What a nice shocker with Peggy confessioning the truth about the baby and about how she feels about herself.

I thought Pete will be better off in the long run. Perhaps now he can stop idolizing Peggy and see her a fully fleshed out human being.

I was glad Peggy told Pete since it will help keep her off the Don Draper path of emotional ennui and denial.

BTW did anyone catch Jon Hamm on SNL? I heard they did plenty of Mad Men skits including one with the surpise appearances by Elisabth Moss and John Slaterry

Frank

That letter that Don wrote Betty didn't quite read as beautiful to me. Beautifully written, yes. But, I have a different take on it.

Don reminds me very much of an ex-boyfriend of mine. He would do similar things - very hurtful and disrespectful things, a lot of cheating and a lot of self-justifying - and then, finally, when I had the guts to tell him it was over (those guts were hard to come by because I was 22 and wet behind the ears), he reacted exactly in the way Don does. Expressed deep remorse and sadness, said he was afraid of being alone (even used a line similar to the one in the show - "You won't be alone for long, but I'll be"). What I see isn't that Don is being insincere. I think he absolutely believes what he's saying. I just think that he's coming from fear more than love there. He's terrified of being expelled from that warm, safe place in the nice clean house with the pretty debutante wife. It's not that he doesn't actually love her in a way, it's that he isn't mature in his love, and it's still mostly about him. I think he'll be dining away from home soon enough.

Similarly, I'm not sure Pete's confession was pure of heart. He may believe what he said, but he's not capable of really loving anyone, least of all himself. Peggy played it like she knew that, under the surface. Brilliant! That scene was stunning.

I can't wait to see where this all goes.

I've been waiting on this all morning! No one I know watches the show and I was DYING to hear your take!

Bless you, boys. You (like our beloved show) didn't disappoint!

*~Jenel

Through the whole show I kept repeating I can't believe Tom & Lorenzo were so right! I think I watched the whole episode with my mouth wide open.

Your blog on this show is definitly the best one there is. For me the Mad Men experience wouldn't be the same with out your comments.

Any chances of going back to S1 and blogging that, al la PR?

Does anyone know when MM comes back for S3?

On the second viewing of Peggy and Pete's scene, I, too, thought Peggy was a little cruel. Maybe not cruel so much, but calculating. She thought about all the angles of the baby thing and decided it would be in her way. Before this episode I just thought that Peggy was near helpless and not equipped to handle the situation.

Yeah, yeah, yeah you boys are always right....


I liked the scene with Peggy and Pete. That scene made the whole season. If it doesn't earn either of them an Emmy nod, there is no justice in the world. I was shocked that she just came out and told everything to Pete, but damn, it was the right thing for her to do. You said it boys, it was confession, but on her terms. Will we see a new Pete next season?

Naughty, naughty Betty Draper!

Looking forward to next season to see about Sal & Joan.

And thanks for the post about 'Don Draper's Guide to Picking Up Women"! Lordy, Jon Hamm could get me out of this skirt any day....

As soon as it opened with Betty in the gyn's office I said, "Dammit, they were right!" Pregnancy just seemed so daytime soap for this show. Ah well, I"m confident it will be handled brilliantly.

That beauty parlor! Every new camera angle made me exclaim aloud. Pitch perfect.

I was in such an "OHMYGAHD" delirium watching the scene I can't recall, but did Peggy ever actually say WHO she gave the baby away to? Maybe she DID give it away, but to her sister to raise...

Just a though cause that whole "say good night to him" thing still sticks in my craw...

I don't know, I think Don was really trying for once to love Betty and show her that he was ready to make their marriage work. After his ocean baptism he came back with a new life. He was happy to see people, called Pete's secretary by the correct name for once, gave Pete the compliment he wanted and reached out for Betty's hand when she revealed the pregnancy. Yeah, it might have been fear that shocked him into this, but I think he realized where he had gone wrong and was trying to make it right. There is a big gap between the Don we see exclaiming how amazing Betty is and how he can;t wait ot marry her, to the Don caught up in his life that he wasn;t really living. What happened to him in between that made him change so much? Maybe we are going to see him go back to that guy a little more. He seemed like he was really trying to balance Dick and Don and I think he did a pretty good job of it.

And Pete with that shotgun? Oh my. I think we will see a Pete alone, without Trudy in S3. It almost feels like he let her go for good when she left for her parents. And if not, maybe he will finally adopt.

Poor Joan. I think she is going through with it. I think she believes she is too far in to get out. But maybe things will change for her once the British invasion happens in SC and in the US.

And Betty with the mannequins! She finally took charge of her choices and escaped from being a pretty little doll and got some power by sleeping with another guy. Then comes home and eats that chicken wing. Maybe she will switch places with Don next season and want to become a hobo like Don once she gets her hands on the Feminine Mystique.

Ok enough from me. I can't wait for S3!!

I think Pete was cradling the BB Gun that he exchanged the Chip and Dip for. Sad, but hopefully not a shotgun.

I really liked Pete last night.

I've been checking on you two here at work and as usual your promptness and synopsis do not disappoint! I was literally slackjawed with astonishment over this entire episode. Brilliantly acted and (cough cough) conceived.

I too said, "I KNEW she was pregnant!" Despite the fact that several people were grossed out over the bleeding interpretations, you were right on.

