*sigh* *deep sigh* I mean, will there ever be an episode of MM with Sally where I don't hold my breath the entire episode and then something horrible happens to her and I end up saying "Poor Sally" for days and days? (Rhetorical. We all know the answer.) And although I am serious when I say this happens every time, it doesn't lessen the shock and disgust we all felt when Sally saw Don with Sylvia. My mind was putting all the pieces together as she was entering the kitchen and just when I was thinking "oh, I hope they're not doing it when Sally..." BOOM! OF COURSE THEY WERE DOING IT WHEN SALLY WALKS IN. I felt a lot like Don looked following that scene. Let's pause and recap Poor Sally's experiences to date: Glen Bishop, gets caught masturbating at sleepover, grandfather lets her drive then dies, mom and dad divorce, new stepdad Henry, new stepmom Megan, often responsible for younger brothers, gets period while playing hooky with Glen Bishop, nasty stepgrandmother Pauline is mean and freaks her out by talking about nurses getting murdered, sees other stepgrandmother Marie and Roger getting it on at a restaurant, has random run-in with thief who plays mindgames about knowing her father (while home alone with brothers). AND THESE ARE ONLY THE ONES I REMEMBER!
Please give this girl an Emmy RIGHT FREAKING NOW!
Can something good happen to this girl?! And even with listing all of these not-awesome, potentially life-altering experiences, I think this episode with Don is the final straw for our Poor Sally. Her relationship with Betty never really was and now her beloved Dad is a liar and a cheat. I don't think Sally recovers from this, really. I've written about Poor Sally at length in previous entries, so I will just leave it at this... beatnik or hippie? Cuz it's one or the other next season. (Aside: I'm no psychiatrist, but if I was I would say these awesome things. I bet.)
Let's talk Don Draper. This season has certainly been a seemingly long, strange journey with us seeing Don uncharacteristically not in control due to lots of mind altering events, both pharmacological and just life. In previous episodes, Don was in altered states due to B12 shots (ha!) and some damn powerful hashish business. Oh, and that almost drowning thing. Arguably the most powerful mindbending that has happened, however, has been delving into his own memories. It started with a cough and then we were privy to how Don was raised in a brothel and through multiple scenes, we are left to think that Don's attitude toward sex is... what? I think up until this point, Don's attitudes, shaped so young, were tied into power, money and not anything to do with love really. However, it's no coincidence that Don is uncovering memories of the prostitute who cared for him while he was sick then slept with him now that he is so into Sylvia. His first and probably true association of sex is that of caring and motherly love. And who is a more overtly caring mom than Sylvia? Sylvia keeps saying that no one was supposed to fall in love during their affair, but I think Don is in love with Sylvia and probably for the first time in his life. I'm not sure that Don ever loved Betty or Megan (even in trippy, hashish-induced, near-death experiences... you'll recall that he was envisioning Megan as a "second chance" not necessarily his love. Also, he already messed up that second chance.).
I felt like this after that scene, too
The question now is, does Don have the self-awareness at this point to realize that what Sally witnessed directly parallels his own young life experiences? Will he acknowledge that Sally probably needs to talk about this? I want to say that based on Don's reaction post-event, i.e. pacing in lobby, not sure what to do or where to go, he will have a new understanding and sympathy for Sally. But my sad, realistic bet is it all gets swept under the rug, as usual. We all know, though, that things swept under rugs don't always stay there.
