So...who watched Mad Men?

I feel like none of the characters have evolved since the first season.

Don is still too wrapped up in his narcissism to notice how good he has it.
Peggy is still cracking under the pressure of making it in a man's world.
Joan is still the most underestimated (yet secretly powerful) employee at the agency.

I would argue that Joan and Peggy have both evolved. It's more subtle but it's definitely there. AMC On Demand had a quick little interview with a few key characters where they talked about just that. It was interesting to watch and see some of those scenes from Season 1.

I watched that. But to me it's the same plot lines with different minor characters and some nuance here and there.

Roger has become a joke.

I think we're going to get more attached to Don this last season.

I mean Peggy left Sterling Cooper to assert her independence only to sleep with her married boss and have her new form merge with Sterling Cooper. Back where she started, right?

boomie said:

Roger has become a joke.

I think we're going to get more attached to Don this last season.

Yeah, what's up with him? Is he becoming a hippie? And has his daughter become a Moony or something?

oops, misread. [edit]

Hahaha said:

I mean Peggy left Sterling Cooper to assert her independence only to sleep with her married boss and have her new form merge with Sterling Cooper. Back where she started, right?

Physically, yes... but it's not like she slept her way to the top.

I don't see Don and Peggy getting together. She fancies herself his successor/replacement and wouldn't want to be treated the way he treats women. He sees her as his student/mentee and wouldn't want to mix work and home life.

http://www.vulture.com/2014/04/serial-killer-expert-analyzes-mad-men-for-clues.html?mid=facebook_nymag

Discuss.

WOW!

Very interesting theory!! Of course, it could end up just being a story-within-a-story that they all react to. Perhaps it freaks Don out enough that he decides to wise up and be a better husband to Megan. But probably not.

Hahaha said:

I watched that. But to me it's the same plot lines with different minor characters and some nuance here and there.

You know, I was thinking about this more in regards to Joan. The character really has made a remarkable shift (remarkable for that era) from being one who was all about finding a husband as the ultimate goal, to one who has the courage to kick out her husband and stand on her own as a single career woman. Remember this was a man who essentially raped her and she still stayed with him at the time.

I think Joan has more balls than most of the guys on the show ... I also think that there was something about Peggy's rise that set off a spark in Joan ... Their relationship has always been an interesting part of the show ...

That article is very thought provoking. I saw Wiener interviewed this past weekend, and he said the concept of the show arose from the ending. He has always known how it would end, he just wasn't clear on how they would get there.

marcsiry said:

I don't see Don and Peggy getting together. She fancies herself his successor/replacement and wouldn't want to be treated the way he treats women. He sees her as his student/mentee and wouldn't want to mix work and home life.

I don't know if this was in reference to my comment about Peggy's Affair with Pete

Hahaha said:

marcsiry said:

I don't see Don and Peggy getting together. She fancies herself his successor/replacement and wouldn't want to be treated the way he treats women. He sees her as his student/mentee and wouldn't want to mix work and home life.

I don't know if this was in reference to my comment about Peggy's Affair with Pete

No.

Did you notice ... If I am not mistaken ... You never see Don drink in this episode ... And all the booze bottles in his apartment are sealed ... When Freddie brings the sandwiches, he brings soda pop with them ...

Edited to add: Maybe Freddie is an AA sponsor and a copy writing buddy ...

How cool is this!

http://www.citywinery.com/newyork/tickets/mad-men.html?utm_source=City+Winery+New+York+Newsletter&utm_campaign=ea282f6424-newsletter_4_17_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_81d5d477d8-ea282f6424-6759337

I like to watch alone.

We like you to watch alone. :-D

boomie said:

We like you to watch alone. :-D

Words hurt.

I'm sorry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=go7umPwXmJA

Bachelor #1 needs a haircut

day said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=go7umPwXmJA

Bachelor #1 needs a haircut

Haha, he seems SO nervous!

Don's drinking.

Peggy is acting like a fool along with many of her colleagues.
Sally seems to be the most mature character on the show.

Soul_29 said:

Did you notice ... If I am not mistaken ... You never see Don drink in this episode ... And all the booze bottles in his apartment are sealed ... When Freddie brings the sandwiches, he brings soda pop with them ...

Edited to add: Maybe Freddie is an AA sponsor and a copy writing buddy ...

Don marked his bottle at some point at home, didn't he? I guess that means he's drinking, but trying to control it?

mlj said:

Peggy is acting like a fool along with many of her colleagues.
Sally seems to be the most mature character on the show.

I loved how Don was somewhat very honest with her in the end of their car trip. She seems much more mature, indeed.

"I'm so many people."

From what I've read online, many didn't enjoy this episode, but I sure did. I can't wait to see how Peggy (who was being a real tool) reacts to Joan's promotion.

Lou needs to be psychoanalyzed. "That's not my problem!" is not the courageous shouting of a man in charge.

My biggest shock reaction was towards Cooper. Who knew that the take-off-your-shoes, pseudo-Zen master was a closeted racist? Maybe racist is too strong, but certainly I wouldn't have thought he wouldn't want the lovely Dawn at the front desk because people could "see her from the elevator." WTF?