What’s funny is our cat’s name is Pima. (Stands for “Pain In My Ass”.) She was in the other room while we were watching this episode and I said to my husband “I wonder if her ears are twitching.”
I agree with everyone who says they don’t want to meet new characters. Just tie up the storylines.
I laughed when little Bobby asked Don to make Henry a milkshake too and Don said “You can give him a sip of yours.”
You’re correct on both counts. I think. Well, I think you’re right on the first; I know you’re right on the second.
Not wanting to pile on - just offering my impression.
My wife was a big fan of this show since it started. I watched the first couple of seasons, then stopped when I realized I didn’t care about a single character. I think she followed pretty closely up until the last season, when she said it went downhill.
We’ve fallen into a routine (rut?) where we watch a DVRed show most nights. When they started advertising these final eps, she set up a series recording.
Boy, those last 2 eps were downers. Is ANYONE in this series happy? Can anyone identify anything resembling a real person’s motivations that would explain Don and the waitress?
Sorry - this is turning out more negative than I had intended. I really don’t disllike the show, I just can’t be troubled to care about it. But the lead-in to the previous ep was an ad for itself, provlaiming it to be “the best drama ever” or somesuch. I’m not seeing it.
Actualy, having been born in 60, I’m surprised I’m not even more interested in seeing the styles and other cultural references.
I really hope the next few eps get better for those of you who have invested the time into enjoying this show.
The best episodes (for me) have all been “winner” office episodes: Don getting off a great sales pitch to Lucky Strikes or Kodak, the “heist” before the McCann buyout, Peggy riding a scooter in circles to fool CGC into making an expensive TV ad, getting Jaguar, Don & Peggy getting their advertising grooves back, Roger orchestrating the (second) McCann buyout before Cutler can grab the reins, etc. I suppose that putting everyone into a hole allows for a glorious resurgence at the end and I hope that’s where it’s going but Lord only knows.
Last season (well, part A) ended with everyone getting rich. This half just has them rich and still miserable.
Her prequel could be Better Call Child Services.
Well said and I agree although I couldn’t put my finger on it until you posted that. Maybe the message is that money doesn’t buy happiness.
Elizabeth Reaser is showing incredible range, from a messed-up, low income, suicidal, husband and daughter abandoning woman getting involved with a guy well above her level in Seasons 3-4 of Grey’s Anatomy to a messed-up, low income, suicidal, husband and daughter abandoning woman getting involved with a guy well above her level in Season 7b of Mad Men. Wow, really taking a chance there.
Even Don would know to get away from such a messed up, lying person.
The look Betty gave Don as she left the kitchen is interesting.
Henry’s a jerk.
At least with this being a continuation season, rather than a new season, we weren’t treated to a new Bobby Draper. (And Gene is still played by the same twins.)
Time line: I thought it was mentioned somewhere that it had been 4 weeks since Don first met Diana. Not so sure now. But at least long enough for her to go back to Racine, come back, get a new job, etc.
Note that Diana made a reference to the famous balcony. “You must use it a lot.”
The golf trip with Pete was bad writing. They needed a gimmick so that Don couldn’t be reached by phone and this is what they came up with.
I think Roger’s older secretary is “having problems” which is why she is bringing in the younger one to help her cope. Dementia or something? They’ve already done the “long term secretary dying” bit.
I don’t think she’s supposed to be “older” she’s just not cute.
Roger’s secretary has always been a ditz. Same with Don’s.
I’d suggest this was an unfair depiction but given that the show also has a secretary who is now a millionaire/partner, one who is leading creative, one who was some advertising savant (who then went into acting) and one who was ‘punished’ with being made partially responsible for payroll I guess the real gist is just that Roger’s/Don’s hair-brained girls make for good jokes.
Mad Men has been going downhill for a while now and I watch it more out of inertia than genuine enjoyment. The production values and acting are still good but the writers have run out of ideas. The waitress plotline, the Rachel Mencken death, it all seems rather aimless.
The last time I heard Weiner on Fresh Air I got the impression that he doesn’t consider Don the monster a lot of other people do - so I have hope.
He wasn’t that much worse than the average late 1950s father. And after the divorce he has gone out of his way for his kids a couple of times. Not a great father by today’s standards, but better than some. Like Roger.
It looks like you’re right; there’s a screenshot of the million dollar check on this week’s Mad Style and it’s dated May 24th, 1970; last week’s episode took place circa April 20th, 1970 based on Nixon’s speech.
Haven’t read the rest of the thread, but this really surprises me. I’m obsessed with MM and I don’t watch it for laughs, but the scene where Megan returned to Don’s flat and saw it empty with Roger getting dressed, prompting her to say “What the fuck…” made me laugh out loud more than anything else Mad Men has ever done to a factor of 10.
That was funny, I agree. Earlier seasons had lots of humorous situations and Roger has had some hilarious lines over the years.
Yeah, but Roger didn’t even need a line there. His look, like a kid getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar, was priceless.
Damn, Harry is such a shit. I used to like the guy. Now I hate him, but I love his character arc.