Speaking of which, Peggy's discussion with
Pete's mom threw her and all of us back to
Problem solved
Seasons 1&2 ("think of your baby together") and simultaneously reminded us all of Peggy and Pete's painful history (painful for her, I don't know what for him) and just how far Peggy has come since then, mostly due to Don telling Peggy to sweep the baby and subsequent hospitalization under rug ("this never happened"). This sets us up for one of those quintessential Mad Men scenes, where it seems like nothing is happening, but SO MUCH IS HAPPENING: Peggy, Pete and Ted stuck in a bar, flight grounded due to weather. The chemistry between Ted and Peggy was so palpable that even Pete could see it. Then Ted leaves and it gives Pete and Peggy some bonding time where they talk about Pete's mom, among other things, and then Pete acknowledges that Peggy really knows him and Peggy acknowledges the same. Not in any sexual way, just the kind of way where two people share a history. But by the time Ted comes back, wether or not he thinks something is happening between Pete and Peggy I don't know, but he definitely feels like a third wheel at the table. We find out later that this is probably when Ted decides to check out of the Peggy chemistry class and devote time to his homelife. This is a typical Peggy scene this season. This whole season has seemingly been about the mad men in her life letting her down, leaving her on her own, shutting her out... scurrying away, if you will. Don keeps shutting doors on her, Ted rebuffs her when she says her and Abe broke up (or more hilariously "he was stabbed" and they broke up), Abe leaves (obvi), even Stan Rizzo says no to helping her deal with rats in her apartment. But when we see our industrious Peggy Olson has solved the actual rat problem by getting a cat, we are certain that she will deal with her other rat problem with as much ingenuity and confidence in being by herself.
"Frenchy, that wise, wise sage" - Peggy Olson
And now, the Bob Benson discussion. Even though the big news from this episode is that Bob Benson revealed himself to be gay, the real news is there is no news! Bob Benson continues to be as mysterious as ever! So Bob hits on (of all people!) Pete Campbell in a subtle, not-so-subtle way. This does not necessarily explain everything. While I feel other people are sort of saying "Oh, that's it, that explains why he's such a mystery," I just can't get on board with that. I'm still as mystified as ever. I guess that argument is that Bob is gay and doesn't talk about his personal life for fear of retribution? But that was never the enigma of Bob Benson... he is definitely not lacking in confidence (thanks in part to those trusty self-help albums!). It has always been about how he seems to be everywhere all the time just when people need him, often with coffee. Bob seems to know how to read people, and wether that's in order to get ahead, or wether he's a genuinely helpful nice guy or a secret spy, we still don't know and his being gay (or not) doesn't answer any of that. Yet. Could it be that Bob is picking up on something with Pete that he thinks revealing that he his gay could somehow help him advance in the company?
ooooo.... mysterious... or not. I don't know.
I mean, it seems out of character for Bob to make such a bold reveal without having some sort of indication, right? Or not. Like I said, Bob seems to be a confident guy not afraid to take chances, so perhaps this is Bob Benson completely embracing his homosexuality and is confident in showing it. Pete is clearly not on board with this, though I am not sure Bob is convinced of this based on his facial expression leaving Pete's office. But as with everything else Bob Benson, does that facial expression say "oh crap, but I'm going to hide it" or "he'll be mine?" It's a mystery........
Other Things:
- In writing this entry, I'm reminded of Don's "this never happened mantra" (he has used that more than a few times) and I have a sudden, horrible fear: is Mad Men going to end like Lost??!?!?!? Oh My God... I can't even...
- Looking back at what I am writing about Sylvia, the motherly love sex thing works, however, I am reminded that the most powerful relationships Don has had with women, namely Anna Draper and Peggy have been decidedly non-sexual. Are these Don's most powerful relationships with women?
- Need to talk about Ted more. He has his own issues going on with Don Draper. I feel a great synergy between how Ted feels now and how Peggy felt for a long time, until she walked away. Sooner or later, Ted will understand that he treats everyone that way. He's not really special. But for now it makes for some great lines: "Imagine if every time Ginger Rogers jumped in the air, Fred Astaire punched her in the face."
One of these days I am going to write a blog entry all about the hilarious and genius comedies I've been watching. Today is not that day. Too much ridiculously awesome angst-and-death-filled television lately, including a few stellar season finales. I'm going to try to keep things short and simple, so I can try to talk about as many shows as possible before my brain explodes. (Ed note: it's impossible for the writer to write "short and simple," so here are three TV shows and some stuff at the end.)
