Official Mad Men Season 4 thread

[HopsGuy]

It was funny how Betty wanted to continue to talk with Dr. Edna even after she said "I'm a child psychologist." Betty is such a child and you're right that Sally seems to have so much more depth to her than her mother.

 

Don seemed all over the map in this one. Giving Midge some cash so that she can get her fix. That's sort of sympathetic, but not something that is really going to help her. It was more of a pay-off to extract himself from that uncomfortable situation. He wrote that letter, but it was really just a stunt to get the agency some press. He paid for Campbell's share of the partnership obligation, but that was really just to keep the business going for another 6 months. Really, all of his actions were in self interest. Same old Don.

 

There's some chatter about how the final episode is centered around a car trip that Don takes with Sally. I guess that since the firm is going to be sort of status quo after the partners (except for Bert?) all kicked in to keep the ship afloat, the story can turn back to the family.

 

Both This Week In Mad Men Roundtable and the Star-Register Podcast both mentioned that Conrad Hilton was on the board of directors for the American Cancer Society, hinting that maybe Don will get another shot with Hilton Hotels.

 

The season just flew by. I just wish the Bills' season didn't seem so long by comparison.

[KD in CA]

Not sure what relevance it has to the story, but the return of Midge was kind of sad, but felt so real. I feel like I have been around Midges' all my life... and Betty's scene with the psychiatrist was well done. January Jones is excellent in this show. I think people think of her as a bimbo, but it seems like it would be tough to play such a screwed up character, not well liked by many, and she does it so well. She is playing a pretty complex character. I really wonder how they are going to handle that character. It seemed like she took a back seat to the girl who plays the daughter, this season, after coming of an Emmy award. How much more can they do with her? I can't see any realistic way that she and Draper could reconcile....

Good point about JJ -- she's underrated. Reminds me a bit of the woman who played Tony Sopranos mother; another madenning and hated character that had a huge impact on the central character and was played so well by the actress.

 

Child characters are almost always useless (other than to establish parental issues), but Sally is interesting.

 

 

Also liked the scene where Campbell toasts Draper, from afar, when he learns from Lane that Don has paid his part of the "bail out" money. This is the kind of scene that most shows handle clumsily. Over the years, Don has developed some begrudging respect for Pete, first out of necessity (he knew the Whitman/Draper "secret"), but then out of respect for his work.

Yes, he does respect Pete, but it's also just another way for Don to keep covering up his old sins. The man is a prisoner to his past.

 

 

Sad to see Mad Men end for another season...it just started rolling.

Breaking Bad better start soon.

[HopsGuy]

Breaking Bad better start soon.

 

Alas, Breaking Bad does not return until next July but we'll be getting some online shorts starting in January. Link Considering that season 4 ended with a bit of a cliff-hanger, I doubt we'll get much from shorts unless they are very cryptic (like the stuffed animal teaser throughout season 2).

 

Some guy wrote a couple hundred words comparing Mad Men and Breaking Bad. My guess is that he wasn't paid to do it.

[KD in CA]

Alas, Breaking Bad does not return until next July but we'll be getting some online shorts starting in January. Link Considering that season 4 ended with a bit of a cliff-hanger, I doubt we'll get much from shorts unless they are very cryptic (like the stuffed animal teaser throughout season 2).

 

Some guy wrote a couple hundred words comparing Mad Men and Breaking Bad. My guess is that he wasn't paid to do it.

 

 

Not too many season enders as good as last year's BB.

 

Thanks for the article.

[Buftex]

Good point about JJ -- she's underrated. Reminds me a bit of the woman who played Tony Sopranos mother; another madenning and hated character that had a huge impact on the central character and was played so well by the actress.

 

Child characters are almost always useless (other than to establish parental issues), but Sally is interesting.

 

 

 

Yes, he does respect Pete, but it's also just another way for Don to keep covering up his old sins. The man is a prisoner to his past.

 

 

 

Breaking Bad better start soon.

 

 

I have been enjoying Boardwalk Empire quite a bit. It gets better each week. Terrence Winter is doig that one, also ex-Soprano guy.

 

There are almost too many shows for me to keep up with right now:

 

Mad Men

Bill Maher

Boardwalk Empire

Eastbound and Down

Dexter

Weeds

 

Gotta admit, Weeds and Dexter are teetering for me, as in, I am losing interest in both...everytime I write off Weeds, there is a decent episode that keeps me coming back...this past weeks was awful, but it contained a quality nude scene from Mary Louise Parker...next time I read an interview with her, saying that she resents that she has to do nudity in one scene or another, I will just laugh...she gets nuder by the week... Dexter just gets more implausible by the second...but I still watch. I used to love it, but I think it may have run its' course.

 

Agree though, Mad Men and Breaking Bad are my favorites.

[bbb]

It was funny how Betty wanted to continue to talk with Dr. Edna even after she said "I'm a child psychologist." Betty is such a child and you're right that Sally seems to have so much more depth to her than her mother.

