“What are the events in life? It’s like, you see a door. The first time you come to it you say, “Oh, What’s on the other side of the door?” Then you open a few doors. And then you say, “I think I want to go over that bridge this time, I’m tired of doors.” Finally you go through one of these things and you come out the other side and then you realize that’s all there are: doors! And windows and bridges and gates and they all open the same way and they all close behind you.”
-Roger Sterling, Mad Men, The Doorway
WARNING: THIS THREAD WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS! IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE EPISODE OR DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED, DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT $200. STAY OUT UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE SPOILED.
I watched last night’s episode and really tried to soak it all in. Something not really possible with a new Mad Men episode. Nothing really popped out at me. Well, except maybe Betty’s drastic hair change at the end of the episode. If this season is like seasons one and two, hopefully it’s a slow burn that will really heat up as the season moves along.
Here are some of my thoughts on last night’s episode:
- As much as you think Don has changed his ways with Megan, in the end he’s sleeping with his new best friend’s wife (his neighbor from one floor below).
I loved this comment left by homoviper in last night’s OT:
That was sort of a mirror to the show’s very first episode where you see Don screwing other women and then find out he’s married at the end. This episode we spent thinking he’s still faithful to Megan to find out at the end that he’s fooling around again.
- I love that Peggy could probably out-Don Don these days. I didn’t even really think about it during her meeting with the client after his panic about the ear joke, but I really got it when she was talking to her minions when they had to go back to the drawing board.
- Pauline (Henry’s mom) is just as c*nty as ever.
- Who is Sandy? Where did she come from? Will we see her again? (Though I think these questions were on everyone’s mind at some point last night.) Most importantly, why did Betty feel the need to go after her?
- Despite Lane’s death, the agency is still called “Sterling, Cooper, Draper, Pryce.” I wonder if it will stay the same or if that’s a change we’ll see during the upcoming season.
- I loved the photographer (who I just keep seeing as Kenny from My Boys) telling Don to just be himself. But the underlying question on everyone’s mind since season 1 is, “Who is Don Draper, really?”
And finally, Grantland runs some of my favorite TV recaps. Here is theirs for last night’s Mad Men.
I’m sure I will have more thoughts on this as you guys share yours. Look for them in the comments.
Image Michael Yarish/AMC.