Mad Men
Weirdsies
... or the epitomy of visual storytelling. FOR.REAL. I'm pretty sure that with the last two episodes, Mad Men won all of TV. I'm not sure how you can top these... if not for the Joan, Peggy and Lane storylines alone. And then there's Sally Draper who makes me cry all the time just by being on-screen, and with this last episode, I just devolved into a soupy mess. This girl! More on this later, but first let's go back two episodes to "The Other Woman." For those of you who know me, I loves me a good theme. And Mad Men is nothing if not theme-centric, from the title of every episode to the layers and layers of themey goodness found within - the music, the dialogue, the plot twists... every detail is a puzzle piece putting together the genius that is a Mad Men episode.
In this particularly delicious episode, much is made of going after the Jaguar business. The pitch is basically that Jaguar is like the other woman, something beautiful and expensive and not really within your grasp... I guess? This is sort of how it's positioned and they land on the tagline "At last, something beautiful you can truly own." WOWZERS! Does this speak volumes of Don's psyche or what? Meanwhile, all of Don's "other women," as we shall call them, are clearly NOT being owned by anyone: Megan is challenging him with her follow-her-dreams escapades, Joan is truly the other woman for a night, but becomes a partner in the firm in the process, and Don's right-hand girl PEGGY LEAVES. You see, Don tried to own her, visually expressed by Don literally throwing money in her face. Peggy has to move on at this point, but she owes so much to Don - oh, the turmoil! Don figuratively throws money at her as well, trying to get her to stay: "there's always a number" he says, but to no avail. When Peggy thrusts out her hand for a businesslike goodbye handshake and instead, Don kisses her hand, that simple gesture encompasses their entire journey together. On the surface it's been all business, but really it's so much more.
*sob*
The more overt storyline in "The Other Woman" is the juxtaposition of the Jaguar pitch with Joan's decision to spend a night with a smarmy Jaguar executive, and it is pure genius. Joan is also the beautiful thing you can own, seemingly. The surprise here is not so much that she went through with it, but the realization that Don's pleas to not go through with it were all for naught, since the deed was already done. No one really owns Joan though... certainly not now that she's partner.
Okay, moving on to the most recent episode, "Commissions and Fees." Oh, Lane. While sitting there on the couch in Don's office, I knew I was wrong about Pete Campbell. I had written earlier that I thought he might be just desolate and out-of-touch with himself enough to end his life. But watching Lane's reaction to Don's discovery of the check he forged, that is true despair.
The pit of despair
Was there any doubt that Lane would be exiting himself from the world? He may have been able to rally, concoct some new scheme, angle, life abroad... but then life just beat the crap out of him over and over, like it does. Joan dismissed him from her office abruptly when he talked of her being in an obscene bikini (kick!); his wife wants to CONGRATULATE him (smack!) for becoming an officer in the Four A's (side real-life note: I know what that is!! I have been involved with that organization in real life!) by BUYING him a JAGUAR and she "WROTE a CHECK" (flying side-kick to the gut!). Thank god those pretty Jaguars are shit though, right? Because it doesn't start when Lane tries to off himself in it and maybe he'll take that as a sign. Nope. Somehow, in his office at SCDP is the more appropriate setting for this final FU to Don and Joan and everyone. No less devastating though. Though his note is a boilerplate resignation letter, I suspect there is a real letter somewhere... to Don? to Joan?
Speaking of devastating... I know I say this all the time, but Sweet Jesus, it's true... I watch every second of Sally Draper on-screen like I'm about to jettison into the atmosphere: edge of my seat, gripping cushions and things, sipping my martini water fast and furious. You can never relax because you never know what's going to happen. Such is the quiet intensity of Mad Men. So this Sally-focused storyline of fighting with Betty (bitch!), showing up on Megan's doorstep, parent-approved school skipping and very non-parent approved having a boy over and going to a museum on said skip day and then, ahem, becoming a woman unexpectedly at the museum had me practically apoplectic.