 

Don seemed all over the map in this one. Giving Midge some cash so that she can get her fix. That's sort of sympathetic, but not something that is really going to help her. It was more of a pay-off to extract himself from that uncomfortable situation. He wrote that letter, but it was really just a stunt to get the agency some press. He paid for Campbell's share of the partnership obligation, but that was really just to keep the business going for another 6 months. Really, all of his actions were in self interest. Same old Don.

 

There's some chatter about how the final episode is centered around a car trip that Don takes with Sally. I guess that since the firm is going to be sort of status quo after the partners (except for Bert?) all kicked in to keep the ship afloat, the story can turn back to the family.

 

Both This Week In Mad Men Roundtable and the Star-Register Podcast both mentioned that Conrad Hilton was on the board of directors for the American Cancer Society, hinting that maybe Don will get another shot with Hilton Hotels.

 

The season just flew by. I just wish the Bills' season didn't seem so long by comparison.

 

I actually thought that Don's payment for Pete was for Pete falling on the sword with that defense contractor.

 

Why can't they make this series the regular 26 weeks? You'd think with all the Emmys, they'd want more than 13 weeks. Since this is my first season watching in somewhat real time (DVR vs. watching all the seasons on DVD this spring), I thought it flew by and I want more, too.

[HopsGuy]

Not sure what relevance it has to the story, but the return of Midge was kind of sad, but felt so real. I feel like I have been around Midges' all my life...

 

Trivia: Midge is played by Rosemarie DeWitt. She's the grand-daughter of Jimmy Braddock and was in "Cinderella Man", where Russell Crowe played Braddock. Also, she's married to Ron Livingston who has been in some of my favorite movies/shows of the last few years (Swingers, Office Space, Band of Brothers, etc). Alas, she's not related to Joyce DeWitt, Janet from "Three's Company". Man. that would be awesome.

[bbb]

Trivia: Midge is played by Rosemarie DeWitt. She's the grand-daughter of Jimmy Braddock and was in "Cinderella Man", where Russell Crowe played Braddock. Also, she's married to Ron Livingston who has been in some of my favorite movies/shows of the last few years (Swingers, Office Space, Band of Brothers, etc). Alas, she's not related to Joyce DeWitt, Janet from "Three's Company". Man. that would be awesome.

 

I agree with Buftex that the Midge story felt so real. I believe that Season One was in 1960. So, if you're living in the Village, smoking pot, having affairs with married men, and hanging out with hippies in the last year of the Ike Administration, you're a prime candidate to graduate to heroin and having a pathetic life 5 years later.

 

That is really interesting about that actress. I should have realized that she was Rachel in Rachel Getting Married.......But, being married to Nixon and especially being the granddaughter of Braddock - that is a very interesting family!

[Buftex]

Season finale just finished...gotta say, nothing happened that I didn't expect, which surprises me.

 

Faye Miller has the goods on somebody...

 

 

btw- didn't realize, the woman who plays Faye, also played Moltisanti's wife on the Sopranos.

[bbb]

Season finale just finished...gotta say, nothing happened that I didn't expect, which surprises me.

 

Faye Miller has the goods on somebody...

 

 

btw- didn't realize, the woman who plays Faye, also played Moltisanti's wife on the Sopranos.

 

Nothing really happened - especially compared to last year's finale. Don getting engaged was more weird to me than shocking.

[KD in CA]

I wasn't surprised by the hook up, but didn't see the engagement to Megan coming; if anything I figured it would be Faye, who is awfully pissed. Some good scenes though:

 

--Henry Francis starting to realize that no matter how hot she is, somewhere, someone is sick of her sh--.

--Peggy and Joan continuing to represent the feminist movement in their respective ways, bonding over some anti-partners bitching.

--Was Betty just a little bummed out by Don's news? And maybe realizing she played a part by firing Carla before his CA trip?

 

 

Great season, sorry to see it end.

[bbb]

I wasn't surprised by the hook up, but didn't see the engagement to Megan coming; if anything I figured it would be Faye, who is awfully pissed. Some good scenes though:

 

--Henry Francis starting to realize that no matter how hot she is, somewhere, someone is sick of her sh--.

--Peggy and Joan continuing to represent the feminist movement in their respective ways, bonding over some anti-partners bitching.

--Was Betty just a little bummed out by Don's news? And maybe realizing she played a part by firing Carla before his CA trip?

 

 

Great season, sorry to see it end.

 

Yeah, I thought he had met his match with Faye and that Megan meant nothing to him........I think the first time I've seen Betty smile the whole season was when Don found the hidden bottle. She was definitely bummed about the news.

 

This series definitely has so many stories to it that I'd love to see it go another 13 weeks for a full season.

[HopsGuy]

Amazing how events conspire. Glenn is caught at the house, so Betty fires Carla. Don takes Megan in Carla's place, decides that's what he's looking for and proposes when they get back. Faye hits the nail on the head when she tells Don that she hopes Megan knows that Don only likes "the beginning".

