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in the end though Don goes back to McCann and does the Coke ad and according to the showrunner probably lives a happier life.
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May 18, 2021 20:23
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Xealot posted:Towards the end of Mad Men, the office spaces get incredibly bleak, though. SCDP turning its creative lounge into a sterile 2001 computer room is bad, but mostly McCann looks *loving miserable*. The narrow hallways, blue-grey wall-to-wall carpet, paneled drop-ceiling...the whole thing is soulless 80's corporate monoculture killing all joy. I fully believe the intense, almost apocalyptic fatalism people have over "being absorbed by McCann." The show does a fantastic job of making it look like an oppressive Office Space hellscape. The design going on with McCann is great. Everything about it feels claustrophobic and menacing, and within seconds of seeing it you've got a solid impression of how poorly things are going to go. Those narrow, crowded grey hallways immediately let you know that this is a much, much larger operation than anything we've seen before; impersonal and seemingly infinite and absolutely teeming with very busy, very anonymous people. When we see action inside of an office, the execs have nicely furnished areas that still have that "dark wooden cave" feeling I previously ascribed to the original Sterling-Cooper offices. They're nice, and look like an upgrade in a lot of ways, but there's something inherently unhappy about them. (Peggy and Stan's offices, meanwhile, are cramped and share that same featureless grey fabric lining as the hallways. You know Peggy will excel in a new place that doesn't seem to appreciate her simply because she took Don's "Forward." to heart in a way that I don't think even Don ever did, but it's not hard for me to imagine Stan out on his own working as a freelancer - if he doesn't give up the industry entirely - within a year.)
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May 18, 2021 22:16
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McCann's architecture is reminiscent of an ant hive, with all the employees as drones scurrying about. There's also a nice shot on Don getting on the elevator for his first day at McCann. He's centered in the shot and the closing of the doors look like he's being squeezed right out of existence.
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May 18, 2021 22:23
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Well I have only just realised that Duck Philips is not the dad from Beethoven and luckily the actor is still alive. Ducks actor that is, Beethovens actor not so lucky.
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May 19, 2021 09:47
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I had no idea Charles Grodin was dead, and now I look it up and the reason I didn't know is because he died today 
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May 19, 2021 09:49
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JethroMcB posted:...it's not hard for me to imagine Stan out on his own working as a freelancer - if he doesn't give up the industry entirely - within a year.) I definitely see Stan having an existential freakout over the vacuum of meaning he's fallen into at McCann. After a few years, I picture him having a full midlife crisis and quitting his job to make some late-70's countercultural zine or something.
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May 20, 2021 20:35
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I always thought that if Stan and Peggy stayed together, they could be a very-rare-for-the-70's couple with a stay at home dad and a working mom. Peggy's only 30 by the end of season 7.
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May 20, 2021 20:45
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Xealot posted:I definitely see Stan having an existential freakout over the vacuum of meaning he's fallen into at McCann. After a few years, I picture him having a full midlife crisis and quitting his job to make some late-70's countercultural zine or something. Stan for all his counter culture exterior, is cool with making an pro-kkk political ad (he's shows it off when he is first hired). He doesn't really have strong political beliefs which is why he is well suited to advertising. He likes being creative but doesn't really care about what message he is putting out. It is why he sticks around longer than megan and ginsberg. And why he sticks by Peggy rather than someone like Abe. I think he'll stick in advertising as long as he can work with Peggy. Peggy doesn't care much about working at McCann because she took the advise to heart of (work there a couple of years then use it to get a raise elsewhere). I assume Stan will probably follow her where ever she ends up next. He is a looking for fun more than meaning.
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May 20, 2021 21:53
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I made a ppst earlier about different types of workers according to mgmt theory and Stan is def what is called a "Loser". A person whose happiness isnt tied to their job and is suffciiently cynical to it that he can drop it whenever he wants. Stan will be fine. Peggy prob not so much.
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May 20, 2021 22:01
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Peggy is the one person whose definitely gonna be fine. whole advertising world is her oyster at the end of the series.
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May 20, 2021 22:03
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Gaius Marius posted:Peggy is the one person whose definitely gonna be fine. whole advertising world is her oyster at the end of the series. yeah she'll be successul but she's a workaholic that finds meaning and confidence in her day job. Lol maybe this is telling alot about me but that can be a recipe for unhappiness down the road.
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May 20, 2021 22:07
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I don't know she seems to have hit a good balance after she starts working with Stan and slips outta dons shadow. and personally I find people who take their work seriously and want to do a good job tend to have a lot happier lives then people who constantly complain about it while putting in zero effort
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May 20, 2021 22:10
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If Stan ever breaks up with Peggy she's going to die alone.
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May 20, 2021 22:10
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Spoiler police are coming drat that was quick
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May 20, 2021 22:10
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Gaius Marius posted:I don't know she seems to have hit a good balance after she starts working with Stan and slips outta dons shadow. Maybe this is a result of me not having seen the later seasons in a long time. Peggy never seemed to be happy out of the office and usually miserable inside it.
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May 20, 2021 22:13
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Xealot posted:I definitely see Stan having an existential freakout over the vacuum of meaning he's fallen into at McCann. After a few years, I picture him having a full midlife crisis and quitting his job to make some late-70's countercultural zine or something. Oh yeah. He's already having a crisis thanks to high-quality color photography pushing illustration to the margins, and the only time he demonstrated any real initiative was when he thought he had the chance to be the creative lead at Sterling-Cooper West (Which seemed to be entirely motivated by the prospect of moving to California.) KellHound posted:Stan for all his counter culture exterior, is cool with making an pro-kkk political ad That is a big misread on what that ad is; It was a pro-LBJ spot, highlighting that the KKK was endorsing Goldwater for President as an open and ardent segregationist. As far as Rizzo's politics, he's got that poster of Moshe Dayan over his bed, which...I don't know enough about the context of how that would be seen in the mid/late 60's to fully understand what his stance is.
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May 20, 2021 22:16
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JethroMcB posted:
My mind didn't go anywhere quite that dark, but I did assume that they were about to walk in on Henry and Betty mid-coitus. But that's why brains like mine don't write shows like mad men!
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May 20, 2021 22:22
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and for the same reasons; worse shows had trained me to expect some kind of unearned drama. For a second it seemed like a morbid way to upset the new normal that the hour had been establishing and get the kids back into Don's new life full-time.
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Shageletic posted:So this is the first time I'm actually following along by watching the ep, and just wanted to make a quick possible correction. Cooper, at least I think, was saying that he wished they had gone downtown, and they would have gotten more space there. At the end of the episode Don explicitly says they're in the Time & Life Building, which is in Rockefeller Center. I have no idea if that is Downtown or Midtown New York though, I certainly read Cooper's words as saying it was his fault for insisting on Downtown but if I have that wrong I'm happy to be corrected, and wherever that building is located would seemingly settle it one way or the other.
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May 21, 2021 04:45
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Rockefeller Center is in Midtown.
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May 21, 2021 05:10
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I love the loving look on Don's face as he gets ready to spin a yarn of bullshit to the WSJ reporter: ...Yes.
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May 21, 2021 05:45
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Yoshi Wins posted:Rockefeller Center is in Midtown. There we go then, I misinterpreted it 
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May 21, 2021 05:54
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Farmer Crack-rear end posted:I love the loving look on Don's face as he gets ready to spin a yarn of bullshit to the WSJ reporter: That part was Badass I don't care if you think Don is a maladjusted manchild, he rocked that interview
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May 21, 2021 05:59
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I'm really impressed how the episode is bookended by Don having to approach both interviews in completely different styles. He quite masterfully handled the Advertising Age reporter but it resulted in the worst possible result for him as a business man (even if it accomplished his goal of not talking about his personal life), and then he masterfully handles the WSJ reporter but in an entirely different way that he obviously would have far preferred to avoid doing.
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May 21, 2021 07:02
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I’d like to see the WSJ interview overdubbed with Charlie Sheen quotes. “Can’t is the cancer of happen”. “I’m tired of pretending I’m not a bitchin’ rock star from Mars”. “I’m a warlock with tiger blood”.
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May 21, 2021 09:58
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I liked when Don and the dog were watching TV. Sure Don is annoyed that Betty wasn't home, but it was really sweet.