Sometimes a girl just needs a hot water bottle and her mom, no matter how much of a crazed bitch she is
THIS.GIRL. Wait, actually.... THIS.SHOW. I don't think there has been another portrayal of a girl in limbo as perfect as Sally Draper. From ordering coffee in the restaurant to holding her own in the girl talk to wearing her kick-ass grown-up go-go boots for her museum date, she so desperately thinks she's ready to be a woman. Until, you know, that womanly thing kicks in (which she handles only slightly better than Sansa Stark - but really, does anyone handle that well?). She runs home to her mom (because that's what kids do when they are overwhelmed) and breaks my heart with every step, because in my head I hear strains of Girl, You'll be a Woman Soon or maybe it was I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman. Either way, it was profound. And Betty actually rises to the occasion, making me cry with her tender words towards Sally, words of comfort but also of the real responsibilities and obligations of being a woman. Commissions and fees, indeed.
One more thing that I love about Mad Men: how bizarre is it to see Don and Glen together? So much has happened with Glen and Sally (and of course earlier with wacko Betty) it's just freaking WEIRD to have him re-introduce himself and then Don lets him drive his car. Moral of all of it: life is just fucked up sometimes, so drive a car.
Sometimes a dude just needs to drive a car
Game of Thrones
*Only read this if you have read the books or if you don't care about spoilery things, sorta, or maybe read anyway because who knows if the TV show will do the same things as the books, right?
I know, I know... I just can't stop talking about how every character on this show is perfectly cast. I keep saying this, but I feel now that these words are somehow misleading... like these people are perfectly cast because they look exactly like how I pictured them in my head. They do, but really, when you see these actors not in character, it is really a testament to their phenomenal acting skills how they truly embody these characters. Usually I like to go on and on about Tyrion or Arya or Joffrey, but the season finale had me realizing that probably one of the most "perfectly cast" characters (read: plays the part impeccably), is that of Varys. So much so that is is shocking to see this actor out of costume. What do you mean Conleth Hill isn't a bald eunuch?!
I wonder if they use Nair on his face?
The finale, "Valar Morghulis," had me wondering if I would be a better viewer had I not read the books. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE this show. It's brilliant. However, some of the deviations I am enjoying, but others leave me baffled as to how they make sense or how they will make sense down the line. Of course some I understand sort of have to happen for this medium - they're certainly not going to make us watch Peter Dinklage with half a face and no nose.
Face and nose intact for your viewing pleasure
And I suppose the argument could be made that Dany's book experiences in the House of the Undying would be too lengthy and complicated to put on the screen. [Aside: ooooooo... Dany walks through what looks like The Wall to get to that tent... winter is coming! But more importantly, I see this as a clear sign that My Big Theory - heretofore to be referenced as Lisa's Big Theory of How it All Ends - is right on. I shall not disclose at this time, but I have it written and dated in an journal. I believe I am channeling GRRM's mind with LBToHiAE.)
Deviations I think I like include: Dany's dragons in the House of the Undying (much more compelling!), showing this intimate part of Stannis (almost killing Melisandre! Regret over Renly! Seeing things in the flames!), showing some of Varys' spidery moves (and possibly making this Ros character something substantial) and possibly this accelerated plot of Littlefinger helping Sansa (we'll see on this one).
"I will eat you!... Later... I guess..."
And now the rant about the White Walkers. (Oh, don't worry, there are other rants in the Other Character section below, but this is a doozy if you ask me.) WHAT the WHAT is going on at the end of this finale with White Walkers walking by a juicy Sam Tarly?! Okay, yes, great scene as far as creepiness factor - and so many of them! But what the hell? At first I thought here is where one comes up and attacks Sam and he kills the WW with the dragonglass. But that so very clearly doesn't happen. And I am here to tell you that there is no White Walker that will walk past a living dude. Nuh-uh. No how. How are they going to explain this next season? Maybe Sam's a gonner? #deviationidonotlike
Other Characters: Brienne - I really love the storyline in the books of Brienne and Jamie and I hope they keep all of it next season, or at least try to harness some of it. And also she kicked full ass in this finale. Not half, full. Rob - I don't know... do I care at all about this marriage to a medic or nurse or whatever they call her? Does anyone? I guess not, although I think it was all unnecessary. From a TV standpoint, I suppose it makes sense to show how Rob was just soooo in love that he just haaddddd to break his word with the Freys. But truthfully, I don't think it's that compelling a love story and it seems so out of place in this world. There ain't no stinking medics on these fields! Also, how does she get straight access to the godamn KING all the time? The Frey shitstorm could come without all this.
