Mad Men

[Critical]

Originally Posted by norealityhere

I just started watching Mad Men this season - I think I've seen 3 episodes. Is there anyone out there who's watched since the beginning?
Who was the father of the baby that Peggy aborted? Was it Don?

Thanks, in advance.

Like candor said, it was Pete, but Peggy didn't abort the baby. When she finally went to the doctor, she was VERY far along. The guys in the office had been remarking that Peggy was "getting fat" for some time.

Peggy is probably my favorite character on the show. She's so complex. I love that she goes to Joan for advice, but I cringed when she showed up at the strip club looking more like a woman than a girl and then sat in the client's lap. I don't think that's what Joan meant when she told her to be a powerful woman.

I wanted to smack whatisface when he shoved his dog out of the building and closed the door. What a heel I now officially hate that guy.

I loved Job Hamm in Kissing Jessica Stein, but I hardly recognized him when I first saw Mad Men. I had to look on imdb.com to see what he'd done because he looked familiar. Part of me wants to just strangle him for treating Betty like that and part of me understands that the behavior has to do with his past. I'm enjoying watching his "friendship" with Peggy evolve. I practically clapped when Peggy called him Don instead of Mr. Draper. Interesting that Don knew he should call her instead of one of the guys in the office.

[Google]

 

[tvaholic]

When we first saw the dog I just knew that something was going to happen to it. I hated that he thew it out the door! Maybe that's another 60's thing that people just tossed pets if they didn't want them anymore (actually any time prior to the 70's). That man just doesn't want anything around to remind him of his past life. I was surprised that we didn't hear the dog get hit by a car. I had to imagine that a nice person found it and took it home.

[candor]

Originally Posted by tvaholic

When we first saw the dog I just knew that something was going to happen to it. I hated that he thew it out the door! Maybe that's another 60's thing that people just tossed pets if they didn't want them anymore (actually any time prior to the 70's). That man just doesn't want anything around to remind him of his past life. I was surprised that we didn't hear the dog get hit by a car. I had to imagine that a nice person found it and took it home.

I think it was less a '60s thing than an alcoholic thing the writers were portraying. He's turning into a really interesting character, too.

[norealityhere]

Originally Posted by Critical

Like candor said, it was Pete, but Peggy didn't abort the baby. When she finally went to the doctor, she was VERY far along. The guys in the office had been remarking that Peggy was "getting fat" for some time.

Peggy is probably my favorite character on the show. She's so complex. I love that she goes to Joan for advice, but I cringed when she showed up at the strip club looking more like a woman than a girl and then sat in the client's lap. I don't think that's what Joan meant when she told her to be a powerful woman.

I wanted to smack whatisface when he shoved his dog out of the building and closed the door. What a heel I now officially hate that guy.

I loved Job Hamm in Kissing Jessica Stein, but I hardly recognized him when I first saw Mad Men. I had to look on imdb.com to see what he'd done because he looked familiar. Part of me wants to just strangle him for treating Betty like that and part of me understands that the behavior has to do with his past. I'm enjoying watching his "friendship" with Peggy evolve. I practically clapped when Peggy called him Don instead of Mr. Draper. Interesting that Don knew he should call her instead of one of the guys in the office.

So, if Peggy did not abort the baby, where is it then?

Thanks.

[Harvest]

Originally Posted by Critical

Like candor said, it was Pete, but Peggy didn't abort the baby. When she finally went to the doctor, she was VERY far along.
...
Peggy is probably my favorite character on the show. She's so complex. I love that she goes to Joan for advice, but I cringed when she showed up at the strip club looking more like a woman than a girl and then sat in the client's lap. I don't think that's what Joan meant when she told her to be a powerful woman...
Interesting that Don knew he should call her instead of one of the guys in the office.

Originally Posted by norealityhere

So, if Peggy did not abort the baby, where is it then?

Wasn't last season's finale that she went in for a "stomach ache" but turned out to be in labor? Then at the beginning of this season we thought that Peggy's sister was raising her baby. But then we saw the flashback to when she was in the mental hospital after the birth, and it showed that her sister was pregnant. So what happened to Peggy's baby? Can't wait to find out!

As for Don, the fact that he visited her in the hospital and therefore knew her secret, shown in that flashback in the same episode where he called her for help, was the explanation for why he called her. He already knew a secret of hers, so he could assume she could be trusted with his secret.

