disappear for an evening (or more) without explanation. Last season Betty took that as just a part of their lives, that sometimes her important husband would be working overnight. Since then she has had her eyes opened, has admitted to herself and to Don (via her psychiatrist) that she was aware of his philandering. Without ever admitting his infidelity, Don has clearly at some point between seasons made it clear to Betty that he wouldn't do to her what Carlton did to Francine, and now he has made her (with good reason!) question that belief. For a moment he can't answer her, then he simply explains that he needs to get dressed, distracting her again when she realizes he still intends to go to work today. He insists that he can't let anybody know about his crash, but promises to stop by the doctor's first to get a check-up, and asks her to help him get changed. She gets up and leaves to get him a change of clothes, and for just a moment Don stands watching her go. Does he feel guilty to have lied to her? Relieved to have gotten away with it? Or just annoyed that he had to explain himself in the first place? With Don it is always hard to say, because he lies to himself almost as much as he lies to his wife.   At Peggy's, Bobbie is similarly painting a fictitious picture for her spouse. For her it is a somewhat easier job, helped by playing up what Jimmy already knows: that he and his buddies can be assholes sometimes. She outright claims that one of them made a crack about the size of her rear end so she's checked herself into a fat farm. In typical Jimmy fashion, he worries that HE might stand to lose some weight to and she assures him he's fine, before cutting him off on something else by curtly reminding him that he knows he acted like a jerk last night. Safely having brought herself some time to recuperate, she sees Peggy has returned with some food and magazines and cracks a joke about how the food will ruin her cover story. Peggy's face falls and Bobbie quickly assures her it was a joke, and that she doesn't mind if Peggy takes a nap now since she isn't used to being up all night. Even now she has permission to sleep though, Peggy can't help but go and collect linen to make up the couch for Bobbie to sleep on. They briefly discuss Marilyn Monroe as Bobbie leafs through a magazine, Bobbie mentioning she's heard Marilyn may be at the fundraiser for the President's birthday this weekend, and how she hopes she doesn't end up missing it too. She rubs her head and a concerned Peggy asks if she has a headache, blurting out about a little boy in her neighborhood who fell off a swingset and hit his head, went to sleep and never woke up. Too late she realizes this probably wasn't the most diplomatic thing to say and apologizes, then heads to bed to get some sleep at last. Before she goes though, Bobbie finally asks the question that has been bugging her since last night... who is Peggy? Or rather, what is her relationship to Don? Is she his secretary? No, Peggy says, offering only that they work together. At Sterling Cooper, Joan has finally found a new secretary to take over on Don's desk, though she will still be sharing duties there to start with. Her name is Jane Siegel, tall, slim and very attractive, but also a "college girl", which means Joan expects her to pick things up quickly, which is good because oh she just so happens to be getting married you know! Jane is appropriately excited for her, asking to see the ring and gushing over it, Joan enjoying the attention even when it gets a little weird as Jane whispers that she's a little clairvoyant and sees the wedding going well. Jane takes her seat at the desk and drinks in the excitement of a new job, and is on cue three men round the corner and make a beeline straight for her: Ken Cosgrove, Paul Kinsey and Harry Crane, dubbed the "welcome wagon" by Joan. Ken and Paul introduce themselves by their titles, Harry by his marital status, and Joan responds by asking if they actually want anything (beside the obvious), and Ken asks to see Don. Jane isn't sure how to react to this, she hasn't meant Don herself yet, but she's saved by his arrival. Joan introduces her and Don, arm in a sling after making good on his promise to Betty to visit the doctor, simply hands Jane his hat and heads straight inside tailed by Ken. Inside, Ken remarks that he plans to "help" Don keep this secretary, and Don admits that at this point he waits at least a month to see if they're going to stick around before paying them any attention. He claims his bad arm is due to missing a step while walking down the stairs at home, but Ken really gets his attention when he explains why he came to see him: Jimmy Barrett wants to meet with him. Maintaining his composure, Don asks why, but Ken has no idea. Don considers, mind racing with the possibilities, then calmly states that they should put him off till Friday so he has a chance to calm down. Ken can see the logic, Jimmy's reputation for acting without thinking is well known, though he suspects Jimmy just wants his ego stroked after the news of his pilot getting picked up made the news. Ken leaves, Don affecting that everything is normal to the point that he shuts down Ken's offer to "talk to" the new girl after her brusque introduction, but he has Ken close the door behind him. Once safely in the privacy of his own office though, he immediately grabs the phone and puts through a call to Peggy's, asking to speak to Bobbie. Peggy hands over the phone and drops the volume on the television, leaving the room as Bobbie answers. Don doesn't launch right into his current problem, instead asking how she is, and once that's out of the way gently brings up the fact that Jimmy wants to meet. Bobbie is as surprised as he is, assuring him that everything went well with her cover story and she absolutely wouldn't be staying in Brooklyn if she didn't have to. Don believes her, but it leaves him no clearer on why Jimmy wants to meet. He asks again, more genuinely, how she is and promises her that things will get better when she asks him the same. She hangs up and Peggy returns, awkwardly asking if she wants to play cards. Bobbie is fine, but she can't help herself any longer and finally just asks the question that has been burning her all night: WHY is Peggy doing this? Peggy doesn't have an answer that satisfies her, simply saying he is her Boss. She asks the questions many others at Sterling Cooper have pondered, are they seeing each other? Peggy is quick to deny that, which again leaves Bobbie none-the-wiser why Peggy would so put herself out for him. All Peggy can offer is that he's done a lot for her, including making her a copywriter. Bobbie considers all the advertising and writing books piled around the apartment and with a grin declares that she bets it was Peggy herself who should get the credit for that, not the man who saw her ability.  
