A Little Mad Men Until Season 5

The other night I got a Mad Men Season 5 Amuse Bouche. That's right the LA Times' Envelope series hosted a screening of Beautiful Girls from Mad Men Season 4 and a Q&A with series creator Matt Weiner, and cast member Jon Hamm, Christina Hendricks, and Kiernan Shipka.
It was amazing and I even got to ask a question. What you ask: I asked if we would get to learn more about Joan in the coming season. To be truthful with the eyes of Matt Weiner and company on me I could barely string together a sentence, much less understand their answer. But here's what I think happened.

I asked the question and Matt Weiner said "why do you have to know?" at which point I started babbling about all the medical stuff and coughing, to which he said "you mean with the lawn mower" and then I said "yeah and the ant farm". Which was the point I realized knowing every time a character has coughed on a show was a little weird. So I said so. Then Christina jumped in to say that the coughing was in the script and she wondered why she was coughing and no one else was. I think it was at that point that I blacked out. I do remeber John Hamm looking at me like he was William Shattner and I had just approached him on a city street dressed as a Clingon.

What I took from this is that there is something to my medical theories about Joan but Matt Weiner would prefer to let it unfold in his own time. So, I'll try to control myself going forward. The last thing I want to do is anger the god of my Mad Men world. So please Mr. Weiner take your time, I will be here waiting when you are ready to show it. (really there is no saracasm in that statement, no really)

Here's some video of God talking about season 5.



I loaded a few more videos to my Elise's Ramblings Youtube Channel

Mad Men Season 4 finale

Mad Men Season 4 finale wrapped up a lot of loose ends from this season. I was so disappointed in Don. After everything he went through this year, he's back to square one. He could have built a real relationship with Faye but instead he's in love with Megan. By "in love" I think he means completely unchallenged. Megan doesn't even know about Dick. I will give her, she's great with the kids. But you can't base a relationship on not flipping out when the kids spill their drinks.
I loved Ken trying to explain to Roger, Pete and Don that his relationship with his wife was more important to him than any client. They all looked at him like he was from another planet. You won't find him marrying his 25 year old secretary.
I know I'm the only person in the world who doesn't think Glen is creepy, but I thought he was so sweet saying goodbye to Sally. He really has been supporting her through the remarriage. His advice may not be great but at least he tries.
Betty continues her long streak of crappy parenting by firing Carla. She really can be such a child. I can't believe she wouldn't give her a letter of recommendation. I'd like to think she would reconsider and hire her back. But we all know that's not happening. Maybe Don and Megan will...
Henry's definitely over the honeymoon. Truer words were never spoke than Henry telling Betty "there is no fresh start". Too bad Don wasn't in the room to get the message.
The scene of Peggy and Joan commiserating was fabulous. The contempt they have for these "men" is palpable. Peggy seems truly disappointed that Don would marry his secretary.
Speaking of Joan, we have our answer to did she or didn't she. You could see in the scene where Pryce gives her the title only promotion that she was showing. All of which was confirmed by her phone call with her husband. I was just waiting for his tent to explode. I can't wait for the look on Rogers face when she makes the announcement.
Finally, how about Betty waiting for Don at the house. Was she thinking she could get back with him. When she gives him the key to the house and they each walk out a different door it felt so final. Nothing left but a bottle of Canadian and a juice cup.
Our closing scene is of Don looking out the window to the future. Which is 9 months away for all of us. If Weiner holds to form episode 1 of Season 5 will have Don and Megan married and Joan's baby born. 270 days and counting, see you there.

Great lines:
Roger to Don after the engagement announcement "See this is the way to behave" When someone marries their secretary.
Roger after the American Heart Institute pitch "Did you get Cancer?" you know he'd been waiting to say that.

