# Mad-Men: 5.06 "Far Away Places" (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 23, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647 "2012-04-23T01:00:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/81 "2012-04-24T13:18:51Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I don’t know that tripping on LSD and accidentally revealing that your shrink thinks you’re waiting to end the relationship, then having one person remember the conversation in the morning counts as “as adults”. Jane was obviously mortified and unready when Roger talked about it the next day. And, this being the same Jane who connived her way into the marriage in the first place, I wouldn’t expect her to quietly take a check and go away. True, but she didn’t seem all that upset about it, and actually seemed a bit relieved after the initial shock. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/82 "2012-04-24T13:41:28Z")
I thought Megan dissed the ice cream because she had specifically asked for pie but Don completely ignored her and just ordered the ice cream. I would be really pissed if someone did that to me. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/83 "2012-04-24T13:42:22Z")
> [@shy\_guy](#): > > Heck, I think “12” is generous considering that Don was acting like a five-year-old throughout the entire episode. He was selfish, inconsiderate, and mean, and he threw a giant temper tantrum the minute he didn’t get exactly what he wanted. I’ve been really impressed by how smarmy, unlikable, and repellant Don has been this entire season, and I’m wondering if Burt’s intervention is going to be a turning point for him. > > It’s interesting; Don is treating Megan like a child, which is basically how he used to treat Betty. That worked in his old marriage, but Megan is chafing, and Don is clearly totally unable to deal with it. He’s _scary_; I honestly thought he was going to hit Megan, or that she was going to wind up injured by falling over something in the apartment. > > I like Megan, too. She’s in a tough position. On one hand, Don clearly doesn’t take her career ambitions at all seriously, and his constant meddling makes it impossible to do her job well, which breeds resentment in her co-workers. On the other, no matter what she does everyone’s going to assume preferential treatment because she’s Don’s wife. She’s also not just rolling over for Don; she’s continuing to live her own life. > > I can’t wait to see what happens with Roger. Before last night’s episode, I thought he’d be dead before the end of the season. You gotta admit that her “Why don’t YOU call YOUR mother?” was way, way, _way_ over the line. And not in that “you’re not allowed to talk about that” sense, in the “holy shit that is a nuclear escalation and you just said that to hurt me” sense. I thought the whole HoJo scene was meant to be a callback to when Don decided to ask Megan to marry him when they had the kids at Disneyland in a diner and Sally spilled a milkshake and Megan didn’t pull a Betty freakout. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/84 "2012-04-24T13:44:15Z")
> [@LegendHasit](#): > > Just a little side question . . . > > We recently gave up our DirectTV and no longer have AMC. Is there anywhere to watch the current series legally and for free online or on Roku? > > I checked AMC site and it doesn’t stream from there. I miss this show! > > LH You may have to buy it on iTunes - I think that’s the only other option. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/85 "2012-04-24T14:20:41Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > You gotta admit that her “Why don’t YOU call YOUR mother?” was way, way, _way_ over the line. And not in that “you’re not allowed to talk about that” sense, in the “holy shit that is a nuclear escalation and you just said that to hurt me” sense. > > I thought the whole HoJo scene was meant to be a callback to when Don decided to ask Megan to marry him when they had the kids at Disneyland in a diner and Sally spilled a milkshake and Megan didn’t pull a Betty freakout. Definitely. I thought the same thing; even the placement of the booth and the angle from which it was shot were similar. What Megan said was definitely super hurtful, but she was also dealing with months of living with a husband who doesn’t treat her like a real person, whose desires automatically override hers, who doesn’t take her career seriously, and who most recently _denied her pie_ (which is the point at which, if I were Megan, the HoJo’s staff would have been cleaning bits of Don’s skull off the linoleum). I’m surprised she didn’t snap sooner. Apart from his constantly subjecting her schedule to his whims, Don has turned into a pouty asshole every time something has come up this season that he hasn’t wanted to do (Fire Island with Megan’s friends, dinner at Pete & Trudy’s), and Megan has to bear the brunt of that. So yeah, she definitely shouldn’t have said it, but in comparison to Don acting like a total clod all season, I can’t get too worked up (especially since his response was something that literally could have wound up with Megan _dead_). ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/86 "2012-04-24T14:29:17Z")
Did Peggy’s movie house adventure strike a false note with anyone but me? I know nothing about the show’s writers, but this looks like what happens when a gay writer tries to write a straight sex scene. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/87 "2012-04-24T14:42:09Z")