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Dec 10, 2020 09:31
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Peggy returns to her bedroom, but as she closes the door, a camera dissolve turns back time 18 months to late 1960. John F Kennedy had somehow beaten Richard Nixon to become President, Pete Campbell had landed a big client for Sterling Cooper, Don Draper had been made partner and Peggy Olson had been made a Junior Copywriter... and discovered she was pregnant. Lying in her hospital bed, under the care of the State of New York, she lies silently listening to her mother and sister talking with the doctor who is explaining that Peggy is still not in any condition to make decisions for herself. He starts to explain that Peggy is suffering from a psycho-neurotic disorder when Peggy herself speaks up, possibly for the first time since giving birth, greeting her mother. The doctor asks to be left alone with Peggy for a moment and Katherine assures her daughter she will be leaving the room but not the hospital. The doctor asks if she knows what year it is (she does), who the President is (Eisenhower), and where she is (St Mary's). She answers all these questions but claims she doesn't know why she is in the hospital, nor does she feel like she can guess. The doctor tells her, apparently not for the first time, that she had a baby. Peggy takes this in, then goes blank, turning away from the doctor and shutting down again, unwilling to accept or acknowledge this fact. Disappointed but perhaps not surprised, the doctor leaves her to lie in silence. One thing that really stands out in this flashback is Anita. She's present with Katherine and very tellingly she is herself heavily pregnant. I had assumed that the baby Peggy sees at Anita's sleeping in the room with the other children was her own, given to Anita to raise. Now I'm not entirely sure what happened. Is Peggy's baby adopted out or in an orphanage somewhere? Is the baby we saw Anita's own, or did something happen to her own pregnancy? This single scene upends everything I had considered about the situation post season 1, and I can only assume more information is to come. Back in 1962, Pete Campbell pays a visit to the bathroom at the doctor's office for the onerous task of collecting a sperm sample. He takes in the dirty magazines with some amusement: Nudi-Fax; The International Nudistour Guide; Jaybird USA; and.... a US News and World Report on the True Story of Pearl Harbor! Unsurprisingly the latter does nothing for him, he ends up picking up Jaybird USA to read about "The Pleasure Seekers" and "You and Your Bare Tootsies".... followed by an absolutely incredible cut to the next scene of Roger Sterling eagerly playing with a paddle ball in his office. Joan Holloway enters and points out the noise can be heard from outside, which Roger is fully aware of, explaining that people can hear it but they don't know what he's doing, and that's good for mystique! He gets to the point of why he asked to see her though, he hears that congratulations are in order. Once again she happily shows off her ring, and doesn't mind Roger's backhanded compliments or outright questioning of what is wrong with her fiance. After all, why would she be upset, she's getting married and she's happier than she's ever been, and nothing he says can stop that. Even a line poking fun at she and her fiance's age (her 31, him 34) doesn't bother her, why be sensitive about age now that she has achieved what her goal of marriage? It's okay to not be young anymore, she's going to be a wife! Roger decides to offer her the same advice he gave his daughter, noting that if you add a penny to a jar every time you make love in the first year of marriage, and subtract a penny from the same jay every time you make love in the second year... you'll end up with a jar full of pennies! Joan can give backhanded compliments just as well as he can though, calling him a "concerned daddy" and telling him she envies his daughter having Roger to give her away. She gets a little rougher though when she points out that she has always remained faithful to whoever SHE was with at the time, and points out that she always considered his unhappiness was with Mona in particular and not the notion of marriage itself. He takes this blow on the chin, then admits that Joan isn't just any other woman to him. Joan shrugs, it doesn't matter now, she actually went and fell in love and that has changed everything. He sighs, saying that losing her will just be one more reason not to come into the office, and when she promises she isn't going anywhere he disagrees, saying she'll soon see. Whether he means she won't want to remain, or that her husband won't want her to, is unclear, but he absolutely thinks Joan's time at Sterling Cooper is closer to its end than its beginning. Unable to help himself he asks if he can give her a little "paddle" of old time's sake, but as amused as she is by the offer she's also not about to give him even an inch - a lesson Vicky could have used in that hotel room. She simply turns and leaves, though Roger of course gets to enjoy the view on her way out, before tossing the paddleboard onto the desk once she's gone... his appetite for play now gone.   In the evening, Peggy brings Bobbie a coffee, having also bought milk which she doesn't usually keep in the house since she lives alone and it goes bad before she can finish it. She admits though it is nice to have somebody else around for a change, and tells her that her eye is improving. Bobbie agrees, with the right shades of make-up she can further lessen the bruise, explaining that she picked up a few tricks back when she was a dancer and met "a lot of interesting people", a nice way of saying she knew men who would beat women, probably including herself. She asks if Peggy has a boyfriend and Peggy freely tells her no, not bothering to hide or fancy up her single status - she might like having somebody around the house, but she also clearly greatly enjoys the liberation of being able to have the place to herself most of the time. At work, with her family, at church etc, she's expected to present a face to the world. At home, normally at least, she can just be... her. But Bobbie is still wrestling with trying to figure out what is behind Peggy's motivation to assist herself and Don.... is she in love with him? That gets a quick no back from Peggy, and Bobbie doesn't believe it, saying it isn't a ridiculous question and asking it again. Peggy, who has gone absolutely out of her way for Bobbie far above and beyond any reasonable expectation, retorts rather coldly that it is a personal question and one she has already answered, making it very clear she isn't going to put up with further questions along these lines. Bobbie can respect that, admitting that Peggy is right... but isn't she