But I never would have imagined Little Miss Perfect marching into the bar, getting snozzled on one free drink and then, uh, getting "snozzled". I think the pain and contrition Don feels is real - but for how long, who knows? That was pain in his eyes; the same pain that was in Pete's eyes.

Put down that rifle, man! Nothing good can come as a result.

When DOES season 3 start, anyway? How about in just a month or two? :)

Oh, the SNL sketch caused pain. I'm assuming those "A-holes" are recurring characters? They had the bone-deep unfunniness that so often signals a recurring character on SNL. Oy. But Don's speech there was great. Almost worth sitting through the rest of it. and nice to see Peggy and Roger, too. It's at nbc.com if you're interested.

It's interesting that Duck gave Pete what he wanted (the promotion), but Don gave him what he needed (validation). I think that is why Pete ultimately sided with Don.

BTW, I read that the actors have not been signed for a third season. I certainly hope this wasn't the series finale..that would just be cruel.

One of my favorite scenes was in the hotel with the Drapers, when Don asks Betty if she'll join them for dinner, and Sally Draper says very matter-of-factly, "Mommy doesn't eat."
Hilarious, yes, but also so very sad. Poor girl will need years of therapy. So will little Bobby Draper.
Any-who, the episode was brilliant and did not disappoint me. “I wonder what T-Lo will have to say about this?” I thought to myself last night. You guys are awesome. And yes, the beauty parlor scene was dead-on.
I was blown away by the entire hour, but the most poignant part for me was when Pete opened up to Peggy, and Peggy’s response. I don’t think that she was being deliberately cruel to Pete as other viewers have said. Rather, I feel that she has dealt with that particular issue, made peace with her ambitions, and has moved on. Granted, she has had time and guidance, from Don and others, but she did grow up in that last episode. Sadly, Pete did not. I usually hate HATE Pete, but I have found a fondness for him recently and I truly hope that he does not blow his head off in his office. I hope the writers keep him around for Season 3 and let him grow too.
And Joan? Joan! Oh, I am so worried about our girl Joan. What will happen to her? I like that they answered some burning questions about a few characters, but have left several of our favorites hanging. Time will tell for Joan, and I have to be patient.
Incidentally, Mad Men typically airs closer to the summer and ends in the fall, so I guess we will have to wait until May 2009. I know, I know. Such a long time. Bleh.
T-Lo, I have to say how much I enjoy all of your posts. I’m going to miss Mad Men, but I’m going to miss your posts too. No one else I know watches this show, and your posts, and the reader’s comments, are so intelligent and articulate that I do feel like I’m taking a film course. Thanks for the recaps, I don’t respond a lot but I read your blogs almost every day. I can’t wait for Season Three and your take on it. If you have time, could you recap Mad Men season 1? Please?

I agree with almost everything in your post about this amazing episode, except ...

I don't think Pete told Don about Duck's plans out of loyalty to Don. That might have been some of it, but I think he was motivated primarily by office politics and job security. Following his conversation with his peers -- about how the partners have no regard for the lower-level employees -- he was just playing both sides to his advantage (like corporations giving campaign contributions to both candidates). After some of his missteps, it was a political move that might actually pay off for him, given what happened in the partners meeting later.

TLO, what did you think of Jon Hamm on SNL?

Blogger ate my comment, so here goes again:

That scene on the couch with Peggy and Pete had me absolutely bawling. And I am not a cry at television person (there was wine). But how amazingly intense! I feel like Peggy has been Pete's mom in some ways- she was the one who told him to be honest about the Clearasil account, and that people would respect him for it- and she was throwing off that role in her confession. Now they are coming at each other as equals, I think. I don't know that this is the end for them, love-wise. But now I want to know even more why Pete is the black sheep of his family, since until this episode he seemed like just the sort of class-obsessed, frigidly cruel narcissist his family would prize.

And I second your FABULOUS on the hair salon. I wish I could go there to get my hair done for my Joan costume this Friday!

-ms_priestypants

The look on Don's face when Betty tells him about the pregnancy was incredible. To me it meant that he realizes that Betty didn't invite him back because of the letter or even the missile crisis, but because she's trapped. It's a negative return, not a positive. Nonetheless, Don reaches for Betty's hand and she tentatively gives him hers. They will face this together. For now.

One thing that struck me in the Pete/Peggy scene (other than the fact that it was fantastic) was how Pete says to Peggy, "I really know you and you really know me." They are most themselves at work. Peggy's family and neighbors don't understand what she does or the other part of her life at all. Pete's family objected to him working in advertising. Trudy is focused entirely on their home life. She doesn't work and therefore on some level that is very important to him, she doesn't get Pete. Peggy does. (Of course, he doesn't know her or get her nearly as well as he thinks.)

I was right about the Brits throwing Duck under the bus if it meant they couldn't get Don. (But perhaps this was so obvious it's not worth basking).

Both seasons now have ended with pregnancies. Again, so appropriate to the times. (My mother-in-law always describes fashions of the fifties and sixties as "maternity.")This baby will be a late boomer, another era that will be coming to an end soon.

I love your commentary. However, I'm surprised you trusted Peggy and took her at her word. If she'd told Pete the baby was at her sister's, she'd possibly have to deal with him demanding to meet the little tyke or be a part of its life. So to me there's a good chance she was lying about that.

