Mad Men

Fairbairn-Sykes wrote:

I did think some of the characters reacted too strongly, but the Pete/Harry fight made sense. Pete has always been seen as an old-school Democrat, always been seen as liberal towards blacks, whereas Harry has been seen time and time again as valuing bottom line before anything else.

And besides, most people did react strongly - even King's political enemies found the assassination shameful.

A friend of mine in his 60's, with whom I'm writing short films, watched MAD MEN for the first time and it was "The Flood". I had even brought over the first season for him on Blu-ray and had given him the "don't let the pilot scare you off" pep talk. But no, he watched "The Flood". Anyway, he liked the show and thought it actually captured the feeling of that event very well, as he said he'd lived through it.

Comparing it to "The Grown Ups"? I have half a mind to watch them back-to-back. King was such a big figure that I think even white people must have had quite a reaction, especially in the northern states. What I really like in the episode is the "no turning back" kind of feeling. "The Grown Ups" has probably my favorite use of an end credits song in the series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmnKCE99sYE I mean, shit. Everything is crashing down. The early 60's are fucking over. And now in 68, shit is ramping up after King's death. And Don is looking over Manhattan with police sirens all over, not sure how to take it in. I liked the song there as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjsNNcsUNzE Not as much as the other, but it still works really well. It has a sort of "time moving on" feel.

Anyway, with "The Grown Ups" you have what vesper mentioned about everything coming crashing down in Don's life. Late S3 is just about unbeatable to me in the run of the series, up there with most of S5, and that episode is right thick in the middle of all of that.

Anyone else not care for the teacher Don was schuppting in S3? I dunno. She just rubs me the wrong way. I guess she rubbed Don the right way.

Yeah, I would rank Don's affairs thusly:

Rachel Menken
Sylvia Rosen
Midge Daniels
Suzanne Farrell
Bobby Barrett

Vesper wrote:

I liked the Bobby storyline. But the immediate reactions to the MLK assassination rang a bit false to the characters to me. I don't buy for a second that 90% of the staff of this ass-backwards, old school Republican ad firm would react more viscerally to the news of Dr King's assassination than they did Kennedy's. Especially given by this point they would be somewhat desensitised.

Agreed. It seemed very forced to me.

Fairbairn-Sykes wrote:

Yeah, I would rank Don's affairs thusly:

Rachel Menken
Sylvia Rosen
Midge Daniels
Suzanne Farrell
Bobby Barrett

Rank them how?

In terms of characters I really enjoy, Rachel and Bobby. Sylvia isn't quite as distinct or pronounced at this point. Midge always bugged me, and I find her fugly. Suzanne leaves me cold.

Bang-O-Meter?

Sylvia
Rachel
Bobby
Miss Blankenship
Midge
Suzanne

I think Sylvia is about as attractive as a wet fish and maybe less interesting.

I think the only mistresses who worked were Bobby, Rachel and Midge. The rest have either flopped on the acting or writing front.

Vesper wrote:

I think Sylvia is about as attractive as a wet fish and maybe less interesting.

Yup. Partially I think the Don's-having-an-affair angle has become stale, but I also agree that Sylvia is a duller than dull non-event.

CJB wrote:

Vesper wrote:

I think Sylvia is about as attractive as a wet fish and maybe less interesting.

Yup. Partially I think the Don's-having-an-affair angle has become stale, but I also agree that Sylvia is a duller than dull non-event.

It might be a deliberate point of Weiner's. That Don is getting old, so far down the rabbit hole he can only pull dowdy housewife tail now, but even if that is the point, it's just dull. The actress/character is so boring and her chemistry with Hamm has all the sizzle of a wet fart.

I think it's partly that Sylvia is right there and available to Don. I don't mind that he's having another affair. I think it provides contrast for one, because she's a hell of a lot less dynamic than any of the others, even Megan. I like Megan as a character, by the way. Never got the hate and was surprised by it. It may be in the vein of what Don was doing late in S3 with Suzanne, where he almost wants to get caught on some subconscious level. He's being incredibiy stupid. On the other hand, I think he at least thinks he feels something for her. Ot at least wants to be around her as a comfort.

As for her being ugly and having no chemistry with Don? I certainly don't get the ugly part. Of course, I don't care for Midge in that regard. But I think Cardellini is good in the role. She seems to read just a little too young. Moreover, she doesn't read like someone who has raised a child who is know of college age.

Don't think she's ugly. Just plain. And I think Cardellini is technically fine, it's just there's no spark there. I thought Maggie Siff, Melinda McGraw and Rosmarie DeWitt were able to create a lot more of a character with less. Agree about her reading young, though.