going to ask HER if she loves Don? Peggy's answer is again short and to the point, that is none of her business. Bobbie laughs, marveling at her youth and beauty, but Peggy again refuses to be put into any category that suggests she and Don are anything other than colleagues, insisting to Bobbie that she is not her competition. She leaves for the kitchen, and Bobbie comments on how much she loves the place. At first Peggy seems to assume she is being made fun of, but Bobbie is being serious: the place, the independence, the being single and making your own way... it all takes her back to a simpler time in her own life... less lucrative for sure, but certainly not without its appeal. The next day, the men of Sterling Cooper have also found appeal in youth and beauty, several men rummaging through filing cabinets (as if they would ever not send a secretary to do this) so they have an excuse to ogle Jane as she sits at her desk tapping her mouth with the edge of a pencil, her top button undone enough to show more than a hint of the lacy bra underneath. Joan arrives and isn't pleased at what she sees. She firmly tells the men that they need to pitch their tents elsewhere, pointing out that they're going through the dead client files. They quickly make their exit, having been rumbled, while Joan turns her attention on Jane. She's disappointed in her, ignoring Jane's feeble protests that she has no idea what she is talking about and pretending to have only just realized her top two buttons were undone. Joan isn't satisfied with them being done up though, warning Jane that the office is a place of work and professional attire is required, insisting she go out and buy a sweater at lunch. Putting on a sweet, poisonous smile far too familiar to all but the top brass of Sterling Cooper, she points out that Jane is fully aware that there is still "plenty" for the men to ogle even if she is covered up. Joan makes her exit, and yet another man decides to make his play now that the spectators have decamped and Joan has sashayed away: Ken Cosgrove. Painfully obvious, he explains that he is bringing in a VERY important client to see Don tomorrow, somebody famous in fact, and he just wanted to make sure she was aware of it. If he thought this would wow Jane, however, he's sorely disappointed, as she looks up at him and then asks... what's his title here? Surprised, he reminds her he's Ken! ....Cosgrove! ....from Accounts? Fully professional now, she reviews her appointment book and agrees that he is in listed as attending the meeting tomorrow with Jimmy Barrett. Still desperately trying to impress, Ken asks if she'd like to go see him sometime... and before she can let him down gently (or not so gently) Freddy Rumsen bursts out the door of his office in excitement to show off a new trick. Eagerly he grabs his fly and begins zipping and unzipping, blasting out Mozart on his zipper. Jane takes this in silently, Joan's words about professional decorum still fresh in her head. Ken is simultaneously agitated at Freddy "ruining" his chances with Jane but also, well... kinda impressed! Freddy finishes and triumphantly declares,"It's Mozart!" and Ken walks away, leaving Freddy a little dismayed that nobody complimented him on his new talent.   At Peggy's, Bobbie applies make-up on her eye, her shiner reduced enough now that she's confident she can cover it up. Peggy offers to let her the mirror in the bathroom but Bobbie notes she needs to start getting used to not having Peggy's hospitality, feeling about ready to return to the world again. She's still utterly intrigued by Peggy though, especially when she warns her about being too accommodating and getting taken advantage of and Peggy retorts that she knows what she is doing. Bobbie simply can't peg her, and it's driving her wild, what does Peggy want? Being Bobbie, she couches it in a mildly insulting way, asking if Peggy is just a busy little bee building a hive in Brooklyn. Peggy gives back as good as she gets, asking her if this is still part of her saying thank you, which gets a smirk of approval from Bobbie. What she means, she explains, is that Peggy needs to start living the life of the person she WANTS to be. Ignoring another comeback from Peggy that tries to reflect the subject back to her, she tells her that she's never going to get the corner office and the respect/success that comes with it until she starts treating of Don as an equal rather than a Boss. Now Peggy has stopped with the retorts, simply listening wide-eyed as Bobbie explains a few important truths: she can't be a man, and trying will just lead to trouble. But she can be a woman, and it is "a powerful business when done correctly". There is no mockery, no looking down on Peggy or undermining her. It is good and well-intentioned advice from one woman to another, a woman who actually sees more to life than just being a wife or mother like every other female role model Peggy has in her life. Peggy actually seems a little choked up as she acknowledges that she thinks she understands what Bobbie is saying, and then offers to walk her the two blocks to the station. Bobbie appreciates the offer, but she's also not one for walking, laughing that she'll just call a car instead. And with that, Peggy is finally left alone for the first time since taking that late night call from Don Draper. Pete returns home from work where he is, eventually, greeted by Trudy who brings out two plates for dinner. For Pete it's just been another typical day, the "highlight" being Duck calling Bert Pertson a "mongoloid", which even Pete knows is an awful thing to say, though he's mostly critical of how badly it reflects on Duck's leadership. Trudy takes that in without really absorbing it, more focused on delivering her own news: Dr. Stone's office called, and Pete's sample came back "viable". He is of course pleased to hear that, admitting it comes as something of a relief. He pours himself a drink, makes a toast to his viable sperm and knocks it back... and then finally, belatedly grasps that his wife doesn't seem particularly happy. He's utterly confused as to why, isn't this what she wanted? Of course, she sighs, forcing a hard little smile and declaring that with this news, now they know the problem is her. "Right!" agrees Pete happily. Oh Jesus Christ, Pete. Completely blase, he proclaims that now Stone can "blow up her ovaries" and that'll be that, and she's horrified. He still doesn't get it, actually getting mad the more upset she gets, reminding her that it was HER idea to see the doctor in the first place and she must have known this was a possible outcome. Devastated, she tries to retreat to her bedroom but he's not having it, demanding she come back. After a moment, she does, trudging back out with clear reluctance. He orders her to sit down and she apologizes, and for a moment