TLo, please add me to the list of people who would love to hear your thoughts on Season One! I don't have anyone to discuss the show with, so I look forward to your posts, and this forum, after each episode.
I can't believe we now have to wait until next summer for more Mad Men.
My favorite line of the night was Pete's, to Trudy: "If I'm going to die, I'll die in Manhattan" (in my fabulous, insanely gorgeous apartment on Park Avenue)

Okay, I'm bummed Betty found out she was preggers before sleeping with the guy. I'd have enjoyed that uncertainty.

Don's letter was great. Betty never allows him finish a thought or an emotion in person, I liked it that he did a letter where she couldn't interrupt him. Although I was surprised she read it. Your analysis of which statement she was going to say at the end was dead on . . . I was thinking "will she kill the marriage or try to save it?" And with this choice, she still has a silver bullet to destroy Don with.

Yay Peggy! Confessing to Pete was exactly what she needed to do.

Yay Pete for fessing up to Don — loved it, loved it, LOVED it when Don was able to say he didn't have a contract and make Duck look like he did. Duck is a moron in how he denigrates the creative side of advertising. Great media buys mean NOTHING without memorable creative, whereas great creative can live beyond it's natural lifespan with word of mouth. And the actor who plays Duck is wonderful . . . they all are, really.

And I want more Joan.

Too short a season!

- Donna in Seattle

ok - i'll give you boys credit for calling pete's affections. i didnt think he'd ever verbalize them or even risk his marriage to a weathy woman. this was a major leap for him. but since he got shot down, im left wondering how fast his bitterness will return. that shot of him with the gun - i call foreshadowing.

i knew for sure peggy wasnt going to go for pete. he's totally not the guy for her & she knows it. pete likes to control things and peggy refuses to be told how to live her life. not god, not the preacher, not the guy who knocked her up are going to tell peggy what her life should be and good for her!!! peggy is all about creating her life on her own terms, dispite conventions. where other women of the time might have seen an opportunity, she saw a trap and walked away. love her!!

i will say i had no idea that she was ever going to tell him. i just hope that he doesnt use it against her or make her life hell for it. though something tells me that pete's pettiness will creep in enough to make a few more digs at her. oy!

as for betty - im with you about her doing everything she could think of - short of an actual abortion - to get rid of the baby. and i kind of have to applaud her for taking an evening for herself 'on her own terms' and living kind of like don has - smoking, drinking, hanging around a bar, and hooking up with a good-looking stranger, all while he stayed home with the kids. she needed it. and it was kind of her last hurrah before she went back to the life of housewife & mother.

as for don, i wonder if he will return to his old ways or if he will throw himself into his work from here on out.

there's no chance that don's out of the company. much more likely that the brits will have pushed duck out the door cause 'he cant hold his liquor', and appointed who - roger?? - as sitting president.

when does this series come back?!?!

C'mon boys - taking credit for calling the Pete and Peggy thing when (exactly like most of us expected) Peggy turned him down is stretching it a bit...

Actually, it's stretching it a lot.

Good call on the preggers thing, though. I have to go wit the "its a little too soap opera" comment, though - but at least Don wrote the letter before he knew.

C'mon boys - taking credit for calling the Pete and Peggy thing when (exactly like most of us expected) Peggy turned him down is stretching it a bit...

Actually, it's stretching it a lot.

Not such a stretch. They noticed that there was a growing fondness between the two of them long before a lot of us did. In fact, quite a few people argued about it.

Oops, TLo I forgot to thank you for blogging the show. Nobody at work watches it ("nothing happens"), and you and all the other posters provide excellent commentary and great water-cooler chat.

Thank you for guiding me towards this great show, one that makes me think about character development in a way that's "what ARE they going to do?" and not "that was trite, contrived, and dumb".

PS: the scene between Peggy and Father Gill - awesome. You go, Peggy!

And I wonder how many "Joan"s there will be out & about on Halloween. If I wasn't so short, I'd totally rock that look....

I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Man, I just can't get enough.
I saw it twice last night and again, this morning.

I loved every bit because there were so many layers to savor!

TLo, thank you so much for taking the time to write and share your experience of the show!

-laydlo

When Don said he didn't have a contract and walked out, my husband and I were totally clapping. And when Mr. Sheffield asked Duck to leave the room, that was just icing on the cake.

And holy cats, who knew robot boy could cry. That sole tear peeping out of his eyeball was the most shocking thing all season.

Thanks for the forum--

I can't imagine PPL (the Brits) ever really meant to make Duck president of SC. They pushed him out before because of his drinking. I think they just figured it would give him the incentive to sew up the deal, and then he would shoot himself in the foot before long. Who knew it would be so fast?

I thought maybe Betty was going to say, "I . . . had an abortion." I thought that's what she was doing while the kids were with Don. I was oddly disappointed when she revealed her pregnancy!

And TLo,

how much did you love Jon Hamm's performance on SNL?!?!?!
I was in heaven. I think it is safe to say we can add comedy to his amazing range!

Those writers are geniuses, I tell ya, GENIUSES! I can't believe how skillfully they wrapped so many storylines in a ways that were plausible yet surprising. In my heart I wish Peggy and Pete would end up together, but in my mind I know that once she became his woman he would start belittling her and taking her for granted, as he had with Trudy.

Betty is so passive it's painful. But again, realistic, because I know people like her.

Let me add to the chorus thanking you for your excellent blogging on MM and on PR, but I must tell you to slow down on the back-patting. You called a rekindled relationship between Peggy and Pete and there ain't going to be one. More importantly, though, why do you think the baby being raised by Peggy's sister isn't Peggy's? Her statement to Pete that she gave the baby away could certainly mean she gave it away to her sister.

