Mad Men 2.9: Six Months Leave, 9/28/08 (open spoilers)

[BaneSidhe]

@niblet_head

What she needs is a Mother’s Little Helper!
(To go with all that wine she drinks.)

I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw that happening in future episodes.

[Bridget_Burke]

@Prelude_to_Fascination

What niblet_head said. I can’t vouch for every single detail, but certainly overall, the show is very accurate and true to the time. They’re just on the cusp of The 60s Revolution: this week’s episode was August '62, and the British Invasion was a scant 2 years later. I keep seeing teasers in the characters, in that they’re starting to bulge at the seams, almost, but not quite, ready to blow the 60s apart. For instance, I see Peggy as the proto-type feminist, the kind that will lead the charge less than 10 years later to break the glass ceiling. Not Peggy herself so much, just the type of person she is.

I think Betty is pretty conflicted. She’s confused about who she is: she spent time as a model, which stereotypically anyway, is a pretty shallow profession. Models are supposed to be airheads. Couple that with the times, where women weren’t supposed to work (except in very specific capacities: nurse, teacher, secretary, etc.), and she’s limited. I think she’s eventually going to explode in one way or the other. Either break down completely, or become her own woman. A person can dance on a knife edge only so long.

The show’s got a great period feel & it’s fun to identify various sociological trends. But the characters are dramatic characters–not symbols or archetypes*. In some ways, they don’t represent anyone but their own selves. Betty is more frozen than the “typical” repressed housewife. Don has darker secrets than the “typical” guy in the gray flannel suit. And not every 2nd wave feminist has a Pete & a Pete Jr in her background.

• Except for the office manager–who is obviously an avatar of Aphrodite.

[Carol_the_Impaler]

True, true. But I can’t think of any television show more boring that a storyline about real, normal people!

[Acsenray]

We’ve got only five episodes to go and too many characters have ongoing stories!

Leaving aside the Don-Betty, Roger-Mona, and Peggy-Pete stories:

1. Sal’s repressed homosexuality, marriage, and pocketing of Cosgrove’s lighter
2. New girl’s revolt against Joan’s iron-fisted rule
3. Kinsey’s interracial relationship/pining for Joan/budding hipsterism
4. Crane’s effort to do good and win the bacon for his young family (no repercussions from his one-night stand?)
5. Duck - is he on the wagon? off the wagon? Asshole? Good guy? Will he ever get a date to bring to office parties? What’s his character arc?
6. Freddie Rumsen - quick suicide or long, slow death of a serious alcoholic?
7. Francine and Carlton - is he faithful now or is he nailing the babysitter?
8. Trudy - Will she get pregnant? Will she find out about Pete’s running around? Will she fall into the arms of a book editor?
9. Bobbie - Is that it for her? She’s just off the radar, like Madge and Rachel?
10. Father Gill - What’s he up to? Is he going to keep being a clumsy priest or is he going to quit and join the Peter, Paul, and Mary tour?
11. Joan - Is she going to marry the doc? Is she going to aspire to be something more than an office manager?
12. Pete’s mom - will she ever find out how broke she is?

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

@Bridget_Burke

• Except for the office manager–who is obviously an avatar of Aphrodite.

Fool of a Took! Aphrodite is obviousy an avatar of Christina Hendricks!