Mad men Season 4 Episode 5

Mad Men Episode 5, The Chrysanthemum and The Sword, was a relief. Don seems to have finally sobered up. I thought he might after the closing scene last week, where the neighbors wife can't even talk about a fruit purchase in public. It looks like Don is ready to open up from this weeks scene with Dr. Fay. I know everyone has been waiting for Don and her to get together, and now that Don is showing her his real feelings they just might.
The whole thing with the Honda account was classic Mad Men. I love watching Don work. The book The Chrysanthemum and The Sword's main contribution was pointing out the difference between guilt versus shame societies. I can't decide which Don is from, probably both. Roger seems to be living in both worlds too. Guilty to work with the Japanese after his experiences in the pacific in WWII, and shame that he can't pull the big clients in.
Sally is really struggling. Thank god Henry Francis is the best stepfather in history. Hopefully, Don will make a meeting with the psychologist and learn to at least be a passably present father. Did anyone else recognize the shrink from True Blood. I swear they have an exchange program between these two shows. She's the third actor to do both shows by my count.
Speaking of which, it was good to see Bethanny again. Don needed to have someone presentable to take to Benihana. Three dates in five months does not bode well for Bethanny. She's the opposite of a booty call, she's a respectability call.
They did slip in a call to California, which Miss Blankenship tell us no one answered. I think Anna's death is imminent and will be the final straw for Don. Once she is gone Don will have to reconcile Don and Dick. I picture Don ultimately becoming, if not totally open, at least significantly less secretive.
I feel like the second half of the sixties was about letting go of the expectations and being who you really were. We're seeing it with Peggy and I think we will see it with the rest of the cast, to varying degrees the rest of this season.

Mad Men Episode 4 Season 4 The Rejected

The Rejected:

Dr. Fay gathers up the under 25 year old girls in the office to form her focus group to see how the Ponds ad should be promoted, behind the glass we watch the first girl break down into a rejected mass of feminine insecurity, then Allison, Don's secretary follows suit in tears thinking about her rejection by Don. Don is on the other side of glass sweating it out that Allison will spill his secret.
Things are tangling up for Don in the office, where previously Don did not fool with the secretaries, now he doesn't know to keep business and personal separated. Allison says to Peggy, "Don is a drunk, and he pretends things didn't happen". This is the third time someone close to Don uses that pejorative.
Pete feels rejection when the client demands that Clearasil is in conflict with Ponds, and must be dropped by SCDP. Pete fought to get that contract from his father-in-law, and now he must tell him that the contract is dropped. To Pete's credit he "turns chicken shit into chicken salad" and demands that with Clearasil gone, his father-in-law must award SCDP the larger part of the company's business. His father-in-law knows Pete won this round because he can't refuse Pete his demand, since Pete and his daughter might now give him a grandchild. He mutters under his breath son-of-bitch... Pete played the grandchild card, and won.
With Pete telling everyone at SCDP that he is to be a father, Peggy feels a real stabbing rejection, since she has already given birth to Pete's first born son, she holds fast to her secret and just surprisingly bangs her head against the desk, a few times, without messing a single hair on her head. (One criticism I have about pregnancy talk - at this time, no one would mention their pregnancy until they would be "showing". It would be kept secret between a husband and wife. Miscarriages could take place easily during the first 4 to 5 months and one should not tempt fate, so secrecy was the practice.) Peggy does maintain control and leads with her head instead of her heart.
Dr. Fay tells Don her Focus Groups shows that the ad of Ponds Cold Cream must be rejected - the one that is a new idea, that women want to do the beauty ritual - 7 day beauty regime - for themselves. Dr Fay declares the Ponds ad must show women's desire to get married is fullfilled by using Ponds. Don knows that that concept is old-fashioned, like Peggy told Freddie.
The biggest Rejection, and what this episode is named for is illustrated with Peggy's initiation into the world of NYC Art scene. Here she is partying with the Counterculture glitterati in the bohemian anti-establishment world. Smoking weed, watching film art, hobnobbing with famous photographers, meeting a lesbian friend, (Joyce), discussing radical politics, (Malcolm X assassination) , kissing a journalist in the closet while the party is raided by police.
At lunchtime, when you see the SUITS on the right of the lobby and the counter-culture kids on the left of the lobby, you see Peggy locking eyes with Pete, each ensconced with their peer group - separated by a dimension of glass, a metaphor for the real separation that is taking place in society. The Suits vs. the youth, but it is a portent of what is taking place in society. Change.....
Don the Drunk stumbles with his key into his apartment, and watches the geezer across the hall berated by the old wife, "Did you get pears?" "We'll discuss it inside". Even the geezer has to experience his rejection - until he is buried and the gravedigger is throwing dirt on him.
Remember Dr Fay said the human condition is the conflict of "What I want to do vs what is expected of me. "

Lady Madonna

This post was written by Madonna from the Mad Men Yahoo group. I am currently roaming with the buffalo in Yellowstone national park, where there is no TV (the horror). I am only out of the park for a day, so I am able to post this.

A huge thank you to Madonna for taking this on. It's so good I'll be embarrassed to do it next week.

