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To me, the episode was sad. Betty starving herself to get slim. How sad was it when she started to eat (that single bite of stuffing?), and her son stopped her because they hadn't said what they were thankful for yet, and Sally pointed out that their mom was hungry. Let her eat, Bobby, she's hungry! And that scene with the whipped cream. She's so hungry for the things Megan has, that she's attacking herself (overeating, then starving herself, she's a case study for the beginnings of bulimia), and striking out at Don and Megan. For Betty to say she's thankful that she has everything she wants and it's better than everyone else has, and Henry to obliviously assent, is just sad.
Kudos to Don and Megan and how they handled the Anna Draper thing. Sally was really nasty, and it was interesting that her anger about Don's first wife wasn't directed at Don, but at Megan. Betty directed some of that anger, but Sally is certainly old enough to know that if Anna was a secret, she was her father's secret, not Megan's. Megan letting Don know what Betty was up to---well, now we, the audience, know that Megan is more than aware of how toxic and angry Betty is, and how she'll use Sally to hurt Don. And Sally is growing up and knows it, too! "Yes, Mommy, I asked about Anna, and they showed me pictures and told me all about her. It was really nice, and a bonding moment between me and Daddy and my stepmother. Your attempt to drive a wedge in their marriage failed miserably. Sorry!"
The other thing that was striking to me on this episode was the blatant anti-Semitism. Roger asking the Jewish guy to work on the Jewish account, secretly. Roger asking his Jewish wife to go to dinner with the Jewish clients. His Jewish wife, "Now you don't want me to hide my Jewish background?" "Just don't let them know we're separated until the deal is signed." And how rich is Roger? I mean, he must be loaded to the gills. Still supporting his first wife and family, and his second wife can negotiate a new Manhattan apartment in exchange for pretending that Roger isn't a 100% WASP jerk with loads of prejudices? It cracked me up when he muttered he needed to stop carrying around so much cash. Was that supposed to be one of the dark shadows being cast in this episode?
Dark shadow: Ginsberg and his jealousy of Don. "You can still come up with a good idea?" And the resentment over Don going with his own idea with the client.
Dark shadow: Betty's relationship with food hiding her hunger for a different life.
Dark shadow: Pete's continued obsession with the insurance man's wife. Shadow can be a euphemism for a ghost or fantasy, particularly when that ghose or fantasy is rooted in darkness. His fantasy of this woman showing up in his office, provocatively wearing a fur coat with only lingerie underneath, seducing him, is the epitome of a dark shadow.
Dark shadow: Don noting that so much of the firm's work is being channeled to Ginsburg, and not to Peggy.
Dark shadow: Megan's friend telling Megan that she's not a part of the tribe anymore. She's not a struggling actress, she's not going hungry for art. She's not paying the dues. Which makes her more of a dilletante. Megan knows she's been lucky, but she's realizing that she's lost something as well. The struggle for success is an important part of success, and her narrative of struggle is changed. Does that mean she's lost her edge?
Dark shadow: Is Anna a dark shadow in Don's life? I've always thought she brought lucidity and clarity to Don and his choices, but Betty certainly tried to use Anna as a dark shadow.
This was a great episode. Happy to see Bitter Betty again, taking one step forward and two-steps back. She is making painfully slow progress toward self-enlightenment.
Only Roger could make his casual racism so hilarious- "[Manischewitz] makes wine for Jews. And now they're making one they want to sell to normal people, you know, like me." Lol
As Megan read the script it was evident that her friend was auditioning for the soap "Dark Shadows." I love it when they bring in events and names that are really from that era.
As Megan read the script it was evident that her friend was auditioning for the soap "Dark Shadows." I love it when they bring in events and names that are really from that era.
I agree Mineravah, AND, it was the movie "Dark Shadows" opening weekend,(scathing reviews).
Megan was wrong about that soap, it was a huge hit and developed a cult following for years.
I think Sally handled herself in typical fashion for a girl that age,such confusion and upheaval she has had in her life. Now,she finds her rock, Don, hiding something she finds very important from her. She sees it the same as a lie.
Got the reference from Roger mentioning about carrying all that money around. (Peggys side work for him- "how much you got"?)
This was a great episode. Happy to see Bitter Betty again, taking one step forward and two-steps back. She is making painfully slow progress toward self-enlightenment.
Only Roger could make his casual racism so hilarious- "[Manischewitz] makes wine for Jews. And now they're making one they want to sell to normal people, you know, like me." Lol
Agree with you about this episode. And Roger, He has some of the best lines, perfect dead pan delivery.
I think Don is a total jerk after he left Megan at the Howard Johnson's earlier this season. But I loved how he pulled rank with Ginsberg in the elevator: "I NEVER think about you."
I think Don is a total jerk after he left Megan at the Howard Johnson's earlier this season. But I loved how he pulled rank with Ginsberg in the elevator: "I NEVER think about you."
Yes. That was really funny and Ginsberg can, at times, be very annoying in his attempts at self promotion.
Ideally, that choice not to present Ginsberg's material should have been decided earlier, but I've had managers who actually steal ideas from the people working for them.
"Surprise! There's an airplane here to see you!"
(And on Pearl Harbor Day. During an airline strike.)
Loved this episode. I enjoyed finally seeing Don and Joan together having a respectful, sympathetic, give-and-take moment. And then the flowers the next day, very nice.
But of course, Don was helping Joan while neglecting to even give Megan a phone call. Despite Megan's display of temper, she seems so much more mentally healthy than Betty, who would have just told Don to leave, then gone off and seethed. Megan instead insists that Don sit down and have his crappy pasta at the table.
And what is going to happen with Lane (and the firm!?)
Good to see Kinsey again. Interesting with Laksmi and Harry and all that.
Pete wants a pat on the head so bad.
Don got the crowd fired up at the end, which is great for morale, but how much did he believe in what he was saying?
Another great episode and I was pleasantly surprised to finally see what had become of Paul Kinsey. His descent into a cult was sad but kind of made sense. And if I recall, there was indeed an episode of Star Trek that dealt with a Hare Krishna-type cult. So perhaps Paul found success as a TV screenwriter after all.
I would like to see more of Harry's home life and why he's so miserable in his marriage (yet his wife is pregnant again)
It annoys me when some critics dismiss these interesting episodes as "boring, filler" episodes just because Don-Meghan-Peggy aren't front and center. I often get bored of them and want more of the others. I guess I'm in the minority.
Lane embezzling money from SCDP! *rubs hands in gleeful anticipation of his eventual, shameful discovery*
Loved to see Joanie and Don together. A sincere, mutually respectful friendship,yet I swear my TV was sizzeling a bit.
Whats this with Lane? Tax problams? Couldnt there have been a legit way to get some help for tax problams? Or did I miss something? I always wonder who (and if) will be the window jumper. Could be any number of them to "fall off" the deep end.
Really, throwing the noodles on the wall? Was a "betty moment" to me.
Did Don believe Don in his motivational speech?
WHAT? Only 3 more episodes?
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