"Let me add to the chorus thanking you for your excellent blogging on MM and on PR, but I must tell you to slow down on the back-patting. You called a rekindled relationship between Peggy and Pete and there ain't going to be one."

How do you know that yet? They repeatedly said that Pete and Peggy were growing closer and closer and that turned out to be true.

"More importantly, though, why do you think the baby being raised by Peggy's sister isn't Peggy's? Her statement to Pete that she gave the baby away could certainly mean she gave it away to her sister."

Matthew Weiner has statedexplicitly that she did not give the baby to her sister.

A small thing, but perfect: Don is finally the only man in the office to instantly peg Peggy's new haircut.

Anonymous said...
Matthew Weiner has stated explicitly that she did not give the baby to her sister.


That is true. You can read it here too:

"I asked him if Peggy’s sister is raising Peggy’s baby, and he said, no, that is not the case. Peggy’s sister was pregnant when Peggy had her baby, and the sister gave birth around the same time. Her youngest child is her own child; the sister is not raising Peggy’s offspring.

Again, just to be clear: Peggy’s baby is not being raised by her sister. That child was given up for adoption.

Some have also speculated on Betty’s pregnancy – a few folks have wondered if she might be pregnant by another man. Weiner shot down that theory. Betty became pregnant after sleeping with her husband, Don, at her father’s house, he said. She did cheat on Don with the stranger in the bar, but that was the first time she’d ever strayed, Weiner said. "

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2008/10/mad-men-peggy-b.html

I'm surprised people are writing off a future Pete/Peggy relationship so soon. This show moves slowly. It's only season two. They have strong connection that will cause them to circle one another probably until the very end of the series. Remember what Don said to Pete: "I know you want what you want the minute you want it, but sometimes it's better to wait until you're ready."

Neither Pete nor Peggy are ready for each other right now, but they will both continue to grow as individuals over the upcoming seasons and then they WILL be ready.

Besides, Elisabeth Moss and Vincent Kartheiser are perfect on-screen partners. You just don't waste chemistry like that.

Congrats, you two...I will pat you on the back if you return the favor. I got it all right, I believe, including Don's demeanor when he came back, Betty being preggers and sleeping with someone else to have a secret from Don (thought it was the comedien, but the idea was correct) Don opposing the merger and pushing Duck out, and making Pete the account manager (which he will in Season 3), and the fact that Peggy and Pete were about to collide, with the baby at the intersection. Told ys so! Geeze that does feel good! All those formative years of watching daytime soaps while Mom ironed has finally paid off...lol.

Over on Mo Ryan's blog (Chicago Trib's "The Watcher") Matt Weiner has stated categorically that the child at Anita's house is not Peggy's.

I never thought we would see the day when Peggy wields more power than Joan, but the couch scene confirms exactly that fact. Peggy was so calm and matter-of-fact about the matter, she all but cut Pete's heart out with a dull knife and served it to him.

And just a question, because I'm drawing a blank; when was the last time Don and Betty hooked up? I'm trying to figure out how far along she is, and I'm really having a hard time.

I felt sick for Betty. I am that baby's age. So many women must have felt so trapped. What she did in the bar did not bother me in the big sense, except for how little she felt about herself. I almost felt like she had to do something like that to move on, to prove that she could.

I see Peggy as sort of a Barbara Walters figure, A woman (today) at the top of her profession with no personal life (who resents young women for having one).

As for Pete, just a little rich boy creep who today would be an old man creep.

What a great finish! Thank you Tom and Lorenzo for introducing me to this show.

I disagree with you when you wrote Peggy was being cruel to Pete. It wasn't calculating either. Peggy knows that she's destined to succeed and be a trailblazer. She cannot do that being Pete's wife. We all know Pete would eventually resent her success.

As far as I know, Mad Men's third season is not a done deal yet. AMC has expressed interest in continuing as of Oct 17th but has no contract with either Matthew Weiner or Jon Hamm. Who knows about the other characters.

i know this is probably a lame question, but can we be entirely positive the baby is don's?
in the "previously on mad men" bit in the beginning they included the encounter between betty and the young stable guy (his name escapes me)...it seems odd that would be randomly chucked in there. i'm probably off though; and trying to inject aaay too much soap opera into this lovely tv show.
oh, and i also agree with the fleet of people who want more joan! also, i will be very very sad if roger doesn't return...his sort of sleazy attitude is so fantastic and hilarious.

Re: Peggy being cruel to Pete. There is an old expression that states 'Revenge is a dish best served cold'. Peggy proved the truth of that adage this week, in spades. Pete telling her he loved her only made Peggy's pain and anger boil up until it cascaded over the top and scalded them both. She didn't care at that point that she was being cruel; she wanted him to drown in the sap of his too late maudlin declaration, pure and simple. It set her free. I guarantee that TLo is right. Peggy would have slept, well, like a baby that night.

TLo. You had us with PR on Bravo, but you're killing us with Mad Men. Your great commentary does justice to this great show.

I just don't get the rap on this Mad Men: "nothing happens." Plenty happens, it's just driven by the characters, NOT the plot for plot's sake. Jeez Louise, this show is just chock full of brilliant writing, acting, and things "happening."

Here's just a couple of random ideas:

-- Whoever could have predicted the statement, "I sell products, not advertising" made in a corporate conference room could end up sounding positively poetic?