As for the strip club scene, unfortunately I think that is what Joan meant about dressing and acting like a woman. Don's mistress told Peggy the same thing the week before, remember? That she could never compete as a man and so she shouldn't even try but instead act - and dress - like a woman.

Btw, I think the stripper's clothes and Peggy's apparent wonder bra in that scene were anachronistic.

I also think the writer for this show has some serious issues with women/mothers. It is so chilling to see how unmaternal both Peggy and Don's wife are. Sometimes they both seem a bit psychotic. Often I cannot tell how they are going to react, or I cannot understand their reactions. For me, this does not make Peggy "complex," just disturbing. Not my favorite. But I do root for them vs. Pete or Don disapproving of when they dress or act "sexy."

And I cannot believe even in Manhattan that such a high percentage of the men would be cheaters. In ways I really like Pete (the actor brings a sense of vulnerability to his portrayal), but not when he is casually banging models, secretaries, etc.

Originally Posted by candor

I think it was less a '60s thing than an alcoholic thing the writers were portraying.

I agree. He was about to take a drink and then saw his dog looking at him. He needed to get rid of those accusing eyes in order to drink. It would be more interesting if he resisted temptation and found an AA meeting.

[aname2]

I first started working at a "real" job in 1963. It was in L.A. at an office very much like that in Mad Men (except they made castings). Several issues in the show have been questioned as to whether people really behaved like they are portrayed. Having been there, I can say . . yes. People did smoke and drink that much (and in the office). Yes - many of the married men cheated and the women had to often fend off their advances. Sexual harrassment suits were unheard of - women just handled it the best way they could. Yes - we did dress like that and many women did wear corsets. I do, however, take exception to the panty hose shown in the last episode. Panty hose didn't arrive on scene until a little later - closer to the 70's. We still wore garter belts.

I love this show and think Jon Hamm as Don Draper is totally hot. Many men, even now, see women in the context of Madonna/Whore. This was apparent in the Playtex add with the Jackie/Marilyn concept. Don sees his wife as a Madonna persona and his various mistresses as the other side. He is a total chauvinist pig (as are most of the other men), but he is still intriguing. A really good actor can bring out the different aspects of a character so they are multi-dimensional and Jon Hamm has done that with his character. You don't like how he acts, but you still like and root for him to succeed (kind of like Dexter).

[Harvest]

Originally Posted by aname2

I do, however, take exception to the panty hose shown in the last episode. Panty hose didn't arrive on scene until a little later - closer to the 70's. We still wore garter belts.

Thanks, I was going to mention that. Remember the movie Peggy Sue Got Married? Either we are supposed to believe Peggy is way ahead of her time, if pantyhose were even available yet, or it is yet another anachronism. I did wonder why they weren't showing garters if they are trying to fetishize the look of the women in that show.

[candor]

Originally Posted by aname2

Many men, even now, see women in the context of Madonna/Whore. This was apparent in the Playtex add with the Jackie/Marilyn concept. Don sees his wife as a Madonna persona and his various mistresses as the other side.

I didn't even make that connection until you said it, but yes, that's so true.

Peggy's transformation is going to be interesting. It got the feeling last night that she's trying to take Joan's (and Don's mistress's) advice, but isn't quite sure what that means.

[Critical]

Originally Posted by aname2

I do, however, take exception to the panty hose shown in the last episode. Panty hose didn't arrive on scene until a little later - closer to the 70's. We still wore garter belts.

Not that Wikipedia is the source for accurate info, but according to this listing, pantyhose showed up earlier than that: Pantyhose - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. I'd think pantyhose were probably more readily available to a woman working at a Manhattan ad firm than to a woman in the midwest (a la Peggy Sue) at the time.

Matthew Weiner is SO meticulous about that sort of thing. I'm sure he researched it before he included that scene. Check out the article in the NY Times Magazine from a month of two back.

I thought there were TWO little ones at the house - was it Peggy's mother's house? - when Peggy went there for dinner. One called her Aunt Peggy, but there was another child there too and that's the one she went in to say goodnight to. Am I imagining that?

[tvaholic]

Maybe something happened to Peggy's sister's baby so she took on Peggy's baby to hide the secret. They still expect Peggy to show some interest in it even if it's not really her baby anymore. Just wanted to add that I kept wondering where I've seen the actress that plays the sister before. Finally I got it. She's the Mormon neighbor on "Big Love" (another show that I love). Didn't we see Peggy,in the hospital, with her baby at the end of last season? I'm not sure.