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May 22, 2021 02:33
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Season 4, Episode 2 - Christmas Comes But Once a Year Written by Tracy McMillan & Matthew Weiner, Directed by Michael Uppendahl Dr. Faye Miller posted:Nobody wants to think they're a type. It's a snowy evening in December, and one family are doing what all families do at Christmas time: they're getting a Christmas tree. Dad, Mom, the eldest daughter, the middle boy, the youngest boy, all assembled staring at a tree and commenting on whether it is too big for the house. It's all very charming and sweet, though of course this particular family are doing this for the first time. It's Henry and Betty Francis, with Sally, Bobby and baby Gene (already big enough to be arguably a toddler) with them, and this will mark their first actual Christmas together as a new family. They leave to go see a tree they saw earlier and see if it is still tall enough to be impressive without being too tall for the living room. As they go, Henry puts a loving arm around Bobby who has no problem at all leaning in close to his new dad: as always, Bobby just seems to take things as they are, and his mother having a new husband and his dad living elsewhere is weird but whatever he'll seemingly just roll with it. But as Sally is leaving, a voice calls her name. She turns back and finds a young boy roughly her age approaching her, looking a little put out when she doesn't immediately say his name, reminding her it's Glen. Oh Jesus Christ it's Glen Bishop. In his usual weirdly direct way, he explains that his mother remarried and he clearly doesn't like having to live with this stranger... and he's taken Sally's similar situation as somehow giving them a connection. Never the most socially sophisticated, he explains that his mother suspected Betty would remarry quickly (she was one of the few who knew there were troubles between Don and Betty before their divorce) and his own advice is that Sally should ask for a big present now, because Betty and Henry will be sure to have a baby "of their own" before too long. Bobby returns, telling Sally he was meant to come get her, and then in his own (far more charming) direct way asks Glen if he's also buying a tree. No, Glen responds, with an almost sneering look as if he can't believe anybody could make such a mistake: he's working. He shows off his pocketknife, which he uses to cut the twine he brings for people who have purchased trees. There is a small colored cord attached to the knife, and while Bobby is of course fascinated by the knife, Sally appreciates the workmanship and color of the cord. Glen, beaming with pride, explains he made it himself. Time is up though on this unexpected encounter. Bobby was sent to fetch her so they could go, so they leave, Sally offering a polite goodbye. Glen of course takes that far more seriously, declaring that he might call her sometime as if this is the most natural continuation of their awkward chance encounter. Sally just smiles and goes, completely unaware that this strange young boy appears to have switched his fixation from mother to daughter now. At Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, Don is typing in his office when Allison enters asking if it is a good time or a bad time. "Yes," agrees Don, so she grabs a seat and takes him through his correspondence: a resume from a girl he bumped into at a theater; a request for another print of the Glo-Coat ad from Johnson Wax, who are clearly still over the moon over the attention Don's campaign brought them; and finally the most important piece of all, a letter addressed to Santa Claus care of his office. Now she has Don's attention, he turns from his typewriter and with obvious pleasure asks her to read the contents. Beaming herself, she does so, reading out a letter written by Sally in which she showcases both her growing maturity and the fact she is still a child (and a daddy's-girl): she knows there is no Santa but wrote this on Bobby's behalf to keep the illusion alive (the ruse, as she puts it, spelt "roos"). She details what each of them (and Glen) would like for Christmas, acknowledging that perhaps it won't be possible to get everything (and Bobby assumes he was too naughty for some of the things he wants, giving Don a laugh since he knows he was responsible for leaving the freezer open which Bobby somehow has become convinced he did) but offering ideas of alternatives or best options. It's all very sweet and charming right up until the moment it isn't, as Allison reaches the portion of the letter where Sally admits what she REALLY wants and knows she won't get is her father being there on Christmas Day. Allison's voice falters here, and she apologizes to Don. He is a little caught off-guard too, having gone from the proud father enjoying the normal Christmas pleading for presents into the whiplash of a reminder of the realities of life post-divorce. Regathering himself, he pulls some cash out of his wallet and tells Allison exactly what to go out and buy on his behalf: a drum set, a fire truck and the necklace from Macy's, all of which covers the basic requests of each child, before adding on she can also pick up some Beatles 45s (earlier that year they blew America away with their appearance on Ed Sullivan) for Sally and a transistor radio for Bobby.   Before Allison goes, she hesitates before asking a question that probably seems completely unimportant now: the other secretaries had asked Joan about the possibility of bringing "friends" to the Christmas Party and were told no, is there any chance that can be overruled? Don grimaces, because he hates having to consider finances... but he has to consider finances. He explains that Joan's rule came down from Lane, to whom the other partners still defer to on financial matters: they need to tighten their belts, so the Christmas Party will be a small, intimate and most importantly cheap affair this year. However, Don - who gets paid a lot on top of already being rich - is quick to assure her that despite this Allison herself will still be getting a bonus this year, even if he has to pay for it out of his own pocket. Pleased and grateful, she thanks him, teasing that she didn't want to have to write a letter to Santa herself. She asks Don if he wants to keep Sally's letter, which of course he does, and then she's out the door to get about not only the duties she is paid for but going and doing Don's Christmas shopping too. Don is left with his daughter's letter, which despite the sad note at the end is still something he treasures having gotten. In Roger's office, he is happy to take a step away from his important work - reading the newspaper - to accept his latest appointment: Freddy Rumsen! The always garrulous Freddy appears as friendly and self-deprecating as ever, accepting Roger's greeting and only half-joking that he probably hasn't been gone for "too long". But there have been some changes it seems, he politely turns down Roger's offer of a drink, something completely unheard of in earlier days, which does in fact cause Roger to pretend he only just noticed how early in the morning it was and admit he shouldn't be drinking either. They make some pleasant small talk about Roger's decor - Jane brought in an interior decorator who made it look like "an Italian hospital" in which Roger's white hair disappears into the background - before getting down to business: Freddy wants to come work for SCDP, and he's bringing a 2 million dollar contract with him. Roger is stunned, Freddy has Pond's Cold Cream and he's looking to shop it to SCDP after leaving his own most recent employer - JWT - who he claims won't even notice the loss. He doesn't even mind that Roger admits looks can be deceiving and SCDP isn't flush with cash, he's happy to help them top up using Pond's, and he doesn't even want to make a permanent job part of the package: he just wants the opportunity to prove he can work with people he likes and respects (and misses) yet again. In making the offer, he also comes clean on some other things: he's clean and sober (he admits he was just being polite when Roger offered him the drink and he said maybe later), he knows he can work again but he also knows he can't handle a client this size himself and only has it because he and the CEO were in the same Fraternity. Give him the job, give him the chance, let him prove himself after he humiliated himself so badly in the past. Roger of course has no hesitation in accepting, he'd be a fool not to, and not Freddy offers the only condition he has: he doesn't want Pete Campbell anywhere near the Account, he's legitimately surprised they took him with them when they abandoned Sterling Cooper, leaving it unsaid that he is fully aware Pete played a part in his firing. In Don's office, he's talking Pete and Peggy through the fact Sugarberry Farms are a little overwhelmed by the success of their recent campaign (and hidden PR stunt) and they have to tread carefully to avoid startling them or scaring them off. Roger brings Freddy into the room (the door is open, there is a far more open atmosphere at SCDP thanks in part to how much smaller it is than Sterling Cooper) and Peggy is up to her feet like a shot, her usually reserved or inhibited demeanor disappearing as she joyfully greets the man who first saw and spoke up for her abilities as a Copywriter. She gives him a hug and both Don and Pete shake his hand, Don surprised but pleased to see him. Freddy's happiness to see Don is genuine (he remembers how miserable Don was to have to be part of his firing) but he puts on an equal but faked smile as he greets Pete, willing to keep it professional even if he detests the little weasel. Roger explains about Pond's, making everybody happy, and they all take seats while Don - without asking - pours both himself and Freddy a drink, already falling back into the casual habit of expecting the man to be never far from a drink, not getting - in fact being bewildered by - Roger's careful warning that it is a little early for it. There are still some landmines to navigate, Freddy politely but clearly declines the offered drink and Don belatedly grasps the point Roger was trying to make. Pete asks the standard and sensible question of when he can expect to meet the client and seems a little surprised when Roger - who made it clear last year that he had to be careful to make Lucky Strike feel like the only belle at the ball - says he'll be handling this Account personally. The last is the most dangerous though, as Pete - who feels a hell of a lot more secure and comfortable in his position than he ever did at Sterling Cooper - takes it upon himself to point out the elephant in the room. He starts to ask what will clearly be a question on if they can rely on Freddy not to let his drinking get the better of him again, but Roger cuts it off by pretending it was going to be to ask him to be Santa Claus at the Christmas Party. Freddy is pleased to accept and everybody is all smiles and laughs. Pete, clearly sensing the topic is off-limits at last, sits back and doesn't press it, but he is also still uncertain... for him, the simple fact is that he has never seen Freddy not hopelessly drunk or suffering from a hangover he was trying to cure with more drinking. At Sterling Cooper, he was genuinely disgusted by Freddy but ratted him out purely because he knew it would benefit him. Here at SCDP, his concern is somewhat more genuine: this new Agency is something he is personally invested in, and he doesn't want to put that at risk. But, of course, he's Pete Campbell, and somehow even when he is doing what he thinks is the right thing, he still manages to come across like a little poo poo.   