Mad Men

[Debb70]

Well, I guess I got my answer, but I'm not very happy about it. All season I have been expecting a death. I've posted quite a bit about it, but I didn't expect it to be a death under those circumstances. I really liked Lane. Why is it that the characters I like a lot are the ones to go? Recall that wonderful, funny lady that they hired as Don's secretary? They found her dead at her desk one day and hid her body by rolling her from office to office? I was so said to see her leave. Then there was the guy who was let go because a man (potential client) made a pass at him. IMO Weiner needs to send some of the nasty characters away and keep some good ones.

I wonder if Don recalls when Pete told on him that he was lying about his identity. Mr. Cooper said it didn't matter to him. He knew all he needed to know about Don and he would not be let go. I would say that Don might have recalled that incident when he was dealing with Lane.

I agree. Why show Sally's panties? That was really creepy IMO. Totally unecessary. Her looking down and grabbing the tissue made it quite clear.

[brunette trixie]

When the Jaguar wouldn't start I was hoping that would cause Lane to reconsider his position, and not attempt suicide again. And I thought someone else would die in one of those classic Mad Men out of nowhere plot twists (hopefully Pete).

The whole episode was so wonderfully acted, Jared Harris definitely deserves an emmy nomination. The way Pete, Roger, and Don looked when they finally pushed their way into Lane's office was just heartbreaking.

I hope this is the end of depressing things to happen this season, and the finale is a little more hopeful. I know I've had enough trauma from tv shows for this year.

[StarryElf]

Lane was one of my favorite characters, I'm so very sorry to see him go, especially like that.

Pete is still scum, but I really liked the scene with Roger and Ken and how Ken wanted Pete kept off the account. Ken is a much more likeable guy. I hope this doesn't mean we will lose Ken and keep Pete, with Lane gone, there needs to be another nice guy to go next season probably.

[mize77]

I hope that MW's ultimate goal is NOT to show how Don can go through a complete decade and still be the same person. Whether reading a book or watching tv/movies, once I get invested in a character, I want him/her to be happy. Immature? Perhaps. MW has done a good job of makind Don a multilayered character--so seemingly unredeemable but then capable of kindness in the next breath.

[Marlena_M]

{snip}
I agree. Why show Sally's panties? That was really creepy IMO. Totally unecessary. Her looking down and grabbing the tissue made it quite clear.

Debb, you definitely have been consistently foreshadowing a death this season. As for Sally who "became a woman" (rofl it cracks me up that people used to say that! LOL!) I agree that one shot of her panties was unnecessary and I definitely felt it was gratuitous but "really creepy"? Hmmm... I didn't / don't see it that way at all. I thought it was creepy seeing Lane's face after he'd been laid on the sofa. Death creeps me out. Even though I've experienced being with loved ones as they've passed, it still leaves me much much more unsettled and "creeped out" than that one scene of Sally's panties. But, that's just me. Everyone is different and I don't meant to denigrate your perspective just because we felt differently about that scene

[redsox girl]

Don always manages to slither his way out of problems-it's the people around him who do not have this particular trait or his luck. Look what he did to Sal-that is the one act in this whole series which showed how heartless and hypocrytical Don is. Lanes death is tragic, but so was the firing of Sal. I will never forget Sal, in the dark, in the rain, in the park, on the phone to his wife...it will always be one of the most tragic scenes for me.

[redsox girl]

I read him as a self loathing sociopath who has moments of vaguely understood , on his part, kindness. If that is the right word. But, to me, he lacks self awareness, remorse and true empathy. As someone mentioned earlier, Bert could have destroyed Don, but chose not to. You would think Don would have taken something away from that experience...he is so much like his own parents-cold, hard, judgemental, unforgiving and oblivious to the pain his words and actions cause others. His kind actions are momentary gestures, superficial, lacking any commitment or depth. I don't see follow through, merely hollow gestures ( which he views as genuine). Like many sociopaths he has mastered being charming a learned trait. He ge6ts away with so much. But in the end, no matter how hard he tries to erase his past through various means, I think it shows you can never really seperate yourself from your core being, no matter the lengths you go to. Your true nature bubbles t0o the top from time to time, cutting through the easy smile and charm, to reveal ones true nature, if only for a moment.

[PhoneGrrrl]

What an amazing episode! That's the Emmy reel for Jared Harris at least.