Too much puppy dog, not enough direwolf
JON SNOW - I am very very concerned that JON SNOW (all caps, all the time - he's that important) is not being portrayed here with Qhorin Halfhand as phenomenally awesome and honorable and conflicted and dutiful as he should be. But maybe that's just me and I think he should be backlit in every scene so as to show him in glowing light always. Maybe. Sansa - Joffrey is to wed another! Happy day! oh, no... not here, deary. Sansa is just damned no matter what she does. So it is so very interesting that Littlefinger tells her he has a plan to take her back to Winterfell. Very interesting indeed. I am excited to see how this plays out, but I am hoping that some very pivotal scenes from the book remain intact. Theon - I... I just... I just can't even hardly look at him I hate him so much, but wow do they do a good job of humanizing him. And portraying his inner struggles while his outward ineptitude shines on. He fancies himself a tough warrior, but the war horns are breaking him before the battle even begins. He's a poor thing, really. I will have much more to say on him in the future. Bran/Rickon/Hodor/Osha - So, I guess Osha is going to sort of take on the book characters of Jojen and Meera Reed? Interesting. I'm not sure I hate that entirely, but I would like to perhaps see them down the road... maybe sometime in Season 3? I think we might need them. Xaro Xhoan Daxos - I've been thinking this for awhile, but was anyone else unnerved whenever someone said his last name and it sounded like "ducksauce?" Just me? Okay, carry on then. Arya/Jaqen H'ghar - perfect, perfect, perfect. Valar Morghulis.
Say it again
The Killing
And if you think those two other shows are depressing... these people haven't seen the sun for two seasons.
That freaking keycard
First, I love The Killing. I do. Love, love, love. Readers here will know how much I love The Killing. Smart characters, smart writing, a magnificent story and just unbelievably terrific acting. Twists and turns and puzzle pieces galore! However, I need to say here publicly that I almost put my fist through my beautiful TV at the end of Sunday's episode, "Bulldog." Like, almost lost my mind with that funky ass twisteroo at the end. I hate so much that that smarmy mayor was able to recode the keycard back to Richmond's office. At least that's what I think happened. At first I was like "okay, so now I kinda get how people were frustrated last year" (not really, but more sympathetic maybe). But immediately after that, I thought, "God, I LOVE this show for making me think! and love things! and hate things! Really, really hate things." I think that she showed the keycard in the elevator so that she would have proof that it existed if it went missing, like all of the other Rosie Larsen evidence (now that FBI will have tapes?). But that gave the casino bitch time to contact people and have stuff rearranged.... arggghhh!
I have some consolation that things will get wrapped up in next week's episode, at least where Rosie Larsen is concerned. But I do have fear that the Mayor will get re-elected and the show will then be focused on Holder and Linden trying to take him down (still). The ideal for me would be that the Rosie case is solved, Richmond gets elected, Linden gets reinstated and boom, there's another case to solve. Yanick is dead (whoa!), so maybe this isn't so far fetched. But I will miss Stan and the boys. We shall see...
Maybe next week I will talk about how much I want Holder and Linden to get together. Two terribly broken pieces should make a whole awesome, right?
Additional Unrelated Things: Revenge - Now THAT'S a finale: the plane crashed! Victoria is dead! Emily's mom is alive! Charlotte may have killed herself! Amanda is back! ...and PREGNANT! Daniel and Emily are splitsville... will Danielle and Ashley get it on now? Seriously, this show is one of the most entertaining shows on right now. And even if it's not deep or brilliant on par with MM or GoT, it is still very clever and keeps you (me!) guessing. Can't wait for this to start again!
Some new shows that are awesome and need people to watch: Girls, VEEP, Network... all on HBO.
Fall TV - okay, THIS is just awesome and is the one show so far that I am anxiously awaiting. I anticipate watching this until my eyes bleed. Yes, I know it's June.