it seems like things might be okay. But rather than apologize himself for his thoughtlessness, Pete attempts to "reason" with her about the need to have a baby at all. He points out he was having a great time before they decided to have a baby and he thinks she was too, and maybe they should just stick with that? He rejects her counter that having a baby is natural, saying that's just what everybody tells them but that doesn't make it so. He points out that when you have a baby, you can't travel or go to the movies unless you have help which is too expensive. Revolted, she accuses him (with good reason) of being immature, and to prove how not immature he is he throws a tantrum, complains that he just did a "very private" thing in a "very public" place, then grabs his coat and makes to storm out of the apartment himself, complaining that she either needs to learn to deal with this or... just bottle it all up and keep it to herself so he doesn't have to be bothered with it! This time it is Trudy who calls him back, she apologizes again and reiterates far from the first time that she really does want a baby... after all, what is everything they have for is they don't have a child to share it with? His own father dead and having left him nothing, Pete doesn't have an answer for that, simply stating that he doesn't know. The anger has emptied out of the room at least though, and she asks if he's ready to eat now. Instead, he tells her to get her coat, and they will eat out. She does as she's told, a far from happy resolution wherein Pete completely failed to care for or even notice at first the emotional needs of his wife, and where she was the only one who offered any apologies for words spoken in anger.   Peggy is folding up the sheets Bobbie used when she stops and settles on the couch, remembering back 18 months previously to waking up in her hospital bed to find an unexpected visitor: Don Draper. Confused, she asks if it is really him, and when he confirms it is she asks what he is doing here. He's tracked her down, of course, he gave her a promotion just before the holidays started and then she never returned. He called her apartment and got her roommate, who put him in touch with Katherine, who told him that Peggy was in quarantine for tuberculosis. An obvious lie, one that was supposed to lessen his concern but just had him more determined to find out where she was. So he's found her here, and now we finally see the reason that she was so willing to come to Don's rescue, to put Bobbie up and look after her for a week. Because it wasn't her mother or her sister or the doctors that got Peggy out of that hospital ward, it was Don Draper. He asks her what is wrong with her and what the doctors want her to do, and doesn't accept her answer to both that she doesn't know. She knows exactly what they want from her, and he wants her to do it. Say anything, do anything, anything that will satisfy them and convince them to let her out. He leans forward and whispers to her, adamant that she take heed. She needs to get out of here so she can move forward, so she can make it so this never happened, she will be shocked by how much it never happened. Lying in her bed, feeling the faint stirrings of hope for the first time since the doctor told her she was pregnant, she gives a little nod. Because now she has something to work towards, something utterly unexpected. When she gave birth, when they refused to let her out and put her under psychiatric care, she must have thought it was all over. All her hard work at Sterling Cooper, her success as moving from secretary to copywriter, all undone in an instant by the birth. Now, out of nowhere, like a guardian angel, she's been told she can have it all back. This is why she came and paid Don's fine. This is why she agreed to forget the incident ever happened (and felt confident she could), because of this unexpected and desperately needed life preserver thrown to her by Don Draper. Earlier in the episode, Bobbie remarked with some surprise to Peggy that Don, against all odds, was a decent man. Peggy didn't dispute this at the time, she simply stated that Don was always exactly what she expected him to be, a nice way of disagreeing. But she never in a million years would have expected this, this uncharacteristic reaching out to her, of tracking her down and giving her a path out of the darkness. It is no wonder that, for all her knowledge of his foibles, she was willing to go the extra mile for her. Because he once did it for her, and without him she wouldn't have the life she has now. No single apartment, no continued engaging and creative work, good money coming in and some degree of freedom to live the life she wants. It's not the first time Don Draper has helped her into a better place, and she's grateful and more than willing to return the favor.   Friday comes and Don can't put off his meeting with Jimmy Barrett any longer. First though he has to deal with Pete Campbell and Salvatore, who are having a mild argument over the fact there is a meeting with Clearasil on Monday and they don't have anything new to show, which Salvatore disputes since at least he has new art to show them. Jane buzzes in that she's just received word Jimmy Barrett will be early, which puts Don even less at ease, Jimmy is NEVER early. Peggy enters the office, apologizing for being late, and Pete straight up lies and fumes at her that Don was just asking what was going on with the new writing for Clearasil. Peggy explains that she needs more time to get something prepared, she was sick, and is put a little off-balance when Don looks at his arm in a sling and smoothly notes that he was able to do HIS work just fine. Pete, desperate because he'll be meeting with his father-in-law this weekend, asks if they can give it to Kurt and Smitty (the young writer/artist combo, apparently Duck got his way) to look at. Don casts an expectant look Peggy's way, asking if she needs the help. Thrown under the bus by an ungrateful Boss who knows very well she was away looking after the wife of an important talent for the agency that HE is cuckolding, Peggy keeps her cool and promises that she will have something prepared by Monday. "Yes you will," agrees Don, glaring at her with disapproval, then with a nod dismisses them all. Pete and Sal leave, but Peggy closes the door and turns back, and notes,"Mr. Draper, I'm sorry I was unprepared." He nods, grunting at her not to let it happen again... and then she takes the wind out of his sails a little by pointing out that the $110 she paid for his bail was a lot of money for her. Don blinks, then stands up and removes his wallet, pulling out $60 and handing it to her, telling her he'll give her $50 tomorrow. She nods, and he admits that when you have to forget something, you have to forget everything... the closest he will