Part of why I love Mad Men is how it sends a message in a subtle way. Like - you have to pay attention or you won't get it. So far, the show has shown how sexist life was back in the day. It has also, in it's own way shown how African Americans were not even regarded. I think the character we have seen the most has been the elevator attendant who helped Don in the last episode to get back at Roger Sterling.
The episode begins with Pete Campbell and Peggy in the elevator together. Both coming to work uber early at 7am. During the ride, the attendant lets them know that the service elevator is out of place and would it be okay if the janitor rode with them? The look on Pete's face as they disembarked filled me with rage. It was one of "seriously, it would have been better for him to use the stairs. How dare he ride with me?"
Pete looks exceptionally unhappy and when Peggy goes into his office, he repeatedly tells her to shut the door. To which Peggy tells him "why? there's noone here" - despite the fact that a janitor just rode with them into the office. This is how Mad Men tells its story to show the disregard held for African Americans. I digress, a one-two step and Pete and Peggy end up having sex as the "noone there" janitor sees their silhouette through the window bumping and grinding.
Don shows how good he is at his job by closing the Belle Jolie account using Peggy's words. They have an alpha male celebration in the office and Peggy ever so slightly forward, goes into the office and she is offered a drink. She tells the operators and Joan doesn't take it so kindly and is a bit snarky towards Peggy. The girls tell Peggy she has to celebrate and arrangements are made to meet at a bar. She has also invited Pete, who declines at first since its the day he and Trudy are moving in to their new apartment. She shows up unannounced and Pete is not so kind to her - probably the guilt of cheating on her but then again is Pete capable of guilt?
So far, Sal is not out the closet and one of the operators has taken a liking to him and looks out for him at the party but he is a no show as he ends up having drinks and dinner with a Belle Jolie exec who eventually hits on him and invites him back to his house but Sal kinda snaps out his trance and says no and leaves.
At the party Peggy is having a good time and Pete seems to look miserable. She flirtatiously dances and asks Pete to dance with her and the miserable person that he is says "I don't like you like this". I am not even sure what he meant but his intent to be hurtful works as Peggy dances away with tears in her house.
Re-watching now, I am beginning to see how highly narcissistic most of these characters were. We continue to see how they spiral out of control. And to think we are still just in the first season.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Episode 7 - Red in the Face
The "Red in the Face" episode seemed to showcase how immature a lot of the characters are. It starts with Don getting updates from Betty's therapist when he hints that for now Betty is only revealing petty jealousies but there's probably deeper issues. We move on to Sterling, who is on the phone with his wife, Mona who is making sure he drinks milk for his ulcer. As he responds that he is drinking his milk just as he pours a generous amount of vodka in it, I realize that Sterling might have been the comedic relief on this show - well as best as comedic relief can go on a show like this. Don and Roger are headed out and are having a conversation in the hallway when Pete, ever insecure walks by and asks if he was missing something. Sterling quips back that he isn't and they are talking about him like they always do then adds "Goodbye Paul" haha.
Roger and Don go out to a bar and have two young women giving them the googly eyes. When Don steps out, Roger realizes the eyes weren't for both of them and were just for Don and he seems a bit resentful. Don invites him to dinner with he and Betty. Roger drinks a lot and they talk about a variety of things. At some point Roger calls out Don's background as he mentions that he drops his "g's" and assumed he grew up in a certain area. Ever the master dodger, Don changes the subject and goes in search of more alcohol. Betty is cleaning up in the kitchen when Roger comes up behind her and makes a pass at her. She tells him to stop. Don walks in and can sense something went down but says nothing. Instead he allows a very drunk Sterling to drive himself home.
He comes back and practically attacks Betty for coming on to Roger. She tries to defend herself and say she was being nice since that is his boss but Don with the most menacing look tells her that he feels like he is living with a child. I never really realized how abusive Don was but he had a pretty scary look in that scene.
Pete being Pete, returns a wedding gift which was a chip and dip set and runs into an old classmate who is flirting with the sales girl helping Pete. He tells the sales girl he will be back for her and Pete tries to see if he has the same charm his old classmate does by trying to ask the sales girl out in exchange for her giving him cash instead of store credit. He fails and looks quite pathetic and even the sales girl shakes her head at him. We see that Pete used his store credit to get a gun that he parades around the office. Later, we hear his wife berate him for getting a gun.
Betty runs into Helen Bishop at the grocery store and when Helen tries to confront her for giving Glenn a lock of her hair she slaps Helen. Her friend Francine hears about it and comes to check on Betty. Betty spins the story, omitting what she did and says Helen is lonely and bitter. Circling back to Don, his revenge plot is in motion as he pays the elevator attendant to say the elevator is out. He takes Roger out to lunch and continues to feed him oysters and martinis. When they head back to the office trying to nail down the Nixon account, the elevator is "down" and they have to climb an endless number of stairs. Don makes it up fine but by the time Sterling makes it upstairs to the meeting, he pukes up the heavy lunch he just had. Don asks if he is okay as he walks away smirking.
Do not cross Don Draper, kids.
Roger and Don go out to a bar and have two young women giving them the googly eyes. When Don steps out, Roger realizes the eyes weren't for both of them and were just for Don and he seems a bit resentful. Don invites him to dinner with he and Betty. Roger drinks a lot and they talk about a variety of things. At some point Roger calls out Don's background as he mentions that he drops his "g's" and assumed he grew up in a certain area. Ever the master dodger, Don changes the subject and goes in search of more alcohol. Betty is cleaning up in the kitchen when Roger comes up behind her and makes a pass at her. She tells him to stop. Don walks in and can sense something went down but says nothing. Instead he allows a very drunk Sterling to drive himself home.
He comes back and practically attacks Betty for coming on to Roger. She tries to defend herself and say she was being nice since that is his boss but Don with the most menacing look tells her that he feels like he is living with a child. I never really realized how abusive Don was but he had a pretty scary look in that scene.
Pete being Pete, returns a wedding gift which was a chip and dip set and runs into an old classmate who is flirting with the sales girl helping Pete. He tells the sales girl he will be back for her and Pete tries to see if he has the same charm his old classmate does by trying to ask the sales girl out in exchange for her giving him cash instead of store credit. He fails and looks quite pathetic and even the sales girl shakes her head at him. We see that Pete used his store credit to get a gun that he parades around the office. Later, we hear his wife berate him for getting a gun.
Betty runs into Helen Bishop at the grocery store and when Helen tries to confront her for giving Glenn a lock of her hair she slaps Helen. Her friend Francine hears about it and comes to check on Betty. Betty spins the story, omitting what she did and says Helen is lonely and bitter. Circling back to Don, his revenge plot is in motion as he pays the elevator attendant to say the elevator is out. He takes Roger out to lunch and continues to feed him oysters and martinis. When they head back to the office trying to nail down the Nixon account, the elevator is "down" and they have to climb an endless number of stairs. Don makes it up fine but by the time Sterling makes it upstairs to the meeting, he pukes up the heavy lunch he just had. Don asks if he is okay as he walks away smirking.
Do not cross Don Draper, kids.
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