Sunday, September 19, 2010

Mad Men Episode 9 Season 4



The Beautiful Girls, Mad Men's episode 9 of season 4 was full of things we've been waiting to see. Ms. Blankenship's demise not withstanding.
Roger and Joan together again, if only for a stolen moment was a glimpse of hope. Even if everything in their world has gotten old and seedy. Now when they go out to their old places, the clientele is geriatric and they get mugged walking home.
Don and Dr. Fay seem to be heading toward those wedding bells. Their budding relationship seems more modern than any yet depicted on the show. If for no other reason than Fay telling Don that she loves children but doesn't want any. She nothing if not clear about her boundries.
It was great to see Sally so much this episode. The whole scene with the french toast was hysterical. Of course Don likes french toast with rum instead of syrup. She is so ready to grow up, she can't wait.
I know a lot of people were hoping we'd see Abe again. I think he will be the one that pulls Peggy into feminism, whether he realizes it or not. I loved what Peggy said about not being able to do the things "negroes" couldn't as a women. How oblivious Abe was to the statement.
The whole episode was really very female centric. Like Joyce, Peggy's friend, says women are the pot that hold the vegatable soup/men. Women warm them, hold them, and contain them, or something along those lines.
The final scene with Peggy, Joan, and Fay in the elevator was a great shot. These three very different women all taking care of men in their own way to their own degree. Where would these men be without them? Whose supporting these women?

One odd visual tonight was the 666 address you could see, on another building, through the reception window, when Sally is brought to the office by the train lady. In fact there were a few references to satan tonight. Perhaps the address is geographically accurate, but still interesting. I have no theory what it could mean, except maybe all the Mad Men True Blood cast exchange has reached a new level.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You mean reached a new low......very "low".

Chris said...

666 5th Avenue, NYC was the address for the advertising firm that handled Richard Nixon's 1968 presidential campaign.

In a further weird twist, that firm was located only a block away from the cathedral that Robert Kennedy's funeral was held in that same year.

Do you think Weiner is laying the groundwork for Season 5 or 6 this far in advance?

Gayle said...

Great recap. That final scene was so perfect - those complicated women, each dealing with so much, standing in silence in the elevator. The Sally stuff was interesting, tho I am just getting tired of Betty at this point. She's such a bad mother, clearly - would like to see something change there. Don and the research woman - I don't like it.