 

Betty is looking for a fresh start herself, but Henry reminds her that there are no fresh starts, just life continuing on. You can tell he's getting a bit exasperated himself when he tells Betty that no one is ever on her side. Betty realizes that she probably had it better with Don and decides to accidentally be there when Don is to meet with the realtor. The hidden bottle was a nice touch. The scene at the end when they exit the kitchen in different directions really put the nail in the coffin of that relationship.

 

Did you catch the scene at the pool in California when Bobby says that he's a shark and Don then jumps over him? That was funny.

 

Best line: "Who?" by Roger when Don announces his engagement to Miss Corvey (I didn't know her last name, either).

 

Good call on Joan keeping the baby.

 

Peggy picked up the new account with a pretty sharp off-the-top-of-her-head presentation.

 

Ken Cosgrove is NOT Pete Campbell.

 

 

See ya next summer.

[KD in CA]

Best line: "Who?" by Roger when Don announces his engagement to Miss Corvey (I didn't know her last name, either).

Followed shortly by "Let's celebrate. Megan, can you get us some ice?....................Just kidding!"

 

 

Peggy picked up the new account with a pretty sharp off-the-top-of-her-head presentation.

Peggy's talent continues to become more evident as life's obstacles move Don further away from what made him a star.

 

 

 

It'll be a long winter with no Mad Men and no Breaking Bad. At least I have the Bills.

[bbb]

Did you catch the scene at the pool in California when Bobby says that he's a shark and Don then jumps over him? That was funny.

 

Best line: "Who?" by Roger when Don announces his engagement to Miss Corvey (I didn't know her last name, either).

 

I didn't hear Bobby say he was a shark. That is funny!

 

Roger's "Who?" was hilarious. And, it was in step with his great line a few weeks ago "I have to go learn a bunch of people's names, so I can fire them."

 

BTW, I heard the other day that that creepy Glen kid is actually Matthew Weiner's son.

[HopsGuy]

BTW, I heard the other day that that creepy Glen kid is actually Matthew Weiner's son.

 

Yeah, Weiner also doesn't like the fact that his kid is constantly referred to as "creepy". Hey dude, you wrote him that way. He's just a good actor!

 

I didn't hear Bobby say he was a shark. That is funny!

 

Another thing I noted was when Don arrived at the Ossining house, he called out "Mrs. Truxton?" Truxston Spangler is a character in another AMC series "Rubicon". I was wondering if that was a nod to that show. I'm probably over-thinking it.

[Buftex]

Yeah, I thought he had met his match with Faye and that Megan meant nothing to him........I think the first time I've seen Betty smile the whole season was when Don found the hidden bottle. She was definitely bummed about the news.

 

This series definitely has so many stories to it that I'd love to see it go another 13 weeks for a full season.

 

 

Funny, but the episode where Don tells Faye his secret, is the first episode where we see that Don might be a little interested in Megan...that is the one that ends with the instrumental version of the Bealtes "Do You Want to Know a Secret?"

When Don tells Anne about his split with Betty, earlier, he tells her "I was afraid she would know me, and it wouldn't be what she wanted" or something like that. Same for Faye? Right at the begining of the finale, Faye is talking to Don/Dick about facing his secret, and accepting who he is. Maybe accepting that he is Dick Whitman is that hard for him, that he turns his attention to someone else, who seems infatuated with the persona of Don Draper, that he has created for himself.

Pretty complicated psychological stuff going on. So now, he is going to lead a life of lies with Megan, while both Betty and Faye (who is pissed) know his secret? Strange that Don tells Sally that "Dick" is what they call him sometime, sort of letting her know, something is up, without telling her. Something tells me that the engagement might not lead to a marriage.

[KD in CA]

Funny, but the episode where Don tells Faye his secret, is the first episode where we see that Don might be a little interested in Megan...that is the one that ends with the instrumental version of the Bealtes "Do You Want to Know a Secret?"

When Don tells Anne about his split with Betty, earlier, he tells her "I was afraid she would know me, and it wouldn't be what she wanted" or something like that. Same for Faye? Right at the begining of the finale, Faye is talking to Don/Dick about facing his secret, and accepting who he is. Maybe accepting that he is Dick Whitman is that hard for him, that he turns his attention to someone else, who seems infatuated with the persona of Don Draper, that he has created for himself.

Pretty complicated psychological stuff going on. So now, he is going to lead a life of lies with Megan, while both Betty and Faye (who is pissed) know his secret? Strange that Don tells Sally that "Dick" is what they call him sometime, sort of letting her know, something is up, without telling her. Something tells me that the engagement might not lead to a marriage.

 

 

We need to get you a guest spot on "This Week in Mad Men". Great analysis!

[HopsGuy]

Sterling's Gold is going to be published.

 

Remember, when God closes a door, he opens a dress.