Aye aye AYE! There are several truths to Sunday's episode of Mad Men, Misery Date Mystery Date. The first is that I was more shocked during several scenes of this show than Game of Thrones, so good onya, MM. The second is that I almost passed out watching every scene with Sally... I don't think I'm the only one who holds her breath the entire time she's on the screen. I have said this before and I will say it now: Somebody give this girl an Emmy! (Aside: why don't they create a child actor category for the Emmy's? Something like "outstanding performance of an actor or actress under the age of X." My guess is that perhaps there would be a year without any candidates, to which I would counter, then eliminate the award that year. I just feel like Kieran Shipka who plays Sally, and now Maisie Williams who plays Arya on GoT have so much talent and bring such depth and weight to their respective roles that they should be recognized and won't through the traditional awards methods. And there are plenty of others who would fit this category. === runs to write letter to Emmys)
you're sickos!
It's not like Sunday's episode is the first time we have seen sexual violence manifest itself in various ways on Mad Men, especially from a dominant male point of view. However, this might be the most graphic, and the most prevalent as a theme throughout an entire episode. With the Chicago student nurse murders serving as a backdrop and also a focal discussion point for many characters, several male characters are portrayed as being misogynist or at the very least, uncaring towards women, specifically the women in their lives (I'm looking at you, Greg). Obviously, the scene where a feverish Don strangles Dream Andrea after having Dream Sex is the most egregious. But the argument could be made that Greg's indifference to Joan in volunteering to back to the war is, to a lesser extent, similar in its treatment of women. Is it possible that loose-canon newcomer Michael Ginsburg is the only male voice of conscience when he says "you're sickos" when Peggy, Stan and others are gathered around looking at pictures from the grisly murder scene. It's not a coincidence that Dream Andrea says to Don about their Dream Sex "you loved it and you'll love it again because you're sick." Interesting play on words since this is what sends Don into the craze that results in strangling her and stuffing her under the bed like dirty laundry, but also, you know, he's fevery sick.
And then there's Sally. Oh, Sally... how does this girl even stand a chance? No one cares about her hair! Just when we thought Betty would be the worst role model/ guardian she could have, now we have StepNana Pauline, who not only further terrifies Sally with gory details of the Chicago nurse murders (after Sally sneaks a newspaper to read about it), but then drugs her to sleep. Nana of the Year!
In probably the most genius visual puzzle-piece maneuver ever, we see Don shoving Andrea's body under the bed in one scene, then we cut to a pull-back into a wide shot of living room and, oh, Sally is UNDER THE COUCH. Shivers! Poor Sally was probably scared out of her mind and went there to feel safe, and we are reminded here (like a brick in the face) that the lone survivor of the Chicago Nurse murders saved herself by hiding under the bed. Unsettling to say the least.
Other:
awesome
- Can I say again that Keirnan Shipka's portrayal of Sally is just out of this world? First, her on the phone with Don, with perfect pre-teen boredom, whininess and snark. But Sally's interrogation of Pauline "was your mom strict?" and her reaction to PAuline's story of being hit for no reason and being better for it, which was at once interest, confusion, disgust and shock, was played so subtly on her face it deserves an Emmy in itself.
- Peggy! Her negotiation with Roger was probably one of her very best moments. Her eyeing her purse when Dawn is staying on the couch is probably not.
- oh, Roger... what's happening? Y U have so much cash? My guess is this is the only power he has left, since the world is evolving around him and he's being disrespected at every turn. Money still gets him what he wants.
- Joan! This girl is a survivor, she's gonna make it... she finally kicks Greg to the curb with a "you were never a good man, even before we were married. I think you know what I'm talking about." IT will be tough, but she's ready to kick ass solo style.
- I thought this blog entry on the episode had a fantastic insight into our new friend Ginsburg, and how the whole dark Cinderella mythology plays itself out in the episode, especially embedding itself in the psyche of Don and that one red shoe
one red shoe
So many layers to this episode, and so many shocking moments. Were you duped by the dream sequence? What's next for Joan? What's next for poor Sally? Hit the comments!