-- I took Betty's "I'm married" comment to mean "Look, pretty boy, this is just a one-time deal." Notice how she brushed off his question about her name. Did anyone else think this was a harbinger of Erica Jong's "zipless f***?" that will come in the next decade? I think we saw a more flawed, but grown-up Betty on this episode: she let Don see the kids on her terms; she took him back on her terms. Now, what will she do about her pregnancy?

-- Just like so many things in this show, Peggy's "lost" confession could be taken as a reference to many things: the baby, her love for Pete, her innocence, and/or her faith (although she reclaimed that at the end of the episode).

-- That poor bastard Duck. His reversal of fortune was swift and brutal. Good riddance for threatening our boy Don.

-- Hamm has a knack for comedy, shown both on his SNL stint and his performance in his partner's quasi-lesbian movie "Kissing Jessica Stein."

-- Season 3 has been ordered by AMC, but neither Matthew Weiner nor Jon Hamm have been signed yet. But Weiner is having the ride of his life and will be back. Ditto for dreamboat Hamm.

IGN says, "There is no deal as yet for Weiner to stay on for Season 3, and as Variety puts it, 'Weiner is looking for a raise commensurate with the white-hot level of acclaim (including the Emmy for drama series last month) and pop-culture buzz the show has generated.'"

"Lionsgate is actually trying to secure Weiner for a new two-year deal, in the hopes they can leverage that into securing a quicker Season 4 order for Mad Men from AMC. Weiner in the meantime has recently met with studios and networks about possibly developing a new series, though that doesn't necessarily preclude him from also staying on with Mad Men."

http://tv.ign.com/articles/921/921169p1.html

I gotta say... I was kinda disappointed in the finale.

One of the show's strength is how it lassoes into concentrated, pointed scenes and words how women were treated by society and men (and other women) in the '60's and how restricted and disregarded women were in the work and home place.

We get to glimpse how the stereotypes of the early '60s characters were forced or quietly led into clichéd roles. And the show and Weiner (or whatever his name is) seemed to indicate in interviews that one of motivations of the writers was to want the characters to emerge out of those particular clichés.

But what the hell is *more* clichéd and hoary as a plot line than... a finale ending with a pregnancy. Twice (Peggy's and now Betty's)! Sorry. But it smacks of a very bad soap opera ending to a show that I thought was more intelligent than that. Once was a 'hmmmmm' but twice? That was an 'oh, puh-lease' moment for me.

It didn't *need* such an overly dramatic pregnancy to get the Drapers back together. People sometimes just stay together because they're not really sure what else to do or how to do it or hope they can change. Sure, not as dramatic but I was sure the writing could convey the concept and of how non-productive it invariably is... hell... the last scene of DickDon and Betty sitting there numbly would have surficed. I have no doubt more people stay together because of *that* than because of an unwanted pregnancy now or in 1962.

But I feel the writers let the ball drop on this. And that leaves me kinda sad 'cause now I'm wondering if the writers are just as cliché-driven as the characters they're writing about without the excuse that, well, the characters are existing in a world that was 46 years ago but the writers are living in 2008.

And I'm also wondering if there were more women writing or had similar influence as Weiner (or whatever his name is) if this plot line would have had a more organic flow rather than lurching from one heavy-handed plot development to another; particularly for the female characters.

Because, honestly? I find the males in this show are, overall, more likeable (to watch) and interesting as characters than the women. They get the best lines, they get the least amount of physical grief and abuse and they seem to slowly be evolving more than the female characters - who, aside from Peggy with her obvious ambitions, seem to just be muddled a lot.

I could also be feeling 'pfffft'y because I'm getting bored of DickDon and Betty. Betty especially. I've only seen January Jones in one other thing, a Law & Order, and it seems to me that her facial emotions run the gamut from A to B. She, the actress, leaves me cold. Add her cold character and my sympathy for the character is just frozen out of me. Which is funny because I find Peggy's sang froid completely compelling... .

So, yeah. Some good work but, overall, the finale left me less enthused about where the show itself is going.

Guess we'll see next season.

Great comments on the finale - loved it too!

Jon Hamm was fantastic on SNL - one of the better guest hosts!! His JFK was spot on and, let's not forget "Jon Hamm's john ham" - crazy and hilarious!!!

I'm fortunate to have On Demand through my cable - the observations of TLo and all the bloggers always get me to watch the latest Mad Men over and over again!!

Auntie L

When I posted earlier I neglected to add my mirth over the segues from scenes into "what's on TV".

A few weeks ago there was a quick cut to "The Day the Earth Stood Still" on the television. Jon Hamm is in the remake to be released soon. And last night, right after Betty's sex scene in the bar, the camera cuts to Don's TV with an episode of "Leave It to Beaver".

Oh MY. Someone is having WAAAAAAYY too much fun.

OK, this episode is brillant. But, what concerns me is how many of us say "no one I know watches this show." Come on fellow MM fans, and start a campaign to convert the non-believers! Pass out DVD's of season one to your friends! Tell everyone you know about this show. The presidential election is over in one short week, so turn your energies to the MM love campaign so this excellent show continues as long as possible!

OK, stepping off the soapbox now.

Blanche

I think Betty slept with that man because it was the only way she could forgive Don. Doesn't Paul Kinsey look like a young Orson Welles? Peggy's speech had many layers and one of them was motherhood.

