Mad Men: 5.10 "Christmas Waltz" (open spoilers)

I don’t think they’ve fuilly explained why he has no money. Tonight’s mention of taxes was a large bill, but as you say, he was also having problem’s coming up with the tuition for his son’s boarding school. There aren’t many places to gamble in NYC, so maybe he has a mistress. He doesn’t have the opportunity to have a drug problem.

I also welcomed the focus on the company this week. There were detours into Joan’s and Paul’s lives but they weren’t the existential crises that we’ve been presented with in recent weeks.

SCDP is still in financial straits. With the bonuses and Lane’s forgery, they’ll be broken some January. Ginsberg’s not an account man, he can’t save the day. Pete or Roger will have to save the company. I’m guessing that’s the crux of the season finale.

Did anybody notice how much the check Lane wrote to himself was?

$7,500.00

Lakshmi was played by Anna Wood.

“Lakshmi” my ass. Minute I saw her, I did not think she was a real Hare Krishna devotee - wasn’t a bit surprised that ho went to work to try and keep (Paul) ‘their best recruiter’, especially after he went on and on and ON about how in love he was with her.

Which I found amusing: Lane was copying the signature of a dead man who signature was being faked by someone copying Don Draper.

I really enjoyed the Kinsey storyline. And his gratitude to Harry: “You’re the only one who has actually done anything for me.”

Obviously, Kinsey’s not going to make it as a screenwriter, but I hope he lands on his feet in some way. I guess this is the last we’ll see of him, though.

I’m not sure what you mean. They didn’t reveal her as being not a “real Hare Krishna devotee.” The stuff she did was just one of the arrows in the Iskcon quiver.

The combination of “I’m burning for you. Does your wife burn for you?”

and

“Do me like this”

is a sure-fire winner. Ladies, take note.

I like the show best when it has moments that are genuinely fun. Watching Don do something brilliant, Peggy spinning donuts on a scooter, the Sterling Cooper office “heist”, heck even the lawnmower incident. Don & Joan together was fun and, while I understand that the bulk of the show is going to be dramatic and I like that drama, those fun moments are really what carries it for me.

I’m not sure if it was because I missed the first two minutes or just the episode itself but I felt sort of discombobulated for most of it. It just had a disjointed feeling, almost as though I was watching some other show. Despite the wonderful Don & Joan scenes, I went “meh” because I didn’t feel invested or drawn in for about 75% of the hour.

Don + Joan = A+.

Did anyone notice that when Lane inspected Don’s forged signature, the “D” in Draper was a bit squiggly, instead of a smooth line? Just like you get when you write too slowly. I think it’s going to be flagged by the bank.

The Meagan scene at dinner seemed contrived, but I guess the honeymoon is over… She doesn’t even want angry sex anymore!

Roger didn’t really get any good lines this week, but Pete sorta did: “You might have to work past 5:30!”

You really think that this was a horrible tantrum? Why didn’t Don call to say where he would be?

Does anyone who was around back then know whether it was usual for someone to just be gone all evening without letting his or her family know?

Ever been drunk and having a great time where it never occurred to you to worry about anything else? Plus, he’s selfish as hell.

I know they are super detailed about the costumes, but I can’t remember men still wearing hats in 1967. But then, I wasn’t living in Manhattan (no pun intended).

His schedule with Betty was flexible enough that he could have affairs and come home late without causing a scene every night or trying to come up with cover stories from a pay phone. I think what really put Megan over was that she called the office and heard he left at noon.

Every scene with Don & Megan has people predicting their doom but I think they’ll stay with it for better or for worse. Don still smiled and said “I did” when Joan said he re-married someone perfect.

We didn’t get to see the lead in to the lines but I felt like they were playing on this when Don said his hat made him look like Sinatra and Joan said it made him look like Jimmy Durante.

Wow, I completely missed that exchange.

Indeed. Betty never stood up to Don until she asked for a divorce. When Megan sits him down and tells him to eat his dinner, she’s demanding respect for herself. Betty never did this–she waited until she had another man she could run to. Don respects Megan; I’m not sure it’s possible to respect Betty.

I have on rare occasions forgotten to let someone know where I am. When that has happened, the resulting backlash was justified.

So Megan’s anger wasn’t an unjustified “tantrum,” then. And her choice of “punishment” was “you have to sit and eat dinner with me.” Megan’s anger didn’t push Don away; it forced him to remain close.

It was in the bar before Don directs her to the other guy. That’s why (if you noticed) he did the little hat cock thing to her when he left.

Had Roger acknowledged Kevin’s paternity before last night?

Is there a snowball’s chance in hell that he’ll end up with Joan?

I think that a lot of you missed the point of Meagan’s tantrum. She didn’t think that he was having a fling. She was pissed that he left at noon and wasn’t focused on and loving his work anymore. Pete had been saying pretty much the same thing and was angry that he wasn’t taking Jaguar seriously.

Don had a big realization after Meagan lit into him. That’s why he gave that inspiring pep talk at the end. He’s going to start kicking ass again and save the company.

several times.