> [@shy\_guy](#): > > (especially since his response was something that literally could have wound up with Megan _dead_). No, _Megan’s_ response was something that could have wound up with Megan dead. Had she just gone to the paid-for room like a sane person instead of hitching rides with strange men, she would have reduced her chances of being dead dramatically. It’s not as though she feared for her life – she went home, not to her parents or some shelter or something – she just wanted to make the statement of going home on her own. That’s 100% on her. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/88 "2012-04-24T15:19:33Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > You gotta admit that her “Why don’t YOU call YOUR mother?” was way, way, _way_ over the line. And not in that “you’re not allowed to talk about that” sense, in the “holy shit that is a nuclear escalation and you just said that to hurt me” sense. While it was over the line I don’t see it as way way over the line. He was chastising her about her mother and going on and on about it, so she basically is saying "How convenient, you can talk about my mother, but god forbid we talk about yours. Being Don’s spouse is a pain in the ass to be honest. And then he tries to shut her up with some ice cream like she’s a little girl, how demeaning. I’m sorry, Don was cruel, while Megan was just trying to be heard. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/89 "2012-04-24T15:23:12Z")
I disagree. He was being an asshole, and she was right to be upset, but she stuck that right where it would hurt the most, knowing that, and she did it to be intentionally cruel. I know, 'cause I used to do that to my ex sometimes and it was never, ever right. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/90 "2012-04-24T15:46:11Z")
I thought this episode was a masterpiece, a mini movie. I was riveted throughout. > [@DianaG](#): > > Jane’s father is Jewish? Really? I feel like that would have come up at some point. Jane Siegel. We’ve known she was Jewish from the beginning. > [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Did they call the LSD guy Dr. Leary? I thought I heard that. For some reason there’s no credit for him on IMDb. As others have said, I think Roger was just making a sarcastic reference to Leary, not addressing the guy in the room as “Doctor Leary.” > [@corkboard](#): > > How many people are now sharing Peggy’s office- Peggy, Ginsberg, Megan and Stan? I think there were three names on the door – Peggy, Stan, and Ginsberg. > [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > If Don, who is a partner decides to do it, so be it. It’s probably not professional, but it isn’t outside of his job responsibilities. In that business, “professional” is whatever sells. There are no strict definitions regarding what Don is allowed to say to a client and what Peggy is allowed to say. They are both creative ad pitchmen. They have their tactics. This particular one just didn’t work for Peggy. > [@Sampiro](#): > > Were they known for having an ice cream parlor. Yes. Howard Johnson’s was one of the few places that had dozens of different flavors of ice cream. > [@Alessan](#): > > RE: Ginsburg: > > I don’t think he’s insane, nor does he believe he’s a Martian. I think he’s adept at masking very pain deep beneath humor and deadpan bullshit. I 100 percent agree with this. Ginsberg doesn’t actually believe he’s a Martian. > [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Ginsburg kind of reminds me of Art Siegelman Spiegelman. > [@Jophiel](#): > > Did he? I thought that was part of the premise of the trip… “It’s only an hour from Montreal!” No, Don never meant to go to Montreal. Seeing that it was close to Montreal just gave him the idea of taking Megan. When Megan suggested going to Montreal, Don reminded her that her parents were going to visit soon. > [@](#): > > For all that, Megan’s comment about Don’s mother was extremely bitchy and uncalled for. Doesn’t excuse whatever but if we’re gonna grouse on Don for not being happy over a glass of sherbet… People say far worse stuff during arguments. Words can be forgiven. Regardless, you don’t abandon someone like that. > [@BluePear](#): > > Exactly. I think many of you are missing key aspects of Don and Megan’s conflict. > > … > > I’m not excusing Don, but Megan was far from innocent here either. I really don’t follow your line of reasoning. Megan was acting like a normal person in a fight. Don’s anger was way over the top. That’s what makes Don scary. > [@Jophiel](#): > > Again, same as Don’s surprise party. Peggy made it clear it was a bad idea. Don balked when he saw Roger and figured it out. Megan barged in full steam ahead “youregonnaloveitjustwait!” and got all pissy when – surprise! – Don didn’t. There’s a difference between expecting someone to act like an adult and socialize in a routine adult setting on the one hand and on the other hand on a day-to-day basis disregard a person’s dignity in the workplace. Megan has to deal with a big problem at work every day that Don just doesn’t acknowledge or perceive. He can’t just pull her out of school like she’s his playmate at the drop of a hat. That’s very different from having to suffer through one surprise party on one occasion. > [@shy\_guy](#): > > I agree with the bulk of what Exapno says. > > I disagree that Megan is “far from innocent” in this episode. At worst, she’s guilty of saying something inappropriately nasty during a fight. That’s not exemplary behavior, but those kinds of things happen during fights. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/91 "2012-04-24T16:01:23Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > There’s a difference between expecting someone to act like an adult and socialize in a routine adult setting on the one hand and on the other hand on a day-to-day basis disregard a person’s dignity in the workplace. Megan has to deal with a big problem at work every day that Don just doesn’t acknowledge or perceive. He can’t just pull her out of school like she’s his playmate at the drop of a hat. That’s very different from having to suffer through one surprise party on one occasion. Going out for dinner is a “routine adult setting”. A surprise birthday party, pretty much by definition, is not “routine”. She was told that Don wouldn’t like it, she was told by Don that Don didn’t want it but she shoved ahead because it was what SHE wanted and dreamed in her head as the perfect event. And then got pissy when it wasn’t. Megan then got pissy when Don didn’t want to go to Fire Island. Maybe she failed to understand she was marrying a 40 year old divorcee/father and not a 22 year old hep cat who wants to play with the college kids when she said “yes”. I don’t think it’s “one occasion” but rather two people who haven’t worked through the differences in their partner’s personalities. Except some people fall all over themselves to point to everything Don does as “asshole” and everything Megan does as “Aw, that’s not so bad. Now _Don_…” even when she committing the exact same sins. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/92 "2012-04-24T16:14:34Z")