Shit be stirring in this episode. SCDP going public. Jaguar out. CGC maybe in trouble. Awkward whore house moment.

An SCDP/CGC merger would be tons of fun.

Boo-yeah! Saw that coming! My favorite episode of the season thus far, by far. Corporate warfare going on with ambitious men getting shit done. Oh boy, I loved it. This episode is like a blast of wind in the sails for this season.

Happy to see a merger. I really enjoy Ted Chaough. It'll be funny to see Peggy coming back after going out on her own.

Hilarious to see Pete torpedo his marriage on the cusp of possible success.

Now let's watch what happens with this mystery car.

Is there a Chevy car that tanks in that period? Cause that's the vibe I'm getting, that it all doesn't work out and everyone comes out. Otherwise very good episode. That moment in the whore house...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br2_22e2RoU

The White Tuxedo wrote:

Boo-yeah! Saw that coming! My favorite episode of the season thus far, by far. Corporate warfare going on with ambitious men getting shit done. Oh boy, I loved it. This episode is like a blast of wind in the sails for this season.

Happy to see a merger. I really enjoy Ted Chaough. It'll be funny to see Peggy coming back after going out on her own.

Hilarious to see Pete torpedo his marriage on the cusp of possible success.

Now let's watch what happens with this mystery car.

Completely agree. I'd been very skeptical of this season up to this point -- it felt like it was stuck in the mud -- but this week was a nice jolt. I was on board from the moment Joan knocked Don down a few pegs.

Python wrote:

Is there a Chevy car that tanks in that period? Cause that's the vibe I'm getting, that it all doesn't work out and everyone comes out.

Even though it debuted in 1966 in reality, and I'm certainly no gearhead, but I'm guessing it's the Camaro based on the fact that Wiki says it was Chevy's response to the Mustang:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Camaro

EDIT: Maybe it's not ...

http://www.roadandtrack.com/go/pop-culture/car-culture-mad-men-chevy-xp887

I was wondering what car they were talking about. Fantastic, I hope it's the Vega.

The show feels tired. JMO.

Finally saw it. Loved it. I thought it was the Camero too, but that article makes a compelling case for the Vega and besides Mad Men is usually pretty darn well researched.

Could the magic word for tonight's episode be.... domination?

Don's being quite the asshole.

This episode is pure insanity. This new status quo is insane. Anyone caught the agency's new name yet?

Well I think we can all be glad they didnt devote a whole episode to RFK, but kindve a fucked up way to end an episode eh?

Still, I liked it. I liked all the subplots. My grandmother is going the way of Pete's mom atm and the scene between Pete and Bud was very much like my father and uncle.

Not sure on the name, but I thought this was another fabulous episode. Perhaps S6 is at full steam from here on out? I hope so.

A lot to comment on. I'll throw out some stuff.

-Hilarious to see Bert Peterson fired again.
-I liked seeing Bob Benson get more to do. I liked the moment where Joan saves his job.
-Loved the pissing contest between Don and Ted, with Don getting him drunk, and Ted fucking with him in the plane.
-I thought a cruel moment was when Pete told his senile mother that it's not May.
-Linda Cardellini's boobs look great in that red dress.
-I thought the RFK news was handled well.
-I liked the moment when Don can't hear Megan anymore.

I was hoping for fireworks with the Sylvia situation. Maybe Arnold would jump out a window or something. Megan would go apeshit.

But a nice, slow death for Don's second (or third) marriage would be even better to relesh. I can't wait.

I agree with everything you just said. The Second Firing of Burt Petersen was glorious. As to everyone saying the season was slow til last week, heck the first half of all Mad Men seasons are like that. The traditional narrative arc is usually seasonlong, not in single episodes. Loved the scene at the Holloway household.

I've liked S6 thus far. Even the early episodes. I'm waiting for the brothel to come back.

Man, I thought Roger was fucking with Burt at first.

I knew he wasnt. Roger is always great.

What's your dates reckoning Tux? Obviously it ended the morning of the 6th, and I counted two full days before that one, but it seems weird that Day 1 of the new combined agency was a Tuesday... did I miss a day in there? They show up, have the first meeting, Sylvia calls Don over, Don drinks Ted under the table, spends the night with Sylvia. Day 2 he flies with Ted, comes back, Sylvia calls it off, Don goes home. Day 3 RFK is shot. That makes it Tuesday June 4th-Thursday June 6th.

I haven't even tried to figure it out yet. I had expected it be just days after "For Immediate Release", and they says it's May. I'll have to take another look at the episode when it downloads from iTunes.

Pete's senile mom says it's May. RFK dies on June 6th. I don't think Sylvia spent weeks in that hotel room.