First, wasn't it weird that there was ZERO mention of Peggy? It was pre-Valentines Day last episode and it was still cold enough to be snowing and ski weather, so it's not like there was a huge time jump. I really expected a passing mention. But then, the guys from Creative (aside from Don) weren't really featured.

I love that old jokester Kenny Cosgrove seems to have grown up a bit; looks like his wife is a good influence on him. And FINALLY pay-off of the Ray Wise casting as Ken's FIL. He was in one 30 second scene last year and you don't get Ray Wise just for 30 seconds and then one or two other small (albeit significant in what he said to Don about "The Letter") bits.

And, well, damn, Lane. I wish he stayed with the nice Playboy bunny lady and never went back to his bitchy wife. (I like Embeth Davidtz....I do not like Rebecca Pryce.) I feel the Lane/Rebecca reconciliation was never quite explained (other than maybe his dad knocking him on his head with the walking stick). It doesn't make sense. SDCP was (pre-Joan partnership) 25% Don, 25% Bert, 25% Roger, and 12.5% each Pete and Lane. The 3 majors contributed $100K, Don covered Pete's $50K and Lane liquidated his portfolio for his $50K. Don, Bert & Roger made out when they sold their partnership interests in Sterling Cooper, so they had bank. Lane didn't and he knew that, yet went back to his wife and never said anything to her. SDCP didn't turn a profit until this season, so late '66/early '67 which explains why Lane was "operating at a deficit" for three years. I get the whole pride thing to a point, but when the pride gets so bad it turns into theft and he's the financial manager of the company, Don did him a favor by allowing him to resign and not say anything to Bert. Don was willing to keep the forgery quiet, thus teeing himself up to take some crap from Bert (or whomever else Bert might have told) down the road. Don didn't call the cops, didn't call a partners' meeting to vote him out of the contract, and I think really believed Lane could make a fresh start as Lane is an accounting guy and doesn't have to stick to the ad world, where apparently he was disparaged back in London. In the real world, Lane could have had it a lot worse than just quietly resigning--it could have meant jail time. Lane's depression and over-compensating sense of pride did him in at the end, not anything Don did.

Finally, I kind of thought the whole Sally story line was a bit of a waste other than it was telling that in early '67 it wasn't "safe" to walk across Central Park--I do think that's fairly accurate for the time but not now--and she and Betty had an over-due mother-daughter touching moment. And I stand by my theory that creepy Glen is only still around because he's Weiner's kid.

[Duxxy]

What a great episode; I agree with just about everything already said. Re: Sally's panties; only the women have commented on it... men, never having been in that position, wouldn't get the feeling of panic and shock of seeing that for the first time. I don't think they were going for 'ick factor'
I snickered a bit too, when the Jag wouldn't start and the incredulous look on Lane's face "I can't even get this right?" So sad when the 3 men cut him down.

I'm so happy to see you all hate Pete as much as I do.. that said: he's not going anywhere. We love to hate him. I hope there are some changes in store for Don, we all change with age and experiences - his character should too.

In the previews for next week

[J.D.]

Why is it that the characters I like a lot are the ones to go? Recall that wonderful, funny lady that they hired as Don's secretary? They found her dead at her desk one day and hid her body by rolling her from office to office?

I've probably mentioned this before...but the secretary's name was Miss Blankenship, which happens to be my daughter's married name. Miss Blankenship even has her own FB page.

Sorry if that was too off-topic, the association of the saucy old secretary and my saucy young secretary daughter just makes me giggle.


But yeah, this was a great episode. I wish it hadn't taken so long to get to this point. I wondered what was up with all the weirdo stuff Lane was up to and why....like taking that picture out of the wallet he found, etc. I guess we'll never know. I also wonder if Don thought Lane would be able to pick himself up and move on like he did all those years ago, and even like Peggy did after having her baby. I can't imagine having to carry that guilt around forever.

Now it's almost over, and we have to wait, what....another year and a half? Grrrr.

I had no idea creepy Glen is Weiner's kid. That explains a few things.

Also - I think I've figured out why Megan's mouth/teeth bother me so much. Well, other than the fact that they impede her speech. She is always sort of red/pink all around her mouth like she's been making out with an unshaven Don Draper. Or has just smeared a jelly donut on her face. Or eaten all the spaghetti sauce and then they have to eat the spaghetti with no sauce. Anyway - it still bugs me. I want her to go away.

Sorry this post is so disjointed....it's late here.