Anybody rooting fot the Phillies or is that antithetical to being a rungay blogger.

usmcsgtftl

They hooked up on the floor of her childhood bedroom. Remember the episode where she and Don went to go visit her soon-to-be-completely-senile father?

Petes' tip about the merger to Don Draper was forshadowed by Cooper last season. Cooper gave Don the option of firing Pete but said something like "You never know where loyalty comes from" Does anybody remember the exact words?

Jon Hamm's hosting of SNL was the best episode of the season! I always watch SNL even though it's only about 30% funny (mainly Weekend Update and MacGruber!) but Jon Hamm was hysterical! His James Mason impression was spot on! I love to see an actor show no fear and that's exactly what Jon Hamm did on SNL - by making fun of himself and his character on Mad Men. Kudos to him.

I could NOT wait to read your review of the season finale. The scene between Peggy and Pete was truly devastating but, as you pointed out, I couldn't imagine it any other way.

It will seem like an eternity until Season 3. Sigh.

Does anyone else think that Betty's baby isn't Don's? I can't keep the timeline of the show straight, but they both looked devastated enough at the news. Couple that with Betty's constant repetition of it not being the "right time" made me suspicious.

Why should Betty's declaration of infidelity permanently damage the Drapers' marriage, and not Don's confessions?


I was glad Peggy told Pete since it will help keep her off the Don Draper path of emotional ennui and denial.

How do you know this will happen, considering Peggy's talent for emotional ennui and denial? It could happen again.

I still find myself wondering why fans hate Duck Phillips so much. He certainly wasn't the worst character on that show. There were other characters who made me grind my teeth - like Don Draper, Peggy Olson, Betty Draper, Roger Sterling, Harry Crane, Joan Holloway, Paul Kinsey and a host of others. And yet . . . because Duck had shoved some dog onto the streets of Manhattan and tried to pull a power play after being rejected by Roger as a potential partner, he is being labeled as some dislikable villain. Curious. Even worse, Matt Weiner caved in to the fans' disgust over Duck's treatment of Chauncey and turned him into a second-rate villain who needed to be defeated by the very self-absorbed Don Draper. I hope and pray that Mark Moses get some acting award for what he had to deal with. Hell, he and January Jones did the best work, this season.

And don't get me started on Weiner's treatment of the Paul Kinsey/Sheila White romance. Talk about sloppy writing! Was he really that concerned over the fans' disapproval over an interracial romance that he would end the relationship in such a vague manner? Paul accompanies Sheila to Mississippi and after three days, she dumped him . . . without Weiner even bothering to give the viewers details on the breakup. Jesus Christ!

And can someone tell me how a woman barely into her twenties end up as SC's senior copywriter in less than two years? WTF?? So what if Peggy is talented. She hasn't been in advertising that long and even Paul Kinsey is as talented as she. And yet she ends up as senior copywriter and we're supposed to buy this shit?

I hope that Weiner does a better job in Season 3.

How great was it when Duck was asked to leave the meeting? Shut out of his own merger! Hahahahaha!

Pete's loyalty to Don came about as a direct result of his meeting with Duck, where he was told of the merger and his promotion to head of accounts. He had an incredulous look on his face: he knew it was all too good to be true, and he figured there were too many loose ends on the deal for Duck to actually emerge as president of the firm.

Then when the office boys were discussing the merger, and noted that the only way to be safe was to be neutral, that was a lightbulb moment for Pete to realign himself with Don... to balance out his established alignment with Duck. He covered both bases so he'd still be good after the merger.

I loved how he stormed into Don's office and was all demanding: "What happened to you? One moment we're standing at the valet, and the next moment you've disappeared!" Like a little kid who got ditched by his playmates. Pete was my favorite character by the end of the season, kudos to the writers and the great acting by the entire cast.

Betty's encounter at the bar was soooo Fear of Flying. This show blows me away.

To the rush blog--
You can like Duck and not like Don if you want. It's okay. Nobody will hold it against you. As long as you enjoy the show!

I also agree that Betty's character is perfectly acted by January Jones. So much brewing beneath that finishing school surface.

But of course you MUST love Joan. That is absolutely required.

The Rush Blog said...

Why should Betty's declaration of infidelity permanently damage the Drapers' marriage, and not Don's confessions?

Don doesn't strike me as the type of man who would have been able to get past something like that.

And Weiner almost certainly had Ducks's and Sheila's storylines all written out long before the fans were even properly introduced to them. I doubt very much he wrote them according to what the fans thought.

the rush blog said…

"Even worse, Matt Weiner caved in to the fans' disgust over Duck's treatment of Chauncey and turned him into a second-rate villain who needed to be defeated by the very self-absorbed Don Draper."

I'm fairly certain that the final episode was written long before viewers saw Duck's abandonment of his dog. As a non-animal lover, I found the over-reaction to the scene silly, but everybody has certain things that they're sensitive about, and what does it matter to me what other people think about it? I would suggest not basing your opinions of the show on other people's opinions. Just because some of the audience responded a certain way does not mean that that was MW's intended response. I'm an avid Pete fan, who has had to accept that most people just don't like him. I'm generally "meh" on Duck, but I sympathize with his struggles. He was, of course, drunk during the boardroom scene, and that's why he acted as he did. He was out of control. It's sad. He needed alcohol to have the confidence to push the merger through, but it was the alcohol that led to his ruin. One drink is never enough and yet it's too much.