At the Francis Residence, Carla is preparing dinner while Sally does her homework at the counter when the phone rings. Carla answers and it's Glen on the other end, asking if Sally can come to the phone. This immediately has Carla's guard up, asking who is calling, and without a moment's hesitation Glen says his name is Stanley and he's calling about homework. A mixture of guarded and also pleased, Carla informs Sally it is a "young man" named Stanley on the phone, confusing Sally who takes the phone with no idea what this is about. She doesn't rumble the game when she realizes it is Glen, just accepting it without comment, which actually seems to throw Glen a little off the script he had in his mind, asking her if she doesn't want to know WHY he said Stanley. "I guess?" she says, not particularly interested, and Glen tells her a line he has probably rehearsed a thousand times: because this is private. That DOES get through to Sally, the suggestion that this call between the two of might be something only between the two of them is something she craves: even when Don was still part of the home, she never had him or her mother to herself. Everything is shared, with Bobby and then with Glen, before that with her Grandfather. Her mother has a new husband, everybody else gets to have something just for themselves but never her. So even if Glen is a weirdo and a bit of a creep, he's giving her attention and promising this is something just between the two of them, and it has her attention. She eyes up Carla and moves away from the counter and into the hall, asking where he is. He's down the street at Helen's, of course, but he turns it into a question of his own: why is SHE still there? Why haven't they moved out of this house after the divorce? She doesn't know, and admits that she wishes they would: what was once her treasured family home is now a place she hates. Everywhere she goes are memories not only of her father but of happier times for the whole family: when everything was perfect (it was never perfect) and everybody was happy (they weren't) and nothing needed to be changed (a lot needed to be changed). Now every time she walks around a corner, she expects to see her father. This has changed from the thrill of a private conversation to a confessional booth: Sally can't (or isn't permitted) to share these thoughts or feelings with anyone, and in this regard Glen is perfect: a stranger but known enough to tell him things about her life, with a shared experience that might mean he understands them in a way her closer friends or acquaintances might not. He does, but he's also a bit of a weirdo. He tells her that her parents are NEVER getting back together but one day she will be moved out of the house, he can guarantee it. As he starts to blurt out some very uncomfortable things about how her mother and new father are "doing it" ("doing what?" asks a perplexed Sally), his mother starts bellowing for him from the lower floor and mercifully he has to end the call. They say goodbye, Sally returning to the kitchen where with that same mix of "aww this is cute" and "who the gently caress is this little poo poo sniffing around Sally?" Carla asks who Stanley is. "A boy" says Sally simply and goes back to her homework, though her mind will be racing now not only with what Glen said about things to come, but just the very fact she was able to voice her feelings in the first place. The next day at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, Lane makes a presentation to the major players of SCDP inside the Conference Room... which finally has a table! Don, Roger, Pete, Harry, Joan and of course Peggy are there. Cooper is there too, but as a part of the presentation, this is his brainchild and one that Lane is enthusiastically advocating for if only because it's a service that not only will apparently make their jobs easier but also because they will be able to charge their clients for it. Cooper has brought in Dr. Jeff Atherton, the mysterious nobody who Don failed to meet last episode. He's an older man, a little overweight and dressed in a quasi-Academic fashion though it would seem he has enthusiastically made the leap to the corporate world. Standing, he happily declares that his company - the Motivational Research Group - has brought the science of consumer evaluation to a point of precision. Oh my God he's a Marketing Researcher. Don is going to go on a shooting rampage. He introduces the woman with him, Dr. Faye Miller, whose claim to fame is that she created the image now indelibly linked with advertising for feminine hygiene products: the carefree fal in white pants! Pete and Harry both smile to hear this, Joan between them looking far from impressed. On the opposite side of the table, Don also smirks, clearly also agreeing this is a very effective piece of advertising while beside him Peggy shakes her head gently. Miller at least seems to have a sense of humor about this "accomplishment", likening it to being up there with the polio vaccine, before she gets into her own part of the presentation. She passes around copies of a test their group has developed to find subjects in market research who can provide genuine insight into the perceptions and desires of customers. Don of course seems less than enthused by this idea, he made it clear all the way back in the first episode of the show that he doesn't hold Market Research in particularly high regard, and all of this is probably giving him flashbacks to being told to push "the American Death Wish" to Lucky Strike. As they each take a copy of the test, Miller offers them to freely take a cookie from the jar they have provided. This of course alarms Harry, who always overthinks everything... what if they don't take a cookie? "Then you're a psychopath" warns Miller, which gets a smirk from Don before she explains more seriously that the cookies are purely there because the participants should always feel like they're being rewarded and that their time is considered valuable. That also puts them into a better mood for doing what they're really there for: to answer questions designed to get at what they REALLY want. Harry it seemed REALLY wanted a cookie, he's put one paw into the jar and pulled out a handful of cookies just for himself. Everybody dutifully takes a pencil and prepares to take the test, both to familiarize themselves with the content as well as give Miller the chance to explain the reasoning behind each question. The reasoning is twofold, she explains, both to get the information but also to provide psychological priming to get them into the right mindset to answer the questions that follow as openly as possible. But as everybody takes part (Harry slipping one arm in guard around his test, as if he was in school and Joan might try to cheat off his test), Don stares with stony-faced disbelief at the type of questions: tell us about your father; who makes the decisions in your household etc. Forever at pains to keep himself shielded, always wary of revealing his true feelings and his own past both out of fear of exposure of the lie underpinning his life as well as not wanting to confront some deeply repressed things... the idea of taking this test horrifies him. So what does he do? What he has spent the greater portion of the last decade+ doing whenever threatened or at risk: He runs away. In this case he stands and walks from the room, though he does at least make a point of not just openly showing his disdain and leaving without a word as so often the case in Budget Meetings he has no interest in. He offers his hand to Atherton and whispers an apology about having an appointment, but says nothing to Miller besides a look as he goes. Lane giggles to himself, having been on the opposite end of a Don Draper walkout before, and everybody else doesn't notice or has become so used to Don doing things like that that they pay it no mind. Not Miller though, who watches him go with a frown and an obvious fascination: nothing is more interesting than getting into the mind of somebody who doesn't want their mind gotten into.   Outside the Conference Room, Joey is flirting with Allison at her desk, having drawn her a little caricature to enjoy. He gets up and makes an exit when he sees Don coming, who asks her if the paper she was given is work. He obviously knows it isn't, this is his way of being the disapproving dad/schoolteacher about catching a kid goofing off. She admits it's nothing and that it was silly (she doesn't throw it away though), and he's already moved on, telling her to let him know as soon as the curtains in the conference room are closed for the film part of the meeting, so he can use the chance to sneak out. Knowing him well, she asks if he wants ice and he agrees, because his appointment right now is with some booze and he doesn't give a poo poo what time of the day it is. Apparently he never really stopped either, as the next morning he's woken with a groan by the sound of loud hammering in the hallway outside of his apartment. Bleary-eyed and exhausted, he heads out the door in his robe and trying to keep his voice down to protect his own thumping head asks the woman outside what she is doing. She's a nurse, standing on a chair and hammering tinsel into the wall. She explains with a cheerful smile that the Saint Vincent's Junior Staff party will be happening here soon, and she had to put up the tinsel now because she just got off her shift... plus they need to have the party before Christmas and New Year's when the hospital gets overrun by suicides! Merry Christmas, everybody! She introduces herself as Phoebe when he fails to notice the name badge on her uniform, and she already knows he is Don. This gives him the momentary panic of the frequently drunk (Roger had the same horror once when Peggy demanded to speak to him and he assumed he'd drunkenly said something awful to her), have they met before? She explains they frequently wave to each other in the hall AND he met her friend Sarah when she fell on the stairs. Clearly not ringing any bells, he offers lamely that maybe she wasn't in uniform. With a smirk she declares that she KNOWS he has had his eye on her, a confident declaration that actually seems to piss Don off: it seems he genuinely doesn't recognize her and he's a little put off at the arrogance (he has surely been on the other end of this type of thing multiple times) of her presumption. But that's not the end of it, as she openly tells him about how it makes her sad to see him grunt everytime he arrives home and puts his key in the door... so she's inviting him to the party. Trying his best to keep his temper at this early hour, he thanks her for the offer and insists that he really has to get ready for work, which delights her as she declares that this means he should actually be THANKING her for making sure he wasn't late. Frustrated and not really in no mood for (nor capable of) arguing, he heads inside. For her part, Phoebe heads back to her apartment with an immense sense of satisfaction. At Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, Peggy and Freddy work in the creative space on ideas for Pond's... or rather, Peggy works on ideas while Freddy just wants to produce more of the same. His idea is to use an older stage actress (less uncompromising than a movie star!) like Tallulah Bankhead and do an ad where she is using Pond's before opening night for a big performance. Peggy is... less than impressed. She points out that the research Pond's has done shows they're chasing a younger customer base, and she really doesn't think that Freddy's assurance that younger women look up to older women holds much water when it comes to beauty tips. Freddy isn't listening though, just like with the "carefree gal in white pants!" idea, a man is telling a woman how she thinks and feels about something and refusing to hear any different. He does have a point in one regard though, they're pitching to Pond's but the client accepting what they pitch is guaranteed because he's basically already told Freddy exactly what he wants and they're going to give it to him. The thing is rigged, and they just need to satisfy the client's need and everybody is happy. Everybody but Peggy of course, who points out that they should really be aiming for a pitch that appeals to the customers rather than just the client (after all, the client will love it if the customers love it). It's also not something that stands alone, whatever content they produce for one client will be looked at by all their clients, they're small enough now that clients look at the big picture of who is getting what work done, how much work is put into it, what the tone is, whether it's modern or classical etc. Before the debate can continue (and potentially get nasty) Roger arrives, in a very good mood after a wet lunch with Cal Rutledge from Pond's. Roger had a great time and wishes Freddy could have been there to partake like in old times, a line that sets off alarm bells for Freddy... and not just because he doesn't like Roger lamenting that Freddy no longer does the thing that caused Roger to fire him before. Roger staggers away to go have a lie down in his office, while a nervous Freddy puts through a call, ignoring Petty complaining that she can't believe Roger's job really is just to go out and get drunk with clients. He asks to speak to Cal and insists he be put through, and though Peggy tries to continue her work she can't help but overhear the conversation, and the very specific choice of phrasing that Freddy is using: do you have something to tell me? Are you sure? etc before instructing him of a Church where they can meet. I misheard, when Freddy explained he and Cal were in a fraternity together, I assumed he meant in the past tense: that they went to the same College etc. No, he meant in the present tense, and the phrasing was intended to mask the source of their closeness. Both are alcoholics, and Freddy has just unwittingly helped his friend and fellow addict fall off the wagon and is now in a rush to help get him back into a supportive environment to keep him from compounding that mistake. He hangs up and collects his things, but he's no fool and he knows the cat is out of the bag. When Peggy asks him if everything is okay, he sarcastically asks if she can't put two and two together: the anonymity is observed even when it is obvious, but he isn't going to pretend she didn't hear and understand everything. The thing with Freddy is though... he's a middle-aged man in the early-to-mid 1960s. Despite his obvious earnest desire to help, and his understanding of the fragility of human beings particularly in regards to addiction, he's still got plenty of flaws built out of the time he was born, raised and lived in. Despite being the first to spot Peggy's talents as well as the first to publicly acknowledge them and push for her to have a hand at copywriting, he's got plenty of built in sexism and a built in-sense of authority over women. So her concern and admiration for him quickly gets soured as he instructs her as he prepares to go to follow up on his Tallulah Bankhead idea, come up with some ideas that he'll weed out before showing the best to Don. Not quite believing he's just dismissing her objections AND instructing her, she voices her disbelief and he mistakes it for her thinking he's lazy. So he offers her what he thinks of as a compliment, assuring her that he intends to work up some variations of his own but expects hers will be better because she is "girlier". With that he's out the door, leaving her stunned and confused: she really likes Freddy, and she respects what he is heading off to do now... but he's also really kind of pissing her off right now!   