get to giving her an apology. As Peggy noted to Bobbie, Don Draper acts the way she expects him to act: is he a decent man? Perhaps, but he's also a man who often focuses entirely on what is convenient for him. He called Peggy because he needed her help, but that was several days ago and now he needs new writing for Clearasil so where the hell is it? She needed the $110, but she didn't necessarily need it RIGHT then, this was just her little way of acknowledging the lesson that Bobbie taught her about treating him like an equal rather than a superior. Something furthered by what she says next. She thanks him, but this time she does not call him Mr. Draper... she calls him Don. It is an incredibly subtle thing, but Don is a man well versed in subtleties, and he can't help but give a little twitch of surprise at hearing her say his first name. Pete, Harry, Sal, Paul, Ken etc all do it, but Peggy has always maintained the professional distance from her secretary days... not anymore, this marks an important moment in the development of Peggy Olson, when she stopped thinking of herself as a secretary who managed to become a copywriter, and started thinking of herself as just a copywriter, just like all the others.   As Peggy leaves, Jimmy and Bobbie Barrett arrive with Ken, though Jimmy is immediately entranced by Jane, openly flirting with her right in front of Bobbie. Bobbie and Peggy share a momentary look before the latter moves on, and then Don invites them in... and Jimmy invites Ken out (not doing much for his standing with Jane), leaving just the three of them to go into the office. Don keeps his cool, complimenting Bobbie on how she looks while waiting to find out just what has caused Jimmy Barrett to request a meeting AND to show up early. Jimmy keeps him waiting though, asking after the arm he has in a sling. Even if Ken had been present, Don would have probably given the same bullshit answer about an old football injury. He offers them a seat but Jimmy declines, saying he intends to keep this short, and Don's concern grows, does Jimmy know? How? And what will he do? Instead, Jimmy does the least expected thing... he thanks Don. He's grateful, actually grateful, as for once he acknowledges that not only did Don help them by smoothing things over with Utz so he could sell Grin and Barrett, but that it would have been understandable if Don had given no help or even blocked it from happening. He admits that he was a real jerk to the Schillings and that could have cost him, and he's honestly just come down to thank Don and try to make it clear that he's not really a bad guy. If I was more cynical, I would throw my emphasis than was needed on Jimmy motioning to his wife and declaring that "We all got what we wanted", but I think that is really just pure coincidence, a joke that for once Jimmy isn't in on. Don accepts his thanks but promises that it wasn't needed, shaking Jimmy's hand and assuring him there was never any problem between them. With that, Jimmy is gone, right out the door with Bobbie in tow, though she does give him a smiling little,"Bye, Mr. Draper" as she goes. Jimmy was right, everybody did get what they want, and somehow nobody ended up getting hurt beyond a few bruises and a smashed up car. Returning home, Don finds Betty and the kids eating a meal of meatloaf. He gives Betty a kiss and takes a seat as she plates some meatloaf for him. He takes a bite, finds it a little bland and looks for the salt... but there isn't any. She gives him a look and he winces, no salt, really? She promises him he will get used to it, and it is for his own good. The children are curious though, why can't daddy have salt? "Because we love him," replies Betty with simple honesty. If Don Draper was the decent man that Bobbie Barrett thinks he is, that comment should stab him like a knife. Betty is taking action out of love, based on lies and half-truths he has told her, and he should accept these very minor consequences of his very major actions with the gratitude they deserve. After all, he just escaped being revealed as having an affair with the wife of important talent for a major client and all it cost him was $110 dollars. He just escaped the possible collapse or at least splintering of marriage and all it cost him was extra salt on his meatloaf. Yes, if Don Draper was a decent man he'd count himself lucky, hell even blessed. But as the camera pulls away from the loving domestic scene, children who adore him and a wife who cares for his well-being... it's not hard to suspect that Don Draper is actually feeling put upon that he has to give up one of life's little pleasures unnecessarily. Peggy feels that Don always acts as she expects him to act, and that's not a hard formula to crack: find what is most convenient for Don Draper and 9 times out of 10 you will find his course of action. It's those few times he steps out of his own self-interest and helps somebody else that is remarkable: his motivation to Peggy was a wonderful revelation in this episode, but it stands out because to date it has been the exception rather than the rule.  Episode Index
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Dec 10, 2020 09:32
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Good poo poo as always my dude. The one thing that always stood out to me about this epidsode, more so than the resolution to peggys pregnancy predicament, was the difference that Pete and Trudy's class afforded them when they confronted their reproduction issues, compare that to the smoking rear end in a top hat who was looking after peggy. Looking in hindsight it's not exactly the same situation, but drat if it isn't startling comparing Trudy seeing no judgment to her saying she used a diaphragm, to peggy being told she'd get pulled off birth control if she "abused" it. Also curious how did you find bobbie's actress? I dunno why but something about her always rubbed me the wrong way. Lastly I was pleasantly surprised to see Rachel again, It's the first time where the series goes outta it's way to show that it wasn't gonna just forget about it's past characters just cause they aren't the focus anymore. Too many shows, even prestige dramas, seem to just drop people between seasons so it's nice to see her back.
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Dec 10, 2020 10:20
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Peggy's power levels continue to rise. At this rate she'll be able to go super saiyan by the end of the season
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Dec 10, 2020 17:00
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During my first viewing of the series the "Mozart" scene was the first time I think I really noticed Feddy as a recurring character, rather than just A Guy at Sterling Cooper. Doubly crazy given how important he was to Peggy's S1 arc.