Another thing: yes, we tend to root for Don even when we shouldn't. However, there's this trajectory that's working under the whole thing that makes Don's dominance very sad to me. He's very slowly becoming outmoded. In a lot of ways, this is probably for the better. But you can't help watching this man, watching how his world is crumbling at his feet, and feeling bad for him. He's on top now, but for how much longer? How much longer can Sterling-Cooper exist--how much longer can the world exist before it changes and leaves the Don Drapers of the world behind? This show is about the give-and-take of history, the choices that make our lives, what is lost and what is gained.

I knew Peggy had already cut the cord to Pete. Giving the baby up, pushing forward with her career, realizing that Pete was still a boy when she needs a man, there was no doubt in my mind. I said as much a week or two ago. And Pete's "you know me and I know you" was more of his magical thinking. Pete lives in a fantasy world where he suddenly has the job he wants, leaves his wife, and can have the woman he imagines Peggy to be. But Peggy isn't who she was, nor was she ever really completely who Pete thought she was. She passed him long ago in terms of professionalism (she works her ass off to get what she wants), the actual career (the rewards of working her ass off instead of kissing someone else's), and the ability to live in the real world. She's realistic. Pete is not. Never was.

I also knew Don would find a way to get back in the house with Betty and the kids. It's the only thing that keeps him relatively sane. The letter? Nice, but as carefully crafted to create the illusion of sincerity and sappiness as his Kodak ad. Will Don behave? For a while. And the baby will help keep him in line. For a while. But Betty will unravel even more.

Did you see the way she looked at that doe and fawn? Almost with disdain. "Too sweet. Too maternal." She can't make the total connection of the heart with her kids because that's not what she knew as a child herself. Just as I expected, Betty was going to try to passively terminate her pregnancy. It didn't work. Thus, she's going to do what she's done before -- pray Don will take care of everything.

As for Don's career, he'll be back to Sterling Cooper or whatever it's going to be called now. Mr. Sheffield's response to Duck's reaction pretty much said volumes. There goes Duck's position. There goes Pete's. Look for Don to step in as president of the new company and Peggy to be in Don's old job.

Joan? Somehow, I think she doesn't go through with the wedding. Roger and Jane? Something will happen there, too.

Next season can't come soon enough.

Some women are Jackies. Some women are Marilyns. I'm a Peggy, but on Friday I'll try on being a Joan. Got a fabulous green dress.

Joanie said "Will Don behave? For a while. And the baby will help keep him in line. For a while. But Betty will unravel even more."

My thought exactly. I was thinking throughout the episode that not only did Betty think this was not a good time for her to be pregnant, but that any time really would be a bad time. She's been shown to be an indifferent mother at best, and I'm sure she was looking forward to the kids getting older and her having more freedom (although she has way more freedom than most as she has Clara). I was thinking season 3 may well show Betty having serious difficulties due to having to deal with the near constant needs of a baby.

Just thought y'all would enjoy this:
http://videogum.com/archives/parodies/breaking-video-the-simpsons-s_031281.html

I loved the scene at the board meeting, where Don's lack of a contract pays off, and Don's words are eloquently put after the point is put out on the table "I don't hear about clients": Don says, "I sell products not advertising."

While I still see the "Nanny's" boss acting at the table, it doesn't matter, he was great at registering quickly that Duck has blown it and now they have to get a quick plan b in action.

I think Pete showed alot of actor's craft, he slowly developed moving from information to information, and finally in the end - as Don had warned - again, he wanted something at the wrong time. AND he said one thing stupid - "why would you tell me this!" - rather than once asking Peggy what happened to HER! Not once asking, how did you make it through pregnancy and so on...He's still developing.

Well said, Tlo and commenters. I just wanted to add that the visuals this week were especially engaging. The episode started with Betty, sitting in a skirt so large it covered the table in the doctors office. I couldn't decide if the symbolism were to depict her as a mushroom (as in Mushroom Cloud -- Cuba Missile Crisis as well as a metaphor for her expansion in pregnancy) or Miss Muffett, sitting on her tuffet. In either event, it looked "important."

It ended with the resolution of the missile crisis, but the extension of an existensial one for Pete and for the Drapers -- the perfect little family tableau, with Betty not joyously announcing a pregnancy, and Don, not enthusiastically taking her hand. It was kind of a representation of a dark hope -- a glimmer, but not much more than that.

I think we all have to give Pete and Peggy credit for being the characters which have developed the most, and the most organically, this season. Pete is actually engaged in an emotional quest. He's willing to sacrifice his work life for principle, and confesses true love. Peggy confesses too (as you point out, on her own terms), an even truer emotional point -- she can't be held back by marriage, which would, inevitably, be the case.

In real life, Peggy and Pete wouldn't get together, until, maybe, the 70s. They'll be one another's "work spouses," good friends, and always wondering "what if." Peggy is only going to marry if she feels she doesn't need to trade in her identity to do it. A true pioneer.