True to his word, Roger is lying down to recuperate from a heavy drinking lunch. However, when his secretary buzzes through to him to let him know that Lee Garner Jr. is on the phone he is immediately up, because when Lucky Strike calls you take it no matter what condition you're in. Belatedly he bellows to ask if she said what it was about, but the phone is already ringing and he can't leave it to do so, that would be even more insulting than not taking the call at all. So he picks up and does his best to push the drunken haze away to ask Lee how Palm Beach is... and immediately discovers Lee Garner Jr has left Palm Beach and is, in fact, in New York. He's sitting in his hotel room getting a manicure, explaining he came in to do some Christmas shopping before heading back. Pretending to be delighted to hear this, he puts one hand over the phone and snaps for Caroline, who has finally gotten hold of the appointment book and slipped into the office to help him schedule something that doesn't conflict with other clients or meetings. He suggests they get dinner tomorrow night, but Caroline quickly reminds him it is the office Christmas Party, and without hesitation he changes that to lunch, explaining they're having the party later. That was exactly the wrong thing to say, Jr's ears perk up at the word party. Why is he only getting his invitation now (that wasn't an invitation!)? Roger at least has a reasonable defense there, he thought he was in Palm Beach! But Jr is intrigued now, he's seen the movies and he wants to attend one of those wild Madison Avenue Office Christmas Parties! Roger happily agrees while internally screaming, harshly whispering to Caroline to go and get Lane before suggesting they meet at 3pm then jumping it to 5 when Caroline quickly reminds him the party starts at 4. Lee hangs up and Roger finally has a moment to breath, barely able to stand at the desk and contemplating the massive pile of poo poo that just got dumped in his lap... which he is now going to dump in Lane's. Pryce arrives as Roger gets his hands on a bottle of Maalox, shaking it up and hoping it will do something to ease his overburdened stomach. He gives Lane the news, who is horrified at the thought of suddenly having to turn a trimmed down gathering of employees into a full-blown shindig, insisting instead they do the cheaper (but still expensive) option of Roger taking Lee to dinner at the Four Seasons. What's done is done though, Roger explains, Lee Garner Jr wants to come to the party and that's that. He was offended not to have been invited in the first place, and he doesn't care about food: he wants to live it up, especially at somebody else's expense. Utterly miserable, Lane removes his glasses and rubs the bridge of his nose, reminding Roger that while he may have lived his life from a bottomless pocket, SCDP very much has to pay attention to make sure the money coming in exceeds the money going on. Making a complaint obviously not for the first time, he points out all the overused stationary, lights being left on etc now getting added on to by a party, all of which is adding up to spending money they can't afford. Roger however has a far simpler response that cuts through all that, reminding Lane of his own oft-repeated warning that Lucky Strike is responsible for a gigantic chunk of that money and they can't risk that (99% Roger exaggerates, 69% a furious Lane counters, provided they can land Pond's). Lane makes a pained final plea, but Roger is overriding him on this because he knows Lane can't deny it is true: Lucky Strike might as well be their only client when it comes to things like this, which means Lee Garner Jr gets what Lee Garner Jr wants. He bellows for Joanie, who arrives quickly (Caroline might have quickly fetched her earlier, or Joan might have heard Lane being summoned and figured something was up... or the office space really is just that small) and takes everything in stride: the scale of the party is being adjusted, and learning that Lee Garner Jr. is coming is all she really needs to understand what Lane means by "improvements". But Roger is leaving nothing to chance, being as explicit as possible when he tells her to upgrade the party from "convalescent home" to "Roman orgy". Lane leaves on that line, already counting the cost in his head and hating every moment, while Joan is doing the same but in a far more efficient manner: when it was scaled back she was efficient and adamant that this scale would be adhered too, but now that it has been scaled up she is just as efficient in laying out all the changes required. In addition to a tree and other more expansive decorations, everybody will be permitted escorts INCLUDING the secretaries, they will bring in a wider variety of foods AND they buy a gift to be given to "Mr. Garner". She even finds time among these instructions to gently point out to Roger he has Maalox on the corner of his mouth. Roger considers the idea of a gift for Jr and with a grin declares that Joan is off-limits, which makes her smirk as she points out she doesn't think Lee is the one who needs reminding of that. Roger ignores the implication, though he makes no secret of the way he greedily eyes her up (and fondly remembers the times he was able to see what was beneath her dress), reminding her of the time Jr was all over her when she wore the red dress with the bow in the back that "makes you look like a present." Having just warned her about the dangers of Lee Garner Jr and pointing out how dangerous that dress was though... he can't help but ask her if she'll wear it again, further proving her point that Jr wasn't the one to be worried about. He tries to laugh it off, but as she leaves he stops her to explain he really didn't mean anything overly inappropriate, admitting that there is the office and there is "life" and the two must be kept separate... but both are good. In other words, he still has no (deliberate?) intention to cheat but he is happy that she remains a part of his life, even if it is that part that he knows can't ever cross a line he once crossed with impunity. But with that said, when she walks away he can't take his eyes off of her, watching her go with a clear longing that neither his original marriage, her marriage, or his remarriage have apparently been able to shake him clear of.  At home that evening, Peggy is working on Pond's ideas when there is a knock at the door. She answers, and is surprised and pleased to see her "fiance" Mark has come to visit, and he's brought cookies! She brings them in, though there is a dangerous moment when he tells her a co-worker called Sheila made them and she immediately notes the name of this woman she has never heard of. Mark is amused, Sheila is an old woman with shaky hands, no threat to Peggy (maybe Sheila can give her beauty tips!), and besides he only has eyes for her... and hands. He's all over her, kissing her and sliding his hands over her. She reciprocates with enthusiasm, but when he declares that he's tired and wants to lie down, she knows EXACTLY what he's after. She points out her bed is covered in work ("that's symbolic" he notes) and he gets more insistent: he's not being aggressive at all but he is determined, reminding her they could just do what they did once before and get naked but only lie in bed together. "That was a bad idea" she reminds him, having clearly been talked into doing it (or perhaps being the one to suggest it) and coming dangerously close to going over the line. What is the issue though? Over the last couple of seasons we've seen that Peggy has a healthy appetite for sex and has learned that it isn't a moral failing to indulge in it (or perhaps, that it is more hypocritical for men to judge women for it). But as they continue to kiss, Mark's words reveal an underlying backstory that shows she herself has started to partake in something all too familiar to Don Draper: presenting an image of herself to achieve what she wants. She makes no bones about the fact she desires him too, but couches that as wanting him so much that she is willing to wait. He tells her he wants to be her first, and that line presents us a whole picture of their relationship: it's built on a lie, but a probably necessary one. For all Mark's talk about the importance and healthiness of expressing yourself sexually, he clearly also ascribes some nonsensical value to her perceived virginity, which in turn makes him want her all the more, and she is playing on that. Which isn't to say she is being cynical: she wants something more from her relationship with Mark, it seems. He isn't to be a one night stand, or a pleasant but ultimately empty regular hook-up like she had with Duck. Still, she has desires too, and it only when Mark goes a little too far and starts talking enthusiastically about the Swedish mindset around lovemaking that she manages to regain control of herself. From good Norwegian stock, she tells him plainly that he'll never talk her into doing what the Swedish do, and then gently but firmly tells him he should go home. He gives her one last kiss before he does though, telling her with some satisfaction that SHE can think on that. Then off he goes, horny as hell and frustrated that so far the two of them haven't done anything "I can't do myself"... but resigned to the fact that it won't be tonight that he gives Peggy her "first". Don trudges home down the hallway of his apartment building, spotting Phoebe sweeping up cigarette butts in the hallway. She apologizes for the mess, saying everybody always leaves the moment it is time to clean up. Don mumbles that he might have a vacuum as he reaches for his keys, fumbling them so they drop to the floor... and he just stands and stares down at them stupidly, which is when the realization hits that he isn't trudging along because he's tired, he's drunk as a loving skunk. Slowly he starts to bend down to collect the keys and stumbles slightly against the wall. Laughing, Phoebe asks where he's been and is even more amused when he says work, asking if he works at a tavern or there was some kind of party. He hates parties, he grunts, and she laughs that he hates Christmas too, but that he takes exception to. As she unlocks the door for him, he mutters that he doesn't hate Christmas, just THIS Christmas, and the reason for his increasingly heavy drinking becomes clearer. Phoebe said suicides happen more regularly during Christmas and New Year, and Don is one of the examples of how: overworked and with a stark reminder of the loss of his family staring him in the face, he takes every opportunity he can to dull the pain. Inside his apartment now, he takes it as a given that Phoebe has followed him inside. He removes his coat, too drunk and too tired to do anything after it drops to the ground. Phoebe carefully navigates him towards the bedroom with the practiced ease of a nurse, though it is probably few patients who have the strength or wherewithal to physically haul her into the bed along with him as he crashes down onto the mattress. She extricates herself easily enough though, still smiling but warning him to behave or she won't take his shoes off and he'll regret it in the morning. She is well practiced with the drunk, not just from her hospital work, she explains her father was a drunk too (which, in other words means Don isn't just drunk, he's A drunk). As she goes about her business removing his shoes, Don asks how she can stand being at a hospital everyday, but she claims to love it: people come into the world and people leave it, EVERYTHING happens at a hospital. And just like that it's over, his shoes are removed and she turns off the light, tells him good night and leaves him in his apartment. There was no disastrous attempt at love-making, no misinterpretations or wrong signals - apart from Don pulling her into the bed with him and making a half-assed attempt to "seduce" her by noting they were on his bed, she simply helped him into his apartment and into bed and then leaves. Even after she walks away, Don doesn't try to call her back or get huffy that she left... just bellows out good night, too tired to do anything but just drift off into a drunken sleep. This is a far cry from the Master of the Universe and Prince of the City seen in the previous three seasons. This is a Don Draper who has become a pitiable figure, thrown into sharp relief by the return of Freddy Rumsen. The idea that the two of them could be in a room and the pathetic has-been who can't get through a day without a drink would be Don Draper is kinda astonishing.  
