Mad Men Season 5 Epi 7 At The Codfish Ball

Megan's parents explained a lot about Megan and Don's relationship and possibly created about as many questions. They obviously hate one another. Megan's father seems to think that Don, the rich man, has stolen his daughter from her true calling (acting?). Megan's mom has a drinking problem and when she passes out with her hand draped out holding a cigarette(Just like the above logo) , you have to wonder if they're try to tell us that Megan is trying to fix something with her mother through her relationship with Don.

 I do love that Don is trying so hard with her parents. Carrying the bags for her father instead of letting their doorman do it. He doesn't want his father in law to think he is the capitalist pig he suspects. But there is no chance, as evidenced by him having Bobby fill his fountain pen on the white carpet. It was like a giant F@#* You.

 I still think Don and Megan's marriage is bound for divorce. Especially, with her home example and her father obviously pushing her to leave him. We'll see...

 The Peggy and Abe story was great. Love that we got another Joan and Peggy pow wow. (we haven't been getting much Joan the last few episodes) By the end of the episode I still wasn't sure how Peggy felt about Abe wanting to live together rather than getting married. Joan's reaction was great and sincere, I think. Maybe Peggy really doesn't know either. It's possible Abe thinks Peggy is a working women and wouldn't want to get married. I think the main motivation for his asking was his seeing how the guys in the office talk to her. He wants some ownership over her.

 Peggy's mother has probably had all she can take from Peggy. But I bet she will adjust to this idea in time. Hopefully, Peggy and Abe will work out and our Peggy won't end up having to buy all those cats.

 The Cancer dinner was interesting. I thought Roger was going to be Sally's first date and play it perfectly. But once she walked in on him and Megan's mother that went out the window. Then Ken's father in law telling Don none of the execs from the Cancer Society would trust him with an account after his Lucky Strike letter. They'll give him awards but never hire him. When they all return to the table, Megan, her father and mother, Don And Sally. It looks like a bomb has gone off. They are all devastated.

 Finally, what is going on with Megan? She comes up with that great campaign. She holds Don's hand through the entire pitch. But when Peggy congratulates her, which I wasn't sure she was going to be happy about, it looks like Megan is the unhappy one. Is it true, does she really want to be doing something else. Is she only pretending to like advertising because Don likes it, like her father said at the beginning of the episode.

Just to wrap things up here is Shirley Temple singing At The Codfish Ball

Shirley is dancing with Buddy Ebsen, who we often see a picture of as Jed Clampett in Harry Crane's office. Either someone has a thing for Ebsen over there or this is a major coincidence.

Sherlock Season Two on PBS

Sherlock Season two premieres on PBS Sunday, May 6th. That's just one week from this Sunday. I feel like I need to explain to the networks that it is ok to put good programs on days other than Sunday. It seems every show I like is on Sunday. Anyway, I loved the first season of Sherlock and with it's star, Benedict Cumberbatch (could his name be more English?) getting swept up in so many big budget movies (War Horse and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) this may be the last one. So, be sure you get to see it. Looks like this season Sherlock will find his match in a beautiful dominatrix. You get a tiny peak at her in this clip, not mention a nod to the Sherlock of old.

Watch Sherlock Season 2: A Scene from Ep. 1 on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.

I'll be watching, somehow, Sunday night. Tweeting with #Sherlock

The London West Hollywood

Last week I was invited to lunch at The London Hotel in West Hollywood with several other bloggers. It is such a gorgeous hotel. I love how light it is. Too many hotels are so dark I can barely see. Look at this lobby.

I'm just waiting for Ginger Rogers in a feather dress to come twirling out to meet Fred Astaire. Everything has a feel of classic Hollywood while still being very modern. We were treated to their Gordon Ramsey create lunch menu at their beautiful roof top pool. Where they also have party facilities. Isn't this spectacular.

I truly love the space. I even tweeted TCM that they should have one of their Film Festival parties here next year. Did I mention the brushed suede walls? They are everywhere and too tempting not to doodle on. Not to worry they have a round the clock staff brushing them, so you're really supporting their job security by giving in to the temptation. Hope to see you all there soon!