That's so funny arthur7 that you refer to Charles Shaughnessy as The Nanny's boss, because to me he will always be Shane Donovan from Days of Our Lives!!!!

great season, kudos, 10 out of 10. that said, i sorta thought the ending was a little cute; i can't but think this was a two year contract and that the ends were tied up for a two year span.

re wannabee, i'm still wondering re the mushroom cloud too, but my first thought was the Virgin Queen. She also exaggerated her movement when she sat down in the beauty parlor.
interesting camera cuts this week, for the first time that i remember, they bled the transition of the scene from betty reading the letter to don in the boardroom, and one other time - i don't remember. maybe to show what's happening simultaneously with don and betty? and other cuts, don in the bedroom in the hotel to betty in the bar, there was a one second black screen. they did this another time as well. hmm. don't know what it meant to convey.
to me, the key passage was the priest's sermon to prepare for the summit, be ready, cleanse your sould, and betty's take, tell the truth, don't worry about the consequences, and after telling pete the truth, she did the cross and slept like a baby. clearly, she is going to meet the church on her terms.
re pete, great scene, good development, and he is growing, not there yet as others have said, but growing.
betty, when betty started taking the guy's belt, she was having her first treat, and i don't think the last. she sure savored the chicken leg. tie into the chicken/life that pete threw out the window?
hamm is a great actor, but his prior work was so good, he didn't seem completely credible playing don draper as beaten, needy. anyone notice the black, late 40s car and the 1962 cadillac at the horse place paired together, seemed out of place but for representing don's two lives.

pete's scene with the shotgun at the end was good, he got it when he exchanged a wedding present in season one, right? all alone, waiting to fight off his demons, his failings, and the russians to boot.

it's easy to dislike duck's character, but his acting gets stronger. i still believe january jones is great, nuanced.

to people reading from lionsgage, make a deal with the writer, it's better than sopranos, and it was my all time favorite. no one else will be able to write such a good story line and make use of so much symbolism. absolutely best thing on tv.

i remember the early 60s, the way clothes fell over the body; the women looked just tight under the clothes, a little weird. but i have to say, but january jones and joan look better in that style. both beautiful, but the show's style suits them.

joan's portrayal of her character is the best, seemingly in control always. the best,
joan rules.

Has anyone found a screen shot of That Beauty Palor? I want to use it as a screen saver and periodically gaze at it.

I think I let out a little gasp during that scene!

the beauty parlour...

Matt Weiner said that he was particularly proud of that set.

In the second(or third) to last ep, Roger says to Duck, "You better make Rain" and as the last ep begins...it's raining...and only Don has gotten wet.

not sure if that means ANYTHING, but it struck me immediately.

Oh, and Charles Shaughnessy will always be Shane Donovan from Days to me. I still have a hard time not seeing Roger as the guy who wanted to pee on Carrie from SATC.

I got about half way through your blogs but I have to say someting about Peggy's baby. I also believe that she did not give the baby up to her sister. The reason is when Peggy was in the hospital after having the baby (during a flashback)her sister and mother were speaking to the doctor and her sister was "way" pregnant. The toddler has to be her own sisters not Peggy's

another brilliant blog post, I so enjoy reading your take on things. I wonder what the law was like in regards to the father of Peggy's child/Pete not knowing at the time of adoption...can he fight to get the child back? It was always a sticking point of his marriage, and back then adoption had a stigma almost, I wonder if he's going to try to track the child down to prove his manlihood is intace, and discover that Peggy does know where the child is. There was a scene where Peggy was leaving her sister's house and she said to Peggy, "aren't you even going to say goodnight?" It made me think the child there was hers. This plot line is not done. What an incredible show, and what a tease that we only get 13 episodes!

The wonderful thing about this show is that all the different interpretations of actions posted here are legitimate! But in more serious matters, did anybody have the urge to whine "But Mister Sheffield!" when the London guys were in the room?

"And Weiner almost certainly had Ducks's and Sheila's storylines all written out long before the fans were even properly introduced to them. I doubt very much he wrote them according to what the fans thought."


Well, that just tells me that Weiner might be overrated as a writer, if that was the best he could do with Paul and Sheila's storyline.

it's easy to dislike duck's character, but his acting gets stronger. i still believe january jones is great, nuanced.


How is it easier to dislike Duck's character? Are you speaking for yourself? Are we all expected to dislike Duck because he had abandoned Chauncey onto the streets of Manhattan?

Hell, I found it easier to like him than I did Don or even Roger.

I don't know if there is any real point in saying this now, but having spent most of Thanksgiving watching Season One, I realized that Duck actually owes his job at Sterling Cooper to Don. I had forgotten that it was Don who hired Duck (despite Pete's attempt to blackmail him into giving the job to Pete.) So not only did Creative have the final say in hiring Duck, but Duck's spending most of Season Two trying to undercut and undermine Don is not only plain nasty, it is the epitome of ingratitude.

Thank you for these wonderful posts! I just got caught up on MM (through "On Demand"), and I have to admit that I enjoy reading your blog almost as much as I enjoy watching the show...

can't wait for next season!

I'm definitely late to this game but came in to join the Mad Men obsession.

I love your thoughtful recaps of the episodes; I've begun to look forward to reading them after I've watched the episodes almost as much as I enjoy watching the episodes themselves (almost!!).

One thing, though. I absolutely disagree that Pete's decision to tell Don about Duck's disloyalty was done out of any noble intentions. I think it's been said before here, but it bears repeating. His decision to go into Don's office came DIRECTLY after his friends were strategizing on how to survive the merger--by staying neutral and pandering to BOTH sides, instead of being hung for loyalty to one. I rewatched the scene and find it very clear that he is employing this tactic, rather than acting out of good will or conscience. I'm not condemning Pete, but he is a shrewd little man who generally jumps on any opportunity to advance his career. In this situation, doing so just happens to align with looking out for Don's best interest.

-E