Jerusalem fucked around with this message at 09:19 on May 24, 2021 |
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May 24, 2021 06:07
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A new day dawns and it's all hands to battlestations as Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce prepares a late-notice over-the-top Christmas Party celebration they really can't afford. Furniture is rearranged, decorations are put up, and Joan selects wines and gives instructions on when the food should arrive. She is at the center of the hurricane, and as always appears to be perfectly and completely in control of everything. Amongst all this chaos, Peggy and Freddy have managed to escape into the relative peace/sanctuary of one of the offices, rather than the open area of the Creative Space. Freddy gobbles a sandwich as he runs down his shortlist of preferred older stars to feature in the Pond's campaign: Tallulah Bankhead, Jessica Tandy, Barbara Stanwyck and Doris Day. He thinks this is a clever range, showcasing different types, except they all have one thing in common: they're older women... and maybe also women they Freddy had a crush on in the 40s and 50s? Peggy admits she doesn't understand his list at all.... why don't they go with somebody like Elizabeth Taylor? In her early 30s, she's old enough to bridge the gap between young starlets and older leading ladies, isn't that a good compromise? Freddy looks bewildered at the idea, Pond's is about making old ladies look good! "Nothing makes old ladies look good!" complains Peggy, and cannot believe it when Freddy, still happily chowing down on his sandwich, insists that Pond's does and if younger women used it maybe they could get a husband and they wouldn't be so angry. Oh. my. God. Biting her tongue, Peggy tries to push her idea: she tried Pond's herself and what captured her imagination was the very fact of using it, the process she went through, looking at herself in the mirror and seeing beauty, FEELING beautiful. For a moment it seems that Freddy is hearing her, agreeing that they should look at an alternative, and eagerly Peggy begins to take notes about "indulging yourself" as a possible new direction. But it all falls apart when it becomes clear he hasn't listened to a word she said, instead declaring their alternative campaign can be,"Use Pond's, you'll get married." Jesus loving Christ. She stares at him in horror as he continues on his roll, saying another way to do it would be the opposite, don't use Pond's and you WON'T get married! He tells her to write down both, and she's had enough, snapping at him that she won't write down either. Here's the moment where Freddy - who so often in the past saw the value in listening to her take on things - doubles down on the stupidity, "apologizing" if he hit a nerve, effectively downplaying her valid concerns as purely a result of her own fear of being a spinster. Now Peggy has really had enough. She lets him know that over the prior year she has frequently suggested SCDP consider bringing him in as a freelancer, but now that he is finally here she has discovered that everybody else was right about him. With derision she points out his portable typewriter, his obsession with the "Grand Dames" of the theater, his focus on selling products to "desperate spinsters" etc.... he's old-fashioned. And in the advertising industry, being old-fashioned is the kiss of death. NOW he is listening. Now he hears every word she says. He sits and lets that sink in, the woman who he talent-spotted and lifted out of the secretarial pool into becoming a Copywriter, lambasting him for his inability to change. He's hurt, genuinely hurt, and for Peggy the spell is broken when her secretary buzzes in to ask if she can leave to get changed for the party - it seems that Peggy actually DOES have her own office, it's just that she frequently works in the Creative Space as well. Peggy dismisses her and sees that Freddy has quietly mustered what dignity he can and gathered his things to leave. She starts to apologize, already regretting being so harsh even if he did kind of deserve a kick up the rear end, but he simply mutters that she needn't worry. As he heads to the door, she asks if Violet will be joining them at the party today, and with a sad smile he agrees he wouldn't miss it before walking out the door and slowly away, as the chaos of the party preparation continues. In Ossining as night falls, Glen Bishop calls the Francis Residence yet again, but this time there is no answer. He lets the phone ring for some time before hanging up, his face inscrutable. Back at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, the party has gotten into full swing and everybody is having a great time. This feels more like the Sterling Cooper of old, the place is packed, everybody is dressed their best, perhaps the only real difference is that some of the wives are present, including Trudy Campbell, Jane Sterling and Jennifer Crane. The latter is of course loving this, always eager to be accepted into the top clique, Harry's elevated position at the new Agency makes her feel like she truly belongs rather than being a hanger-on allowed in at the periphery. They're discussing their planned vacations, with Pete reluctantly being dragged to the Bahamas rather than getting to stay in his beloved New York, and Jennifer keen to treat Harry to the mountains - Stowe in Vermont, to be precise. Of course, for once the odd man out in all this is Don Draper. He has no wife, no family to vacation with. He answers Jane's question by saying he intends to go to Acapulco, but when he admits he is going alone she has no problem saying he has nobody else to blame, leaving it unsaid that she TRIED to hook him up with Bethany. Roger comes to the rescue to a degree, noting sarcastically that he pities Don being "marooned in that sea of bikinis", which gets an appreciative smirk from Don. Thankfully for the conversation, Peggy arrives with Mark in tow, allowing Don a reprieve as he greets the man he thinks is Peggy's fiance, reminding him of his name but not asking for Mark's in turn. Peggy shares an awkward smile with Pete and Trudy (the former even now pained to see her with others despite having ZERO claim to her or her affections, the latter utterly unaware of any problems) and then leads Mark away to get a drink, and for the first time Roger betrays his own unease... where the the hell is Lee Garner Jr? If he doesn't show up, Lane Pryce is liable to murder everybody. Lane himself is busy being utterly fascinated and ever so mildly repulsed as Jeff Atherton and Bert Cooper sit on the couch and "explain" the folly behind the Civil Rights movement. Atherton insists that "they" (black people, presumably) are "children" who need to be told what to do. Cooper - who let us never forget is a millionaire Republican who desperately wanted Nixon to beat Kennedy - agrees that Civil Rights is a "slippery slope" and they both agree that if Medicare gets passed it will be a "slippery slope" to the "banning" of personal property: they'll lose everything they have worked so hard to get (and prevented others from having). "Storm our houses and rape our wives," adds Miller sardonically, getting a soft chuckle from Lane. Britain is certainly far, far, far from perfect when it comes to race relations, but Lane has been less than impressed with Atherton's discussion of the vast population being a "herd" to be managed or his nod towards Britain being aware of the dangers of socialism. Miller herself may be a Republican and share a lot of common values with Cooper and Atherton, but she's also a woman, and she probably remembers a time not too long ago (and to a large degree still present) where women were also considered "children" who needed to be told what to do by the only adults in the room: white middle-aged men with mommy issues.   What REALLY has her attention though is Don, framed by the blocking of everybody else in the room so she has a direct line of sight to him as he stands alone even within a group. They're distracted from that though by Jane announcing that Lee Garner Jr has finally arrived, and Roger notices her dress for the first time... it's the red one with the bow that makes her look like a present. Did she wear it for Lee, for Roger? Or just for herself, to tease Roger or just because she likes it? Roger passes, commenting on the nice dress before asking where "Mr. Holloway" is (Holloway, not Harris, it's clear Roger has a firm opinion on who wears the pants in that family) and she offers back happily that he's saving lives, but which she means he's working all those suicides that flood the hospitals at this time of year. Everybody moves to the front of the room, the music gets a little more festive, and they begin "coincidentally" playing a party game of passing an orange from neck to neck of each participant so that when Lee walks into the room he's sell fun, energy and a little bit of (safe) sexiness rolled into one package. Lee walks in, escorted by a smiling Roger, and everybody lets out a roar of,"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" as if it was something they were doing for every new entrant. Jr pretends to be shocked and surprised at the greeting, though of course he'd have been offended if he hadn't gotten it, while Roger declares he personally didn't get anywhere near as energetic a reaction, to of course suggest that everybody just naturally loves and values Lee Garner Jr just for being himself. Don greets him with a firm handshake, and when Lee asks when Lucky Strike can get something as good as Glo-Coat's campaign, doesn't mind putting it out there that Glo-Coat got that because they took the brakes off and let him "swing for the fences". Jr chuckles that he didn't know he needed to ask, but both their points have been made: he wants the same kind of creative excitement for Lucky Strike, and Don wants the freedom to be allowed to do that (remember Lee Garner Sr having a very specific way of wanting his ads filmed). Joan gently leads Jr. away, saying they have girls, games and gifts but first she wants to get him something to eat. He agrees that would be a good idea as he's been drinking all day, offering an,"Eh, fellas? :norty" look the others way as he goes. The smiles fade from Roger, Don and Pete as he walks away: he's the heir-apparent to their biggest and most important client, and they have to keep him happy... but goddamn what an rear end in a top hat. Speaking of assholes, Glen Bishop breaks into the Francis home. Accompanied by a friend/accomplice, they smash the window of the back door and let themselves in, Glen warning his "shithead" friend not to turn on the lights. Going into the fridge, he collects eggs and begins smashing them on the floor. His friend joins in after a moment of confusion hesitation, and they jump cereal and jam all over the counter and floor. Glen heads upstairs with a purpose, and actually offers a not entirely selfish admonition to his buddy: if he hears anybody come in he should run and not worry about whether Glen is still inside. Back at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, the party has gotten into the conga line phase of drunken antics. Joan leads the line, with Lee Garner Jr happily behind her and Trudy and Pete behind him, followed by a long line of laughing, inebriated secretaries, their dates, and even a couple of the higher level execs AND Roger Sterling. A couple make out in the Creative Space, passed by the conga line who are delighted to see the amorous couple but otherwise don't intrude. Returning to the main party space, Joan asks Megan to get Jr a drink as Roger, Pete and Trudy also break free of the conga, joining Don who of course did not take part. As Roger and Jr light cigarettes (Lucky Strike, of course), Jr notices for the first time the conspicuously empty seat neat the Christmas Tree and asks the obvious question: where's Santa? Roger laughs that he didn't show but he DID leave presents, giving Joan the signal to feature Jr's. But as she leaves to do that, Jr notes he conga'ed past a suit. Don, half joking, half curious if this is where Lee is going with this, asking if he would like to be Santa? Not at all, insists Jr, before turning and asking Roger if he'd like to. Roger is all good humor, cracking that he would if he wasn't allergic to velvet. This gets a laugh from everybody, but Jr insists he'll do great, and suddenly the mood changes, as Roger realizes he's not being asked... he's being told. Pete attempts to alleviate the tension by offering to be Santa, which Trudy thinks is delightful, but what started as a playful joke has not become serious. Lee Garner Jr doesn't like being told no, even in a fun situation, and now Don is getting a firsthand look at the wall that Sal Romano was up against (and prevailed against, don't forget!) which he dismissed and reduced down to Sal's homosexuality being the cause of the problem. It would be nice if he made that connection, but it probably doesn't even occur to him.  