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Dec 10, 2020 17:24
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Great writeup! You notice things I never picked up on, like Bobbie's cryptic remark about meeting interesting people as a dancer referring to men who beat women. *Don tells Bobbie that he doesn't feel a thing. Our culture frequently tells women that it is a great thing to fix or help a man. The “Beauty and the Beast” trope—it's presented as romantically desirable to find a hosed up dude and fix him. It's fascinating to see Don lean on this trope to induce Bobbie to pleasure him. He knows how powerful the words, “I don't feel a thing,” will be in that situation. But it's interesting because it's a complete inversion of Don's usual MO. He usually projects that he's a confident alpha-male who takes what he wants. But with Bobbie, he senses that it will work if he does a complete 180. Of course, she'd already made it completely clear that she wanted him by then, but still, I think it says something about their relationship. *Joan tells Jane that she expects Jane to pick things up quickly because she's a college girl. This is a really subtle reminder that Joan's intelligence is underappreciated. Joan is pretty well-educated. In season 1, when Peggy is given the assignment of writing copy for Belle Jolie, Joan tells her about it and says that the men told her to tell Peggy, implying that this is because Peggy is not important enough to be told about her assignment by a man, saying “The medium is the message.” Peggy didn't go to college, and throwing a Marshall McLuhan reference at her helped Joan reassert her position compared to Peggy. She's got a better education, even if Peggy is now being asked to do the work of a man. Not all the secretaries went to college, but Joan did, and she wants to reinforce the idea that the ones who did are smarter, quicker, than the ones who did not. Joan's (extremely high) intelligence is underappreciated because she is a woman doing “woman's work”, but she knows she's smart and she definitely wants other people to be aware of it too, even if she knows it's against the rules for her to openly present herself as the smartest person in the room, whereas it's encouraged for Don to do so in his business dealings. *No salt. I think the salt is a symbol of all of Don's unhealthy coping strategies. The philandering. The booze. His bullying of subordinates. As you notice in Don's uncomfortable silence when Bobbie asks him what he likes, Don appears to suffer from anhedonia. Just as salt brings out the flavor of food, Don needs his vices in order to feel anything. Without these unhealthy indulgences, his world is bland, like unseasoned meatloaf. I love the last screenshot you included in your post. The framing makes that kitchen table look so small, and it's so dimly lit, and we're so far away from the scene. It visually represents the paucity of emotion that Don is feeling now that his wife is going to be watching his health more closely, and he just had a scare that sucked the fun out of his affair. The physical from Those Who Think Young foreshadowed this. The doctor assuring Don that the bill would come due for living too hard and not taking care of himself. He tries to scare Don by telling him it will catch up to him all at once. It reminds me of the crash. Don's eyes are closed, but he suddenly snaps to attention—far too late—when he realizes that a car is about to hit him. Don has been “getting away with it” for a long time, but in this episode he was nearly killed for his recklessness. He is not invincible, and he will not live forever. Gaius Marius posted:Also curious how did you find bobbie's actress? I dunno why but something about her always rubbed me the wrong way. I think I might know what you mean. I think Bobbie is well written and well acted, but her persona is kind of... evil! Plenty of people act like total assholes on this show, but it usually seems to be coming from a place of emotional turmoil. Bobbie almost seems like Emperor Palpatine, just loving delighting in it. She's like poisoned honey, and it somehow makes her more repellant than I'd expect if I just compared her actions to the actions of other characters. She's not a one-dimensional character though. She has some nice moments of gratitude toward Peggy in this episode.
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Dec 10, 2020 19:59
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Yoshi Wins posted:
Actually, thinking about this part some more, Don uses both a bold and a needy approach with Rachel. When he kisses her on the roof of her store, he has a great line and he seems so confident, but when he visits her at her apartment when Roger has a heart attack, he looks like he's about to completely fall apart. So by this point we've already seen that he has it in him to reveal emotional troubles in pursuit of a woman.
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Dec 10, 2020 23:27
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I don’t think that’s an entirely, for lack of better word, fair approach to either of these situations. Don seems to make himself vulnerable because he actually feels vulnerable at those times, it’s not manipulation. Of course, authentic vs artificial is literally what the show is telling us right now, so 
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Dec 11, 2020 00:11
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Yeah, actually I agree he's being authentic in all 3 parts I mention. I don't think there's a contradiction there. It's possible to be authentic and seductive at the same time.
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Dec 11, 2020 00:36
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Yeah, agreed.
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Dec 11, 2020 02:34
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"It will shock you how much it never happened" is one of the best (serious) lines of the series.
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Dec 11, 2020 06:13
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Gaius Marius posted:Also curious how did you find bobbie's actress? I dunno why but something about her always rubbed me the wrong way. Yoshi Wins posted:I think I might know what you mean. I think Bobbie is well written and well acted, but her persona is kind of... evil! Plenty of people act like total assholes on this show, but it usually seems to be coming from a place of emotional turmoil. Bobbie almost seems like Emperor Palpatine, just loving delighting in it. She's like poisoned honey, and it somehow makes her more repellent than I'd expect if I just compared her actions to the actions of other characters. She's not a one-dimensional character though. She has some nice moments of gratitude toward Peggy in this episode. I really dig Bobbie, both character and actor wise (she kinda reminds me of Rene Russo, which is never a bad thing), she starts off as incredibly frustrating because of her arrogance and belief she can completely dictate terms in any situation but like so many of the male characters who also have that same attitude, it doesn't take long to realize there is something deeply broken or desperate behind the facade. She really, really came into her own in this episode in the way she spends the bulk of the episode absolutely convinced that Peggy MUST have some ulterior motive or angle she is playing, and the moment she realizes that Peggy ISN'T playing any angle she immediately goes out of her way to give this much,much younger woman (Peggy is like, 22?) advice and let her know that if she's not playing some kind of angle she is going to end up getting played. That little exchange where she asks Peggy not unkindly,"Do you understand what I'm saying?" and Peggy responds,"I think I do" with genuine gratitude after spending most of the episode being polite but restrained is a great moment. GoutPatrol posted:"It will shock you how much it never happened" is one of the best (serious) lines of the series. It's an incredible line for sure, and it's only elevated by Jon Hamm's performance. The look on his face as he gives it is amazing. Jerusalem fucked around with this message at 10:40 on Dec 11, 2020 |
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Dec 11, 2020 10:26
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GoutPatrol posted:"It will shock you how much it never happened" is one of the best (serious) lines of the series. In the UK at least this was adopted as the tagline for the entire show and was used on a lot of promotional material.