The Pirates! Opens this Friday 4/27

The Pirates!Band Of Misfits opens this Friday April 27th. After months of my daughter asking me if we can go see this every time she sees a poster last night I was finally able to get us into a screening. It was totally worth staying up late on a school night and the next morning drama.

 If you and your kids love Wallace and Gromit they way we do this is a can't miss. Even if you somehow don't love them this is a can't miss. It even has Hugh Grant as the pirate captain...

The movie starts out with a band of pirates arguing about what is the best part about being pirates, which quickly devolves into a brawl and then breaks into song. Our Captain it seems is longing to win the Captain of the year prize, and since he's lost SO many years in a row he's sure this is his year. Unfortunately when he goes to fill out his application each captain who enters is more grandeous than the next. With the pirate captains dreams dashed he heads out of town with his band of misfit crew just in time to find an adventure that just might win him a prize after all.

 As a parent I have to say this is a great family movie. Everyone will enjoy it, even a theatre full of cold hearted film critics were laughing. Also you could absolutely watch this several times and not catch everything. I tried to read all the street signs in the background, many of which had jokes of their own. Also the street names are hystarical. Finally the soundtrack is great too. There is one really funny song, that I can't be sure but sounds a lot like James Blunt.

So yes, run don't walk...

Mad Men Season 5 Epi 6 Far Away Places

This feels like the break up episode. Some of the relationships are at the beginning of break ups and some of them the end. Perhaps the partners in the relationships are each in a far away place from the other.

Peggy & Abe: Peggy in general can't make anyone happy with the possible exception of strangers in movie theatres. Abe wants her to be a better girl friend, less focused on work. Truly I think they're too different. He wants to go to The Naked Prey and she ends up at Born Free. Seriously from different planets.
Heinz wants her to be, a man, basically. When the guys says he's letting her get away with what she's said because he has a daughter. He basically called her a child to be tolerated. She really is getting it from every where.

Ginsberg & reality: Last week I called the concentration camp connection, but even I'm not good(obsessed) enough to catch the Mars connection. I'm not entirely sure he was kidding about being from Mars. What did he mean by the communication, to "stay where you are"? I was a bit lost on all that. I would definitely understand if he had a hard time finding people with common early experiences.

Don & Roger: After tonights episode I feel like I have to go back and watch their entire relationship. Is it me, or are they one anothers yin and yang. Rogers miserable, Don is elated. Then Roger gets his freedom and is about to be, what I hope, is very very happy with Joan and their baby and Don's life goes out the window.
Loved the reference to the twins and the hospital. Ah the good old days.

Roger & Jane: The moment we have been crossing our fingers has finally come. Roger and Jane are getting a divorce. It might have been more fun to watch them if they had been on acid from the beginning. Course that Derby Day party was pretty trippy. I love that the world burst into song for Roger when he open a bottle of vodka on acid. Also he sees Don as the guide for his trip. And Cooper is on the $5 bill. Tie in with Lincoln or not, you decide. Finally the black Sox series game was hysterical.
Anyway, I'm hoping to see Roger on acid more, and from the scene from next week I think that is pretty likely.

Don & Megan: These two seem destined for disaster. Don doesn't respect Megan's place at work. He drags her to Howard Johnson and tells the team they don't need HIM. When it is Megan who has been Peggy's junior on the campaign. Unless they can get this sorted, I don't think it will end well. We see them again on that white carpet that is also doomed to destruction, with Megan saying that every fight diminishes their love.
Then we see the car ride back from Disneyland. Where Don is Whistling I Want To Hold Your Hand, by The Beatles. Megan said I thought you hated that and Don says it stuck in my head. You can see where she might have thought he would like her younger generation things more than he has turned out too.

This and That:

The drugs are really popping up everywhere. A few weeks ago with Sally. This week Peggy gets stoned in a theatre and Roger takes LSD.

Don doesn't buy Gene a gift.

Frank Lloyd Rice. I love Roger. Just saying it wrong to annoy snooty people.