I thought the movie house sequence was ridiculous. Was it supposed to be about the woman wanting to be in control, somewhere, anywhere? Could someone who has watched this show more closely than I have explain, or venture a thought please? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/93 "2012-04-24T16:22:10Z")
I saw it more as Peggy being pissed at her boyfriend and getting her petty personal revenge that way, which she internally felt wasn’t as bad as letting the guy touch her. I’m sure you can add more to it than that (work stuff, etc) but she intentionally went to see the movie her boyfriend had wanted to see with her that evening. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/94 "2012-04-24T16:25:07Z")
At first I found it odd that Don was so excited by Howard Johnsons…even back then they were just a gaudy diner with ice cream that was so-so and a place people stopped to visit on the way from point A to point B. Kids thought it was cool - and then I realized, Don was sort of re-living the childhood he wished he had had - staying where there is an indoor pool and lots of ice cream. Peggy in the movie theater- brought back memories of a return visit to NYC in the 80’s and went to see a summer blockbuster film in Times Square area, and just as the movie started there was a guy going up and down the aisle selling “loose joints”…had forgotten about those days. I know it was the 60’s, but one nitpick about the ad agency is that their ideas have all been so poorly conceived; pretty horrible artwork and text that is lame. Even that would be acceptable if you didn’t know they had spent days/weeks coming up with this. Amazing that they made money for that crap back then. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/95 "2012-04-24T16:29:50Z")
Peggy’s behavior in the movie was Don’s or Roger’s of seasons past: she likes sex, and she ignores social rules to satisfy herself. Don and Roger used to blow off work to go pick up women for sex. Peggy just blew off work and decided to have a tawdry thing in the movie theater. Then she went home and called up her boyfriend. Just like Don used to go home to Betty. I don’t think she really wanted _sex_ (she could have taken the guy to a hotel), but she asserted her power over a man by giving him a handjob, and she’d probably been feeling like she had no power. And she’s seen from Joan how you can hold power over men. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/96 "2012-04-24T16:33:27Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > I thought Megan dissed the ice cream because she had specifically asked for pie but Don completely ignored her and just ordered the ice cream. I would be really pissed if someone did that to me. You know, this really bothered me, too. The whole rest of the issues aside. He dismissed her pie order just like he dismisses her in general. I saw it as a perfect example of how he treats her. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/97 "2012-04-24T16:50:33Z")
> [@kevja](#): > > Also, unrelated to anything else, did anyone think this episode was might be paying homage to Pulp Fiction. At one point I thought Amanda Plummer was going to walk into Hojo’s and jump up on to the counter with a gun in her hand. True, there was a glowing orange substance in both scenes. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/98 "2012-04-24T17:03:02Z")
**Jophiel** , you are absolutely right in correcting me that it was Megan’s response to Don’s actions that put her at risk. I had forgotten that they had a room at the Howard Johnson’s (to be honest, I have no real idea what a Howard Johnson’s is; I thought it was a Denny’s-type place and not a hotel until Don had the conversation with the concierge). And of course, Megan could have gotten a room even if they hadn’t. I don’t blame Megan for leaving (I’m kind of surprised she didn’t go to her parents’), but you’re right, that was all her. I disagree that Megan was engaging in the same type of behavior as Don when she organized his party, however. She was certainly naive in organizing the party and dismissing everyone’s sensible warning that Don would hate it, but it wasn’t symptomatic of a systematic disregard for Don’s personhood. She just made a bad call. Don’s behavior, on the other hand, was just the latest manifestation of a complete lack of regard for Megan’s needs and desires as a person. He expects her to conform to his whims entirely, and when she didn’t, he absolutely blew a gasket. He engaged in behavior that was emotionally abusive at a minimum. Indeed, this is the first episode I’ve realized that Betty wasn’t the only child in that marriage. Don is just as emotionally stunted, just in a different way. I just can’t see any equivalence in their behaviors, and the power structure of the relationship is certainly tilted entirely in Don’s favor. In fact, the minute Megan exercised some power of her own, Don threw a colossal temper tantrum. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/99 "2012-04-24T17:09:53Z")
I disagree but since we’re both working with the same limited data I don’t see it going anywhere but circles. Time will tell. Or not. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647/100 "2012-04-24T17:14:53Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I disagree but since we’re both working with the same limited data I don’t see it going anywhere but circles. Time will tell. Or not. Time has already told. That’s what this episode was about. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-5-06-far-away-places-open-spoilers/619647.md?page=6)