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Dec 11, 2020 10:54
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I loved loved loved Bobbi and Peggy's interaction, a still rare interaction btw women thats just plain advice on how to survive, in a world of TV writing still awash in dark brooding male anti heroes. Bobbi's change in demeanor around Peggy, and Peggy's too, curious but not too curious, respectful but keeping her boundaries in check. Its the real Peggy peaking thru. I thought Bobbi was great personally.
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Dec 11, 2020 12:51
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I had a Mad Men dream after reading this thread before bed last night. I was in a 70s ikea style shop with my girlfriend and we saw Pete Cambell shopping for appliances. I started laughing and pointing and whispered to my girlfriend that Pete's hairline was receding.. Not sure what to make of it.
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Dec 11, 2020 13:05
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Its a Chip AND Dip!
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Dec 11, 2020 14:50
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PriorMarcus posted:In the UK at least this was adopted as the tagline for the entire show and was used on a lot of promotional material. "It will shock you how much it never happened" But imagine how perfect that tagline would've been for game of thrones final series.
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Dec 11, 2020 15:05
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Jerusalem posted:It's an incredible line for sure, and it's only elevated by Jon Hamm's performance. The look on his face as he gives it is amazing. World class acting in that scene. It's SO memorable despite being so short, and so believable that that brief moment was one of the most important of Peggy's life. Unlucky for Jon Hamm that he was competing against Bryan Cranston for best actor Emmys. Against more typical competition, he would have ended up with more.
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Dec 11, 2020 19:15
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Come to think of it, the Obama years were pretty incredible for television. I can't think of one tv show since Trump that comes close to breaking bad or mad men or true detective s1
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Dec 11, 2020 19:29
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Better Call Saul.
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Dec 11, 2020 20:36
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Cat Army
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I like Barry more than breaking bad, but it doesn't hold a candle to mad men.
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Dec 11, 2020 20:47
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The Klowner posted:Come to think of it, the Obama years were pretty incredible for television. I can't think of one tv show since Trump that comes close to breaking bad or mad men or true detective s1 I think about this kind of thing a lot. How the political reality dictates the kind of art that's being produced. The Bush era saw a lot of popular media about terrorism and government overreach, al-Qaeda and the PATRIOT Act and what-not (24, Battlestar Galactica, the Bourne movies, etc.) And the Trump years make me think of Handmaid's Tale or Man in the High Castle, or shows like Watchmen, Lovecraft Country, The Plot Against America, shows engaging really intensely with fascism or racism or rightwing domination. Meanwhile, the Obama years make me think of less systemic themes, more personal stories of corruption or redemption or self-actualization, which I'd consider Mad Men or Breaking Bad to be. For what it's worth, I also liken those specific shows to works of the late-Clinton years like American Beauty or Fight Club or American Psycho, which are also about ennui or toxic white masculinity. It's just interesting how creatives pick up on and reflect the changing zeitgeist, because they often feel prescient in the ways they did that...Mad Men and Breaking Bad started before Obama was elected. Man in the High Castle started before Trump won.
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Dec 12, 2020 03:24
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Ehhhh I'd be careful with trying to extrapolate anything from that, we can read those themes into the work post facto because they're omnipresent in our current lives, but things take quite awhile to actually develop. Weiner wrote the pilot to Mad Men before he started writing on Soprano's for example.
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Dec 12, 2020 03:28
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PriorMarcus posted:In the UK at least this was adopted as the tagline for the entire show and was used on a lot of promotional material. Seeing as it was basically the mantra by which Dick Whitman lived his entire life since he put on another man's dogtags, that's pretty great.
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Dec 12, 2020 04:17
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Gaius Marius posted:Ehhhh I'd be careful with trying to extrapolate anything from that, we can read those themes into the work post facto because they're omnipresent in our current lives, but things take quite awhile to actually develop. Weiner wrote the pilot to Mad Men before he started writing on Soprano's for example. Using one of the examples, the Bourne Identity was a 1980 book. The script was written in 1999. The movie filmed in late 2000. It was supposed to be a September 2001 release. It isn't really an artifact of the Bush era or the post 9/11 world because it is literally the product of a different era. Plus there's a simple math problem: eight years of Obama simply had more time than four years of Trump. Especially considering one year was basically lost.