Roger, a rich man who has largely gotten his own way his entire life, stands and stares for a moment, trying to will this humiliation not to happen.... and then surrenders, having to admit that some people just hold the power whether it is fair or not (and as above, will probably never make the connection that he's been on the opposite end of this power equation more than once). He trudges away, sharing a "can you believe this poo poo?" look with Don, while Jr - satisfied now that he has had his way - is all smiles again, taking his offered drink and remarking to Don that Roger is a "hell of a sport." At the Francis Residence, the family comes home from an outing to discover the mess everywhere. Henry warns everybody to stay in place as he turns off the water that was left running, looking around as Sally openly wonders if somebody is still in the house. A delighted Bobby, as always taking things as they come, hopes it is a bear, while Betty wants Henry to call the police. Looking at the way the place was messed up though, Henry accurately guesses it was "just kids", though he tells them to wait while he checks around the house. He moves out of the kitchen, calling out,"Hello?" in case they're stupid enough to answer. Bobby moves automatically to follow the man of the house but Betty tells him to wait, and they stand huddled together. For once, Sally isn't the only one who feels like a stranger in her own home, the knowledge that somebody else has been in here has Betty shaken. At the party, Jane asks after Lane's wife as she, Lane and Jr are served drinks at the bar. He explains with too forced a smile that she and his son are in London where he will be joining them soon enough to celebrate the holiday. He certainly doesn't seem keen to return (he wasn't BEFORE he burned his bridges with PPL, things must be much worse now), and given the interactions between he and his wife seen last season, there's every chance that she is over there permanently and their marriage may be simply a formality now. Lee notes that his wife is in Florida, giving Lane an affectionate slap on the shoulder and telling "Jeeves" that they'll just have to suffer through. Lane keeps a strained smile and nods, and is grateful when Santa finally emerges: Roger didn't want to do this but now he has he is 100% committed to the beat, bursting into the room with a HO HO HO! and carrying a sack full of presents. Everybody applauds, but of course Lee Garner Jr is precisely the kind of assholes to make jokes at the expense of the guy doing the thing HE forced him to do. He cracks jokes about Roger's age, warns him not to have a third heart attack carrying that sack around, gets just a little too familiar with Jane, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her close as he asks her if she agrees. Roger holds his temper, of course, because Jr isn't trying to get a rise, he's just enjoying what he's always enjoyed: the impunity to do what he wants when he wants and everybody just has to put up with it AND pretend that they enjoy it and like him. In much the same way as Roger's Derby Day celebration where he rubbed Don's nose in his obligation to attend, Jr is rubbing Roger's face in the fact that he has to do as he'd told, and do it with a smile on his face. So Roger ignores the insult and continues to pass out the gift that he insists EVERYBODY wants... Lucky Strike cigarettes! Everybody laughs and accepts the cartons, which of course are freebies that Lucky Strike sent them which they have repurposed into gifts to give out (Lane must be delighted, if it wasn't his idea in the first place). It ALSO serves the purpose of reinforcing to Jr that they percieve Lucky Strike's product to be valuable and desired. But on top of this bit of brown-nosing comes the more obvious: the only person to get a gift specifically purchased for them and them alone is Lee Garner Jr. Handed a big wrapped box, he accepts it happily but insists with false humility that they didn't need to do this. "Yes we did," offers Lane quietly but not TOO quietly, clearly having had a little more to drink than he would normally. Lee opens the package, it's a Polaroid (Lane helpfully explains this, in case the giant name on the box didn't give it away) and Lee is touched. He claims it reminds him of being a kid, when you would ask for something and get it, and it made you happy. Isn't... isn't that his entire life? Roger moves on as the assembled staff applaud Lee for the accomplishment of... being given a present. Don, standing next to Peggy, takes the moment to offer an actual genuine thought, wishing her a sincere Merry Christmas before moving on. He's watched by Miller, still taking this all in, including the interaction with Peggy, still working her way through processing what is going on beneath the perfect, handsome surface of Don Draper. At the Francis Residence, Bobby is both disgusted and thrilled to discover that there are eggs in his bed. As Sally enters her room carefully, Betty offers to let her sleep in the master bedroom (Sally must surely be horrified at the idea of being in the same bed as Henry) but Sally discovers something unexpected: her room is untouched. Which isn't quite true. As she moves to the bed she notices something has been left on the pillow: a cord. It's the same as the one she saw on Glen's pocket knife, and she picks it up and stares at it with a smile. It's something for her, but more than that, it's an acknowledgement that this vandalism was for her benefit. Glen knows she hates the house now, so he messed it up, but he left her room untouched AND left her a present. It's hosed up and weird and really overstepping boundaries (so perfect Glen in other words), but it is also perhaps the first time in a year that Sally has felt somebody has done something purely just for her.   Don is in his office packing his things with the intention of heading home soon and putting this party behind him. There's a knock on the door and Dr. Faye Miller makes her entrance, having studies her prey long enough to finally move in for the kill. Cracking a joke about how she can't leave till Cooper and Atherton figure out a way to take food from children, she answers Don's question about how many of these parties she has to attend as part of her work by holding up four fingers. He winces and offers her a seat, having no problem with her using his office since he's about to leave, but she declines, saying she really came in to make sure there was no problem between them. Getting a little fire in her voice now, perhaps more than she intended, she notes that he's the Creative Shaman of SCDP but he walked out of her presentation, so is there an issue? Don smiles, taking a seat on the edge of his desk and admitting that he had thought (hoped?) she'd come in to flirt a little, not to pick a fight. God, that is so loving condescending. She takes a different tack, perhaps her anger was genuine but perhaps she deliberately presented as angry to see how he would react. Because now she's diplomatic and complimentary, saying she is familiar with his work and finds it interesting, and has hoped he would feel the same about hers. Don insists there is nothing personal about his distaste for Market Research, he just thinks you can't learn much about people that way (remember his lamentation to Peggy about people letting themselves become considered something "less" than an individual in relation to advertising/sales?). Miller counters that she learned a lot about him just by the fact he refused to take the test, and with a smile he points out that he doesn't really see what telling her about his childhood will do to help them sell more floor wax. On that though she can't help but be amused, she saw the Glo-Coat ad and it is absolutely, 100% about SOMEBODY'S childhood (or at least, the one Don wished he'd had). She insists they're in the same business, something that Don clearly doesn't agree with... until she says both their work boils down to figuring out what is expected of somebody vs. what they REALLY want. Momentarily stunned, he blinks and then agrees that this is true, then offers the closest thing to an apology he can by instead flirting and asking if she would like to go out to dinner. She declines but tells him she accepts the apology he didn't technically give, seemingly satisfied to have at least made her own feelings clear. Don is satisfied too, as we have seen so many times before, women who challenge and interest him are the ones he finds most appealing. Which makes her throwaway line as she is leaving hit him particularly hard, as she notes that she knows people in his "situation" find this time of year difficult but she knows he'll be married again within a year. Bewildered and understandably upset at her suddenly being condescending and pitying towards HIM, especially here in the bulwark of his power, he asks her what she just said. Verbally she gives the apology he didn't, but unlike in his statement it is clear she doesn't really mean it. Instead she simply says that she sometimes forgets people don't like being reminded they're a type, and leaves victorious. She caught him by surprise with her encapsulation of both their fields of work, but now she has betrayed a mode of thinking that runs counter to everything Don believes (or wants to believe). His resistance to categorisation, his disgust at the grinding down of the individual to fit into tiny little pre-alloted segments to allow for more "efficient" marketing. It all flies in the face of his philosophy on life and his work, and it especially flies in the face of what he is trying to achieve here at SCDP where he was supposed to be free of the limitations and interference that stymied his last couple years at Sterling Cooper. Meanwhile, the Polaroid has proved to be a double-edged sword. Now Lee Garner Jr has insisted that everybody sit on Santa's lap and get their photo taken, and Roger has had to sit through the humiliation of this farce. Pete is the latest to be "honored", and he can't get away quickly enough after forcing his smile for the photo. "Sorry, sorry, sorry," whispers a miserable Harry as he takes his place on Roger's lap next, while in the background Don exits his office, sees this misery, and beats a quick exit without saying any goodbyes, certainly not wanting to add to Roger's humiliation... or his own. Arriving home, Don reaches into his pockets and... of course, one last gently caress you from the universe on this worst Christmas of his last decade: he left his keys at the office. He knocks on Phoebe's door but there is no answer, presumably she is also working "saving lives" tonight. So he leaves the apartment building, gets into a phone booth and calls SCDP, and Allison is able to locate the keys on his office floor. Joey pops his head through the door at the head of a group of other men and women, all of whom are heading to Chumley's for after-party drinks. Allison explains she has to get the keys to Don before she can join them, and tells Joey to extend the 30 minutes he is giving to an hour, because she suspects he has drunk enough she will need to get some food into him first. Joey has no trouble saying what is on his mind, sneering that Don is pathetic. This alone tells you how far Don has fallen. Not too long ago he was a legend to everybody inside Sterling Cooper, a formidable and brilliant figure who was also unfairly handsome and rich to go along with his perfect wife and adorable children. Now, the handsomeness is still there and he still delivers the goods Creatively.... but he's also a sad old divorced drunk looked down on by younger Creatives in the Agency. Not quite at Freddy Rumsen at his worst levels, but seemingly at the start of a path that may lead there.   