Mad Men "The Good New" S4 E3

Mad Men's third episode, left me wondering what the good news was the episode was named for. Perhaps it was the improved bed side manner of Joan's gynecologist. Or maybe that Joan's two abortions haven't affected her fertility. My new theory on Joan is that she has completely recreated herself too. She and Don may have more in common than we know.
Joan showed her hand, no pun intended, when her husband wanted to fix her hand. It was obvious she didn't trust his ability. Joan's getting a little sloppy all the way around. The whole fried chicken thing with Lane was not up to her standards. Then the complete flip out about the flowers, seemed unlike her.
Speaking of Lane, he really knows how to cut loose. The scene of him in the steakhouse was hysterical. "Look at me. I've got a big Texas belt buckle. That and the $25 whores equals the Americanization of Lane Pryce. Don and Lane's night out was pretty funny from beginning to end. The Godzilla movie was really unexpected.
It was good to see Anna, though you could tell from the moment Don entered the house things were coming apart for her. The leaking ceiling and the broken leg. Cancer was a forgone conclusion. She has been Don's moral compass, once she's gone god only knows what will become of him.
I was disappointed that Don didn't do the hard thing and tell Anna the bad news and stay to help her. Of course, I was disappointed that he hit on the teenager too, before she told him Anna was dying. Anytime Don gets in the car with young people it comes out badly. You would think he would have taken the hint the time he got mugged.
Basically, the good news is that the company actually had a good year, but all the employees lives are coming apart at the seams. Don obviously, but Lane is headed for divorce, and Joan's marriage is on hold at best, a facade at worst.
On a lighter note, looks like Lane will be needing a new secretary. Maybe we'll get to see Hildy or, please please please, Lois in the halls of SCDP.

Questions:
Does anyone know whose stand up routine that was in the comedy club? It sounded so familiar. "We know you're practicing self abuse. Come out with your hand up." Is it Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, who is that???? Also what happened at the 1963 Time Square New Years. Allison alludes to it at the beginning of the episode, but I have no idea.

Next Week: Based on the scenes from next week it looks like something is going to happen with the Clearsil account. I recognize the back of Pete's father in laws head. That may be the first sign, I've crossed into a bad place with my Mad Men addiction.

Mad Men Season 4 Predictions and Recap

Don Draper seems much darker in the Mad Men season 4 opener. I don't know if it's the loss of his family, or his general misery with life, taking him over. Love the Glo Coat commercial as allegory to Don's "escape" from his marriage. He is no longer trapped in Betty's kitchen. I was not that shocked by his new interest in S and M with a paid for Dominatrix. Even with the 2 piece swim suit client, he's no longer willing to play nice. It's his way or the highway.
I am concerned Don will repeat his mistakes with this new girlfriend Bethanny, Jane's friend, however. She's basically Betty 2.0. He could easily play out the same pattern he did with Betty. Let's hope he's more insightful than that, or she sees through him faster.

Speaking of Betty, her marriage doesn't look like it's going too well. Henry Francis is seeing her harder side with her children, and though he is trying to over look it, it doesn't seem to be working. Especially with his mother pointing out Betty's flaws and Betty refusing to move out of her and Don's house. I did notice she had redecorated the bedroom. I predict a rocky year for them. I bet they'll make the best of it for appearances sake. More fabulous marriage modeling for Sally and Bobby.

I am dying to get a better look at Joan this season. I'm really curious how she made it into her 30's before getting married. She obviously wanted to be, and she's the kind of women who could make that happen. I did notice several times through out the series her coughing (spraying the broken ant habitat, in her goodbye scene with Peggy with the John Deere running, etc..). Is it possible she had Polio? I did a little googling and she would be the right age to have gotten it during the big outbreak in her late teens. There was also that line about her not liking to eat near a bed, it reminds her of a hospital.

Pete and Peggy are both my parents age, too old to really get wrapped up in the hippie scene, but young enough to internalize the changing times. It will be interesting to watch them develop into the people they can be. Particularly Pete who has so far to go. Peggy already seems so much more confident.

The new offices are great. I love the way John Slattery (who directed)introduced it with them all walking through in a line. I had hoped we'd see Hildy and Lois. But no such luck, just yet. Hope they don't go the way of Peggy's priest and Sal.

Can't wait for next week!

Correction: Phil Abrahams directed this episode. I could have sworn I read that John Slattery was directing the first episode, I should have checked it on the credits. Thanks to my readers for catching the err.