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Dec 12, 2020 21:02
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Sash! posted:Using one of the examples, the Bourne Identity was a 1980 book. The script was written in 1999. The movie filmed in late 2000. It was supposed to be a September 2001 release. It isn't really an artifact of the Bush era or the post 9/11 world because it is literally the product of a different era. It's also just an ameri-centric view in this kind of bizarre detached way that ignores other ways of viewing those time periods and instead views them entirely through the lens of these shows, with hindsight. Just so. You could pick other shows/movies/books, and have a far different outcome, or you could pick the same ones and have a different outcome. Brendan Rodgers fucked around with this message at 21:34 on Dec 12, 2020 |
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Dec 12, 2020 21:28
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I don't think it's Ameri-centric to look at American-made cultural products through the lens of American history. Presidencies in the US make for pretty concrete eras that make for useful frames to analyse media. I think it's perfectly valid, and can lead to identifying interesting patterns.
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Dec 13, 2020 00:36
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The Klowner posted:Come to think of it, the Obama years were pretty incredible for television. I can't think of one tv show since Trump that comes close to breaking bad or mad men or true detective s1 Chernobyl comes to mind, especially when you consider the attention to detail for a period piece. Watchmen and Lovecraft Country as well.
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Dec 13, 2020 01:22
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I guess I should mention that I wasn't intending to suggest a correlation between the us president and the quality of television. It's pretty obviously an absurd notion on even the most surface level of inspections as others have pointed out (although the scale seems to have tipped towards miniseries and anthology instead of serialized multi-seasonal presentations). It's also rather unfair given that the Trump years are less than half as long now as the Obama years were
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Dec 13, 2020 01:38
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I think it's less those shows get made with the time they come out in mind. But instead them reflecting those themes help them connect with people more. It makes them become a hit rather than a have a cult following. Like Parks and Rec doesn't really become a hit until it starts presenting caring good people in government and cheering Leslie on. That tone for a show wouldn't really go over well now.
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Dec 14, 2020 04:40
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KellHound posted:I think it's less those shows get made with the time they come out in mind. But instead them reflecting those themes help them connect with people more. It makes them become a hit rather than a have a cult following. Like Parks and Rec doesn't really become a hit until it starts presenting caring good people in government and cheering Leslie on. That tone for a show wouldn't really go over well now. Ted Lasso feels like a similarly positive/caring tone and is a big hit?
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Dec 14, 2020 05:23
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pokeyman posted:Ted Lasso feels like a similarly positive/caring tone and is a big hit? I haven't seen it but based on the premise summary I'm finding, Ted doesn't work the government. I'm not saying positivity and caring won't work now, but that the government is run by good people trying to do good won't work now.
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Dec 14, 2020 05:51
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KellHound posted:I haven't seen it but based on the premise summary I'm finding, Ted doesn't work the government. I'm not saying positivity and caring won't work now, but that the government is run by good people trying to do good won't work now. Ah yeah my bad, didn't read any emphasis on "government" in your post 
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Dec 14, 2020 05:54
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I'm also gonna add a counter example. Mission Hill is a really good show, but a lot of what it's about reflects better on right now rather than early 2000s when it came out. And while it's quick with it's writing and has a unique world view, it didn't go longer than a season. If it came out now would have probably done better or at least well enough to get renewed a couple of times.
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Dec 14, 2020 06:06
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Sash! posted:Using one of the examples, the Bourne Identity was a 1980 book. The script was written in 1999. The movie filmed in late 2000. It was supposed to be a September 2001 release. It isn't really an artifact of the Bush era or the post 9/11 world because it is literally the product of a different era. And Man in the High Castle was written in the early 60's, adapted and filmed in 2014, and aired its first episode a full 6 months before Trump announced his candidacy. My point wasn't to suggest that different administrations were lines in the sand separating what kind of art was made, but more that broad forces in society filter their way into art in ways that look coincidental or fortuitous, but are not. There was enough proto-fascist poo poo happening circa 2015 for a Nazi alt-history show to make sense (the Tea Party and Birtherism and what-not), but boy did it make *a lot more* sense when it actually started airing. Bourne Identity is a similar thought. Its themes ended up being incredibly relevant to the post-9/11 context, but maybe the neo-Reaganite energy that led to Bush-Cheney in the first place was already on enough people's radar to make these 80's spy novels appealing. This at a time when existing spy thrillers looked more like the Brosnan Bond movies. All I mean to say is: I do think it's fair to correlate broad trends in art to concrete social phenomena like who the President is. The same forces that decide who wins elections, decide what commercial art gets made and who wants to engage with it. I don't know that Mad Men, a show about sad rich people experiencing ennui, would've been as successful in 2002, even though Matt Weiner had the idea at that time. Even in 2007, Weiner failed to convince HBO to trust him with it. Years later, under Obama, it wasn't even the only show in that space on American television: Halt and Catch Fire, Downton Abbey, and even garbage network hangers-on like Pan Am or The Playboy Club happened. Maybe that's coincidental, and maybe it's not. (And yeah, I'm speaking from an America-centric perspective, but Downton excluded, these are American shows made by American creatives, at least primarily for American audiences. I think that's fair.)
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Dec 14, 2020 11:57
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Xealot posted:and even garbage network hangers-on like Pan Am or The Playboy Club happened. Maybe that's coincidental, and maybe it's not. I believe both of those shows were made directly to get some of that Mad Men chum runoff. Both tried to get viewers by saying "its the 60s (like Mad Men), on Network TV!" And they both blew chunks, the end.
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Dec 14, 2020 13:07
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"Art reflects the time it was created in" doesn't seem like a controversial statement to me. That art sometimes leads broader culture or identifies prevalent trends before broader society does also seems uncontroversial. Art being constrained and influenced by popular media tools available is also uncontroversial. I get that goons are dumb and incapable of thinking more than two minutes in either direction but come on.
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Dec 15, 2020 05:41
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