It's not hard to see it happening either, as Allison arrives to find Don wiled away the time waiting by drinking heavily from a bottle of booze he had with him. She opens the door and he staggers in, apologizing for calling her over when she should be out enjoying herself. She dismisses that, insisting on giving him aspirin but not fighting him when he declines her offer to give him some food. This is the second woman in the last couple of days to help his drunk rear end into his own apartment, but this time at least he's still cognizant enough to sit upright on the couch rather than collapse into the bed, he is even able to get his own tie off. She brings him water and aspirin which he drinks gratefully before settling back into the couch. But as she moves to leave, he reaches out and takes her wrist, and pulls her down into his lap. He leans forward for a kiss, drunk enough to look out of it but not so much that he seems sloppy or out of control. At first she pulls away, but when he simply smiles and asks her,"What?" she gives up all her inhibition, mumbles,"Oh God" and then kisses him back just as enthusiastically. Because for all that Don is a pathetic mess at the moment, he's still Don Draper. He's tall, he's handsome, he's rich, he's intelligent and creative. Coupled with his vulnerability that she has had a first-hand look at regarding his children and the pain he feels in being separated for them, she absolutely wants him. So she kisses him, he kisses her, and his hand is reaching up between her legs as she gasps that she feels dizzy, kicking off her shoes, abandoning herself to what she has wanted but didn't dream she could have. Meanwhile, far away in Ossining, young Sally Draper looks out the window of the home she now hates but for this moment feels a little happier being in. Clasping the cord in her hands, she goes to bed, the only unsullied place in the house, marked and set aside as special only because it is hers. At Don's apartment, the lovemaking is done and both seem surprised at how good it was. What should have been a drunken fumble feels like something more, though Allison has had reason intrude enough to admit that she was supposed to meet somebody and she really can't think of a way to get out of fulfilling that obligation, careful not to mention Joey and risk jealousy, while also perhaps thinking about Joey putting 2-and-2 together if she doesn't show up. Don doesn't argue with her, but his,"You sure?" question leaves a lot unsaid, perhaps primarily that he considers this something more than just a sudden burst of lust. She returns from the bathroom and starts to speak but he promises he understands, and with a smile she says she will see him tomorrow, gives him a kiss that she would never have dreamed of giving him even a few hours before, and leaves the apartment. Don lays back, exhausted AND spent now, it has been a long day with a far more pleasant ending than he could have ever expected. The next morning, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce is a mess, the clean-up happening as Peggy arrives and carefully navigates around the detritus of the night before. She's surprised to find Freddy in her office, who apologizes for making use of it, explaining it was the cleanest place in the office he could find. Which doesn't mean it's clean, the place is cluttered with files for accounts she has been working on... but it's work clutter, not party clutter, and that is easier to manage. Her bigger concern though is where he was after he left last night, which she diplomatically broaches by noting she didn't see him at the party. With a nod, he explains that his experience has been a Santa suit usually comes with a bottle already slipped into a pocket. He leaves it at that but his meaning is clear: he's sober, but that doesn't mean he can put himself into temptation's way, even now the desire to drink remains strong, and will for the rest of his life. Peggy is relieved to know he wasn't off somewhere getting drunk, though she words it in a surprisingly insensitive way, saying she's glad she won't have to worry everytime she offends him that he is going to run off and get drunk. He takes that in stride and offers an amusing counter: maybe she should stop offending him then? Now she offers a sincere apology, she is sorry she called him old-fashioned. To his credit he offers one back, saying he's sorry he said she wanted to get married (not EXACTLY what he said but the thought is there). But she admits she does want to get married, and it isn't just a matter of working less and finding somebody... she already has a boyfriend. He's surprised to hear that, asking if it is serious... and here we get to the crux of her "virgin" angle with this new guy. It isn't because she sees a more obvious future with him over the likes of Pete or Duck, or sees him as even having much more in the way of value than a one-night stand.... she honestly doesn't know if she is serious about a future with him or not, and while he is all over her the fact is what it mostly boils down to is that she doesn't want to be alone on New Year's Eve. That's for this year, but maybe she means for every year to follow? That in Mark she sees not so much a soulmate but somebody she can settle for so she doesn't end up one of those desperate spinsters who is marketed to by the likes of Freddy Rumsen. Freddy offers what flawed, well-intentioned advice he can. Despite admitting he was constantly trying to convince Violet to have sex with him before marriage, the fact is that if she'd let him he would have lost respect for her. But, with a nod to slightly more modern thinking mixed with a very old-fashioned mindset, if she isn't serious about him then she can't lead him on - either have sex or break up, because it is very physically uncomfortable for a man to be continually put off getting something he is never going to get. That's Freddy in a nutshell really: surprisingly progressive in some aspects, desperately old fashioned in either. He is, funnily enough, similar to Pete Campbell in that regard.... it's no wonder they can't stand each other. Don arrives looking none the worse-for-wear from the previous night, though when he spots Allison typing at her desk he hesitates and moves down a different corridor to delay their encounter (oh that's not good). Roger is moving down the same corridor and they spot each other, and for a brief moment Roger's humiliation hangs between them before Don offers the best solution he can: they twist it around into making fun of Lee Garner Jr. "Did you enjoy the fuhrer's birthday?" Don asks in a faux-German accent, causing a giant smile from Roger who responds with an accent of his own,"May he live for 1000 years!" They chuckle together, and just like that they've put it down to one of a number of reasons to forever hold the clients in mild contempt. Lee Garner Jr. isn't an all-powerful bully now, he's just a pathetic, power-mad lunatic. They're not his humiliated, smile-through-gritted-teeth playthings, but knowingly nodding towards their relative powerlessness to do anything but cater to his deranged mindset. Thus, they have reduced a humiliating experience for them into a sense of superiority over him. It also shows a lot how Roger and Don's relationship has been repaired since season 3: Don took no pleasure in Roger's humiliation, and it was important to him that he make Roger feel okay about things the next day. Roger cheerfully declares his father always told him advertising was the greatest job in the world except for one thing: the clients. They smile, they part... and now Don has another painful situation to deal with.   It was obvious from the moment he hesitated when he saw Allison. These are not the actions of a man with warm memories of the night before. So he approaches, passing his hat and coat to her as she stands with a barely suppressed smile, obviously giddy to be in his presence. He asks if she got home okay last night and beaming even brighter at him taking an interest in her well-being she tells him she did. He invites her inside, entering the office and being surprised to see a pile of presents on his desk. They're the ones she bought on his behalf for the children, finally wrapped and now delivered. That's another unpleasant reminder for Don, of the uncomfortable way he has let his personal and business life intertwine. Despite all the jokes often made and knowing looks from others at Sterling Cooper, Don Draper does NOT in fact make a habit of sleeping with his secretaries, and has clearly rebuffed advances from them before (Peggy's bizarre and ill-judged attempt from her first day springs to mind). Allison must be aware of this, she was his secretary for long enough at Sterling Cooper, so surely now she is thinking that she must be special. After all, after he abandoned Sterling Cooper he brought her over to work for him the moment they could afford it. After all, he had her buy gifts for his children. After all, they slept together in his apartment and he asked her to stay. There's something here, there's attraction and maybe love. There's something. There's nothing. Don has her leave the door open, declines the offer of coffee and then makes a point of telling her he overdid it on the drinking at the party. Then he stares at her, hesitates for a moment as he feels a genuine pang of remorse for what he is about to do, and then specifically thanks her for bringing his keys... and ONLY for bringing his keys. "I've probably taken advantage of your kindness on too many occasions," he explains, and only now does she realize what is happening: that he is telling her they're just going to pretend they didn't have sex and move on with their lives. With a tiny "okay" she accepts this, too dazed to really know how else to react, and then Don makes it worse. Reaching into his draw, he reminds her of what they discussed earlier in the week, and then passes her an envelope with her Christmas Bonus. She takes it, utterly unable to process anything but the most basic of functions at the moment, and on auto-pilot asks him if he wants anything else. No, he tells her, so quietly she leaves, utterly humiliated and devastated. Don has the good grace to at least look miserable the moment her back is turned... but he'll also probably get over it soon enough and move on. For Allison, this is a monumental and life-changing experience, and not in a good way. Back at her desk, she sits stunned, staring at the envelope. Removing it, she finds a generic card, a generic "thanks for all your hard work" message, and two $50 bills. For a moment pure rage crosses her face, then she forces it down, swallowing the indignity and unfairness before going back to work. A week ago, the offer of a bonus that Don would pay out of his own pocket was a massive thing to her. The purchase of gifts for his children was a task gladly undertaken. The night before, the kiss on the couch followed by the lovemaking was something she might never dared to have dream of. Today, everything is soured. Everything has turned to dust in her mouth. The $100 bonus isn't an endorsement and acknowledgement of her hard work anymore, it's payment for services rendered. Don has taken a woman who cares about him, works hard for him, and trusted and valued him, and he ruined it all... and certainly not for the first time in his life. Now as she works, she doesn't feel like his lover. She doesn't feel like his secretary. She doesn't feel like a friend or a confidant. Today, just before Christmas, when suicide rates skyrocket, Don has made Allison feel like a whore. As "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" plays, the camera pans away from Allison and the scene shifts to Peggy Olson lying in bed in the embrace of Mark. "Do you feel different?" he asks her, feeling content and complete having finally had sex with her, assuming that this is the first time she has had sex at all. She smiles at him and kisses him, but as she rests her head on his narrow chest, her smile drops. It seems she doesn't feel different at all, or at least not in a way that she enjoys. What does her decision to have sex with Mark say? That she was willing to give it up purely in the hope it'll keep him around a couple of weeks so she isn't alone on New Year's? It certainly doesn't seem to indicate any plans on her part for this relationship to be any longer term than that, and certainly not marriage.   Finally, Don Draper sits alone in his office at night, drinking. Finally leaving (did he wait for dark purely to avoid dealing with Allison again?), he collects up the gifts and awkwardly balances them in one hand as he makes his way down the darkened corridor of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. On the surface he's just another hard working father bringing home gifts for the kids for Christmas. Beneath that, he's a lonely man who has had too much to drink and keeps ruining everything good he might have in his life. What more would Dr. Faye Miller need? That sums up Don Draper to a T. Episode Index Jerusalem fucked around with this message at 12:55 on Sep 3, 2021 |
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May 24, 2021 06:08
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FYI alot baby Genes have turned into creepy Glens in the intro. Oh man, that conga. Gifs galore for that when it first came out.
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May 24, 2021 08:43
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1. Ya hosed it up, Don. He spends the first 2 full seasons in search of a secretary who can work with him longterm, finally gets one, and then ruins their working relationship (not to mention badly hurting her feelings) to feel better for, what, 10 minutes? He's smiling when they finish having sex, but he already looks pretty sad and defeated again when she leaves. I wonder at exactly what point he decided to pretend it never happened. I used to think he decided in the office the next day, a last-second moment of cowardice, but when he tells her to leave the door open, I think he's deliberately trying to prevent her from becoming openly emotional. Which, yikes. Don's response to his terrible mistake with Allison is one of the best examples of his tragic flaw of emotional cowardice. It obviously would be better for attempting to salvage their ability to work together if he had her close the door, told her he was very sorry, said it was all his fault, and asked respectfully if they could pretend it didn't happen, because he realized later that it was a mistake. She would have been disappointed, and perhaps even angry, but it would be easier to forgive and move past it if she'd been given that respect. But he does it this MUCH WORSE way because he can't acknowledge to another person that he's constantly overcome with sadness and loneliness these days. Instead he tries to maintain his facade, even though it's already slipped so badly that even a part-timer like Joey sees right through it. 2. Mark's sex pestery is just so repellent. I don't think Peggy is ashamed of liking to have sex, but she still seems to have low self-esteem about her dating stock. She seems unsure that she can do better than Mark, which she definitely can. 3. I really like Sally telling Carla that "Stanley" is "a boy." It's an absolutely perfect response, and it shows how socially sophisticated she's getting. It satisfies Carla's curiosity while also revealing nothing. Smooth moves, there, Salamander.
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May 24, 2021 19:32
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Yoshi Wins posted:I wonder at exactly what point he decided to pretend it never happened. I used to think he decided in the office the next day, a last-second moment of cowardice, but when he tells her to leave the door open, I think he's deliberately trying to prevent her from becoming openly emotional. Which, yikes. Yes, and it also prevents her from asking any questions or talking openly about what happened between them because with the door open she has to respect his position and worry about her own reputation. Don did not take advantage of their power difference to have sex - but he does to render that sex inconsequential (for him, at least).
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May 24, 2021 20:18
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ANOTHER SCORCHER posted:Don did not take advantage of their power difference to have sex - but he does to render that sex inconsequential (for him, at least). Which seems like an unnecessary distinction to try and make. His power over her necessarily influenced the how and why they had sex, regardless of how oblivious he was to that or how enthusiastic she was or wasn't. As attractive as Don Draper might be, he's also the most important figure in the new firm, and the sole gatekeeper to Allison's success or failure there. "No" probably seemed like a non-option for her even if she wanted to believe the encounter meant something. But certainly, after the fact, her silence is something Don was banking on and the methods he uses to do that are deliberate and awful to watch. The cash bonus, in particular, is loving rough. You'd think a person with any empathy at all would realize how horrendous that looks, say something like, "I'm sorry, I meant to give you this the other day, and now it feels inappropriate." But S4 Don Draper is a goddamn rear end in a top hat, acting out because of his divorce and causing collateral damage all around.
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May 24, 2021 20:52
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I want the guy who posts about idolizing the characters to react to this episode. I do like that Don knows enough about his kids to toss in a surprise gift that they’ll love. It’s a nice small human touch in an otherwise monstrous episode for him.
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May 24, 2021 22:32
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I don't think he'd watched past the first few eps, this is not however a invitation for you to post shbobd
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May 24, 2021 22:45
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Xealot posted:Which seems like an unnecessary distinction to try and make. His power over her necessarily influenced the how and why they had sex, regardless of how oblivious he was to that or how enthusiastic she was or wasn't. As attractive as Don Draper might be, he's also the most important figure in the new firm, and the sole gatekeeper to Allison's success or failure there. "No" probably seemed like a non-option for her even if she wanted to believe the encounter meant something. His power over her as her boss fulfills a society-wide romantic fantasy, as disturbing as that may be. The distinction isn't "unnecessary" (which is different from incorrect) because the whole point is that the fantasy of marrying your boss as a secretary produces way more Allisons than it does Janes or Megans. Edit: Done re: below. ANOTHER SCORCHER fucked around with this message at 01:54 on May 25, 2021 |
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May 25, 2021 01:27
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imo it would be a good idea if you spoilered more of that second sentence.
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May 25, 2021 01:51
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Jerusalem posted:even when he is doing what he thinks is the right thing, he still manages to come across like a little poo poo. The Pete Campbell story. Btw Jerusalem you would have missed it because it was under spoiler tags but this is about the time when the youtube vids dried out about Don Draper DOMINATING or whatever, as his foibles become a more prominent part of the show. Mad Men, hitting its middle age. And back to the spoiler tags, anyone wanna talk about why Megan was the secretary Don ended up with instead of Allison? Allison was obviously thoughtful, kind, sexy, and wpuld have been a loving partner for Don. But she's probably just too comfortable for him. He also likes women on a shelf, that give him a new dream to achieve. Poor Allison. But she's lucky too.
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May 25, 2021 02:12
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Shageletic posted:The Pete Campbell story. He chose Megan because he saw she was good with his kids, then he ditched faye for her. There's a lot more to it but we can wait til we get there
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May 25, 2021 02:15
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Gaius Marius posted:He chose Megan because he saw she was good with his kids, then he ditched faye for her. There's a lot more to it but we can wait til we get there Sure. But Allison seemed to like kids as well.
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May 25, 2021 02:30
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There were a variety of reasons. Megan is, as she describes herself, "an artistic person." She shares his impulsivity and tendency to make big decisions by intuition or by doing whatever inspires the most passion. It takes two impulsive people for an engagement to happen that quickly. She's more seductive than Allison by quite a bit, which is a trait several of his past mistresses shared, so there's probably a better sexual connection. She shows that she's good with kids. Allison might have been too, but he actually saw it with Megan. This underscores what a dumbass Don was being by proposing to her. Lots of potential partners out there who are good with kids. He marries THE FIRST ONE who spends time with his kids and charms them. Megan also represents the modern generation to him in a way that Allison doesn't. Allison doesn't seem as modern. Megan is clearly a new type of woman, who simply didn't exist not that long ago. Anna died after Allison left. Don got even more desperate for a person to anchor him after that. His time with Faye got him more comfortable with being in a relationship with someone else. He never really opens up to Bethany. He does open up to Faye, and then that's like, practice for him to later open up to Megan. Insert big caveats here about the shortcomings in the manner that Don "opens up" to these women. I thought of a few more things that were kind of hard to articulate off the top of my head, so like Gaius Marius suggested, I'll wait till we get there. Just an absurd level of detail in this show in terms of how it addresses character motivations. How did they make a whole season every year? Feels like it should take 3 years just to write one.
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May 25, 2021 02:37
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Yoshi Wins posted:He's smiling when they finish having sex, but he already looks pretty sad and defeated again when she leaves. I wonder at exactly what point he decided to pretend it never happened. I used to think he decided in the office the next day, a last-second moment of cowardice, but when he tells her to leave the door open, I think he's deliberately trying to prevent her from becoming openly emotional. Which, yikes. I think it might have actually been as early as when she told him she wasn't going to stay the night. He seems surprised, but then when she's gone he also seems to in that moment think,"gently caress, I shouldn't have done that". Which, as others have said, might have still worked out okay (if awkwardly) if he'd just been honest and treated her like a human being. The fact he left that door open is so goddamn deliberate, he is absolutely setting up a situation (that he's already got the power advantage in!) where she'll be less inclined to make a scene. It's such a dickheaded, calculating, scumbag move. And then giving her the bonus.... Jesus Christ Don  I absolutely love that incredibly brief moment of pure rage you see on Allison's face back at her desk before she forces it down. Just for a second she lets the mask slip and she's justifiably, understandably furious at this arrogant son of a bitch.
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May 25, 2021 05:10
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